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Buckskin86
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Ohio State basketball creating student section closer to court to improve atmosphere
Published: Thursday, August 26, 2010
Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
OSUStudents will now sit in the first 10 rows of sections 104, 105, 106 and 107 for Ohio State men's basketball games.
It's been a long time coming, but Ohio State men's basketball games might feel more like college games than they used to.
In its 13th season in the Schottenstein Center, Ohio State will this season create a center court student section, moving 800 student seats to the first 10 rows behind the benches and scorer's table where faculty and stuff used to sit.
"We think by doing this we'll get the fanatical students to be a part of it maybe a little bit more and a little bit better than we have," said Bill Jones, Ohio State's associate athletic director for external affairs. "We thought let's find a way to get them where they want to be and where we think they can make a difference."
Ohio State president Dr. Gordon Gee enthusiastically announced the move during an interview with WBNS radio in Columbus on Thursday, saying he and athletic director Gene Smith would be among those moving their seats to accommodate the students. Jones later confirmed the details, and admitted some staff members might not be happy to give up their seats.
"There's been a little complaining, but I don't know how many of them are really thinking about basketball," Jones said. "I'm sure there are going to some faculty and staff not real pleased."
But Jones was reassured by the support he says the move has from Gee, Smith and student leaders who have been asking for better seats for years.
"I think for the most part that everyone is going to be pleased and the majority will receive it well," Jones said, "because I think they all believe, the faculty and staff members included, that it's about the students."
Jones said the students will have about 1,400 seats in the lower area of the arena in all, fewer than the 2,000 seats they had in the past but still enough to meet demand, Jones believes. He said the students will take up the first eight to 10 rows in that lower section, and the final two rows will not be sold and remain empty so that students will not block other fans if they stand for most of the game, which Jones expects.
Ohio State basketball creating student section closer to court to improve atmosphere | cleveland.com
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BuckTwenty
Parties with Pete Johnson's Beard
Buckskin86;1753934; said:
I don't think the student section sold out for 1 game all of last year. Heck, when the students are on winter break, we had 25-30 students sitting in the section for each of those games. Gonna look great on TV.
The students can complain about the faculty and staff all they want, but at least they showed up to the games... class or no class; rain, snow, or sleet. Now they're giving up their seats to folks who won't show up to support this basketball team unless its Michigan State or Purdue on the other side of the court... and even THEN they didn't sell out.
Almost seems like a reward for the students despite their poor attendance the last few years. Reward the 25-30 students that showed up for every game. Those are the REAL fans.
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buckeyescott11
Hall of Fame
DZ83CK;1753670; said:
It used to be ESPN360, the internet channel for ESPN.
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LitlBuck
Kevin Warren is an ass
They should allow these students with the "floor" seats to be able to return them to the ticket office and opened them up for sale to the general public. I know when they were still at St. John some of the rowdiest crowds were when students were on break and the general public were able to purchase some decent tickets. They also need to reduce the price to little to the general public so that there is no big gaping hole in the student section as you mentioned.BuckTwenty;1753960; said:
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DaBears
Heisman
As a recently graduated student, I think one of the reasons why so few students go is because the ticket policy is/was so ridiculous. In order to get in to the game, you had to get there an hour or two before the game to get in line and get processed which is a big pain on a Tuesday night. I agree that student support and attendance is pathetic, but I think putting students on the sidelines will help. The atmosphere at basketball games, in general, is pretty awful. Students don't go because of the hassle, crappy seats, and there's no real tradition of student attendance, while real fans can't go because they are priced out. Hopefully this move is a move in the right direction.
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Singularity
M. Gnosis
Any news on whether we have decided not to dress our players like idiots this season?
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