The restructuring of the ticketing and admission procedure for men's basketball games is a step towards changing the "culture" of GW basketball and preparing fans for a major overhaul of Smith Center seating, Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz said.
Within the next three years, barring any unexpected budgetary constraints, the University is planning to replace at least the upper portion of the student section with individual stadium-style seats - a project that is estimated to cost about $1.5 million, Kvancz said. The mechanism that collapses the bleachers is severely damaged and further harm to it could expedite the need to replace the bleachers with individual seats.
Replacing bleachers in the 31-year-old building is a repair that goes beyond the needs of the basketball programs, which use the building about 30 days each year for games. The building is also used for graduation, concerts and other privately operated events.
Arena-style seats would allow for a system where students purchase season-ticket packages for men's basketball. Kvancz said he does not see that as a negative thing, as it is a policy most Division I athletic programs have in place.
"I would like to see a purchased season ticket at some point," Kvancz said. "It wouldn't hurt (the athletic department), but I've gotten along without it for years."
Nationally, ticketing and admission policies differ greatly. Kvancz said he has been calling other schools around the country to inquire about methods to adopt at GW.
He said he's heard an array of suggestions from different parts of the country, ranging from age-based systems to financially beneficial policies.
When Kvancz was a student at Boston College, where he graduated in 1968, football admission depended on your year in college. Seniors were allowed to purchase tickets Tuesday, juniors on Wednesday, sophomores on Tuesday and if any were left over, freshmen got a shot on Friday, he said.
Duke University, whose Cameron Indoor Arena seats only 9,314, opens doors before each game and seats are occupied at a first-come, first-serve basis. Kvancz said he is not inclined to move toward a system that causes camping on the street.
Within the next three years, barring any unexpected budgetary constraints, the University is planning to replace at least the upper portion of the student section with individual stadium-style seats - a project that is estimated to cost about $1.5 million, Kvancz said. The mechanism that collapses the bleachers is severely damaged and further harm to it could expedite the need to replace the bleachers with individual seats.
Replacing bleachers in the 31-year-old building is a repair that goes beyond the needs of the basketball programs, which use the building about 30 days each year for games. The building is also used for graduation, concerts and other privately operated events.
Arena-style seats would allow for a system where students purchase season-ticket packages for men's basketball. Kvancz said he does not see that as a negative thing, as it is a policy most Division I athletic programs have in place.
"I would like to see a purchased season ticket at some point," Kvancz said. "It wouldn't hurt (the athletic department), but I've gotten along without it for years."
Nationally, ticketing and admission policies differ greatly. Kvancz said he has been calling other schools around the country to inquire about methods to adopt at GW.
He said he's heard an array of suggestions from different parts of the country, ranging from age-based systems to financially beneficial policies.
When Kvancz was a student at Boston College, where he graduated in 1968, football admission depended on your year in college. Seniors were allowed to purchase tickets Tuesday, juniors on Wednesday, sophomores on Tuesday and if any were left over, freshmen got a shot on Friday, he said.
Duke University, whose Cameron Indoor Arena seats only 9,314, opens doors before each game and seats are occupied at a first-come, first-serve basis. Kvancz said he is not inclined to move toward a system that causes camping on the street.
