With the basketball season complete, the new regulations for this year's "Hooville" and the inauguration of Team Cavalier appear to have been a resounding success.
"This was leaps and bounds better than what system was in place, which was basically not a system," said Duane Propst, athletic department coordinator of promotions and special events.
Hooville is the informal name for the University's more than 1,000 men's basketball team fans that regularly camp outside University Hall to get a place among the best student seats.
Student Council's Athletic Affairs Committee executed a number of reforms for Hooville designed to increase the fairness of the line system and decrease disorderly conduct when doors opened.
The reforms "created a more relaxed atmosphere," said John Steck, leader of Hoo Crew and a member of Council's Athletic Affairs committee.
The 12-member Hoo Crew acted as line monitors, recorded student attendance to ensure an accurate priority system and assisted Hooville "residents" with any problems.
In addition to the regular staff, Hoo Crew recruited temporary members for more popular games such as those versus Duke and Maryland.
Although Hoo Crew did not experience any major problems, Steck admitted "there are some things that need to be changed."
"Trash was a problem," Hoo Crew member Blair Putnam said.
Hoo Crew also worked to aid students needing Internet access or Ethernet outlets for laptops.
"They're trying to do the wireless connection for the Ethernet" for next year, Putnam said. "On two or three days, we blew fuses in Onesty Hall and they quit letting us use outlets down there."
The Hoo Crew said most students spent their time studying but "a lot of people had TVs, VCRs and video games," Putnam said.
Aside from the new Hoo Crew, an Athletic Department Sports Promotion Office Project, Team Cavalier, debuted at the N.C. State men's basketball game Jan. 5. Through the new program, students purchased a $15 orange Team Cavalier T-shirt, which entitled them to free Team Cavalier promotions for a full year.
Propst said this year's Team Cavalier focused on attracting basketball fans.
Team Cavalier hopes to transfer student enthusiasm for basketball into attendance at the University's other, less-well-attended sporting events.
"I think this year it was kind of in it's beginning," Putnam said. "It's going to eventually be for every sport. "
By the end of the basketball season, Team Cavalier sported 170 fans. However, the Athletic Department is confident the program will expand.
"We want it to be an all-sport student support group so that we can maybe get more students out to some of our Olympic sports, whether it be men's lacrosse ... maybe volleyball and crew," Propst said.
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