LAST SATURDAY, the men's basketball game against Duke wasn't the only disappointment at University Hall. The Hoo Crew did not perform to its usual standards in what had been an arduous camp-out by hundreds of fans, and many others who had shown up hoping to get into the game, if possible. Due to their disorganization, a failure to provide information to the fans, and relative apathy toward keeping the fans ordered, the Hoo Crew did not meet the standards of their excellent handling of previous games. Based on this game, which was arguably the biggest one of the year, the Hoo Crew must re-evaluate their line organizing plans and make adjustments to avoid another Duke debacle.
To credit the Hoo Crew, they have done a fine job at other high profile games in the past two years. Camping-out order has been respected, and lines getting into the games have been orderly. The Hoo Crew was also excellent in communicating what was going on entry-wise to the fans through their use of megaphones and ample coverage around the spots where people were lined up.
At the Duke game, unfortunately, they did not live up to their previous standards. Because of the terrible winter weather, several changes were made. For instance, the lining up process was relocated into the Cage in Onesty Hall, as the Bone Marrow drive at that site was cancelled, according to John Steck, the head member of the Hoo Crew. By many accounts, including my own, the line-up process was especially chaotic and miserable.
The Hoo Crew's treatment of fans that showed up a few minutes after the line-up time of 6 p.m. was particularly disturbing. Due to the inclement weather, many students who had been camping out took a little longer to get to U-Hall than usual.
However, instead of being let inside Onesty Hall to meet up with their fellow campout-mates, these fans who came only a few minutes after six were relieved of their hard-earned orange wristbands, and instead given green ones. These green wristbands were distributed to everyone that showed up after six, regardless of whether they had camped out or not.
The Hoo Crew turned a deaf ear to these jilted students and didn't even bother to look at the number on the orange wristband, which is supposed to denote that persons exact order in line. Fans, who had sacrificed time and comfort in the cold for days out of the past week to get into the Duke game as early as possible, were forced to wait outside, without their friends in the cold and sleet for over an hour and a half. To make matters worse, there was little, if any information relayed to these snubbed, freezing fans about what their status was to get into the game. These students only alternative was to hope that their friends they had camped out with would save them a seat.
The move into Onesty Hall also exacerbated some organization problems. Because space was limited, it was more difficult to line people up. Also, the acoustics of the Cage made hearing the Hoo Crew difficult, even though they were equipped with megaphones. Overall, there were not enough Hoo Crew representatives available to deal with the immense amount of people crowded into the Cage.
The experience that many fans encountered in lining up for this game was not worth the effort of camping out. With the system as it was this weekend; it was highly possible that someone who had camped out for nearly a week and had the wristband to prove it could be denied entrance until nearly two thousand fans came in before him.
These problems could have been avoided. The Hoo Crew must show more sympathy to fans. It is highly doubtful that a student who had been camping out would have shown up after 6 p.m. on purpose. The roads were treacherous before that game, making it harder to get to University Hall, and the Hoo Crew should have acknowledged that. These fans were unjustly penalized for being late.
After the first hundred students were admitted into the game, the lines of people who had come after 6 p.m. could have been moved into the Cage. It was several degrees below freezing and sleeting on game night. Forcing fans to wait outside for over an hour and a half is simply unfair and unhealthy. The Hoo Crew should have also lined people up outside University Hall. There is much more space to keep groups of fans separate, and it is easier to hear their megaphones. Fans could then be marched into Onesty Hall after being lined up. Most importantly, the Hoo Crew should consider expanding their numbers. It appeared that they were understaffed to handle the thousands of fans that showed up to the game. The Hoo Crew must learn ways to remedy their shortcomings from the Duke game, in hopes of a more effective line up experience in future games.
(Alex Rosemblat's column appears
Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at arosemblat@cavalierdaily.com)
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