THE FANS were lively, the new marching band looked and sounded great and our Cavaliers crushed North Carolina 56-24. However, several problems still plague the Scott Stadium experience for students, alumni and local fans alike. Second-hand smoke swirls freely around the seating areas, some members of the University community feel entitled enough to save row upon row of seats and the Good Ole Song remains a work in progress.
Nothing is more disappointing than standing in the student section watching the game only to have someone light up a cigarette in front of you and proceed to pollute the air around you and your friends. While official Scott Stadium policy prohibits smoking "in the seating areas, portals, restrooms or on the North Hillside," a cursory glimpse of the student section and Hill on Saturday would have made Joe Camel smile.
Event staff should neither be expected nor responsible for policing the seating areas for smokers. Their time is much better served ensuring the safety of game attendees. Smoking is a disgusting habit, no doubt, but a football game is not a third grade classroom; there's no tattle-telling to stadium officials. The onus to stop smoking in the seating areas should fall on the fans and smokers themselves. Those wishing to indulge in a cigarette should either excuse themselves to the open air concourse or keep their nicotine craving under wraps for a few hours. And if someone is smoking near you in the seats, kindly ask them to stop. You'd be surprised how far a little courtesy will go on game day.
Another ever-present and nerve-fraying issue on game day is seat-saving. How many times have you walked into the stadium an hour or more before kickoff only to find three, four, five rows of seats "saved" by a few individuals? First-come first-serve is the only fair and practical seating system. Arrive early and sweat in the sun for two hours, and you'll get a prime seat. Stroll in a few minutes before game time and odds are you'll be hiking to the upper bowl.
The aforementioned seat-savers are a curious breed. Seat-savers are often pledges of a frat or probies of a CIO, and usually put up to the task by others. Most will have a guilty look on their face, as if they know what they're doing is wrong -- and it is wrong. Saving a few seats for friends is one thing, but five guys holding five rows of seats in the lower bowl is ludicrous. Equally ludicrous are the fans who come early to the game and let the seat-saver's behavior go unchecked. Challenge the seat-savers (no matter how big they are) and send a message that saving row upon row of seats will not be tolerated in Scott Stadium. And to those attempting to save 10, 20, 30 seats: Sure, it's not against the rules but realize how truly ridiculous you look.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the state of the Good Ole Song. Last year, with the Pep Band in exile and a nonexistent marching band, football games showcased a bizarre a capella rendition of the song piped in over the sound system. While the marching band did an excellent job of playing the Good Ole Song on Saturday, it seemed as though every section of the stadium started and ended the song at a different time depending on their proximity to the marching band. An asynchronous singing of the Good Ole Song confuses everyone and detracts from our Cavs' hard-earned points on the field.
The Marching Band Office is aware of the problem and is exploring solutions.One solution under consideration is to feed the Marching Band's rendition of the Good Ole Song into the main sound system and play it live over the Hoovision speakers. Such a remedy is both practical and cheap but still slightly lacking. Stadium officials should also display the lyrics to the song on the jumbotron as was done in years past. This will ensure that everyone in the stadium knows the words and starts and ends the song at the same time.
Smoking, seat-saving and Good Ole Song confusion may seem trivial; after all, the most important thing about game day is winning the game and ensuring a safe environment for all fans. But each of the three problems has a simple and practical solution that combined with a little personal responsibility might go a long ways toward improving the game day experience for everyone.
Joe Schilling's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at jschilling@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
CASTAGNO: Closing the Federal Executive Institute fails local residents
By Conall Costagno | 31 minutes agoThe unwilling departure of the FEI from Charlottesville represents the severing of a constructive accord between the government and the University.
COHEN: Facing federal cuts, U.Va. must defend affordability
By Ryan Cohen | YesterdayIn this uncertain environment, the University must act creatively and strategically to ensure it can maintain its commitment to affordability.
EDITORIAL: Commit to protecting noncitizens on Grounds
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoThis has grown into a pattern of failing the rights of noncitizens to due process and overstepping judicial checks and balances on the executive branch.
