The 2005-2006 season was a dramatic one for Virginia basketball as Dave Leitao's team was predicted to finish last in the ACC, then flirted with an NCAA bid and ultimately settled for a bid in the National Invitation Tournament. But off the court -- or rather in the stands -- there was plenty of drama as well.
Dispute concerning where the newly formed Hoo Crew would sit in the student section of University Hall led to something of a rivalry between Hoo Crew and non-Hoo Crew members. But with the basketball program moving to the brand new John Paul Jones Arena next year, there is a chance for a new beginning in the stands.
With that goal in mind, the Virginia sports marketing department held two forums in the past two days to discuss possible seating arrangements in the new basketball arena.
Three proposals were presented for seating arrangements in the lower bowl of the John Paul Jones Arena. Each proposal allotted approximately 500 seats of the 1,646 student seats in the lower-bowl sections to members of the Hoo Crew. All three proposals were submitted to the marketing department by the Hoo Crew.
"The Hoo Crew brought these proposals to us, but before we dove into any of these proposals we wanted to hear the opinion of the general student body," said Hunter Yurachek, assistant athletic director of marketing.
Yurachek emphasized the importance of soliciting feedback from students who seem just as devoted to Virginia athletics as Hoo Crew members.
"They are there as early, if not earlier, than some members of the Hoo Crew and cheering just as hard for their team," he said. "Even if they can't commit to come to all 16 games, which as a University of Virginia student is a big commitment, we still want to make sure we hear from them and take their feedback to heart."
The three proposals all feature seating for Hoo Crew members in at least two sections on the sideline that faces cameras for televised games. The proposals then either place Hoo Crew members along the baseline or along the televised sideline. All three proposals have a section of Hoo Crew fans sitting behind the visitor's bench, but allot at least 1,100 lower-bowl seats to general student seating.
"We wanted to make sure all three were very comparable," Hoo Crew president Graham Tucker said. "In the variations among the three they all have give and take. I can see how I might like a certain proposal, but a different Hoo Crew member or a general student could like a different one."
The three plans only apply to the lower-level seats in the John Paul Jones Arena, leaving the upper-bowl student seats as general student seating. In total, the John Paul Jones Arena has roughly 300 more student seats than U-Hall. Yurachek is also looking for student feedback through the athletic Web site, which has a link to the seating proposals and a feedback option.
"If there is overwhelming support for one of the proposals that will definitely be the direction that we go," Yurachek said.
At the forums, many students took the opportunity to express their support of certain seating proposals. Third-year College student Caroline Darney voiced her support of the Sabre plan.
"I think it's the fairest plan because it allows the general admission students to have seats just as good as -- or even better, in some cases -- Hoo Crew members," Darney said.
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