The student sections are crazy as ever with die-hard fans who stand for the whole game, yelling on defense and jingling their keys. Just this past weekend, Western Kentucky had to call a time out because Lane Stadium was so loud. The players on the field acknowledged our help, and two guys in front of me high-fived that their efforts helped out our team. For many students here, being an enthusiastic sports fan is one of the best traditions of college. Many of us gladly pay money to have the opportunity of that guaranteed football ticket every game after freshman year.

But contrary to popular belief, football is not the only sport at Tech for which students crave tickets. Registration for season tickets to men's basketball was up this past week. The Hokies have had growing success (and popularity) under coach Seth Greenberg, who has frequently commended the students for their attendance and support of his team.

However, with Hokie basketball's growing popularity comes growing scarcity of tickets. This year season tickets are to be randomly distributed -- you have to sign up for a lottery just for the opportunity to buy them. I understand that more people want to attend games and the fact that there is limited seating in Cassell. My complaint is the "random" part that comes with the lottery.

Last week, a friend of mine wrote a letter to the Collegiate Times complaining of this very problem. This guy is a senior at Tech, and has had season tickets for the last two years. He is one of the loudest and most intense fans I know -- the "paint-your-chest-lose-your-voice-for-two-days" type. In the current system, he has the same chance of getting season tickets as some sophomore girl who only wants them to impress her boyfriend. If she gets the tickets, she will probably only go to the big games, and maybe even leave at halftime because she just doesn't really care. Meanwhile, he has to sit at home and watch it on TV. Other big name basketball schools distribute student tickets with more stipulations: loyalty, seniority or even intensity. Duke and UNC fans have to camp out to get basketball tickets. This may seem a little too crazy, but the fans who end up getting in are the ones who want the tickets the most, so much so that they will take shifts with their friends for up to six weeks holding a spot in line.

Wake Forest fans have an opportunity to join the Screamin' Demons, a student-led organization that's affiliated with the athletic department. Students can sign up at the beginning of the year to get passes for all athletic events, including football and basketball. There are stipulations involved -- you have to get to the games early, and you are only allowed to miss a certain number of them or else your ticket is revoked. The result? Students are attending all the games, even the ones against weak teams, for a chance to make it to the good ones. So again, the loyal, die-hard students are the ones rewarded.

If Tech changes to some kind of loyalty-based system for tickets, Greenberg would be a happy coach. I remember a particular game against Maryland that was held during a snowstorm, and since many alumni couldn't make it, extra tickets were opened to students. They were enthusiastically received, and the usual empty seats left by alumni that can't make it during the week were filled. We were loud, we were passionate and I believe we helped the Hokies win the game. Just like when we played Western Kentucky in football this weekend, the fans can make a difference.

What it comes down to is the system needs to be changed. Perhaps we could adopt a fan-loyalty group such as Wake Forest. Or try a point system, where the more games students attend (even against bad teams) the more points they get and tickets are more likely to go to the loyal students who hold the most points.     

Another potential source of tickets are alumni. Unlike football, many basketball games are held during the week. Alumni who live far away can't always take off work to travel to Blacksburg. Maybe a group could be established to sell these tickets to students, so then not only are empty alumni seats filled but more students can attend.

There are countless other ideas floating out among the student body. The athletic department needs to realize that just because the lottery system is random doesn't mean it's fair. It works fine for students who don't want to attend every game. But for season tickets, the most loyal fans should always come out on top. This way, we can truly "Rock the Cassell."

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