COVID Forces New Ticket Rules for Football Fans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcPzOGwz0A

By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Tatumn Vaught

TUSCALOOSA, Ala- On a normal game-day in Tuscaloosa, the streets of University Boulevard are packed full of fans wearing crimson and white, the aroma of hot wings and barbecue permeates the air, and “Dixieland Delight” blares from tailgate speakers across the Quad. But this season is different. 

Capacity in Bryant-Denny Stadium

Bryant-Denny Stadium usually holds over 100,000 people and this season it is not going to radiate the same championship energy that we know and love. 

While there are usually few empty seats in sight, especially during a local rivalry weekend against Georgia, capacity has been reduced to 20% capacity for the safety of fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While opinions on the pandemic protocol vary, the University of Alabama settled on a plan that would still allow fans who are healthy to purchase tickets and enter the stadium. The other 80% are watching games elsewhere. 

Restrictions are not limited to just inside the stadium, tailgating has also been suspended for the 2020 season, with hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Who should get a ticket?

While some people are worried about getting sick and will not be in attendance, demand to get into Bryant-Denny is still extremely high. 

Some believe that those die-hard fans, who have not missed a game in 20 years, deserve to get into the stadium; others think those who use the campus daily and pay the university thousands of dollars in tuition money deserve a ticket more: the students. 

Typically, students would purchase an entire ticket package for the whole season at the beginning of the year, in the upper or lower bowl based on their grade classification. Now, the university and ticket office has come up with an entirely new system that does not seem to be sitting well with students.

“I specifically did not opt-in for Texas A&M so I would hopefully be able to get a Georgia ticket. Hoping like it would be my first opt-in attempt that I would be able to get one, and I still did not get one,” said Peyton Huie, a junior at UA who is from Georgia.

Tide Loyalty Points

Instead of using seniority or Tide Loyalty Points, a system that was created last year to reward those students who stayed for four quarters and were dedicated to supporting the Tide, the tickets are rewarded by UA earned credit hours. 

According to an email sent to all students at the beginning of the year by the Tide Pride Ticket office, tickets are rewarded by grade based upon percentages created by the university: seniors, 40 percent, juniors 20 percent, sophomores, 15 percent, freshman, 15 percent, and graduate students, 10 percent. 

“I think the process for giving out tickets is not very clear like I have no idea how it was decided. We were told that a certain percentage of each grade would get one, but based on just the people I know, which to be fair is not the whole university, but um, I do not know a single senior got one and I know a couple of underclassmen that did,” said Bentley Harden, a UA senior. 

We reached out to the Alabama Ticket Office and they did not want to comment on the ticket process. Students will be limited to attending two games via the opt-in process for the entire season in hopes to give all students a chance to attend. If you do not opt-in for every game, the odds of you attending two home games go down.  

“This was the one game all season that I was really looking forward to going to, and like all my friends from high school who go to Georgia, we have been talking trash about it since the summer about who is going to win,” said Huie.  

Re-Selling Tickets for a Profit

The problem is not just the ticket demand, it appears the suspicion is some of those requesting tickets will look to re-sell for a profit on Facebook and other social media sites. All student tickets cost $23 dollars but as of Thursday afternoon, some of the prices for student tickets we found online were averaging around $200 dollars or more. 

“I know a lot of people are really angry, and the people who did get one are selling it for like $500 dollars or more, which is ridiculous,” said Harden.  

As of now, the Tide looks like a clear contender for another championship, but the fans just wish they had a better view.