University of Virginia Library

Tight Fit

Student Council's unanimous approval last
night of a new basketball ticket distribution
plan is a small step in the right direction.
Unfortunately, a small step is about the best
that can be made given the problems inherent
in trying to fit thousands of enthusiastic fans
into an undersized arena.

University Hall is something like a
premature baby. It arrived before it should
have, pitifully small and with a rather dubious
chance to survive the problems of growth.
There is just no way to get every basketball
fan at a large university with a potentially
great basketball team, into a field house
designed for a small university with a lousy
basketball team. So, the ideal solution would
be to raze University Hall and replace it.

Short of that somewhat drastic and
expensive proposal, there is much to be said
for the application of economic tools to this
ticket distribution dilemma. Indeed, it is a
fundamental economic problem of allocating
scarce resources (seats) to a large demand.
The answer might lie in the competitive
market.

No doubt for each fan there is a limit to
what he will pay to see a game. While part of
the athletic program is financed by student
fees, a price per ticket could be charged in
lieu of part of the activities fee, at whatever
rate proves to fill University Hall with the
fewest customers turned away. It is a skeleton
of a proposition, at best. But it is worth
considering.

In the interim, however, we have a plan
and it is to everyone's benefit to give it a try.
The primary advantage the new system offers
(see yesterday's Cavalier Daily) is the
elimination of the long lines and absurd waits
to get tickets on distribution day. Everyone
who gets into University Hall will get a ticket
or two, thus canceling the advantage of
arriving 30 hours early to begin the
pre-distribution vigil. The only time there
might be some waiting will be when it is
necessary to assure that one gets into University Hall preceding an important game.

No one is pretending that this arrangement
is certain to work and to prove the ultimate in
ticket distribution plans. It is merely an
improvement over the previous situation, and
any improvement should be welcomed.
Maybe we will see the day when planning
keeps pace with growing, if not one step
ahead. But that is probably wishful thinking.
Until then, the only sure way to get a look at
the Cavalier Five is to make the team.