Camping Out for Tickets

Timothy Knox was the first in line. The sophomore business management major from San Francisco showed up at 8:30 Sunday night to be sure he received tickets for next Saturday’s Aztec men’s game against TCU.

“I have to get the tickets before they get sold out,” Knox said. “Last week, I got here at 8 a.m. and the line was all the way down the side of the ARC and I barely got my tickets, so today I had to get here early to make sure I get tickets.”

Waiting in the rain

By midnight, there were 25 students lined up near the ticket windows outside Viejas Arena awaiting the student ticket distribution set to begin at 7:30 Monday morning. With a light drizzle falling throughout the evening, most were prepared with blankets, sleeping bags and backpacks filled with gear.

“I have an umbrella and four jackets,” Knox said, “and I have some celery, peanut butter and raisins to make some ants on a log along with some water.”

Christian Brown sat snacking on a piece of pepperoni pizza delivered to the group by someone identified only as “Scott.” Passing the time by watching a television comedy on his laptop, the political science major from Tehachapi, Calif., said he wasn’t very concerned about spending the night in the cold, damp weather.

“We’re idiots” Brown said. “That’s the best way to put it. I love the cold. I like rain. I’m just not very bright.”

Brown said he missed out on a ticket to last week’s Wyoming game and wanted to make sure he got a ticket for the TCU contest. Tickets to the Feb. 8 game against Utah will also be handed out in the same distribution.

A good crowd

Elite Security staffer Carlos Cabazuela said the ticket line was the earliest he had seen, but that the students seemed pleasant and orderly.

“So far, it’s a pretty good crowd,” he observed. “They’re nice and polite, so it hasn’t been too bad.

“We’re just making sure everybody stays in their place and there’s no cutting in line and everybody who’s here is going to be here and in line to get their tickets. They can’t invite their friends over right before the ticket windows open and everybody cuts in line. That’s not going to happen. We’re here to make sure everything remains in order.”

Cabazuela said the students were being allowed through the gates into Viejas Arena one at a time to use the restroom. Knox explained there is a sort of honor system among the group for those heeding nature’s call.

“Everybody knows you’re here,” he said. “They’ll save your spot.”

Making morning classes

After staying up all night to be the first in line for tickets at 7:30 a.m., Knox said he will try to head home to his place near campus for some sleep before his 9 a.m. comparative literature class. His friend, Alisha Madison, said she is less certain about making her morning class.

“I have a 9 a.m. history class,” said the sophomore business management major from Valley Center, “but I’m not sure I’m going to go.”

At least she’ll have tickets to the game.

“I haven’t been to a sold-out game yet,” she said, “and I think that’s going to be pretty cool.”