Lining Up for Basketball
In a mere two hours, 3,500 student tickets to the Wyoming basketball game go quickly.
By the time the Viejas Arena ticket office opened at 7:30 a.m., Monday, hundreds of SDSU students were already in line to get tickets for Saturday’s men’s basketball game against the University of Wyoming Cowboys. In less than two hours, the 3,500 seats allocated for Aztec students were gone.
“We had people here starting at 4:30,” said Viejas Arena Director John Kolek. “All the (men’s basketball) games are sold out, so all that’s left is just the student ticket distribution. It will be like this every game.”
First-come, first-serve
Game tickets are made available to students on a first-come, first-served basis a week before each game. With the Aztecs ranked fourth by both college basketball polls, undefeated for the season and well into their conference schedule, student tickets have been disappearing more quickly each week, so Kolek and his box office staff were prepared for Monday’s rush.
“We brought in extra staff,” he said. “It’s just that there are, obviously, more people not being able to get tickets.”
Disappointing for some
One of those unable to get tickets was freshman Diana Lopez. The child and family development major from San Diego had waited in line for about 20 minutes when the announcement was made that there were no more tickets available.
“It sucks,” said Lopez, who has attended most of the Aztec men’s basketball games this season. “I’m going to cry.”
Lopez said she will likely watch the game on television, but will return for tickets to the next one. “I will be here early next time,” she vowed.
Camping out?
If the Aztecs continue to win, the Viejas Arena staff expects ticket lines to form even earlier.
“I would imagine if things keep going the way they are that, yeah, for the BYU game at least, we’ll probably have people wanting to camp out,” said Kolek.
The arena director said no timelines or rules have been established for students wanting to camp out for tickets. “That’s something that still needs to be discussed with the Athletics department and Public Safety,” he said.
As demand for Aztecs basketball tickets grows, so likely will the length of the student lines. It will be up to Kolek and his staff to keep them moving.
