The UCLA athletic department is still facing the fallout after hundreds, if not thousands, of students who had waited in line for hours to attend Saturday's women's basketball game against rival USC were denied entry.
"The utter mismanagement by UCLA Athletics on Saturday night quickly sabotaged what could have been an unforgettable celebration and embodiment of Bruin pride in the last regular season game of the year against their fiercest rival," Ira Gorawara of the Daily Bruin wrote, as reported by Sports Illustrated. " ... Students were told to line up outside Pauley Pavilion starting at 2 p.m. to collect wristbands for the 6 p.m. tipoff.
"A chaotic scramble unfolded, where students were given conflicting instructions. Lines shifted unpredictably. Those who had patiently waited – some even formed a pre-line at 1:30 p.m. – were left in the dust by a wave of last-minute stragglers. Despite an alleged 500 promised wristbands, only around 100 students actually got into Pauley Pavilion."
Tracy Pierson of 247Spports reported, "Apparently only a small number of students (with one source on-hand estimating 100-150 students) were permitted access to the student section in Pauley Pavilion, with UCLA turning away the majority of those who lined up for hours."
Then No. 2-ranked UCLA and then No. 4-ranked USC were to play for the Big Ten Championship, and the game was reportedly sold out weeks in advance. However, there are usually a few sections reserved for students on a first-come-first-serve basis, 247Sports reported.
Wrote Brock Vierra, who covers UCLA for SI, "While the game was sold out, the lack of attention put forth by the university in its care for the student population, a population that, despite their busy schedules, was more than ready to invest what little time they had in their school's basketball program marks a dark stain that the Bruins either need to answer or they may never recover from."
Students were told to start lining up outside Pauley Pavilion at 2 p.m. to receive a wristband that would provide free admittance for the 6 p.m. tip-off, according to 247Sports, adding the line was approximately a mile long.
UCLA Athletics released a statement in which it sounds like it is claiming 500 students received wrist bands, Pierson reported:
"All UCLA women's basketball regular season games are free for all UCLA students, pending availability, and admission is not guaranteed. Student section capacity is determined using attendance data throughout the season. Therefore, 500 wristbands were set aside for UCLA students. Communication about wristband distribution was sent to students earlier in the week. In that communication, they were told that the line would start at 2pm. Wristbands were distributed at that time until they ran out at 2:45. UCLA Athletics will continue to evaluate student attendance based on demand and will adjust accordingly, and we hope that the students continue to show up for our teams moving forward."
