A new student ticket policy at Louisiana State University is drawing mixed reactions on campus after school officials announced changes aimed at discouraging students from leaving certain basketball games early.
As reported by Perry Robinson of Baton Rouge CBS affiliate WAFB, the LSU athletic department recently notified students that those who leave the Pete Maravich Assembly Center before tip-off during games that include promotional giveaways could risk losing their student season tickets.
University officials say the policy targets a growing trend of students attending games solely to collect free items, then leaving before the game begins. LSU has given away T-shirts, crewnecks and other memorabilia to a certain number of students on a first-come, first-serve basis during select games, according to Robinson.
“While this has been an ongoing issue in past seasons, the increased popularity and improved design of recent giveaways have led to a noticeable rise in students leaving immediately after receiving items,” said Kelsey Dulinski, LSU’s director of marketing. “This policy helps ensure giveaways reach fans who are staying to support the team.”
Under the policy, students will have their tickets exit-scanned if they decide to leave the arena before tip-off during giveaway games. Those students could then face the possibility of losing ticket privileges for the remainder of the season, Robinson reported, adding that school officials emphasized that students are not required to stay for any specific duration of a game, but say the policy is intended to promote fairness and encourage school spirit.
“I think it’s kind of harsh,” Bryce Powell, an LSU student, told WAFB.
“Actually, I think it’s a great idea,” said Miles Glee, another LSU student. “We’ve had so many people just coming into the stadium and leaving. I’ve tried coming in early and you have to get there at least two hours ahead of time to get the free item, and it’s taken the fun out of it.”
Others argue the consequences are too harsh and believe the university could explore alternative solutions, such as distributing giveaways later in the game or at halftime. “They could maybe wait until halftime or even the end of the game. I think there’s a different way to go about it,” LSU student Michael Pierre told WAFB.
LSU officials say this policy could be implemented with other sports in the future.
