Student Organization Seating, or block seating, has been suspended for approximately 20 student organizations at Saturday’s football game versus Tennessee, according to Student Government Association Director of Media Relations Leela Foley.
The suspension comes after the SGA announced they would be filming the block seating sections during the Arkansas game on Oct. 19. SGA President Jimmy Taylor sent an email to leaders of block seating organizations on Thursday, Oct.17 warning them of the review.
“Administrators will review photos and film of the student section from the games,” Taylor said in the emailed statement. “Seating will be taken away from those organizations, who abandon reserved seating. I have also been informed that this is a ‘pilot year’ for SOS and if sections do not remain full, this will likely be the final year of Student Organization Seating.”
University spokesman Chris Bryant said the University did not release a statement regarding the suspension. He directed all questions to the SGA.
Foley said the SGA will not release a list of the suspended organizations, but a new map will be released either later today or in the stadium tomorrow. The newly opened sections will be available to all students, but the other 16 organizations can remain in their reserved seats.
According to the Student Organization Seating handbook, because this is only the first offense, the organizations will regain their block seating in the next game, Foley said. After the second offense, organizations will lose their seating for the remainder of the season.
The suspension also follows after Alabama football coach Nick Saban delivered a message Wednesday night during his evening news conference to fans who leave the No. 1 Crimson Tide’s football games early.
“There’s a lot of people that would like to see Alabama games,” Saban said. “I talk about the players playing for 60 minutes in a game and competing for 60 minutes in a game, and I think that in some kind of way, everyone that chooses to go to the game should stay there and support the team for the game.”
