The SGA considers this year’s away game football ticket sales process a success, according to Seth Morrow, SGA communications director.
“SGA received many positive reviews from students about the sale,” Morrow said. “Students seem to have appreciated the system and had very little problems with the technology.”
Interested students were to opt in between July 25 and July 28, and eligibility for tickets was then determined based on the number of tickets available and the number of earned credit hours of students who opted in. After tickets remained unsold, several ticket offers to students followed the initial offers.
The away game ticket distribution process is slightly different. Unlike home game tickets, away game tickets are not distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. They are awarded based on earned credit hours, a determinant used since at least 1999, said Chris Besanceney, assistant director for tickets and Tide Pride.
However, some students weren’t totally satisfied with the process or the results.
Hannah Stephens, a senior majoring in communicative disorders and early childhood education, said she was left confused and displeased by the process.
“My friends and I all had similar number of hours, but we all got different ticket offers,” Stephens said. “I don’t understand how students with similar credits get different offers.”
Reece Watson, a senior majoring in biology, was also left displeased by the result of the offers.
Watson came in to the university with nearly two semesters’ worth of credit hours, but he only has 80 earned from UA. Because the ticket offers are based on UA earned hours and not overall, Watson was ineligible for several games he wanted to attend.
“It really made me mad that it is my final year at Alabama, and I still wasn’t able to buy any tickets because the cutoff was so high,” he said.
“When I saw the cutoff for Auburn and Florida tickets was 90 hours, I was furious,” Watson said. “The only people that have that many hours have been taking summer course or are in their fifth year. I just don’t think that’s fair.”
Haley Wilson, a junior majoring in political science, didn’t understand the logic of the system either.
“I didn’t buy any tickets on the first offer because I wasn’t eligible for any, but now, since they didn’t sell enough, I’m eligible. Everyone is,” Wilson said. “I don’t understand the whole opt in process. The initial number of required hours was so ridiculous that of course they didn’t sell enough tickets.”
Some freshmen, like biology major Harlie Waldon, are confused but unconcerned.
“I got an email saying I got away game tickets, I think,” Waldon said. “The only game I wanted was Ole Miss, and tickets were all gone when I went to buy them. But I have several friends who go to Ole Miss, so I’ll find tickets anyway.”
