The University of Alabama alerted all students who applied for a BCS National Championship ticket whether they were eligible to purchase them Tuesday night.
Of the 17,000 tickets allotted to the University for distribution, 2,040 of those will be sold to UA students. However, 408 of those tickets were set aside for graduate students, and after the tickets for approximately 400 members of the Million Dollar Band were removed, only about 1,200 tickets remained for distribution to undergraduate students.
The emails the University sent to the students who applied for a ticket said undergraduate students who applied to purchase tickets must have had 100 or more UA credit hours to qualify, and graduate students needed 130 hours.
Students who met those qualifications are now able to purchase a ticket for $234. The emails also said the students who qualified last night must apply to purchase their tickets by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9. If all student tickets are not paid for in the allotted time, the University will send additional re-offers to the next credit hour breakdown.
Students who qualified said they were thrilled to have the opportunity to buy tickets and see the Tide in their rematch against LSU in New Orleans.
“As a freshman I realized the championship would be in New Orleans my senior year,” said Sarah Hart, a senior majoring in marketing. “I hoped that we would be playing for the title, and I also hoped I would be lucky enough to get a ticket. It all came true, and I have never been happier in my life! Perfect graduation gift, and an amazing way to end my college career!”
“I am ecstatic,” said Chris Irvin, a graduate student studying chemical engineering. “I was in Pasadena when we won in ’09 and cannot wait for New Orleans, bringing home number 14.”
Others, though, who did not make the cut and qualify to purchase tickets, were unhappy with the process that will leave them out of what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I think the system is complete crap,” said Zach Long, a sophomore majoring in biology. “You have to have over 100 credit hours to get tickets. That eliminates anyone but seniors, and even then only if they took at least 17 hours a semester at UA.”
“Many out-of-state students can’t afford to take summer classes or even an extra hour over 16 during the semester because of out-of-state tuition,” Long said. “This might never happen again during our time here, so how is it fair to give them to only seniors? It’s completely unfair that freshmen, sophomores and juniors aren’t even considered. I agree seniors get priority, but maybe something like allot a certain percentage of tickets for each classification and sell them on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
“I am a senior graduating cum laude this December with a degree in secondary education,” said Lynnlee Massarelli. “I have 96 UA hours that do not include my 19 credits for completing the international baccalaureate program in high school. These are not considered UA hours and thus I did not get a ticket.”
“Maybe this is an issue with the registrar, but it is insane that students who work hard in high school and are even able to graduate early are penalized for this,” Massarelli said. “I understand transferring from another college but not counting the work we do in high school to prepare ourselves for college is absurd, especially if it is going to be counted against us in multiple magnitudes”
