College Football

Thursday September 17, 2009 was the Miami vs. Georgia Tech game which was played in Miami. The University of Miami football team uses the Miami Dolphins stadium which is located off campus and is close to the university. With not only sharing the field between the Dolphins and the Hurricanes, the stadium is also used by the Florida Marlins baseball team. I am not sure as to how they are converted between events, but from listening to the commentators at tonight’s game, it is not a very good field in certain parts.
If you looked at the field tonight when the camera panned over it you would see that there is dirt in the middle of it, in the shape of a baseball diamond. I wasn’t sure why it was like that, so I texted my brother who attended the University of Miami and he informed me that the stadium is not only used by the Miami Dolphins and Hurricanes, but it is also use by the Florida Marlins.
This had me intrigued for the rest of the night wondering how they would go from a baseball game to making the field ready for football. Since baseball is still going on they have to leave the dirt on the field because the Marlins are still playing.
Even with the stadium close to the University of Miami campus, it still leaves the question for underclassman of how are they going to get to the game. Students have cars, or they could take a taxi, but since the game is not located on campus I think the university should provide transportation to the game. Taxis are not cheap and if it was me that had to drive, I would not be a fan of driving to the game and then back after it. After looking online at Miami’s website I did not find where they offered transportation to the game. I know that the university wants to offer a better playing environment for the team and the school, but I am not sure that the Dolphins stadium is the best choice.
I do not think this is fair to the students for making them find a way to the game. Even with taxi’s and public bus systems, it will still be hard for certain students to find a way to the game. This is also very similar to the lottery system at Virginia Tech.
The lottery system in my opinion is not fair to the students and many students do agree with this. I was lucky for the second game this year by receiving a ticket during the first round of the lottery and I have found tickets for all of the other games, but they were not through the lottery.
I know many students that have not won a ticket in the lottery for any of the home games and there have already been three this year. If we are paying thousands of dollars to Virginia Tech shouldn’t the students be guaranteed football and basketball tickets for the home games?
I think we should have free admission to all of the athletic events that are played at home. I understand if we have to go into a lottery system for the ACC championship game and bowl games if Virginia Tech makes it that far, but the system is not fair to freshman and other students who do not have the opportunity to buy season student tickets.
Even if the tickets are for the “nose bleed” section or the highest seats in the stadium, most of the students who did not get tickets would gladly sit there, I know I would and in Lane Stadium there is not a bad seat in the stadium.
I think Virginia Tech should change the policy for tickets for football and basketball tickets to all you have to do, if you are a student is swipe your Hokie Passport and you can get into the game for free. I know many other universities that have similar policies, but in the end I know that Virginia Tech will not change the policy because they are not going to give seats to college students who will not pay anything to get in the game, and give up the money that people pay to get into the game. Season ticket holders and the ones who pay a lot for their tickets, and they are in good locations, and the university is not going to take their tickets away and turn down the money for the students.
Everything in today’s society comes back to money. It’s sad to say, but if you took a poll of what every college athletic program in concerned with, most would say they want the best for the program, but I would take a good guess that money was next on the list. With the economy they way it is now, money is a big concern with every program.
Every program and school wants the team to do well, but if they are not producing enough money that is a bad sign and could eventually cost the university to cut the team. It is crazy how much the athletic teams spend just for one game. I know that for every home game Virginia Tech drives to Roanoke and stays the night at Hotel Roanoke, which is one of the nicest hotels in the area. I know they do this to prevent players from doing something stupid the night before a game and to make sure their concentration is in the right part, but the school could find a hotel closer to the school and one that is cheaper to stay in for the team.
There is always a solution to problems like these, but the schools are not going to go the easy route to please the students. Every student on campus knows this and hopes are high that they will get a ticket to the football games. If we do not get a ticket we just have to look for one for sale before the game or just watch it on TV. It is not fair, but it is the way it will stay for now.