Friday nights usually consist of fun social events, organizational parties and, at UD, waiting for basketball tickets.

While many of our fellow students are out enjoying their weekend after a hard week of rigorous classes, a devoted few of us are waiting in the freezing weather to support our Flyers. Our CMM 110 small group decided to take this outdated system and modernize it to fit the student body's needs.

The current ticket distribution system begins with students buying a sheet of vouchers at Midnight Madness. Then the student'and up to three other students'bring their vouchers and ID cards to the ticket distribution at Frericks Center at 9 a.m. Saturday mornings. At first glance, the system has few flaws, but if you ask any of the Flyer Faithful they will tell you the system has many downsides.

First, the ticket distribution does not start until 9 a.m. but the line for tickets starts as early as 10 p.m. on Friday night. Despite rain, snow, cold and wind, diligent Flyer fans make the trip to Frericks and wait for hours to get a good seat. Campus Security threatens to remove those who are waiting in line until 7 a.m. The rule is loosely enforced and rarely followed by those waiting.

Second, the ticket distribution is unfair. Those who wait in line for hours are constantly pushed to the back as the students join their friends in the front of the line. On many occasions one student may be representing up to twenty students who will come later to relieve them from their waiting, and disrespectfully cut in front of smaller groups behind them. It is impossible to regulate this activity and stop students from jumping in line whenever they like.

We are proposing an online registration to redeem tickets based on a loyalty-point system. Similar to the current distribution, there will be a designated time period to redeem vouchers online prior to games. Rather than a first come, first serve basis, this system will utilize a point and reward system where fans with the more loyalty points will get the better tickets.

Students can earn loyalty points by attending all UD varsity sporting events. At each event, the student would be required to swipe his or her ID card, similar to the system at the RecPlex, and a computer database would acknowledge their attendance at the game and create a portfolio for sporting events attended. The points are accumulated through the student's years at UD, giving a strong advantage to upperclassmen.

During online registration, your point totals are the determining factor for your seat. Students who would like to go with a group of friends, eight or smaller, would have their points averaged and given tickets accordingly. If students, or groups, tie in point totals the time of registration is the determining factor in the ticket distribution.

After online registration, students have the option of printing out their tickets on a color printer, or picking the tickets up at the Kennedy Union box office. Both instances the student must present a student identification card.

The current ticket distribution system is far too inefficient as well as unfair.

The loyalty point system is used at many other schools, such as the University of Maryland.

By implementing this system, attendance and awareness of other UD sports rises, and the most faithful Flyer fanatics have access to the tickets they deserve.

Katie Woodward

Sophomore

Ryan Towe

Sophomore

Jeff Conroy

Junior

Kelley Blake

Freshman

Heidi Custer

Sophomore

Russ Pierce

Freshman