MU athletics addresses football seating issues

The Nebraska game will provide a particular challenge.

By Travis Cornejo

Published Sept. 22, 2009

Saturday's football game at Faurot Field gave the athletics department a chance to correct many of the seating and ticketing issues raised after MU's first home game the previous week.

Associate Athletics Director Whit Babcock said although the athletics department failed to meet the expectations they set for themselves for the Bowling Green game, he is confident they did significantly better for the game against Furman.

"We hired more event staff, met with MSA student leaders, simplified the process for our ushers and ticket takers and increased our communication efforts," Babcock said.

Debra Lancaster was one of the 40 ushers hired for Sept. 19 after the first home football game. Saturday’s game was her fist one, she said.

Lancaster said though the students were a little slow, there weren't any problems and the students were orderly and mannerly.

Junior Eric Gregory arrived at the game half an hour before kickoff. He said when he came 15 minutes late for the last game, he was not pleased with his seats. He said although this week was a little slow, he didn't have too much trouble getting into the stadium or finding a seat.

Sophomore Aubry Baker arrived at the game 20 minutes late after walking to Memorial Stadium from Campus View Apartments and said one entrance was closed by the time she got there. Baker said she's not in favor of wearing the wristbands for the student section and last year's ticketing policies worked better than this year.

According to the official Big 12 Sports Web site, the attendance for the game against Furman was 61,617 -- less than the first home game's total of 65,401.

"We will continue to meet with MSA representatives led by Jordan Paul throughout the season and after the season to continue to analyze and improve our student seating program," Babcock said.

The Nebraska game will present new challenges due to the late kickoff time and anticipated large crowd. Student ticket holders will be e-mailed multiple times before the game, Babcock said.

"We ask that they read the information," Babcock said. "We will ask our students to arrive early, to wear gold and to represent Mizzou in a loud but responsible way on game night."

Problems concerning seating compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act at Faurot Field have also developed as the athletics department continues to try and alleviate student-seating issues.

MU ADA Coordinator Lee Henson said a line of sight problem is created when people stand on the bleachers in front of the accessible seating area.

"It is tough to see," Henson said. "We don't have the option to stand."

Henson said he has been working with Game Operation Director Colleen Lamond, Tiger's Lair and other student organizations to try and solve this problem.

"The Tiger's Lair section has been really proactive in encouraging people not to stand on the bleachers," Henson said.

Announcements will be made over the public address system, asking people not to stand on the bleachers. These addresses were already being made at the Furman game, Henson said.

Great Plains ADA Center Director Jim de Jong said signs were added to the bleachers to indicate bleachers are for sitting, not for standing.

There were students looking for places to sit who crowded into the accessible seating locations at the first home game, blocking the views of the people who sat behind them. That was fixed for the second game, Henson said.

"For the second game, Athletics provided a whole lot more event staff," Henson said. "It worked much better."