I've searched the forums, and have yet to see a thread focusing on what I'm about to discuss, so I apologize if there is already a thread...
Yesterday I, like so many other students and fans of Alabama, was more than excited to get another season under way. Myself and my usual group of about 5 or 6 others started up our typical Roll Tide chants and Rammer Jammer cheers. Everything was perfect until we rolled around to the student gates area at about 5:00 PM (1 hour and 7 minutes before gametime.)
Immediately we realized something was wrong. The lines were enormous, something I've never seen in my two previous years at the Capstone. The latest I've ever arrived to the student lines has been about 30 minutes to gametime, and have never had to wait more than 15 minutes to enter the gates. Not this time.
As I mentioned, we entered the lines at 5:00, and the line was all the way back to Bryant Drive... literally, I believe there were students on the curb or in the street. The other gates that curled around down sorority row were just as long, with students snaking in and out of every possible corner. My friends and myself looked for the best line, and settled on one of the southern most gates.
Immediately, we knew we were in trouble. The line moved at a maximum 5 feet in 10 minutes, and there was now only 50 minutes to game time. Those that were becoming impatient were trying to barge through everyone else, using excuses like, "I'm with University Programs, I need to get through," or "My girlfriend/boyfriend has my ticket and they are at the gate." People began sneaking behind bushes up against the spiral at the southeast corner, further hampering the process.
As time continued to pass, cursing became more and more common. Cheers began to strike up, to the tune of, "LET US IN!" "Bulls$*t!" and loud boos after every cheer.
Like any Bama fan, I enjoy getting into the game at least 40 minutes early to enjoy the Million Dollar Band, the pregame festivities, the warm-ups, the cheers, the videos, and the national anthem. I myself, saw none of this for the first game of the year. And do remember, I was in line a full hour before the game.
Myself and another of my group got seperated from the rest of our group, who fortunately made it in a full 20 minutes before we did. As my friend and I finally were only about 10 yards away from the gate, suddenly, a girl fainted no further than 5 feet to my left. The extreme heat and close quarters finally took their toll on someone, and I couldn't believe it didn't happen any faster. Thank God that in all the anger and frustration the students around me still had the foresight to get out of the way and let them rush through the gate to find help for the girl.
As I got to the gate, an officer was searching every purse, bag, pocket, and other items. 25 lines of thousdands of students were being forced to cram into 1 line. As the loud boos, yells, and angered cheers kept raining down, I FINALLY was able to hand my ticket over to the ticket ladies, only after explaining to the officer doing security checks that I needed to get in to find my group, which I had been seperated from for quite some time.
The ticket ladies looked absolutely exhausted and angered as well, and who could blame them. It of course was not their fault, they were told what to do, and followed orders. The question is this... WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH POOR PLANNING AND FORESIGHT?
Furthermore, I came to realize I was one of the lucky. I was later told by other friends that the officers began turning students away at the gate. Can you imagine? Students, who had payed for tickets months in advance, being turned away at the gate. I will also point out there were still plenty of seats in the student section. Apparently, as this continued, the anger grew to a new level in the now "mob" of students. People began yelling to "storm the gates," which did eventually happen to some extent apparently, because students began entering again after a lengthy period in which they were denied entry. Many students missed half of the first quarter, and perhaps more. I only talked to friends that missed half of the quarter, who knows how many were in back of them.
In retrospect, I was one of the lucky ones, if you can call it that. Standing in line for an hour, making it just in time for kickoff, and enduring the conditions of pushing and shoving and the mob like atmosphere was an absolute disgrace to this great University. I love going to school in Tuscaloosa, but this was absolutely outrageous. I apologize for my rant, but this has been gnawing at me since last night. And as I said, I was a lucky one. I am truly angered at the University for not only my experience, but for that of my friends and fellow students who were told they couldn't enter the game with a ticket they had purchased, and were forced to miss minutes upon minutes of the game.
Hopefully, this situation will be resolved next week, but I won't hold my breath. Guess I'll be showing up 2 hours early next week.
Yesterday I, like so many other students and fans of Alabama, was more than excited to get another season under way. Myself and my usual group of about 5 or 6 others started up our typical Roll Tide chants and Rammer Jammer cheers. Everything was perfect until we rolled around to the student gates area at about 5:00 PM (1 hour and 7 minutes before gametime.)
Immediately we realized something was wrong. The lines were enormous, something I've never seen in my two previous years at the Capstone. The latest I've ever arrived to the student lines has been about 30 minutes to gametime, and have never had to wait more than 15 minutes to enter the gates. Not this time.
As I mentioned, we entered the lines at 5:00, and the line was all the way back to Bryant Drive... literally, I believe there were students on the curb or in the street. The other gates that curled around down sorority row were just as long, with students snaking in and out of every possible corner. My friends and myself looked for the best line, and settled on one of the southern most gates.
Immediately, we knew we were in trouble. The line moved at a maximum 5 feet in 10 minutes, and there was now only 50 minutes to game time. Those that were becoming impatient were trying to barge through everyone else, using excuses like, "I'm with University Programs, I need to get through," or "My girlfriend/boyfriend has my ticket and they are at the gate." People began sneaking behind bushes up against the spiral at the southeast corner, further hampering the process.
As time continued to pass, cursing became more and more common. Cheers began to strike up, to the tune of, "LET US IN!" "Bulls$*t!" and loud boos after every cheer.
Like any Bama fan, I enjoy getting into the game at least 40 minutes early to enjoy the Million Dollar Band, the pregame festivities, the warm-ups, the cheers, the videos, and the national anthem. I myself, saw none of this for the first game of the year. And do remember, I was in line a full hour before the game.
Myself and another of my group got seperated from the rest of our group, who fortunately made it in a full 20 minutes before we did. As my friend and I finally were only about 10 yards away from the gate, suddenly, a girl fainted no further than 5 feet to my left. The extreme heat and close quarters finally took their toll on someone, and I couldn't believe it didn't happen any faster. Thank God that in all the anger and frustration the students around me still had the foresight to get out of the way and let them rush through the gate to find help for the girl.
As I got to the gate, an officer was searching every purse, bag, pocket, and other items. 25 lines of thousdands of students were being forced to cram into 1 line. As the loud boos, yells, and angered cheers kept raining down, I FINALLY was able to hand my ticket over to the ticket ladies, only after explaining to the officer doing security checks that I needed to get in to find my group, which I had been seperated from for quite some time.
The ticket ladies looked absolutely exhausted and angered as well, and who could blame them. It of course was not their fault, they were told what to do, and followed orders. The question is this... WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH POOR PLANNING AND FORESIGHT?
Furthermore, I came to realize I was one of the lucky. I was later told by other friends that the officers began turning students away at the gate. Can you imagine? Students, who had payed for tickets months in advance, being turned away at the gate. I will also point out there were still plenty of seats in the student section. Apparently, as this continued, the anger grew to a new level in the now "mob" of students. People began yelling to "storm the gates," which did eventually happen to some extent apparently, because students began entering again after a lengthy period in which they were denied entry. Many students missed half of the first quarter, and perhaps more. I only talked to friends that missed half of the quarter, who knows how many were in back of them.
In retrospect, I was one of the lucky ones, if you can call it that. Standing in line for an hour, making it just in time for kickoff, and enduring the conditions of pushing and shoving and the mob like atmosphere was an absolute disgrace to this great University. I love going to school in Tuscaloosa, but this was absolutely outrageous. I apologize for my rant, but this has been gnawing at me since last night. And as I said, I was a lucky one. I am truly angered at the University for not only my experience, but for that of my friends and fellow students who were told they couldn't enter the game with a ticket they had purchased, and were forced to miss minutes upon minutes of the game.
Hopefully, this situation will be resolved next week, but I won't hold my breath. Guess I'll be showing up 2 hours early next week.