Basketball ticket sales lagging

The "ring for service" bell at the Michigan Athletic Ticket Office is silent these days. Basketball ticket sales are at their lowest since the Fab Five arrived on campus in 1991.

The 2,100 student ticket applications received by the original application deadline on Sept. 19 were far below the 3,100 seats allotted in the student section, prompting the ticket office to extend the deadline indefinitely.

The ticket office actually can accomodate more than 3,100 students by issuing split-season packages.

Besides last year, when the number fell short of filling the student section by about 200 applications, Michigan Ticket Manager Steve Lambright said he can't remember the last time basketball tickets did not sell out.

"If it did happen, I'm going to guess it was the year before the Fab Five," Lambright said.

DANIEL CASTLE/Daily LSA sophomore David Zolot checks his seating for Michigan basketball tickets.

Non-student applications have declined as well, but not as sharply.

"Non-student sales are down a little bit right now," Lambright said. "The decline is not going to be nearly as great as what the students are."

Several factors may have caused the drop, including the team's recent lack of success and allegations of NCAA violations surrounding the program.

Michigan has not won a Big Ten Championship since the 1985-86 season and did not receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament last season. However, the Wolverines won the less prestigious National Invitation Tournament championship. The program is also under investigation for alleged wrongdoings concerning a Detroit booster's involvement with players and recruits.

"Sure, you can say that the negative publicity the program has been receiving probably has something to do with it," Lambright said.

One LSA first-year student, who didn't want his name used, said the potential affects of the investigation influenced his decision.

"I knew that they weren't going to get any recruits," he said. "I'm not going to waste my money."

Another factor that has impacted this year's basketball ticket sales is the success and popularity of the hockey team. The Michigan hockey team won the national championship two seasons ago, and advanced to the final four last season.

The ticket office has received 3,800 hockey ticket applications, which is up about 1,000 from last year.

"I heard the hockey crowds were better," LSA first-year student Brian Hayden said.

Lambright said this year's increased demand wasn't expected.

"We were surprised by the big jump because last year, with the nine returning seniors, we thought we'd see the height of it," Lambright said.

However, hockey fans need not worry about getting tickets due to an increase of seats set aside for University students.

"Everyone who applies will get hockey tickets," Lambright said.

For some fans, money was the deciding factor in choosing which sporting events to attend.

"When it's time to buy football tickets, I have money," Engineering sophomore Becky Seymour said. "But by the time it's time to buy basketball tickets, I don't."

Hayden said money also played a key role in his decision to only buy hockey tickets. "With all the problems the basketball team is having - it was either going to be one or the other," he said.

Despite the current numbers, Senior Associate Athletic Director Keith Molin is optimistic about ticket sales.

"When all is said and done, I think we'll be where we were last year," Molin said. "There's so much interest in football right now that people haven't gotten around to winter sports yet."

09-30-97