Connect with us

Football

Wisconsin Football Student Section Was Embarrassing vs. Ohio State

Published

6 months ago

on

Wisconsin Badgers football head coach Luke Fickell vs. Ohio State

Well, I sure stepped into it last night on Twitter/X, didn’t I? I never thought I would generate the response that I did regarding the student section seating – or lack thereof. As I sit here Sunday afternoon, I don’t regret a thing. Sure, my beer brain may have not afforded me to go into context of the point I was trying to make about the Wisconsin Badgers football student section – but here we are.

Yes, the student section was “sold out” and was full by a 13:42 mark in the second quarter but it was embarrassing to see opposing fans laugh and joke around about the perceived lack care from our students.

One of my biggest takeaways – students may be just as frustrated as anyone.

As this post has taken off I see that I clearly hit a nerve with the Wisconsin student fanbase. That was intentional. Leadership within the Wisconsin football department reads our work and are keenly aware of the things we write about related to the football team and the game-day environment. That situational awareness is critical in recruiting and that is why it will be a hot topic.

Creating this dialogue about the empty seats AND the seating process is the only way to create meaningful change.  Was my post a little biased? Probably, but I know the struggle. I have always backed up the students on the outdated and cattle-herding like process to get seated. That justification gets significantly harder for me to make to the opposing fans and recruits when gates open 90 minutes before kickoff for a 6:30PM game.

Wisconsin Football How Did We Get Here?

All throughout the night and early morning fans and students alike took to this post to either align themselves with it being a “process issue” or a “student culture issue” and I hope to bring clarity to this.

It it both and here’s why.

Prior to the game the University put out a post essentially begging students to get there early.  I think Badgers DB Hunter Wohler and RB Braelon Allen have a few more important things to do to prepare for No. 3 Ohio State in primetime then shooting a video to ask for support from their classmates.  UW posting this with all the noted “process issues” being related to process would be incredibly idiotic and short-sited.

What Did Wisconsin Fans and Students Think of the Post?

Where do we go from here?

I think the university needs to strongly look at the issue and see what the pragmatic approach should be. It certainly doesn’t seem fair to expect students to arrive much earlier than the general public but the impact on recruits and their families questioning if the students care is also a sensitive area. I have heard from a current player and two prospective football players that the lack of student section during warmups and introductions was perceived as a “lack of care” from the students. I do NOT subscribe to that belief but there isn’t much anyone can say when they see it for themselves.  It’s the old adage of “perception is reality”.

The one stance I would caution students from taking is their “doubling down” on their takes about being paying customers. That reasoning doesn’t hold up for leaders within the athletic department that recently revoked season tickets from customers who bought primarily to resell. Going up against the athletic department would not be wise as they continue to look for additional revenue streams.

I don’t need to be a mathematician to see that a student seat is roughly half the revenue of their assigned seating counterparts and student seats don’t require a Recommended Minimum per Seat Contributions that the rest of the sections do.  For a University athletic program that wants to build a new $280M football practice facility they will need additional funding as those things are typically paid by older fans with disposable income.

What Is a Realistic Outcome for Wisconsin Football Student Ticket Holders?

The answer, like most things, lies somewhere in the middle. The Wisconsin Badgers Athletic Department needs to partner with a student committee and create tangible change. The students bring immense value and an overall vibe to the game. When our football team is in need of their fellow students to be there early to support them against a nationally ranked team — students should answer the bell.

If this continues to happen it would be silly to assume that nothing will change.  As we have seen in the very short term in the Luke Fickell Era, if things are outdated or in need of an overhaul he will do what it takes. I just hope that doesn’t come at the cost of the student section. I can say unequivocally that coaches within that locker room were not happy about a half-full student section at kickoff when the Wisconsin Badgers football team took the field.

These players are young adults that are eligible to make money off of their NIL (rightfully so) and if you think that empty student sections don’t have an impact on the quality of your team – I’m not sure this article helped you. When these athletes, some of whom are fathers and husbands, can go to competitors like Penn State, Ohio State, Duke and even… Minnesota – that’s a problem.

 

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. For more Wisconsin Badgers Athletics and Big Ten content, follow us on Twitter & Facebook. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also follow Ryan Eilers on Twitter: @EIL3RS

Also, be sure to check out our shop, subscribe to our newsletter, and the BadgerNotes After Dark podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. Because of your support, we have become one of the fastest-growing independent media outlets focused on giving a voice to the fans!

Related Topics:

Ryan Eilers covers the Wisconsin Badgers football and wrestling programs for BadgerNotes.com and has had his work published on Bleacher Report. He also makes up 1/4 of the BadgerNotes After Dark podcast crew.

Trending