More tickets available for SaskTel Fall Classic
author: john loeppky | sports editor
Tickets galore/URSU Facebook page
URSU purchases 250 tickets for students
It was recently announced that all of the tickets available for the SaskTel Fall Classic, the first game at the new Mosaic Stadium and a rivalry tilt for the University of Regina Rams against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, had sold out.
This left many students in the lurch, without tickets and wishing they had snapped some up to be part of the sixteen thousand strong in the stadium on Oct. 1.
The lack of student representation didn’t sit well with URSU and so they purchased a number of tickets for the event. VP of External Affairs Abby Rutko says that the decision to buy the tickets was all about student representation.
“We thought it was a little bit unfair to charge students fifteen dollars for the game, but we understand because they have a contract with the city and PCL in order to fill half the stadium in order to run their test game.”
That test game will put the nationally ranked Rams, fresh off an upset of the University of Calgary Dinos against our neighbours to the north, the Huskies.
The popularity of the game caught URSU and the campus community off guard in the beginning.
“Initially, when we first heard about this Oct. first game we were like ‘It’s going to be great. There’s a very slim chance that they are going to fill 16,500 seats.”
The process, Rutko says, involved a number of steps and some negotiation and came after students voiced concerns over not being able to attend the game and asked whether anyone involved with campus had tickets to sell. Part of the problem with students not purchasing tickets was that when passes to the game went on sale earlier in the summer, students were focused on their vacations, not football.
Talks with the Rams’ office led to a conversation with staff about the importance of student representation at the school’s games.
“I phoned him and I said this is our student team and there’s no student representation at this game. It’s important to our students now and in July and June, when nobody’s here, they don’t really know and now that we’re on a winning streak students care even more. How are students supposed to be involved in our varsity teams if the organization doesn’t even give them a chance to be?”
The 250 tickets that were purchased have been dispersed via The Owl, and various student societies. The cost is $20 and comes with a trip to the game and some food at a tailgate party. All ages are welcome. The event begins at 11 a.m. and buses will be leaving around 1:30 p.m. to head to the stadium.
