Basketball seats scarce

300 seats reserved for returning alumni

By Luke Morris

Friday, February 15, 2008

Basketball fans may have a tough time finding seats for Saturday’s game against Colorado.

Kansas Athletics plans to save about 300 seats in the student section for former Kansas basketball players, coaches and their families.

The former players return for the celebration of 110 years of Kansas basketball. Associate athletics director Jim Marchiony said that Kansas Athletics holds an anniversary ceremony every five years.

Seats are reserved near the court on the south side of the student section. The athletic department saved about 50 seats in that area Saturday against Baylor for inductees in the University of Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame.

Erryn Kindle, Eudora freshman, said he didn’t like the idea of taking seats away from the student section.

“That’s total crap,” Kindle said. “The student section is for students. We’ve already paid for them, and we’ve been camping for them.”

But not every student spectator is frustrated by Kansas Athletics taking the seats. Johana Bravo, Lima, Peru sophomore, said it bothered her that the athletic department was reducing the number of student seats, but she trusted that it was for a good reason. She only wished that the former players and coaches would be seated higher up.

Marchiony said that he and other Kansas Athletics representatives discussed the reservations with basketball campers Feb. 4.

“We wanted to make sure they would know that there were going to be seats down low on the south end that would be taken,” Marchiony said.

He also said that the department would remind fans about the reservations the day of the game.

“We’ll put a sign up to encourage campers to fill up the north end first so we can save seats on the south end for these former players,” Marchiony said.

A variety of Jayhawks return to Allen Fieldhouse for the anniversary celebration. Those who attend reach as far back as the Phog Allen coaching era, which ended in 1956. Bill Hougland and Clyde Lovellette, members of the 1952 national championship team, plan to attend. Other Jayhawks planning to attend include Darnell Valentine (1978-81), Ryan Robertson (1995–99) and Wayne Simien (2001-05).

The anniversary celebration includes recognition of those in attendance at halftime and a 20-year anniversary celebration of the basketball team’s 1988 national championship. The returning Jayhawks attend a pre-game brunch and a post-game banquet.

Tip-off for Saturday’s game against Colorado is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.

—Edited by Samuel Lamb

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