Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 15, 1995 TAG: 9502160018
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Associate athletic director Kim Record said Tuesday that 694 student tickets were used for the Cavaliers' game Sunday with Nevada-Las Vegas. That was less than 33 percent of the 2,141 tickets that had been reserved for students.
The allotment already had been reduced from 2,700 because of student absenteeism at previous games this season.
``The real losers are the 15 kids who are out there playing,'' Record said. ``They deserve a full house. That's our goal. Personally, I would prefer to have students in those [empty] seats, but we have to be in position where we can meet that goal.''
Record said 350 tickets were made available to the public for Sunday's game and were sold almost immediately. She estimated the potential revenue at between $35,000 and $37,000 for tickets that went unused and unsold for home games with Florida State (Feb.4) and North Carolina State (Feb.8).
Students used 933 tickets out of 2,700 held aside for Florida State and 1,400 out of the same allotment for N.C. State.
``You can choose to hammer us for making a bad business decision,'' Record said, ``but this is not the kind of decision you make based on the bottom line. We're not motivated by profit on this issue.''
Absenteeism has been a problem at Virginia in the past, but historically the no-shows have been in the student section.
``Out of 18,000 students, you would think 3,000 would care about the men's basketball team,'' Record said. ``If they don't, then maybe it's a situation we need to evaluate at the end of the year.
``I want to know why they're not coming, though. It's not like we're losing.''
The Cavaliers, ranked 16th in the Associated Press poll, take a 16-6 record into tonight's home game at Duke.
Student journalists at press ``row'' Sunday indicated there was lingering resentment over a change in student-ticket policy. In the past, students were allowed to pick up their tickets more than two weeks in advance.
``What we were finding out was that students would pick up the tickets, then change their minds over the next 15 days and we were getting empty seats that way, too,'' Record said.
Under the new system, student tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on game day.
STAPLES STUFF: Curtis Staples, who this week was named ACC's rookie of the week for the first time, has more 3-point field goals (58) than any other ACC player and his percentage (45.3) ranks him second in the league behind Dante Calabria of North Carolina (55.7). Staples' past 17 field goals have come from beyond the 3-point arc.
IN FOOTBALL: Duke coach Fred Goldsmith told the Durham (N.C.) Sun that defensive-line coach Rod Broadway would be leaving the Blue Devils' staff after 15 years, presumably to take the same position at Virginia.
by CNB