Dissecting a Student Stampede
Last Saturday, University of Texas students equipped with a Big Ticket, a $195 all-access pass to all sporting events on a first come, first serve basis, brigaded the doors of Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium to get into one of the biggest college football games of the year — #9 Texas vs. #6 LSU. Many were bruised and battered in the rush to grab a limited spot in the student section, but what caused such a barbaric reaction from those trying to get into the game? There were many factors at play, and the University’s negligence to address such obvious pressure points is alarming, to say the least.
Firstly, let’s start with the obvious. This game was the most anticipated home game for the Longhorns in a decade, marked by the appearance of College Gameday, an ESPN television program that broadcasts near a game that has garnered national hype. With national chatter focused on your campus, how could students not be excited? I had prepared with a hearty meal, lots of hydration, and made sure I went to the right gate specific for student entry. I had gotten to DKR around 2:30pm, despite the game not starting for another 4 hours. I know friends that had been there since 11am, and heard of people waiting for even longer. As the crowd grew around the gates, something became alarmingly obvious — there was absolutely no organization or understanding of the students waiting to get inside the stadium. Nothing was set up near the gates other than a merchandise store. A sea of students were told to back up by members of security, despite the only place the students could back up was a street that was frequently occupied by moving cars.
As time grew closer to 4:30pm for the gates to open, students started becoming very anxious. Personal bubbles started getting popped, the heat climbed to 100° F, and the fear of not getting a seat began to creep in. Students who had arrived late began to cut to the front to the dismay of those in line, but the student sardines did not have much room to contest. The only thing offering any relief was the shade I was in and the occasional breeze. I started wondering to myself, what is gonna happen when those doors open?
Then they opened.
For about 3 seconds, students started scanning their ID’s at the self-serve scanners that were set up by the gates. Then once the first person ran past, everyone else followed as well. Students took flight towards the tunnels leading to the student section, dropping bags, wallets, ID’s, and other personal items. This of course, led to such a painfully obvious occurrence. A tightly confined area filled with Longhorns pushing to get in then out of a tunnel that is no more than 6 feet wide, only to have security stop them and attach wristbands. Some guards quickly realized what was happening and sped up the process by merely handing wristbands to students to decrease the crowd crush, while others stuck to protocol. Many were bruised in this process, experienced claustrophobia, and gasped for air as they waited for those ahead to leave the tunnel, all while combatting those behind them.
Then, once people finally made it out to the student section, many attempted to leave and get water or use the restroom, but were stopped by workers and told to wait. Dehydrated students had to wait even longer, this time in the sun, until students had stopped coming into the section. While this did not last longer than an hour, it is such a preventable circumstance by providing water to students before the gates open. There are free water stations within the stadium, but try convincing your group of friends to stop there before securing your wristband… I doubt you’ll find much luck.
Despite handing out wristbands to students, some still managed to sneak in and stood in between rows of students throughout the game, even after security had been notified to remove them. The University failed to acknowledge the large amount of students likely to attend, the confined area they had to wait in, the triple-digit heat, and the dehydration of those who waited in line for hours. They instead opted for a small amount of security and ticket-scanners that were incredibly outnumbered by students. The worst part of this entire debacle, is that I haven’t even addressed the most glaring issue.
Earlier this year, the University demolished the south end zone seating. About 4,000 seats for students were removed, along with gates for entering DKR, which only congested entry further. The reduction of seating and entry for students, the hellish nature of first come first serve seating, and the lack of organization created a security hazard not only for students, but for all in attendance, as no bags were checked and no bodies were scanned. Those working at the stadium seemed to have anticipated the rush and thought preventing it was futile, since tables for checking bags were not even placed before the gates opened.
Chris Del Conte, VP and Director of Athletics, was alerted to the issue before gates had opened, and responded by saying, “We have plenty of staff and police onsite so I wouldn’t characterize the area as unsafe.. it’s a big game!!” The next day, he retweeted an employee of Texas Athletics, who insisted that the debacle was due to “college students failing to listen to the authority figures”. I find this defense to be quite ridiculous, as numerous sporting events and concerts have massive crowds enter with the same ticketing system, yet manage to screen attendees through security first. Pointing fingers at students for wanting to get into their school’s game is not only short-sighted, it’s also a selfish act to shift blame onto students for something nobody asked for.
In the future while the end zone is incomplete, students need to be provided with a line system. I recommend not just barricades, but also tenting, water, and fans for students waiting in line. This will provide not only relief, but also provide a sense of stability and organization. This wouldn’t be an issue with the previous student ticket system that prioritized a student’s tenure, but first come first serve can be orderly. I don’t feel as if the current ticket system is to blame. If Del Conte wants to keep the advantages of a system that incentivizes students coming early, he must also deal with the repercussions when it goes awry. More guards need to be hired, more room and relief needs to be offered for those in line, and more thoughtfulness needs to be shown by the Athletics department.
I don’t want to sound like a complainer though. A tremendous effort has been shown by the football program over the past couple years to make the gameday experience better. They’ve transformed the west end of DKR into what is now Bevo Boulevard, an entertainment hub filled with music, games, food, and drink, and organized multiple concerts on the LBJ Lawn before and after home games. They’ve done a great job creating fun memories for those who come out to games.
They should probably work on making memories for students fun too.
