The proposed “cheer” section for Hilton next season is nothing but a marketing gimmick to try to get more students to come to see our basketball teams play. I’m going to be blunt. This whole cheer section thing is a joke. When I buy my all sports pass it says, “ISU student only, Arena, Parquet, Balcony Sections 1-6 and 37- 42.”

Looks to me like the new student sections are the same seats as the ones we are already given, but here’s the thing — it will have a name. Oh neat, some of you might think, but it is just to get more students to come.

With an athletic department and a school that has its share of financial difficulties, this is just one of the clever ways the creative geniuses have thought of to come up with more money. We will sell T-shirts with the cheer sections name on it.

Kids will give in to this. We will make more money. How about giving us T-shirts like the athletic department has done so in past years so we can all wear the same shirt, the same color to home athletic events?

I challenge the athletic department to do something radical. Something that will really make students want to come to a basketball game.

How about putting bleachers along the south side of the arena circle?

Duke University has and their students and basketball program are the envy of many people. ISU students would be able to stand throughout the game and be closer to the action and more visible. They will shout out to the players to keep up the good work or to work harder.

Or give the students the arena circle seats and parquet seats along the length of the court and not at the ends where the action is half the time. Changing student seating will get them more involved.

Yeah, you would lose the ticket holders that have these seats already, but in the four years at Iowa State shouldn’t the students be given every opportunity to enjoy their school, have some pride and cheer because they have heart and passion for their school? Why do non-students get the best seats at student athletic events?

Obviously the reason is money, but how can you preach “Hilton Magic” and have dollar signs in front of your eyes that dictate otherwise?

For example, at the end of the games there are sometimes only a few students standing and singing the Iowa State fight song. I just want to turn around and tell them to get up and sing or leave.

And just maybe if the athletic department treated the students a little better with their seating choices, later on in life the students might donate to the school and athletic department. Then they wouldn’t have the financial predicaments that they are going through.

A better student section is needed and this will increase students’ interest. Make the seating better so that they would want to come and partake in “Hilton Magic.”

You could try it and if it doesn’t work, go back to your old ways the next year.

Scott Redding

Sophomore

Sports Management

David Chipman

Junior

Biology

Andrew Sandberg

Senior

Finance