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Sprinting to get seats


Disco

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A few years ago my sons sat near the top with five of their friends. One of my sons got up to use the bathroom and came back down and a man was sitting in his seat. My son's friends had told the man that someone was sitting there - and he just said that it's open seating and no seats get saved. My son came back and asked if he could sit with his friends, as there were plenty of other seats around - and the man refused.

I went from near the floor level up to the balcony and asked the guy if he would mind moving - he was dead set on not moving at all. Finally the guys mother (I am assuming) told him it wasn't worth the fight and they moved a few rows up.

I know this has nothing to do with sprinting to seats - but it's my seating nightmare story.

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Ahh the "seat saving" up at Banker's Life. I'm honestly surprised there aren't MORE confrontations/issues each year. It's an issue that I don't really see much solution towards. I do think the saving of 3 rows down in the bottom section (think post it notes or shirts, etc...) is a bit extreme however. 

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4 minutes ago, ricurtis said:

I am the parent of a 1st time State Qualifier. I will assume, based on the above comments, that they don't even have seating for parents of wrestlers?

There's plenty of seating but it might be in the upper deck.     A couple year ago I was sitting next to my daughter on Friday night,  I went to get nachos.  And came back and the a mother and father had grabbed the two seats next to my daughter even though my daughter said reserved.  They were not going  to relinquish them either and I had to sit behind my daughter.  I was kind of glad when the kid from their school got upset in the ticket round, so they left.  It was at 132, so I was able to get my seat back for most of the night.  

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I don’t Understand why on Monday when people know who is going to be at state they can’t put the tickets online.  for the schools first and then sell general admission a couple hours later and people buy seat numbers that eliminates our kid didn’t get there so we don’t want these tickets now and also eliminates any of the running fighting bull crap that goes on trying to save seats or everybody have to be there three hours early and stand in line for seats. It’s so ridiculous I can’t fathom a system that is actually worse

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I have no true answers but a few ideas on why they do it they way they do it

1.  From experience of other types of tournaments with assigned stadium seating, it is problematic as teams get eliminated here.  If people buy assigned seats for the whole event and their wrestler gets eliminated, that seat sits empty if they choose not to come back Saturday.  I know many people would still come back, but many will not.  I used to help in running the SEC Baseball Tournament and by the end of the Tournament, everyone was sitting in the upper GA portion of the stadium and most of the reserved seats sat empty because people from the eliminated teams had left.  I know it's not a perfect comparison as the baseball tournament is multiple days. The arena can't just open those season because they don't know who is coming back and who is not and they aren't going to create havoc for their ushers.

2.  It could be a cost saving measure for the IHSAA.  Banker's Life may charge less for the facility if they don't have to provide full ticketing services?  Administratively it would take a lot less work and possible fewer ushers to handle a GA only event.  Plus some of the headaches referenced above are eliminated.  Lastly, it gives people the best chance to sit close in both Saturday sessions.  

Just a couple of thoughts from someone who hasn't been to the Finals personally....

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1 minute ago, SWINfan said:

I have no true answers but a few ideas on why they do it they way they do it

1.  From experience of other types of tournaments with assigned stadium seating, it is problematic as teams get eliminated here.  If people buy assigned seats for the whole event and their wrestler gets eliminated, that seat sits empty if they choose not to come back Saturday.  I know many people would still come back, but many will not.  I used to help in running the SEC Baseball Tournament and by the end of the Tournament, everyone was sitting in the upper GA portion of the stadium and most of the reserved seats sat empty because people from the eliminated teams had left.  I know it's not a perfect comparison as the baseball tournament is multiple days. The arena can't just open those season because they don't know who is coming back and who is not and they aren't going to create havoc for their ushers.

2.  It could be a cost saving measure for the IHSAA.  Banker's Life may charge less for the facility if they don't have to provide full ticketing services?  Administratively it would take a lot less work and possible fewer ushers to handle a GA only event.  Plus some of the headaches referenced above are eliminated.  Lastly, it gives people the best chance to sit close in both Saturday sessions.  

Just a couple of thoughts from someone who hasn't been to the Finals personally....

Good points!

 

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The unfortunate/sad part to this whole situation is the effect it has on the "first-time/only time" qualifier who may be from a small school or non-traditional wrestling power and his family/parents. Because of the monopoly on the lower level schools like Brownsburg, Avon, PM, MD, etc...have, it makes it very difficult for individuals/families not from those areas to have a good viewing seat to watch their son wrestle. I've witnessed this first hand and it's unfortunate to watch a family have to trudge up to the upper levels because a coach ran into the lower levels when released and started throwing down post-it notes or hanging whatever over seats so some random 17 year old student who maybe/maybe not been to wrestling before gets a seat before a set of parents trying to watch their qualifying son. 

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It would be nice if they could somehow block off the first 1 or two rows in a couple sections for parents, teammates to come down watch up closely, then once their wrestler is done the next group could come fill in. I understand that would take some policing and would probably never happen though. So onto the sprint!

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If a person waits in line for hours to get good seats, then good for them. They planned well. The people that cry about saved seats and cause issues are the ones that show up right when it starts or even later. Walk straight down to the bottom expecting to have a seat. Even coaches have to wait in a line in the floor before doors open and everyone is let in. 

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34 minutes ago, littlevito said:

If a person waits in line for hours to get good seats, then good for them. They planned well. The people that cry about saved seats and cause issues are the ones that show up right when it starts or even later. Walk straight down to the bottom expecting to have a seat. Even coaches have to wait in a line in the floor before doors open and everyone is let in. 

The sad part is there are fans that wait in lines for hours just like others and get to the seats to find 2-3 people in front of them saving seats for 15+ people who's probably aren't even in Indy yet. There for people that got in line before 4 have to sit in none preferred seats while preferred seats go empty until the parade of champions sometimes later. This is the problem most people are speaking over. I agree with you the ones that get there early should get the best seats but thats not happening when people save seats for those that don't plan on getting there early. Now I've seen some workers try to put a stop to it until someone points out that it's going on in other sections so the worker gives in. I love going to state, this will be my 16th straight year going, but this always seems to bring down the experience.

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I see both sides but at the same time teams should set together. Kinda odd 3 people setting in a sea of Portage if your kid is wrestling a portage kid. (nothing against Portage just the 1st name that came to mind and i have never had any issue with them. good people) Would be nice to have teams sectioned off and a lottery for the seats but doubt any schools knows how many people will come from that school and how many would be saved for them leaving a lot of blank seats and putting good seats to waste. With that said If you do try to save seats try to use reason. Get an idea before heading how many are coming and only save those as needed or maybe just your family in the same area don't do 10 rows or something dumb. Also if you do see people saving a seat just talk to them most people are willing to work with you. There could be a good reason as to why they might be saving a seat. I for one saved one last year for my Father he had back issue and i did not want him getting hurt in the crowed getting in, so he hung back. I got the seat and he came once it settled down. 

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