I am a senior at Syracuse University. Since coming to campus in 2020, I have become a huge fan of Syracuse sports, from football to basketball to soccer. I loved the 2021-2022 season in particular, as I was able to experience games in the Dome for the first time with the Student Section. The experience of sitting in the front rows with thousands of your closest friends is exhilarating and it's where I've had some of my favorite memories on campus. I've loved showing up hours before game time for the best seat to cheer our players running to the field, join in "Let's Go Orange!" chants, and high-five Otto.

This is why I was upset during the 2022 football season when the student section experience changed. The student season tickets were sold out, leaving students with single tickets to be relegated to three 300 sections across the field. This left the section fractured and thoroughly alienated those who either did not or were unable to get season passes. They couldn't participate in chants, enjoy games with their season pass-holding friends, and were paying the same ticket prices they were a year earlier. It's not fair to those with busy schedules who wouldn't be able to go to enough games to make the pass worth it. It's not fair to the many students who can not afford the high price. And it's not fair to charge students the same price for a vastly inferior experience. 

And now it's looking like the same situation for the 2023 season. Checking the ticket prices for the 9/2 Colgate vs Syracuse game on 8/31, Section 314 has two ticket prices: $20 for students and $17.35 for general admission. Section 312 is the same. What's the point of this student section if it's cheaper to sit across the stairs? Most of the rest of the 300 section is less than $20 as well. 

I'm disappointed that Syracuse and the Dome are actively choosing to worsen their students' experience. It seems that this was done to prioritize profit instead of the fan experience. While it's important to ensure costs are covered, especially with the recent upgrades, fan satisfaction is just as, if not more, important. Students are the heart of the Loud House, and keeping the Student Section open to all students only creates more opportunities to create lifelong fans.

Like many of my peers, all I want is to enjoy football. But for two, going on three, of my four years here, I have been unable to enjoy it like those in years past. I believe that should change, not just for my sake, but for all future Orange fans. All Syracuse students should have the opportunity to cheer together.