A sea of blue washed over UB Stadium as royal blue sweatshirts and two-toned faces came through the gates for Wednesday night's nationally televised game against Kent State. Everything was in place, and students were encouraged to come out to support the home team.
Unless you have a bag on you. Then feel free to leave.
Students who brought their book bags with them to the game had them inspected but were not allowed to take them into the stadium either way.
Security picked the wrong day to implement a new policy.
The enforcement comes off like this: "Oh, you just came from class, and you live all the way on South Campus? Either take that bag home or get out."
The policy itself might not be new. UB Athletics' Game Day Guide currently lists backpacks under its prohibited items but just states that "all items entering the stadium will be inspected" and that "fans can speed their entry into the stadium by leaving these items behind."
But according to UB Athletics, the decision was made by University Police and not by them. If both Danny White and Jeff Quinn have made the point they want as many students as possible to come to the game, and they took the steps to improve the experience, why aren't the police and UB Athletics working to ensure that actually happens?
Follow up question: why is this policy - new or not - starting while you're trying to get more fans to the games?
If your student section accounts for about 50 percent of a nationally televised game, you would think whoever is running the show is going to make sure that 50 percent actually makes it into the stadium.
Understandably, safety is a concern, but do you know how you can find out if students are smuggling in alcohol or weapons? Check the bags. Stadium security is already doing this (most of the time), so there's no reason to tell someone with a backpack of textbooks they can't come in. It's the same effect of the TSA telling a passenger they can't have a carry-on after only finding a magazine.
It will be interesting to see if UPD will begin to enforce this when other sports start up soon. Imagine seeing crowds of students sadly shuffling out of Alumni Arena just because they didn't have time to drop off their Social Psychology texts at their dorms.
Just be thankful these kids are even going to a night class before the game, and let them in. You have plenty of stadium security; use it.
Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
