The University of New Hampshire's showcase Whittemore Center (with Towse
Rink) complex has also been the rationale behind the encouragement of high
rollerism in assignment of season ticket packages. Since debt service must
still be accomplished on the edifice, a call was initiated last season to
recruit "donations" to the University while re-upping one's season ticket
package, presumably to help with financing the arena, as well as
ostensibly helping the athletic department. Thus, you have the phenomenon
of generous donors being able to slide into the area of prime seat real
estate within the arena, in effect displacing the "lower rollers" along
with those people who only renewed their ticket packages at face value.
These people are in effect pushed away from center ice towards the
periphery of the seating areas. (This policy, as you could imagine, is not
exactly endearing to long-time season ticket holders who had no such
arrangements to deal with in Snively Arena).
 
This is all well and good, I suppose, for anyone who wants can go up to
the concourse above the seating area, and see the game from any
perspective you desire (as I do). The problem occurs when you look out
into the central seating areas during a supposedly "sold out" game, and
see sometimes scores of no-show chairs. You can do what you want with
your investment (such as company money going to "show the clients a
game", etc.), but, these machinations make long-time hockey fans wonder
about where things will go in the future of fandom. IMHO, it's a tiny bit
troubling..
 
I hope all the fans of the "Big Show Twelve" get ready for some exciting
times ahead. Good luck to all the teams.
 
 
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Robert J. Constantine                | >>  The Corner Man  <<
Chemistry Library                    |
Parsons Hall                         |  "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit
University of New Hampshire          |   of Hockey"
Durham,  NH  03824                   |
(603) 862-1083                       |  "It ain't Snively, but it's home"
E-mail: [log in to unmask]          |   (The Whitt at UNH) -1996-97-
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
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