Tar Heels Fan looses awesome seat @ NC vs. VA basketball game

[IDrinkaRum]

Greg Demery bought ticket from scalper and was excited that it was 2 rows behind the Virginia Cavaliers bench

Mr. Demery, from Arlington, VA is a Tar Heels fan. Was wearing the Tar Heels colors and even before he was able to take off his jacket, was accosted by 3 different employees of the John Paul Jones Arena. First it was a security guard, then a different staffer, and finally an associate athletic director told him that he couldn't sit where he was with the colors he was wearing.

He was eventually seated 17 rows back from where he was originally going to sit.

Does he have recourse? He bought a legitimate ticket from a scalper. But was banned from wearing the "wrong colors" so close to the home team's bench.

I'd be pretty ticked off myself.

[telecom_goddess]

Seriously? I swear sports people can be so ridiculous.

[AdminAssistant]

Since it was a scalped ticket, I don't know how much recourse he'd have. However, they should have let him sit in the damn seat. That's ridiculous....poor show, Virginia, poor show.

[Andara Bledin]

I can see very much why the stadium chose to do that.

But it's a really poor reflection on sports fans all around that they feared for his safety enough that they made him sit elsewhere and a poor reflection on their security that they couldn't ensure his safety in the place where his tickets were.

^-.-^

[AdminAssistant]

From what I read, I don't think it was for safety. It's because they don't want fans of the opposing team sitting in those good seats behind the home team. But he paid for the ticket, it's his ticket, and therefore he should be allowed to sit there.

[HYHYBT]

Tickets cannot be resold, so it's NOT his ticket, however much he gave the scalper in exchange for it.

[DrFaroohk]

Actually tickets can be resold, just not for more than they were bought for. Even then, the laws are different depending on where you are. Some places allow a certain increase for like "service fees".

Also I'm pretty sure it's illegal to SELL tickets for more, but nothing wrong with buying them.

I like the argument i read in an article about it, it said "where was this rule in writing? is it on the ticket? is there a contract you have to sign?" No it wasn't as far as I know.

If I were that guy I would put whoever told me to leave on my little "list", and I would spend countless hours and resources making his life miserable. Just for fun.

[crashhelmet]

it's actually not the first time this has happened, and in fact this could be considered equal treatment.

A little over a year ago, Roy Williams, the coach of NC, ejected a fan from the arena where UNC plays. Some reports say the fan was heckling him, others say he was just cheering for the other school. Regardless though, Williams was out of line. He even says in the post-game interview that he believes that no one should have the right to heckle his players in their house.

[DrFaroohk]

Except, of course, for the people who paid for a ticket. Being unruly and causing a disturbance is one thing, but for someone who is just heckling? Seriously? Again I'd argue - where does it say on my ticket that heckling is not allowed? Put it in writing, and make sure it's enforced equally, as in, ALL hecklers are to be removed, not just the ones you have a personal issue with, and maybe it'll work out.