Coach Krzyzewski is a master motivator of his players on and off the court, and the events following Sunday's home game against Clemson indicate his implicit ability to influence the student body as well.
Coach K's desire to fill Cameron with ardent Duke supporters is admirable, and indeed, part of his responsibility to his players.
However, the Athletic Department must be wary of chastising undergraduate students for not attending Sunday night sporting events--as many individuals use this time to study and prepare for a busy week of classes. Duke is an academic institution first and a basketball powerhouse second--a distinction not even Coach K should implicitly subvert.
The Athletic Department's decision to award 100 undergraduate seats to graduate students for last night's game against the University of Virginia was largely a reaction to the under-capacity crowd present at Sunday's contest against Clemson. Coach K railed undergraduate students for failing to provide his No. 1 ranked team with the support they deserved, and although the Athletic Department is within its rights to give away the seats, the action sets a dangerous precedent.
First, the lack of undergraduate support was a result of the timing of the game--a Sunday evening right before a week of intense midterms--not a lack of fervent support for Duke basketball. Coach K has himself admitted that Sunday games are detrimental for a number of reasons, including conflicting with student availability. How can the Athletic Department claim on the one hand that Sundays are a bad night to hold major sporting events because students won't show up, and then blame students for not showing up? Perhaps it is because students don't pay a dime for their tickets, and television networks fork over millions to Duke.
Furthermore, we are students first and fans second. We may be ranked No. 1 in basketball, but we are also in the top five academically, a rating which does not come without considerable hard work on our parts--much of which, by necessity, must be done on Sundays. Implicitly punishing undergraduates for not attending a game on a Sunday sends a dangerous mixed message. If the Athletic Department wants to operate on the assumption that Sunday nights will be poorly attended by undergraduates on a consistent basis, and that graduate students will be able to attend, come right out and state that policy.
The argument that this was a way to "reward" graduate students for their support is laughable. In reality, the revoked undergraduate tickets are likely a motivational ploy periodically indulged by Coach K and the Athletic Department to stir the Cameron Crazies into action. We love Duke sports, and that passion is never in question. But those students who missed the game have nothing to apologize for.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.