The notion that football is Wilfrid Laurier University’s most popular sport is one that has remained true, stretching back to even beyond the 1991 Vanier Cup Championship.
With this summer’s budget cuts, it should come as no surprise that Laurier Athletics has joined the majority of Canadian universities in charging their students to attend regular season football games.
“There were really two aspects that brought this about, and obviously one of them is the economy being the way it is,” said Ari Grossman, Laurier athletics’ manager of communications and business operations. “Budget cuts are one thing, but something else we had to deal with was that when students get in for free, it’s not an apparent attraction. But if they’re holding a ticket there’s a value”
The $5 entry fee for Laurier students to go to regular season games at Knight-Newbrough Field is the first time such a charge has been issued for a regular season match for any Golden Hawk regular season event. Though it may come as a shock, for some $5 is a small amount to pay for such a high quality event.
“It’s only five bucks,” said third-year Golden Hawk basketball player Christa Mancino. “You’ve always got to support the boys.”
Most, however, seem disgruntled by the news, admitting that the new charge will deter them from attending.
“I had planned on going to all the home games this season,” said third-year business student Steve Kerr. “Now I might go to one, if none at all. It is not worth it to go now that it isn’t free.”
-with files from Justin Fauteux
