The tribulation of tickets

We paid for six tickets -- and then came the good news. We're getting 12 tickets instead. For the past three years, the package has been advertised as 12 tickets, but because of demand, we've been given six tickets and half of our money back. The problem is that, this year, everyone unexpectedly has to take the whole package. \nYes, we took a risk by signing up for the six and knowing that we might have to pay for more. Yes, the initial e-mail warned students that they would be charged for any tickets added after the package sizes were figured. Yes, we should have thought about that and planned accordingly. It would just have been nice if we could've chosen to take fewer than 12. Granted, in the past, we've complained if we've been allotted fewer than the full package, but we've kind of become numb to the disappointment. It's great to have a full season's worth of tickets this time, but mild disappointment (finding out that we're getting fewer than 12 tickets) is always easier than unexpected windfall (expecting six tickets and suddenly getting 12) that is double the price. \nWe're college students. Most of us are on budgets -- and student budgets at that. Student budgets are notorious for being slim and carefully planned. To safely assume we'll be paying $70 (as we have the last three years) and then be surprised with double that amount has the potential to wreak financial havoc on many of us. If anything, the athletics department should have told students they were getting 12 (and had them pay for 12) and then reduced the package as it has in the past. The refund checks, already figured into our finicky financial plans, would be a nice little surprise (beer money, anyone?). \nIt boils down to basic economics: You can't determine the supply if you don't know the demand. The athletics department should not have determined the size of the package and, more importantly, the final price until it knew how many students would be signing up for ticket packages. \nWe'd also like to take the opportunity to sing the praises of those who configured the new ticket ordering system. Many are finding it easier than in years past, and because easy computer systems haven't been a common campus occurrence this year, we say, good job. (We couldn't miss a chance to poke fun at PeopleSoft, now could we?)\nGranted, we will only be happy if we know the exact amount we're signing up for and get that same exact amount. Newsflash! That ain't going to happen. Ticket packaging is a tricky art, we know, and we don't envy those in charge. Of course, now that we're not worried about which games we're going to get, we're just going to worry about where we're sitting at a particular game. Who says we're hard to please?\nSo thank you for the nice fat ticket packages, O Deity of Basketball Tickets, but keep in mind our student-sized wallets.