ED note: Here's the story published in today's IDS about the reaction to Wednesday night's student fan chants. See the post directly above this for a full discussion. - Eamonn
As Georgette Billings sat in Section J of Assembly Hall on Wednesday night, it wasn't the play on the court that was displeasing her. After all, the Hoosiers she has been devoted to since 1942 were in the middle of demolishing in-state rival Purdue 85-58.
Instead, it was what the 88-year-old later found out the IU students were chanting -- a thundering chorus of "stand up, old people" -- that caused her to call the Indiana Daily Student offices Thursday morning and politely lodge a complaint.
"I just thought it was a little bit rude," said Billings, who said she's owned season tickets to IU football and basketball games for 38 years. "I stand, I cheer. I'm not mad about it at all -- I guess it just sort of hit me in the wrong way this morning."
Billings' comments were just part of the reaction to a series of student chants at Assembly Hall on Wednesday night.
IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan was among those who reacted to the chants immediately after the game, saying he hoped to convey a message to students that the department appreciated their support but hoped they would cheer with "class" in the future.
On Thursday, Frank Cuervo, IU assistant athletic director for external operations, echoed Greenspan's feelings.
"We want our students to be loud and enthusiastic, but obviously we want them to do it in a classy and respectable manner," Cuervo said. "I'm sure (stand up, old people) was meant in jest, but we certainly don't want to encourage anything that will offend anybody."
The athletics administration's main concern after the Purdue win was a chant of "stand up, old people" that began with the students and was directed toward alumni fans sitting directly behind the basket on Assembly Hall's north side. The chant began slowly at first, with only a few nonstudent fans responding. The chorus began one more time, however, and most of the so-called "old people" -- many of whom are alumni -- cheered and stood up.
IU graduate student Scott Manning said he understood if some nonstudent fans were offended, but he credited the chant to a sort of rivalry between students and nonstudents in Assembly Hall.
"I agree that it's sort of a classless chant," Manning said. "But it's about the ongoing battle between students and alumni. Alumni say students don't show up on time -- which is true -- but alumni don't stand or cheer. So it's a problem on both sides."
Manning said that students were upset that alumni are now occupying those valued courtside seats behind the north basket and that they aren't making the most of them.
The seats were reallocated to nonstudent seating before the year as student ticket prices were raised from $11 per game to $15. With more than 7,000 seats in Assembly Hall, IU students still have one of the largest attendance bases in the country.
Still, the rise of ticket prices and the loss of some seats has students sporadically voicing complaint.
"I mean, when you lose 500 seats and ticket prices go up, that's frustrating," Manning said. "And if you have to take away 500 seats, why does it have to be those 500? I don't think it's that much to ask the alumni to stand up and cheer and try to distract the other team shooting free throws."
Cuervo said the department would examine its student seating procedures after the season is over.
"That doesn't necessarily mean it will result in action," he said. "But we will look at something and ask if any changes will provide a better experience for fans."
Until then, student fans like Manning and nonstudents like Billings will have to learn to coexist -- rude chants or not.
"Maybe I just took it wrong," Billings said. "Maybe kids are just different these days. And it could have been a spontaneous thing. I just don't think we need to be rude"
