On Sunday, there was no contest: It was those that would get you a seat at the Griz-Cat football game on Saturday at the University of Montana.
Hundreds of die-hard student football fans descended upon the University Center where tickets for the UM-Montana State University's 108th “Brawl of the Wild” were being sold at The Source.
The first person in line was Cody Putzier, a sophomore, who found his spot just before midnight on Saturday. At 4 a.m., he was joined by Alex Wigger and Kelcie Wampler.
“The tickets - and the story about waiting for them - it's worth the wait,” said Wigger.
By mid-afternoon, the building was filled with a mass of students who sprawled out across the first and second floors of the three-story building.
Navigating the sea of bodies was a fire marshal's nightmare, but the students didn't mind the peaceful chaos.
They came prepared.
Televisions, laptop computers, inflatable mattresses, folding chairs, pillows, blankets, sleeping bags and junk food were just some of the comforts of home they brought along.
Toward the front of the line, Kris Guyman had his television and DVD player hooked up to watch the movie “Semi-Pro,” starring Will Ferrell, and had the movie “National Treasure” as a backup.
The UM senior said he didn't mind the wait at all: “It's the best game all year.”
Gene Grant was comfortable in his massive folding chair - and the envy of his neighbors. Grant's wife, Zana, would show up periodically with food to make the wait more enjoyable.
“She's taking good care of me,” Grant said.
Like many of the students, Grant endured the ticket scramble because not only is the Griz-Cat an exciting game, it's an annual event that brings families together from across the state and the region.
“My brother is from Bobcat country, and he'll be up for the game,” Grant said. “Other family members will be there, too, so it's like a family reunion.”
One group of students brought Monopoly to while away the hours. Others brought their guitars.
The most serious of the bunch brought their homework.
Cozy under a pile of blankets and with her friends nearby, Krystle Snyder hunkered down with her textbook, “Principles of Economics.”
“It's going to be a good game, so it's worth the wait,” Snyder explained of her unusual study situation. “And I'm getting more homework done I thought I would - so it's definitely worth it.”
Any tickets that didn't sell by midnight Sunday will be sold to students beginning at 7:45 a.m. Monday, said Peter Knox, student supervisor at The Source.
All student tickets are free, and students have the option to purchase one of 400 guest passes for $10.
“The guest passes we expect will go quickly,” Knox said. “And we expect all the student tickets will go quickly.
“We are expecting a big crowd.”
‘Brawl of the Wild'
The 108th meeting between the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State Bobcats will take place at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. General admission tickets are sold out.
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Jesse wrote on Nov 17, 2008 10:41 AM:
" 1. I was able to walk in at around 9 p.m., 3 hours after tickets went on sale and got a ticket almost immediately. So if you waited since 4 in the morning, I pity you.
2. Ray, are you serious?! U.M students get 3,300 tickets blocked for us, that's 13% of the total 25,000 tickets available for the game. Can you seriously imagine a Griz a game without a student section? We are the loudest and proudest 3,300 hundred fans in the entire stadium. "
2. Ray, are you serious?! U.M students get 3,300 tickets blocked for us, that's 13% of the total 25,000 tickets available for the game. Can you seriously imagine a Griz a game without a student section? We are the loudest and proudest 3,300 hundred fans in the entire stadium. "
Ray wrote on Nov 17, 2008 2:04 PM:
" No, I think UofM students should get tickets first. I'm still just irritated about trying to get two of 25,000 Rolling Stones tickets that sold out in two minutes off the internet. Or my wife waiting at the mall for Elton John tickets when they didn't even have any for sale. "
Jay Unsworth wrote on Nov 17, 2008 4:04 PM:
" Griz Cat football has been the main event of the season for both teams for over 100 years. Many Montanans would put it as one of the top events of the year.
Griz Cat football is not about planning the best way to come out with the most money. Each and every year diehard football fans as well as average Montanans fill the designated stadium to watch America's game.
I was in line at 7:45 a.m. and gladly waited with a bruised tailbone for 9 hours to get my student pass as well as my single guest pass for an old friend.
To assert that the University is being nostalgic in their reservation of a percentage for students is absolutely correct and absolutely necessary.
Diehard fans of Griz football will be coming out this saturday to see the best game of the year, tickets to that event should be sold to everyone, not just the highest bidders, we want real fans at our games.
Student sections all around the country in every division serve to energize the rest of the crowd, no matter how large the stadium. We bring the noise and the passion for the game, keep your oversized bill folds at home and bring all your Griz gear, we want fans, not dignitaries. "
Griz Cat football is not about planning the best way to come out with the most money. Each and every year diehard football fans as well as average Montanans fill the designated stadium to watch America's game.
I was in line at 7:45 a.m. and gladly waited with a bruised tailbone for 9 hours to get my student pass as well as my single guest pass for an old friend.
To assert that the University is being nostalgic in their reservation of a percentage for students is absolutely correct and absolutely necessary.
Diehard fans of Griz football will be coming out this saturday to see the best game of the year, tickets to that event should be sold to everyone, not just the highest bidders, we want real fans at our games.
Student sections all around the country in every division serve to energize the rest of the crowd, no matter how large the stadium. We bring the noise and the passion for the game, keep your oversized bill folds at home and bring all your Griz gear, we want fans, not dignitaries. "
Ray wrote on Nov 17, 2008 6:42 PM:
" I apologize for the sarcasm in my original post. In the not too distant past I too have spent hours in line waiting for prized event tickets and was rewarded for my efforts. Last time I tried for tickets, however, the public facilities of the UofM were sold out on the internet within a couple minutes and the computerized ticket system wouldn't recognize my valid credit card which I've used many times before. Twenty five thousand seats - and they are gone before I can re-enter a card number. How could that be? Then, an improvement - issue wristbands and sell tickets at the mall in some sort of lottery. Too bad there were no tickets available - at all. Why is it that the same revenue maximizing strategies aren't being followed for the Cat / Griz game? Do you suppose the fans wouldn't stand for it? "
granbois wrote on Nov 18, 2008 12:30 PM:
" a former student of the UofM i think what there doin for the students is a good idea. then we kno students are able to get in the game of the year. i lost out on tickets to the internet one year. oh well we always have next year. "
BigBoy wrote on Nov 20, 2008 9:35 AM:
" From the looks of things, it appears it was just a bunch of video game geeks waiting in line to get tickets to turn around and sell them on ebay. Make yourself about $100 and play video games for 9 hours...What could be better than that? "
Ray wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:11 AM: