After the recent DLSU-FEU game, The LaSallian received numerous personal queries and complaints via our Twitter account. The complaints ranged from glitches in the MLS system to allegations of ticket hoarding.
La Salle basketball game tickets have always been hard to come by, especially when the game would determine the University’s elimination or championship bid against universities like Ateneo. Hence, the University resolved to ticket sales through the MLS to improve efficiency, to guarantee fair allocation, and to reduce student inconvenience.
There are, however, some instances where students are allowed to purchase tickets manually. In the recent La Salle-Ateneo game for example, the University sold tickets manually. The line from the accounting office at the St. La Salle hall to the SPS Building; at one point, it had even gone so far as the Central Plaza. .
Online selling
According to Emmanuel Calanog, Director for the Office of Sports Development (OSD), only tickets for men’s basketball and women’s volleyball are available through MLS for the main reason that tickets for those games are high in demand.
He mentions that this was done to spare students from the long lines. Since this is only applicable for men’s basketball and women’s volleyball games, Calanog explains that for other sports competitions, a student can buy tickets directly at the venue since the demand for other tickets is not as high.
This method, however, is not as feasible when it comes to men’s basketball tickets since many Lasallians may not have the chance to buy their tickets at the venue. According to Calanog, the University makes an effort to get the tickets into the University to allow students and alumni access to tickets.
Tracie Teodoro, head of the University Student Government (USG) Student Services, explains that the OSD rations the tickets sold online. She adds that this is the reason for the fixed number of tickets in the MLS. The process behind online ticket selling involves communication between the OSD, USG, and The Information Technology Services Office (ITS).
Teodoro mentions that the OSD usually relays the message to the USG representatives one to two days before the ITS opens the reservation facility on MLS. Once the USG Office of the Executive Secretary receives the announcement, the office disseminates it to the various USG social media accounts. Though the USG is in charge of circulating information regarding ticket selling, the OSD is the office that coordinates with ITS regarding the schedule ticket sales on MLS.
Open ticket selling
Students could also acquire tickets through open selling of tickets, which occurs when there are leftover tickets either from the set of tickets reserved via MLS or the OSD. Teodoro shares that announcement of open selling a day before a game is rarely practiced.
Teodoro furthers, “as for the process of selling, we take note of the number of tickets given to us and make sure that by the end of the selling period, the accounts are balanced.”
In the case of the recent basketball game between DLSU and ADMU, the OSD only received the tickets at noon last Thursday. An open selling of tickets was held at 10 am as the OSD did not have time to coordinate with the ITS.
Fixing glitches
Teodoro admits that fixing MLS glitches is beyond the USG’s capacity. She says though that proper communication with the OSD and ITS will be done and timely announcements regarding sudden changes in schedule would also be made.
