Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Colorado State University provides many resources for the students on campus — a student recreation center, an expansive food court, a library and our very own football stadium. However, some students get more out of other facilities than others, and some of these resources — such as the food court — cost out-of-pocket money to use.
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The one resource students don’t have to worry about spending money on is a ticket to sporting events on campus. The free tickets are a part of our tuition, but students ultimately should have the option to choose what their money goes toward for many reasons.
The stadium, which cost around $220 million, holds some animosity among students, especially since the performance of CSU’s football team has been underwhelming to say the least.
In 2018, out of 12 games CSU played, they only managed to pull out three wins. And so far this year, CSU’s record is 4-6. With the team having such an inconsistent and lackluster performance, are free tickets to CSU football games really something students are excited for?
Because of the team’s performance, many students have no interest in going to watch their team lose again and again.
Instead of getting free tickets to games, students should have the option to put the money somewhere else, such as in their RamCash account.
RamCash is most commonly used at the resident dining halls. It also can be used at any of the vendors at the Lory Student Center. Students have the option to put money in their RamCash account to spend it on campus, yet not every student utilizes this, as the money put in the account still comes from the student. The only exceptions are incoming freshmen living on campus with a meal plan. They automatically get up to $150 in RamCash per semester.
Around campus, I conducted a survey asking 30 students whether or not they were a sports fan. I also asked if they would rather have the option to put the money that would supply them with football tickets toward RamCash or if they would like to continue receiving the free football tickets.
Out the 30 students, comprising of 14 men and 16 women, the response was 28 in favor of having money put in their RamCash account instead of tickets, with two loyal sports fans still in favor of receiving tickets.
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CSU should encourage and prioritize the nutritional health of their students instead of filling the overpriced stadium.
Throughout the survey, multiple participants voiced their opinions on the subject. Ana Ibarra, a biology major, was curious about the fact that tickets to sporting games are free.
“When I consider what else could be supplied instead of free tickets to a losing game, more RamCash for food makes a lot of sense,” Ibarra said. “I also feel it would help combat the issue a lot of college students face, where they don’t have a lot of money to feed themselves properly.”
Ibarra brings up a relevant point; a large issue that college students face is suffering from poor nutrition. At times, it can be difficult during a busy semester to always eat breakfast or lunch, and the price tag often gets in the way of a hungry student and some food.
CSU should encourage and prioritize the nutritional health of their students instead of filling the overpriced stadium. Students should have the option to pick between RamCash for an easily-available lunch and tickets to a football game.
Nathan Sky can be reached at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @NathanSky97.
