I feel awkward complaining since my wife and I had a fabulous time at The Hawk on a perfect evening for outstanding baseball and a huge VandyBoys win. But, there are times when VU reminds me just how unwelcoming it can be. Last night, I was reminded of the feeling I had when I graduated in May 1981 after having paid more in tuition to VU for my final semester than I would collectively pay the next three years at my home state's law school. It was a feeling of VU just wanting to take and of not caring one iota about me. It is extremely rare for me to feel that way since I am a rule follower and never want to be "that guy" who is difficult.
I'm not even posting to complain about the cheerleaders directly in front of me in the front row of Section B although I don't think that cheerleaders add any positive to baseball and simply distract. My isolated gripe involves my wife and me going to the outfield during the bottom of the 4th for the first time ever for the sole purpose of experiencing a draft beer from the beer garden. We felt certain that they'd be pouring VU's tasty signature Jackalope's Conquer and Prevail and thought this would be a fine night to make the pilgrimage. After finding no Jackalope product on tap and settling for a Dos Equis lager, we sat on the completely-empty back row of the end section to enjoy our two-for-$27-drafts. It was all very pleasant and the world was good until an usher came over and told us that we couldn't sit in an empty back row in the outfield "because these are for season ticket holders." Now, there was a completely empty row of bar seats with tables that had "reserved" on them but this wasn't where we were. We were in pedestrian seating. I explained that we hold three season tickets in the infield just over the visitor's dugout and were just sitting on this empty back row of the outfield to enjoy our $27 drafts. But, sympathy for simplicity wasn’t in the cards. Not that profile matters, but we are two mid-60s lawyers, VU graduates, and reasonably well-dressed for a ball game with me in gold slacks and a black VU golf shirt and my wife with black pants, gold top, and gold shoes. Still, he ordered us to vacate this already vacant back row where we were not allowed to sit for the duration of our $27 in suds. Feeling like an outlaw, I explained that we don't have ushers in the infield checking folks for tickets and that people move around to empty seats. But, he'd have none of it asserting that "if I were in the infield I'd check tickets." This is a time where I wish that we had The Coffee Shop so that I could rip the authoritarian stance of the usher and bash VU for things that I think have diminished VU. If anyone has to get the short end of the stick and be inconvenienced then I don't mind it being me. But ... c'mon VU ....... you can do so much better in training staff. Again, I am reluctant to complain about anything related to such a wonderful VU baseball night but who would dream of being hassled as a result of sitting in an empty seat in the outfield bleachers in any college baseball game anywhere in America. It is so VU ..... failing to be reasonably accommodating to its fans .... that I thought I'd share. The usher's behavior cost VU another $27 in beer sales (plus tip).
I'm not even posting to complain about the cheerleaders directly in front of me in the front row of Section B although I don't think that cheerleaders add any positive to baseball and simply distract. My isolated gripe involves my wife and me going to the outfield during the bottom of the 4th for the first time ever for the sole purpose of experiencing a draft beer from the beer garden. We felt certain that they'd be pouring VU's tasty signature Jackalope's Conquer and Prevail and thought this would be a fine night to make the pilgrimage. After finding no Jackalope product on tap and settling for a Dos Equis lager, we sat on the completely-empty back row of the end section to enjoy our two-for-$27-drafts. It was all very pleasant and the world was good until an usher came over and told us that we couldn't sit in an empty back row in the outfield "because these are for season ticket holders." Now, there was a completely empty row of bar seats with tables that had "reserved" on them but this wasn't where we were. We were in pedestrian seating. I explained that we hold three season tickets in the infield just over the visitor's dugout and were just sitting on this empty back row of the outfield to enjoy our $27 drafts. But, sympathy for simplicity wasn’t in the cards. Not that profile matters, but we are two mid-60s lawyers, VU graduates, and reasonably well-dressed for a ball game with me in gold slacks and a black VU golf shirt and my wife with black pants, gold top, and gold shoes. Still, he ordered us to vacate this already vacant back row where we were not allowed to sit for the duration of our $27 in suds. Feeling like an outlaw, I explained that we don't have ushers in the infield checking folks for tickets and that people move around to empty seats. But, he'd have none of it asserting that "if I were in the infield I'd check tickets." This is a time where I wish that we had The Coffee Shop so that I could rip the authoritarian stance of the usher and bash VU for things that I think have diminished VU. If anyone has to get the short end of the stick and be inconvenienced then I don't mind it being me. But ... c'mon VU ....... you can do so much better in training staff. Again, I am reluctant to complain about anything related to such a wonderful VU baseball night but who would dream of being hassled as a result of sitting in an empty seat in the outfield bleachers in any college baseball game anywhere in America. It is so VU ..... failing to be reasonably accommodating to its fans .... that I thought I'd share. The usher's behavior cost VU another $27 in beer sales (plus tip).
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