Bob Smizik is a frequent target of irate Pitt fans, and I have been known to go after some of his columns on occasion. His column today, is worth reading in full. If for no other reason he utters these words.

I goofed.

It is rare for most print columnists to admit when they were wrong or are contradicting what they had previously written. Smizik is probably no better or worse than most. So when he is willing to come out and say this, you take notice.

The column refers to the Pitt Athletic Department’s “Quest for Excellence” fundraising drive. Specifically the plans for mandatory donations to the Panther Club and season ticket seats. I did not pay much attention to the revamping of the basketball season tickets, because I don’t have any. Maybe I should have:

Pitt is attempting to be as fair as possible in what will amount to a total reseating of the Petersen Center. But when the seats are being bid for in what amounts to a silent auction, complete fairness is not possible.

Above all else, Pitt must be fair with its fan.

Pitt has devised a sophisticated and complicated priority list, which, correctly, includes more than the size of a contribution. Seniority also is a factor, as it should be. But the bottom line is this:

No one knows what it will take to keep their seat.
…
Under the new Pitt arrangement, season-ticket holders are contributing blindly. They don’t know what it will take to give them the same seat they currently have or the same caliber of seat. They won’t know where they stand until all contributions are in and all prospective season-ticket holders are ranked.

Furthermore, it’s possible to make a contribution and not get a seat. The contribution, of course, is not refundable.

According to the article, UConn does reseating every year; Maryland every 2; and now Kansas is doing it.

Not to be insulting, but Pitt is not any of those places. Those school have a much larger and more sturdily built fan base and have had longer, more sustained success. In the case of UConn and Kansas, they are also about the only game in town, so to speak.

The brochure for the basketball tickets (PDF) is intentionally vague about what the donor levels are/should/will be.

I know Pitt thinks this is a better way to maximize donations, and can point to a waiting list for season tickets of around 3,000. That’s deceptive. People will get on the list, but when it comes time aren’t necessarily jumping. I have family living in the DC area, who put themselves on the Washington Redskins waiting list for season tickets only a few years ago. The “official waiting list” is supposed to be some 10-20 thousand deep. Within 2 years they were being contacted by the team about getting tickets — they said no and just stayed on the list.