Homecoming ticket capacity frustrates students

 

ESPN Zone has a capacity of 1000 people Photo by Eric Richardson
ESPN Zone has a capacity of 1,000 people.
Photo by Eric Richardson

 By Kristie Hoang

ASB recently announced that there will be a limited number of tickets sold for the annual homecoming dance.

There’s only 1,000 tickets that can be sold due to the capacity of our venue,” ASB Parliamentarian Dolly Dang (’14) said.  “I think people will be upset because I know I would be, but I also think if they really wanted to go, they would be responsible enough to get the tickets early.”

This is the first time ASB has incurred a ticket capacity.  Some have suggested homecoming should be moved to a different venue if there is a restriction on tickets.  However, the venue must be booked a year or two in advance in order to secure each year’s homecoming location.

ASB was not aware of the venue’s capacity at the time of booking. However, it was too late to book another venue when they became aware of the restriction.

The homecoming dance is not only the first formal dance of the year, but also a tradition for most high school students.  Many Barons do not go to homecoming in their freshmen and sophomore years but instead save the occasion for their junior and senior years.

“I would get the tickets early, because that’s the smartest thing to do anyway, but I’m frustrated because there’s a cap this year,” Christine Phan (’14) said. “We have a lot of seniors, and we have a lot of incoming freshmen that have never been to a homecoming, so it’s like this is a really big deal that they’re not going to have the chance to go; it’s disappointing.”

The homecoming dance follows the football game against Marina at Westminster High School.  The week before the game, ASB hosts numerous dress up days and lunchtime activities in anticipation for the dance and the annual assembly.

“I would sit at home and cry if I couldn’t go to homecoming,” Marcelo Ratinoff (’15) said.

The homecoming dance will take place Oct. 12 at ESPN Sports Zone in Anaheim.