The Furman men’s basketball team has won 12 straight games in Timmons Arena dating back to last season. After the Paladins’ historic 12-0 start this year, Timmons Arena, Furman’s home court, has seen unprecedented attendance of both locals and students.
Timmons Arena, a multi-purpose on-campus arena, has been the home of Furman basketball since 1998. The arena has the capability to seat 3,500 fans for basketball games, and this season has needed every one of those seats.
The 2017-2018 season was one to remember for Furman men’s basketball. The Paladins won a school record 23 games and posted an impressive 13-3 record in Timmons Arena. Despite the historic success, the Paladins only averaged 1,604 fans in attendance at home games.
The Paladins have yet to lose at Timmons this season and a big factor of that success has come from the fan attendance. In the game against Charleston Southern Dec. 11, Timmons Arena saw a record 620 students attend. Furman has sold out its 3,500 seat arena multiple times this season, and expects to keep doing so as the Paladins enter conference play.
While the success of the Paladins has increased attendance, it has also caused logistical issues for the Furman ticketing office. Previously, students were able to arrive at the arena, present a student ID and receive a ticket for the game. In the past, students could more or less sit wherever they wanted in the arena, while many chose to sit in the designated student section.
However, increased student attendance has forced Furman to change its student ticket process. Earlier this season, security in Timmons Arena required students to present their ticket stubs and sit in assigned seats up to two hours before games.
Pushback from both students and season ticket holders has led to Furman’s ticket office, known as One Furman TIX, to create a system for students to get tickets.
In an email to the Furman student body on Jan. 17, Dwight Covington, Director of Athletic Ticket Sales, detailed the process which students must now go through to access tickets to Furman basketball games.
Students must create a personalized ticketing account on the One Furman TIX website, and choose the home games they want to reserve tickets for. The portal will open for students every Monday the week of games to give students an opportunity to reserve a seat. Student are now required to sit in the designated student section, and are expected to present their ticket stub to arena security.
The new One Furman TIX portal will be used by students for the first time Monday, Jan. 21 as the men’s team plays at home against Chattanooga on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Samford on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.