Seating will be assigned at this year’s Gator Growl on Nov. 9.
Gator Growl staff members wrote in a press release issued Friday that all tickets — not just those of alumni and the general public, like in previous years — will be accompanied by assigned seats. Students have not been assigned seating since 2009, said Gator Growl producer Samantha Hockenberry.
Hockenberry said change was needed because many audience members gave negative feedback after last year’s event. She said some students would end up sitting in seats assigned to alumni or other audience members, inconveniencing everyone involved.
“People now don’t have to search for a seat,” Hockenberry said. “They can now go in whenever they would like and just enjoy the show.”
The staff also decided to hire UF ROTC members to usher students to their correct seats, Hockenberry said. The ushers will not be paid, but organizers will donate $1,500 to the ROTC program.
Students wanting to sit with their friends must pick up their tickets together, Hockenberry said. Student organizations have the option to be placed in block seating, just like at football games.
Alex Herndon, a 19-year-old recreation and event management sophomore, said assigned seating could help students who cannot get to the event early.
“The stadium will not be as chaotic anymore with people trying to find seats,” she said. “It will just be a much more enjoyable experience.”
