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Money cheapens the game

The men’s basketball team is finally getting significant fan attendance. But at a price.
As part of a new promotion to increase attendance at home games, the athletic department is using money from an anonymous donor to give $500 to the group that shows the most spirit at home games.

By the end of the promotion at the Feb. 22 game, $2,500 will have been given away to get a few groups to paint their faces and jump up and down at five home games.

How on earth did things get so bad?

The team’s 8-14 record obviously isn’t the greatest, but the fact that they’re having to pay students to come see the game is just pitiful.

It cheapens the game and it cheapens the players.

The fact that the athletic department and the donor are so determined to get student support for the team is commendable.

The athletic department is admittedly working to increase attendance at the games. In January, they made floor seats available to students, relocating about 100 season ticket holders.

The new promotion, however, is just a gimmick. It is notably on a larger scale, but it’ s not much more productive than giving away free pizza or throwing T-shirts into the crowd.

It may draw a slightly larger crowd for a few games, but the problem of the overall lack of student interest in the sport still isn’t being addressed. Students and organizations show up hoping to win the $500.

Whether the team is winning or not, the players are still working as hard as they can to represent TCU. They deserve to have TCU students come out and show that same support. That support shouldn’t be measured in dollars.