E-Tickets

Note: This posting was published in the Des Moines Register Opinion Section.

It appears as though the only people that will be affected by the new e-tickets at The University of Iowa ("U of I curbs football ticket transfers", DM Register 9/30/06) will be drunken students. As a student and avid sports fan I don’t comprehend the concept of going to only three games because of being to drunk to attend the rest as Jansen stated. I agree that the new system has its flaws, but if you don’t really want to go to the games, don’t buy tickets, it’s that simple. The university has the right to sell tickets in a matter that ensures that all tickets sold will actually be used by someone. If Iowa was merely interested in the financial aspect of selling tickets, they would not have made the new stipulations, because as it was tickets were sold, but often the ticket holder simply never showed up to the game. This new process will make it difficult for someone who makes a last minute decision to go (or not to go) to the game, but that’s life, put down your beer and get to the game.

A Divided Heaven

Kevin Costner will be back in Dyersville, Iowa for the first time since shooting the film “Field of Dreams” ("Costner returns to Dyersville", DM Register 9/2/06) on August 11th. If I had to guess as to the reason he’s been absent I would have to point the finger and the property owners and the mess that they have created. What many people don’t know is that the field is divided. One group of people own left and center field; another group owns right field and the infield. The families got along fine during filming, but as the movie predicted “build it and they will come”. As the visitors started appearing the differing property owners saw their own dollars rolling in. There are now two separate driveways, bathrooms, concessions, and souvenir booths. What many people, including myself, consider to be sacred ground, is being ruined by greed. My only hope is that Kevin Costner’s appearance will shed light on someone’s eyes that this isn’t the way it should be.