Douche move by UVA...

**R13** · January 15th, 2011, 11:43 PM

When Greg Demery realized the ticket he'd bought from a scalper for last Saturday's game between North Carolina and Virginia was two rows behind the Cavaliers bench, he couldn't believe his good fortune.

"I thought, 'How did I get this lucky to get this ticket?'" the lifelong Tar Heels fan recalled. "This low to the court? This never happens to me.'"

Unfortunately for Demery, he didn't keep his seat long enough to watch lineup introductions from up close, let alone the game.

Before the 46-year-old Arlington, Va. resident had time to remove his Carolina blue coat, a security guard approached and told Demery he couldn't sit in that section of John Paul Jones Arena wearing Tar Heels colors. Soon afterward, another Virginia staffer asked to see his ticket to verify that it was legitimate. And finally, associate athletic director Jason Bauman escorted Demery from his seat and relocated him to another seat 17 rows higher in the lower bowl.

"I couldn't believe it," Demery said. "I'm sitting there hoping to enjoy the game courtside and I thought it was going to work out great and in a matter of 15 minutes, it changed. I just was shaking my head thinking, 'How is this possible? How are they allowed to get away with this?'"

Bauman feels bad that Demery's new seat wasn't as close to the court as his original, but he doesn't intend to alter Virginia's policy and doesn't regret anything else about how he handled the incident.

Whereas other North Carolina fans in the lower bowl were not required to move, Bauman said he relocated Demery because the seats directly behind the Virginia bench usually belong to athletic department staffers. In this case one of those staffers gave their tickets to to a friend who then sold one to a scalper, enabling Demery to purchase it for $100.

"I understood he didn't know the rules before he purchased that ticket which is why I wanted to find as good a ticket for him as I could," Bauman said. "I think it's the right approach to those seats, I think I handled it in a professional manner and I think I was respectful of him, but I also think the result was very fair."

Strangely enough, North Carolina was involved in a similar incident that made headlines last season. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams instructed security personnel to remove a Presbyterian fan sitting a few rows behind the Carolina bench after he heckled big man Deon Thompson as he was shooting a free throw.

Demery hasn't pursued any legal action at this time, but an expert in sports law said that his rights may have been violated.

Michael McCann, director of the Sports Law Institute at Vermont Law School, said that Demery's contractual rights may have been breached if the ticket he purchased didn't stipulate that he could not sit in the seat unless he was a Virginia fan. McCann also said relocating Demery may have been a First Amendment violation since Virginia is a public school and has less authority to regulate speech than a private institution.

"A fan who wears the 'wrong' team's shirt should probably not be excluded from a particular seat that he has legally purchased," McCann wrote via e-mail. "Sure, schools can encourage fans of one team to sit in certain sections, but they probably can't sell a ticket and then revoke its conditions because the ticket-buyer happens to be a fan of the other team."

The most frustrating aspect of the incident for Demery is he feels like Virginia spoiled a game that he'd been looking forward to for weeks.

Driving two hours to Charlottesville and shelling out $100 for a ticket was well worth the trouble for Demery because he figured he'd enjoy the rare chance to watch his beloved Tar Heels in person. Instead he spent so much time stewing about being booted out of his seat that North Carolina's come-from-behind 62-56 victory wasn't as much fun as it could have been.

At halftime, Demery sought out guest services, explained the situation and attempted to get his previous seat back only to have Bauman meet him again and turn him down. Demery even asked a policeman at the arena whether what Virginia was doing was legal, but the officer sided with Bauman.

"This was an opportunity for me to see Carolina in person and see them up close, and they kind of put a damper on everything," Demery said. "The best thing about the whole day was we won. It was a slight vindication after all that happened."

Wearing North Carolina colors costs Tar Heels fan his seat - The Dagger - NCAAB? - Yahoo! Sports

**1inStripes** · January 16th, 2011, 12:30 AM

Douche move by Roy Williams too then.

**Biggin** · January 16th, 2011, 12:38 AM

I agree, both situations (UNC and UVA) were douche moves by the coach AND THE AD>

jesus christ, both of you knew what i meant

**R13** · January 16th, 2011, 01:14 AM

How are the two comparable? One was not disruptive at all, the other was.

**R13** · January 16th, 2011, 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by Biggin

I agree, both situations (UNC and UVA) were douche moves by the coach.

The coach wasn't involved in this incident.

**pvfan** · January 16th, 2011, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by Biggin

I agree, both situations (UNC and UVA) were douche moves by the coach.

Where does it mention that coach Bennett had anything to do with this?

**steer** · January 16th, 2011, 08:54 AM

They were both douche moves by the Universities.

You shouldn't be moved because you heckle a guy shooting free throws. You shouldn't have to move because it's a "Virginia" only section. UVa will probably have to re-write their ticket "contracts" (yes, the little fine print on the back) all over because of this incident. (if legal action is pursued)

**lpd_observer** · January 17th, 2011, 04:07 PM

What in the hell kinda damages can you expect by suing UVa like this? Tickets to see athletic events are not contracts. They are revocable licenses that may be revoked for any reason in the discretion of the University. The difference between a contract and a license means everything. So let him sue. It's not as if he was kicked out of the game. Even this is a first amendment violation, you have to prove that you were damaged by the actions of the violator. This would be silly to litigate and would cost the plaintiff far more than he'd win.

What a life shattering situation for this UNC fan. I'm sure that his life will never be the same as a result of getting moved a few rows back. I'm sure he'll lose his job, get divorced, and commit suicide as a result of this inequitable treatment. What incredible victimization.

**R13** · January 19th, 2011, 09:46 PM

I don't agree with the comment about tickets/contracts, if it is not a written rule and the guy didn't break the written rule, they violated the rules. But no one said this guy life was ruined, he didn't make a big deal about it and he's not suing for anything.

The incident with Roy was not him just being heckled, refuse to believe that one of the classiest coaches out there who has heard everything at the these games would have him removed for a simple heckle - he was asked about what was said and Roy refused to comment, something more serious was said.

**JJK guy** · January 22nd, 2011, 01:37 AM

Sorry, but that's the risk you run when you buy a ticket from a scalper. This guy didn't know what the rules were (written or unwritten) because he didn't buy the ticket from an authorized vendor.