Spring Break
Home > Sports
Kilkenny surprises Pit Crew with tickets
Oregon's new athletic director informed die-hard fans that he is footing the bill for their trip up north
by Dan Jones | Freelance reporter |
Sophomore Michael Konowitz said he showed up at the Autzen Stadium South Ticket Building on Monday around 3:30 p.m. expecting to wait in line for hours and eventually pay $56 for a ticket to see the Ducks' first round game against Miami (OH) in Spokane, Wash.
He waited - for about 18 hours for that matter, working on homework until his hands got too cold - but Konowitz and 54 other Pit Crew members were rewarded several times over.
First, they got a surprise visit from coach Ernie Kent at around 7 a.m., who Konowitz said delivered doughnuts and cartons of coffee and hot chocolate to students and thanked them for supporting the team. About 30 minutes later, he said new athletic director Pat Kilkenny arrived with his wife Stephanie and more breakfast.
"He just really appreciated that we were so dedicated," Konowitz said. Then a surprise announcement came just before 9 a.m.
Right before the ticket office opened, Konowitz said a representative of the athletic department informed the group that, in appreciation of their dedication, Kilkenny decided to pay for all of their tickets. At $56 per ticket, he will spend $3,080 in total for 55 tickets, representing 10 percent of Oregon's allotment of 550 tickets, and Konowitz said Kilkenny will also pay for a charter bus to take at least 55 Pit Crew members to Spokane and back.
"We went crazy," Konowitz said of the student's reaction after hearing their tickets would be paid for. "It was a party for a few minutes." In addition to the cost of the tickets, Kilkenny will also spend $3,000-$3,500 to personally finance the transportation expense, bringing his total bill to $6,000-$6,500. Kilkenny said in the release that he will also pay for tickets if Oregon advances to Sunday's second-round game versus the winner of the Winthrop/Notre Dame first-round matchup, which would cost him an additional $3,080.
In the release, Kilkenny said he deemed the Pit Crew to be an important ingredient in the basketball team's success.
He waited - for about 18 hours for that matter, working on homework until his hands got too cold - but Konowitz and 54 other Pit Crew members were rewarded several times over.
First, they got a surprise visit from coach Ernie Kent at around 7 a.m., who Konowitz said delivered doughnuts and cartons of coffee and hot chocolate to students and thanked them for supporting the team. About 30 minutes later, he said new athletic director Pat Kilkenny arrived with his wife Stephanie and more breakfast.
"He just really appreciated that we were so dedicated," Konowitz said. Then a surprise announcement came just before 9 a.m.
Right before the ticket office opened, Konowitz said a representative of the athletic department informed the group that, in appreciation of their dedication, Kilkenny decided to pay for all of their tickets. At $56 per ticket, he will spend $3,080 in total for 55 tickets, representing 10 percent of Oregon's allotment of 550 tickets, and Konowitz said Kilkenny will also pay for a charter bus to take at least 55 Pit Crew members to Spokane and back.
"We went crazy," Konowitz said of the student's reaction after hearing their tickets would be paid for. "It was a party for a few minutes." In addition to the cost of the tickets, Kilkenny will also spend $3,000-$3,500 to personally finance the transportation expense, bringing his total bill to $6,000-$6,500. Kilkenny said in the release that he will also pay for tickets if Oregon advances to Sunday's second-round game versus the winner of the Winthrop/Notre Dame first-round matchup, which would cost him an additional $3,080.
In the release, Kilkenny said he deemed the Pit Crew to be an important ingredient in the basketball team's success.
Be the first to comment on this story