Last Tuesday, we all received an email that everyone would receive an automatic Hoops Mania ticket if they signed up for the Day of Service, along with entering the ticket lottery. For many, this was the best news they have received all semester, but honestly, I am appalled. 

Villanova University prides itself on community and service, similar to our main role model, Saint Augustine. However, how are we following the Villanova mission if the only reason for helping those in the community is to receive a basketball ticket? I love Villanova basketball, don’t get me wrong, but giving incentive for a day that is supposed to be out of the kindness of our hearts seems wrong. 

It also logistically does not make any sense. If everyone signs up for the Day of Service, how will there be enough seats in the Finn? I think the solution to this was having an opportunity to enter the Finn early for Hoops by attending the volleyball game before it, but only 1,000 people get that privilege. Say you are guaranteed the ticket because you are doing Day of Service. Say you go to the volleyball game but are not the first 1,000 to arrive. Say you are towards the back of the line entering Hoops. Well, you’re out of luck, because when the Finn is full, they’ll close the doors. 

Now for the moral aspect. How are they going to keep track of who actually went to the Day of Service or who just signed up? Surely, they cannot track down every person from every group, as that would take longer than the duration of Hoops Mania. Even if they can track that down, how many students are going to sit on a curb with their friends while the two people in the group that don’t care for basketball do all the work? There will be at least one pair in every group. If people are not working, then the Day of Service is not reaching its full potential of Villanova students helping the community in a huge way simply through kindness. I feel this Day of Service may not be as well received as the previous 16. 

The Villanovan gathered insight from other students on campus on their thoughts about receiving a Hoops Mania ticket for participating in the day of service. Here are what others had to say.

“I think it’s a little messed up. Doing something good for others shouldn’t have an incentive, it should be something you want to do out of the goodness of your heart.” 

“I think a Hoops ticket is a good incentive for the day of service. However, I hope it doesn’t mean that students will either not show up or put in the bare minimum just so they can attend Hoops. I think tickets should be rewarded for a solid effort in this community-wide engagement, rather than just for signing up.” 

“I just think they could have come up with a better event to award students a Hoops Mania ticket. The day of service just doesn’t seem like the right event.”

Regardless of if you are excited about the Hoops tickets by signing up, you must admit it is a little messed up to receive the ticket as an incentive for the Day of Service. Villanova should revert to the lottery system again starting next year to avoid questions about the integrity of the Day of Service and this University. Just know if you didn’t sign up for the Day of Service, you probably are not getting a Hoops Mania ticket.