Of the 29,011 attendees at Syracuse University’s men’s basketball game against Marquette University at the Carrier Dome Saturday, a group of about 10 students stayed behind.

They set up two tents at the foot of Gate E’s stairs after the game. Two more tents were set up by Sunday night. Some students were typing on their laptops, some were just standing around talking. One was curled up in a ball in one of the tents.

It was 27 degrees outside, 19 with the wind chill factor.

These students are waiting for SU’s next basketball game, a Monday night matchup against Big East conference rivals the Georgetown Hoyas.

Trenton Gaucher, president of Otto’s Army, was among the group waiting at the Dome. He said members of the organization have waited much longer than two days for a game in the past.

‘Depending on what the situation is for the game, we usually wait anywhere from one night to … it’s been as long as seven or eight,’ said Gaucher, a junior accounting major.

‘It’s really uncomfortable out here,’ he said. ‘It’s not something I look forward to, camping out, but when you get into the Dome before game time, and you see Syracuse play Georgetown, win or lose, it’s an awesome experience.’

Dome officials occasionally let students waiting for tickets inside, away from cold temperatures, for health and safety reasons, Gaucher said. For last year’s game against the University of Notre Dame, officials opened the Dome’s doors two days before the game because of record-low temperatures that week, according to an article published in The Daily Orange Jan. 15, 2009.

Because student seating at the Dome is on a first-come, first-serve basis, students are forced to grapple with the biting winter cold if they want front-row seating.

‘It’s a fantastic experience to hear what’s going on with the players and the coaches. You can hear the refs, what they’re saying,’ Gaucher said. ‘It almost feels like you’re in the game with them.’

Dan Lyons, public relations director for Otto’s Army and a sophomore English and textual studies major, said for him, camping out is more about the buildup toward the game.

‘We’ve kind of sacrificed to get there,’ he said. ‘It increases the emotional involvement with the team.’

Students in line stay for the long run. Lyons said members sign up for shifts to keep a group’s spot in line during class time. They are allowed 15-minute grace periods to use the restroom.

Adam McMonagle, an undeclared sophomore in the College of Human Ecology and member of Otto’s Army, said he camps out before games simply for his love of the team. He said he wants to show support.

McMonagle began camping out between games in his freshman year after he met a group of seniors who were doing it, he said.

‘It’s addicting,’ he said. ‘I look forward to it.’

wfmcmill@syr.edu

Published on January 24, 2010 at 12:00 pm