Non-profitable teams omitted in allocation of athletic fields

Dong is a second-year biochemistry student.

By Ian Dong

As a member of a club sports team, I am very interested in the
amount of field space on this campus, especially with the
construction of a parking lot under what used to be a fully
functioning Intramural Field.

The actions of the university are exceedingly strange to
me. Let me point out what I’m referring to. First of
all, there’s a perfectly functioning football field that no
one but the UCLA football team uses. What happens when no
one’s practicing on it? Nothing.

The only rationale I’ve been told is that they are afraid
of the field being torn up by people on it. Now, what creates
more damage: a 300-pound lineman tackling a 215-pound running
back, or a bunch of 180-pound people playing flag
football? I’m not very good at physics, but basic
intelligence tells me that 515 pounds is a whole lot more than
180.

My team was also kicked off of the grass field in front of Royce
Hall for throwing a frisbee. I’m curious about the
reason. The frisbee cannot easily damage the grass ““ it
weighs 175 grams. Measuring with force, I could hit my head
against the ground harder and not cause damage.

But Wednesday, the university nailed spikes into the same area
so loudly I heard it coming around Powell library from the south
side. If they’re worried about the damage to the grass, then
what about the huge stakes in the ground? I guess that’s
got to be better for the grass than a bunch of guys standing around
on it.

I’ve asked about four people, and the logic still seems
elusive. So why aren’t we allowed to go onto the
grass? Is there some more ethereal reason? We
aren’t interrupting demonstrations or protests or social
events.

Another thing ““ I also know that the L.A. Tennis Center is
usually empty at night. I know this because I go to my
chemistry labs at night and come back at 9:30 p.m., and it will be
lighted so brightly I forget it’s nighttime.

Last year, they wouldn’t light the IM field for
us. The reason: It costs money to light the IM field. It
also costs money to light the LATC, but there were people on the IM
field ““ and not in the LATC.

Finally, I sat down and thought about all this, and
there’s only one explanation that comes to mind: It’s
all about money. That’s the only thing that made any sort of
sense to me.

The football team makes money, therefore they get plenty of
field space whereas other, less-profitable club teams don’t,
even though they often represent UCLA in events with other
schools.

We don’t get to use the Royce quad, but some organization
can put up a tent allowing people to hammer nails in the grass for
over an hour. We don’t pay money, but they probably do.

But here’s a thought. Students come here day in and
day out. Ordinary students without football
scholarships. Some don’t even pay all that much
money. But still, those of us who want field space, who want
to play hard, who even play for and represent UCLA’s
less-prestigious sports, should have more access. We paid for
the privilege. We call it tuition.