UCLA Athletics announced a new seating plan for men’s basketball home games in Pauley Pavilion, vastly increasing the number of lower bowl student seats.
The student section along the court’s full-length baseline will now fill the entire non-team bench sideline – sections 113-117 – rather than an estimated 60 percent as it had in the last two seasons.
Along the west baseline – the student section behind the basket, where the band typically stands – student seating will now comprise sections 120-123 entirely.
For the upper level, section 222 will remain dedicated solely to students. In all, nearly a quarter of Pauley Pavilion’s lower bowl seats will belong solely to the students, including the band, according to the UCLA Athletics statement.
The initiative is targeted to increase the student presence at home basketball games, which at times in the past two seasons has been lacking. In particular, student attendance has been on a steady decline since the initial excitement surrounding the reopening of renovated Pauley Pavilion in November 2012 wore off.
“We’re thrilled to be able to move student seating closer to the floor,” said coach Steve Alford in a statement. “We want Pauley Pavilion to continue to be a magical place, and we know that our students play a major role in accomplishing this goal.”
Some notable home games for UCLA basketball this season are its season opener against Montana State (Nov. 14), a marquee nonconference matchup v. Gonzaga (Dec. 13), its Pac-12 home opener against Stanford (Jan. 8) and hosting cross-town rival USC in its last home game of the season (March 4).
See the full 2014-2015 UCLA men’s basketball schedule here.
Compiled by Chris Kalra, Bruin Sports senior staff