Being a Zips fan could not get any easier at The University of Akron, yet there remains little to no student support of athletics. With free admission and access to the venues within walking distance, students should be more involved.

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Being a Zips fan could not get any easier at The University of Akron, yet there remains little to no student support of athletics. With free admission and access to the venues within walking distance, students should be more involved. This shortage of school pride is depressing. As students at a division one school, athletics should be a bonding factor between all races, ethnicities, genders and ages. We should unite together against other MAC rival teams and take pleasure in the atmosphere of healthy competition.

Basketball, track and field, tennis, rifle, swimming, baseball and softball are spring sports that Akron students can support this semester. A student’s cost to attend sporting events is waived with a valid Zip Card. This is a perk that students at other division one schools would envy. Most Akron games even include free food or t-shirts for students who attend. Plus, ROO-Wards make it possible for all students to earn points by simply showing up to games. Points build up over time and allow students to collect prizes that range from water bottles to plane tickets. Unfortunately, even with the giveaways, our student body’s support of athletics still remains lackluster.

So why is there such a lack of support when there are so many advantages to attending? Most students will jump to conclusions and lump Akron into a stereotype of not being good at any sport aside from soccer. This is a misconception that needs to end, starting with the current men’s basketball season. If students would have attended basketball home games this season, they would have witnessed a group of talented athletes perform. Throughout the season, several players broke school records, including freshman guard Alex Abreu. He passed the old freshman season record of 90 assists during the game againstBowling Green on Feb. 15. Also, senior forward Brett McKnight scored his 1,000th career point this season against Western Michigan on Feb. 9. The men’s basketball season home games are over, but support is still needed as they move on to the MAC tournament.

With so much to cheer about besides soccer, it would be nice to see more student support and school pride in the future. The cost of attendance and parking is free, the atmosphere is entertaining and the level of talent of our athletes is enormous. After all, nothing beats witnessing a win firsthand, especially against Kent State.

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