The Online University Marketplace
Campus Technology – April 2010
WHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA Crimson Tide took the national football championship in January 2010, it was the 13th such victory in the school’s history. But it represented a first for the university, as well—the first year the university got to test its e-commerce football ticketing system for a championship game. The online ticketing system was born out of necessity two years earlier. With thousands of dedicated football fans attending the university, demand for tickets to Alabama home games generally outpaces ticket supply, especially as university enrollment has grown in recent years from 19,000 to 28,000 students. Paper tickets were increasingly expensive to manage and produce. In-demand tickets fetched a high price on the open market, which meant they were often resold. That left some students who wanted to attend games out in the proverbial cold. So in 2007, the university began exploring a way to replace its paper ticketing system, with the aim of allowing as many students as possible to attend home football games while also leaving as few unused tickets as possible. “The goal was to ensure as many students as possible have access to an important part of the student experience,” explains Jeanine Brooks, director of Action Card, the university’s identification and debit card program…
Farmers markets gear back up for season
Tuscaloosa News – May 4
The first Homegrown Alabama farmers market of the year will be held Thursday from 3-6 p.m. at Canterbury Episcopal Chapel on Hackberry Lane. Organized by a nonprofit, student-led group at the University of Alabama, the Homegrown Alabama farmers market features fresh vegetables, fruit, honey, flowers, baked goods and other items produced by local farmers, as well as live music…
Area hotels booked for weekend
Tuscaloosa News – May 4
Area hotels and restaurants are expected to be filled this weekend as several major events bring tens of thousands of visitors to town. Saturday is graduation day for both the University of Alabama and Stillman College, and Saturday and Sunday will be the Tuscaloosa Air Show, featuring the U.S. Navy’s famed Blue Angels…