See you at the game

This Saturday, the Columbia men’s soccer team is playing Cornell in what could result in their first Ivy League Championship since ’93. While Columbia’s performance in football has been disappointing this season, men’s soccer has been exceptional—8-7-1, and 4-2 Ivy. In the competitive world of Ivy League men’s soccer, 4-2 and a shot at the conference title is no minor accomplishment. This championship would represent an enormous victory and would guarantee the senior-led team a match in the NCAA tournament, likely against a high-profile, quality opponent.

In light of this monumental event in Columbia athletics, the school should make every effort to encourage fans to attend the match and support the team with as big a crowd as possible. Alumni and students have expressed excitement about the game, and they would be much more likely to make the four-hour journey to Ithaca if the administration provided the free bus it is considering offering to fans. Die-hard Columbia soccer fans will make every effort to go to the game with or without a convenient mode of transportation, but if Columbia provided it free of charge, fans without easy access to a car would doubtless be more willing to go.

Even if Columbia doesn’t provide a free bus to Ithaca, students should see Saturday as an opportunity to support our team—a team with a real shot at a championship. Sporting events can be high points of undergraduate life, and students often recognize their value after attending Homecoming or a soccer game. There is, in fact, school spirit at Columbia—when students have a chance to show it. After Columbia brought back Basketball Mania last year, students swarmed the gym. They were, of course, enticed by free T-shirts and goodies, but more importantly they were attracted by the experience of bonding with friends and supporting a good team. Columbians demonstrated the same enthusiasm last week for the men’s basketball team, even on the night before fall break. If it’s not too inconvenient and if the event promises to be memorable, students will come out for the game.

The men’s soccer team deserves Columbia’s full support. The administration should do all in its power to get fans to the game, and students and alums should make a day trip out of it to see what will be a thrilling—and possibly historic—match. The athletic department should find the money within their budget to fund the bus to and from Cornell, especially as it is likely to reap dividends from appreciative alumni and students. Nothing should keep fans from attending.