Penn basketball fans should mark their calendars for Oct. 17 and 18.
Athletic Department officials have indicated that "The Line" is tentatively scheduled for that Friday and Saturday.
"There's never really a good weekend," Penn Assistant Athletic Director Alanna Wren said. The 17th and 18th "kind of won by default. It was right between fall break and parents' weekend."
In 1994, the Athletic Department first sponsored The Line, which happened unofficially for decades. This Penn basketball tradition is a way for the most dedicated Quakers fans to get their first crack at season tickets.
In the days leading up to next the dates of The Line, a surprise location will be announced on www.pennathletics.com. At the disclosed place on campus -- last year it was the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center -- students will be given wristbands numbered in the order of arrival.
Students must then spend roughly 24 hours on Oct. 17-18 at the Palestra in order to pick out the location of their season tickets. Participants choose their seats in the numbered order on their bracelets.
Wren said that the period in which an announcement could appear on the Athletic Department's Web site has "yet to be determined."
For those students who wish to purchase season tickets but do not want to participate in The Line, remaining season tickets will go on sale the following Monday, Oct. 20.
People who have already purchased tickets still must participate in The Line if they want priority seating.
While, according to Wren, "most things will be the same this year," one new addition to the event will be a traditional "midnight madness," as the 18th is the earliest date the NCAA permits basketball teams to practice.
Therefore, at the stroke of midnight, the men's and women's basketball teams each will participate in intrasquad scrimmages.
While The Line has previously featured scrimmages, these games have never been held on the first allowable day.
Wren said that the reason for this switch was to "cater a little more to students not participating."
Starting at 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, there will be a series of what Wren calls "interactive games," featuring giveaways and a chance for fans to play against the basketball coaches.
Last year, participants were fed pizza, and Abner's sponsored the event with free cheesesteaks.
"I feel pretty confident that Abner's will be back on board" this year, Wren said. She also hopes to find a pizza sponsor.
Two women's volleyball games were featured at last year's event, however, no volleyball matchups are scheduled this year.
Organizations outside the Athletic Department are being asked to plan events for The Line.
The Red and Blue Crew is sponsoring their annual three-on-three basketball tournament.
The Social Planning and Events Committee has also been asked to sponsor an event.
"We were contacted by the Department of Athletics, who were looking for different student groups who could run maybe one activity of the event," SPEC Vice President and Wharton senior Keri Vislocky said.
While SPEC has not decided exactly what kind of event they will run, Vislocky said that she was "excited to get involved because it is such a unique Penn tradition."
Last year, 375 students participated in The Line.
