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Sports Nov 13, 2021
| Photo courtesy of JR/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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A top UCLA official apologized Saturday after a surge of fans waiting to enter Pauley Pavilion for last night’s men’s basketball game against Villanova created a scare in the wake of the recent deadly crush at the Astroworld concert in Houston.
“Thank you to all who attended tonight’s basketball game,” Bruins Athletic Director Martin Jarmond tweeted at 12:36 a.m. “I’m aware of challenges some had with the line to get into the game. We were not adequately staffed to handle the turnout. I apologize and it will be corrected moving forward.”
Fans waited for hours to get into the arena before the game, which UCLA won in overtime, 86-77. Some students told the Los Angeles Times that the staffing shortages were exacerbated by people cutting in line.
“With a sold-out game and enormous student and fan interest, we’re aware of challenges with the line and were not adequately staffed,” athletic department spokesman Scott Markley told The Times. “We apologize and will correct it going forward.”
No injuries were reported.
Nine people suffered fatal injuries in the crush of fans after panic ripped through the crowd during rapper Travis Scott’s set at the Astroworld Festival on Nov. 5.
