Blue Jay Rewards will help school spirit

For the first time ever, enthusiastic Blue Jays will be rewarded for coming to athletic competitions with more than just an exciting sporting event; through the Blue Jay Rewards program, students have a new incentive to attend varsity athletic games. The program allows them to accrue JPoints that can earn them prizes with a simple swipe of their JCards when they go to specified home games. Blue Jay Rewards is orchestrated by the Athletics Department and launched Sept. 3 with the intent of increasing attendance at athletic events. Students accumulate points throughout the year and receive certain prizes as they reach specified point levels. Prizes consist of free admission to NCAA championship games, vouchers for Eddie’s Market, jerseys sported during games, Barnes & Noble gift cards and an autographed men’s lacrosse helmet. The student who has garnered the most JPoints by Nov. 15 will win two sideline tickets to the first Big Ten Men’s lacrosse game that Hopkins will host this season, where the Jays will be vying against Rutgers. The student that is loaded with the most points by Feb. 21 will gain two sideline tickets to the Homecoming game against the University of Maryland.

Thus far, Blue Jay Rewards has proved pretty promising in its goal. Attendance at the first women’s soccer game was at an unprecedented high. In light of this positive development, the Editorial Board commends the Athletics Department for implementing this initiative. The Board has high hopes for its ability to improve student attendance at athletic events, encouraging and reinforcing our student athletes and thereby generating even more buzz and attendance at games. For all of our academic prowess and success, the Hopkins community has long struggled with a lack of school spirit. This has been a chronic shortcoming for the Hopkins community and a shame, especially given the excellent caliber of all of our athletes, beyond simply those in lacrosse. Providing a fun, fresh incentive for students to come to games through the loyalty program is a proactive and innovative way to make the fervent school spirit Hopkins has been chasing a reality.

The Editorial Board would like to further acknowledge the point allotment system, with different point values assigned to different athletic events. This reflects an awareness that there are some sports, like lacrosse, that already have national prestige and Division I status to bolster student participation at games. The uneven point allotment means that the loyalty program will boost student attendance, enthusiasm and involvement at those games where it is most needed, making the loyalty program maximally effective in its objectives. The Editorial Board also would like to laud the Hopkins student body for their growing participation at school sporting events, and we heavily encourage the student body to keep this glorious trend going.