The wait for Cornell student tickets for men’s ice hockey is finally over and, for the first time in more than a decade, the line is back.
Cornell Athletics will bring back The Great Wait on Saturday, Sept. 19, as the traditional kickoff to student season ticket sales, but this year’s edition trades the overnight campout of Great Waits past for a single morning at Bartels Hall.
The Great Wait has been a Cornell tradition dating back to the 1970s.
The Great Wait has been a Cornell tradition dating back to the 1970s. Students camped out, sometimes for days at a time, to secure a place in the Lynah Rink’s student section. It helped create a bond that made the Lynah Faithful one of the most acclaimed student sections in collegiate sports. The Great Wait went on hiatus during the early 2010s before returning in periodic revivals over the years.
Students can begin lining up at 7 a.m. for music and food giveaways, with the Cornell Marching Band performing live at 8 a.m. Ticket sales open at 9 a.m.; the first 200 students in line will receive free Cornell hockey t-shirts.
“The Great Wait was about so much more than purchasing season tickets. It was where students came together, learned the traditions of the Lynah Faithful and began building the sense of community that makes Cornell hockey so special,” said Laken Kelly, interim associate athletic director for engagement and partnerships. “It helped cultivate the passion and commitment for which the Lynah Faithful have become known, enduring across generations of Cornell hockey.”
By bringing the tradition back in a format designed for today’s students, Kelly said, Cornell Athletics hopes to connect a new generation with that history while giving them the opportunity to create traditions and memories of their own.
“There’s nothing like the energy of the Lynah Faithful, and seeing students lined up again to be part of that is exactly what makes this program special,” said Casey Jones ’90, the Jay R. Bloom ’77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Hockey. “Our fans push us every single night, and I’m excited for a new group of students to experience what it means to be part of that tradition.”
This year’s format keeps the same spirit of showing up early and waiting together, with students encouraged to leave their phones and laptops behind as part of Cornell Unplugged, the university’s week-long initiative to encourage more in-person connection Sept. 14-20.
Jeremy Hartigan is senior associate director of athletics for communications.
