USC Has No Problem Putting Price on Loyalty

Sam graduated from USC in 1950, and although most people would consider it cruel and inhumane punishment, he has been going to Trojan basketball games ever since.

Early this summer he used a credit card to pay for this season’s basketball tickets. Then he received a letter from USC informing him his seats were being moved from the section he has occupied since the Sports Arena opened in 1959--unless he gave the school a gift--an additional $2,000.

Sam was upset with the school’s disregard for his long-standing loyalty to the program, but these are tough times for Sam and his wife--both dealing with cancer--so Sam’s son, Mark, called USC on his behalf.

Associate Athletic Director Mark Long took the call. He told Sam’s son there were only two options for his father because the school needed seats for an additional 100 high rollers who have suddenly taken an interest in basketball: Pay the $2,000 to join the Cardinal and Gold Club, or get moved.

Sam’s son asked for consideration, telling Long about his father’s dedication to USC basketball. He told Long his father was seriously ill and this might be his last basketball season. He told Long, “My dad might not make it.”

Long said the school had a policy, and that was that.

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LONG WORKS in something called “Development” at USC, and this was certainly an interesting development in the way the Trojans do business. He said he recalled the conversation with Sam’s son, and being told, “My dad might not make it,” but Long said, “I wasn’t sure what that meant.”

Long said even if Sam was seriously ill, “That’s just the direction we’re going in. He’ll have to pay $2,000 or be reassigned to non-donor seats.”

I asked Long where that would put Sam if he had to move seats, and Long said, “I’m not sure.”

Long seemed surprised anyone would balk at paying $2,000.

“It’s a $500 payment in quarterly installments--most people can do that,” Long said. “And it’s tax deductible because it’s a gift to the university.”

It sounds closer to blackmail.

Gary Almond, general manager for the Better Business Bureau, volunteered the bureau’s service to investigate USC after hearing Sam’s story. He said there’s a chance USC is breaching a contract with Sam, because he already has paid for tickets.

I’ve thought for some time now they ought to be hauling off USC administrators in handcuffs.

IN USC’s letter to Sam, the school suggested it was doing him a favor allowing him to sit in priority seating all this time. He should have sent them a letter telling them he has been doing them a favor all these years showing up.

USC’s letter said, “the extraordinary success of the Building on Excellence campaign has brought a dramatic rise in University support for athletic seating.”

I called the USC athletic department wanting to know what the “Building on Excellence campaign” is. It certainly couldn’t have anything to do with Mike Garrett’s football program. I was told, “You should call President Sample’s office.”

For the record: I laughed. I tried not to, but I laughed.

The USC athletic department offered to transfer me to President Sample, and after two rings, I got a recording from the USC ticket office. What a surprise.

I dialed President Sample’s office, was sent to “University Advancement,” and told, “Actually, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

No one from University Advancement wanted to come to the phone--too busy counting money--but information was relayed to a secretary who said the Building on Excellence campaign is the school’s fund-raising program, which has raised more than $1 billion. It apparently has had extraordinary success preying on seniors.

SCHOOL OFFICIALS, who became aware of The Times’ interest in Sam’s situation, suddenly became very interested in Sam’s situation. They called to make light of his complaint, and then wanted to dispute how long he has been a season-ticket holder before suggesting Sam’s son might have ulterior motives in securing the tickets in his dad’s name. Knowing the way USC operates, I don’t think Sam will be getting an invitation to next year’s “Salute To Troy” picnic.

A spokesman, while conceding Sam might be a good Trojan fan, said a decision already has been made to move Sam only 20 seats from where he has been sitting, a decision prompted by The Times’ inquiry. Sam’s family has yet to hear from USC. “Maybe you could call them,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman called later to say 32 people received letters like the one Sam got, and 13 of those had met the demands without complaint. He said the school had been reluctant to respond to Sam’s complaint because officials figured Sam’s son wanted the tickets. In that regard, they made it clear if Sam dies, the tickets cannot be passed on to Mark in Sam’s will.

You’d have to be a pretty mean father to leave USC basketball tickets in a will for your son. Mark, a partner in a well-known accounting firm in L.A., said he has no interest in the tickets, saying he had his father’s blessing to attend UCLA, and now as a graduate, he’s a Bruin season-ticket holder.

He said he remembers with fondness sitting in the Sports Arena with his father watching USC, but now is only appalled by the Trojans’ insensitivity and the school’s money-first attitude and what it’s doing to his father.

“Frankly, I don’t know how much my dad will be able to use the tickets,” Mark said. “Right now all I’m interested in is providing my father some peace of mind.”

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IF THERE is a Last Word here, it should be coming from USC. If the school does have a Building on Excellence campaign in place, it should be built on the kind of foundation that provides free tickets to Sam this year--calling it a gift--while sending a limo to make sure someone actually shows up to watch the games.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com.