Utah State rearranging seating for student section, the HURD | Sports

Utah State University announced a new seating arrangement for the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The changes will feature an increase in courtside seating and, most notably, a shift in seating for its famous student section, the HURD.

For decades, the iconic wall of 4,000 students wrapped around the baseline adjacent to the opposing bench and all the way across the sideline across both team’s benches. The positioning of students mere feet away from players on the court, and especially during inbounds plays on that sideline, made it one of the most unique in all of college basketball.

The new seating arrangement removes student seating from sections N, M, L and most of K. These sections are the sideline seats across from the team benches. Courtside seating is also being added along the entire sideline where previously these had been just in front of sections N and M.

The displaced student seating will be moved to sections C, D and E and the upper portion of section K, from row 20 on up, will remain available for students. All in all, sections C through J, comprising of the entire end line and corners adjacent to the opposing team bench, will be allotted for the HURD. The first 10 rows of sections C and D, which are directly adjacent to the opposing bench, will be open to the public as required by Pac-12 guidelines.

“In partnership with HURD leadership, we reviewed and evaluated multiple options to adjust the seating map at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, helping create a new atmostphere that enhances fan experiences and additional season-ticket and premium opportunities while ensuring our passionate students remain together and their seats are not reduced,” said Utah State Director of Athletics Cam Walker in a statement.

It’s a change that is very transparently driven by a need to generate more ticket revenue. Walker, has been open about looking to change the seating arrangement. A rumor about splitting up the HURD, and moving a portion of it to the opposite endline, was leaked at one point and received intense negative pushback. Walker later said in an interview on 106.9 The FAN that such a move wasn’t going to be the plan.

Some kind of move was necessary in the minds of the athletics department. Utah State ranks second-to-last in the new Pac-12 in ticket revenue, making $2.7 million for the fiscal year 2024. Every other school in the conference, save for Texas State, brings in at least double USU’s ticket revenue with four schools tripling the Aggies’ number.

The move has received mixed reviews. Some highlighted the ability for the university to increase revenue without splitting up the HURD or lowering the allotment of tickets for students. But a noteworthy majority of comments trended toward the negative.

“Looks like we’re getting booted from the seats we’ve had for 25+ yrs to pay more for worse locations in order to fund & watch players & coaches that we don’t know stay for 1 yr stints as they grab as much $$$ as possible passing through,” said a user on X. “Worth it? Not sure anymore tbh.”

Looks like we’re getting booted from the seats we’ve had for 25+ yrs to pay more for worse locations in order to fund & watch players & coaches that we don’t know stay for 1 yr stints as they grab as much $$$ as possible passing through. Worth it? Not sure anymore tbh 🤷‍♂️.

— Terrall Budge 🏀 STEW MORRILL COURT 🏀 (@tvbudge) April 13, 2026

A couple fans of other teams in the Pac-12 even chimed in to sarcastically note they approve of the decision because of an implied negative impact to Utah State’s home environment.

One reply took exception to Walker’s use of the phrase “new atmosphere.”

“‘A new atmosphere.’ When we already had the best atmosphere in the country,” said an Instagram reply. “This just made the atmosphere less magical, less intimidating, less intriguing. Yea, you will make your money but you killed the spirit of the arena. The whole atmosphere is based on students closer to the court not further away. Nice work.”