Another Solution

[StiggyMata]

DBR has suggested opening a door for "kids" (actually teenagers) to sit in unoccupied seats. That has the risk of the ticket holder showing up late, and evicting the teenager, and all the mess that may result.

A better solution would be to divide the arena into eight portions, and treat the Thursday games separately. The top four seeds don't get tickets to Thursday, and the losing team on Thursday doesn't get tickets for Friday/Saturday/Sunday.

Granted, John Swofford wouldn't approve, because local Carolina fans won't be able to buy up the tickets from first round losers.

[Highlander]

Interesting idea. Would make purchasing the tickets more complicated. After all, do you charge someone for the entire weekend if they only get tickets to the first day's game?

A simpler solution would be to just have a buyback program. Anyone not going to the game can donate their ticket to the box office and allow the ticket to be resold for a lower price, with all the proceeds going to a local charity or something.

[StiggyMata]

Interesting idea. Would make purchasing the tickets more complicated. After all, do you charge someone for the entire weekend if they only get tickets to the first day's game?

There is precedent, with how the NCAA handles subregional tickets.

Essentially, there are two ticket packages, one for Thursday and one for the final 8. You buy both, and you get a refund if you don't play in one or the other.