You think it's tough being a Michigan football fan this year?

At least there's only seven home games. Men's basketball fans had to suffer through more than twice as many games in Ann Arbor last season, during which the Wolverines adjusted to new Michigan coach John Beilein by:

Losing by 11 points to Central Michigan.

Trailing by 21 in the closing minutes of a loss to Minnesota on the night celebrating Crisler Arena's 40th anniversary.

Falling behind 16-2 to Northwestern, which entered the game 0-14 in Big Ten play, on the way to another loss.

Beilein sat back and watched attendance in the Maize Rage, the team's student section, dwindle as the Wolverines stumbled their way to a program-record 22 losses.

So, entering his second year at the helm in Ann Arbor, Beilein did something about student attendance. To develop more support this year, he and his staff collaborated with Athletic Department officials and student groups like the Interfraternity Council.

In the process, Beilein and his staff have drastically shifted the culture of the program.

Nothing really inspiring has happened to men's basketball since the team won the NIT five years ago. But the new student-ticket program unveiled this weeks gives life to a stale program, even if the team hasn't won a game yet this year.

The Athletic Department's plan rewards die-hard fans and also makes it easy for casual fans to support the team, which are both crucial to the future of this program.

Widespread fan support will come when the team becomes a consistent winner, but improving fan attendance in the short run will help the team get there. Recruits will see a program on the rise, and the current players will feed off the energy.

Students can now get free tickets to Michigan's 12 games when school is in session, except for Duke, Ohio State and Michigan State, which must be bought individually. This will give the team exposure to fans who otherwise wouldn't pay to trek through the snow to Crisler Arena. And all the extra students will go a long way toward creating an exciting atmosphere, especially since it won't be hard for them to find their way into the bleachers if they arrive early enough.

And those students who purchased season tickets will get a package with far greater value than those with free tickets will receive.

Duke ticket: $15

Ohio State ticket: $15

Michigan State ticket: $20

Maize Rage T-shirt: $15

Long-sleeve Maize Rage T-shirt: $22

M-Den gift card for attending all non-conference games: $20

M-Den gift card for attending all Big Ten games: $10

Food for 11 home games: $55

Adidas hooded sweatshirt with “Maize Rage” stitched under the block M for attending all home games: $60

That's 232 dollars worth of free swag for buying a 99-dollar ticket package. And these incentives should be easily achieved, considering you can give your ticket to a friend to get scanned if you miss a game.

The only drawback to this plan is it wasn't implemented in time. It's too late now to sell more season tickets and fill the bleachers. But it's almost a minor miracle this great plan emerged, considering the deep flaws of some of the earlier plans discussed:

— Offer free tickets to freshmen

The unfairness of rewarding those who have never been to games as students instead of the seniors who have supported this team for the last three years is obvious.

— Give students the option to pay for bleacher tickets or take free tickets in the upper deck

Why pay 99 dollars for tickets when you can get them for free and sneak into the bleachers anyway?

— Fill the empty space in the bleachers with the Blue Rage

The Blue Rage, a group of post-undergrad-aged fans who want to stand and cheer while watching games, was created last year and is an excellent concept.

But there's something special about sitting in a student section. Being mixed in with adults takes away from that.

The new plan to give the remaining bleacher seats to campus groups such as fraternities, sororities and dorms keeps the student spirit intact. And bringing the Blue Rage into the bleachers for break games is a perfect compromise.

None of those plans actually came to fruition.