Yale senior Justin Sears is glad that he has wireless in his hotel room in Providence, this week.
“I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix,” to tell you the truth, he said.
The 2016 Ivy League Player of the Year isn’t watching House of Cards in his room, though.
“I have to watch a movie for class,” he said. “I still need to finish that.”
While many observers probably think of movies in class as something that was done when there was a substitute teacher, Yale’s curriculum is a little different. “It’s for a class on genocide in Rwanda,” Sears said. “It kind of brings you down. I’ve been trying to avoid watching it until now.”
Sears isn’t the only one taking advantage of hotel wireless. Earlier this week, the NCAA announced that it was providing complementary wireless for all the student-athletes in this season’s NCAA tournament.
The NCAA provides free wi-fi to student-athletes at all of the team hotels during the DI men's basketball championship.
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 17, 2016
The self-congratulatory tweet earned plenty of snark on social media.
@InsidetheNCAA how thoughtful. Will you also provide them with free government cheese? Hope for high ratings so these benefits can continue!
— Brad Parke (@BradParke) March 17, 2016
. @InsidetheNCAA Even free toilet paper too? No charge for water during halftime?! Oh, thank the Lord! #blessed pic.twitter.com/uE7mt9riRB
— BigOrangeButch (@BigOrangeButch) March 17, 2016
While it seems like a minor benefit, the fact is, many team hotels charge for wireless access in guest rooms, and, often, the fancier the hotel, the higher the charge.
Miami stayed a a Marriott Marquis in downtown Washington, D.C. for the ACC Tournament, and the wireless charge was $12.95 per night, $16.95 for high-speed wireless.
“Our coaches always try to make sure that we have wi-fi,” Sears said.
Despite the efforts of the Yale staff, the Bulldog players remember a few road trips where they were stranded in their hotel rooms, without wireless access.
“I remember one or two,” Sears said. “I paid for it. I think it was five dollars or something. So it wasn’t that big a deal, and I needed it.”
“I think most places we stay usually have free wi-fi,” said teammate Makai Mason. “When we don’t, we just kind of have to make do with our phones.”
Yale is on spring break this week, but Mason has still put the hotel wireless to use.
“I’ve been doing a little homework,” he said. “We had some assignments over the break.”
“I was doing work a couple days ago to try to get ahead when we get back,” junior guard Anthony Dallier said. “I was starting a paper for one of my literature classes.”
Sam Downey also had a literature assignment he was working on between games. “We have a midterm essay due in four days for Race and Gender in American Literature. The assignment is called ‘The Diaries of an American Famer’, and we have to create a thesis statement that’s exactly 50 words. It shouldn’t be too difficult. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long.”
That’s not to imply that it’s all work and no play on the hotel wireless.
“I’ve been playing a lot of games,” Duke’s Grayson Allen said.
“When you’re in the ice bath, sometimes you throw up a little Netflix,” Plumlee added.
Then, of course, there’s keeping track of your mentions. After the Makai Mason put up 31 points in the upset over Baylor, the wireless again came in handy for the sophomore guard. “Last night, I was in the room checking Facebook,” he said. “I kind of blew up after the game.”
Like Yale, Duke treats hotel wireless like a necessity, instead of a luxury. To a man, the team doesn’t remember a Blue Devils’ road trip where they couldn’t access the internet in their rooms.
“One way or another, our academic advisor would make sure that we were able to get our work done,” Marshall Plumlee said. “If we didn’t have it, there would be a communal computer we could all work at. They weren’t going to let us shirk our studies.”
Players on Duke and Yale all agreed that the move to provide wireless is a wise one for the NCAA, but they were surprised it took so long.
“Now that the NCAA is taking that step, I think it’s a very considered step to take,” Plumlee said. “Now that the decision has been made, I can’t imagine it being any other way.”
“That’s huge,” Sears said of the NCAA’s decision. “I think it should be a requirement. We always have school work. I remember one of our opponents played us earlier this year, and they were tweeting about not having wi-fi. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t just required.”
Duke’s Matt Jones laughed when asked about the importance of wireless on the road.
“I’m on it right now!” he said.