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If BG were to build a new arena for basketball, what would be the ideal size?

Obviously NIU and Eastern overbuilt since they can only get 1/3 or less of their buildings filled. NIU does get some good concert traffic, but with Toledo building a new downtown arena, will any major concerts come to BG? Not likely.

Would it be better to have a building filled all the time or 3/4 empty?

What kind of basketball crowds could BG get on a consistent basis with a good team?

If it's just for basketball, 4-5k. Convo center, 6-8k

I think about 8,000 is the correct number, with possibly 5-6,000 in the bottom tier, and another 2-3,000 on the top, so it could be closed off.

7500 with the possibility to expand to 10,000. Concerts will come to Bowling Green because we will have something the Toledo facility will never have, PARKING. We need to build a concert venue that can host basketball games as well, not a basketball arena that holds an occasional concert. If you pair it up with an on site hotel then you will draw in conventions. If this thing is going to be built, it needs to be done right. And the right way is to build it to make as much money as possible. Screw the Toledo arena, build ours better and provide parking and it will succeed. But basketball CANNOT be the primary focus of the building. If it is we should just renovate Anderson Arena.

transfer2BGSU wrote:Take a look at the Cintas Center at Xavier University.

agreed, Cintas is a very nice arena, would be a good model

On issues of size...I always say 12, bit it's really closer to 6....

I think we should look at what Northern Iowa has done- they have a very nice "modern" arena that opened this year but also has a prominent student section and seating near the court.

I say we go old school. A barn with two peach baskets with the bottoms cut out nailed to the wall at each end of the structure. Everyone bring a lawn chair and enjoy some hooch.

factman wrote:I think about 8,000 is the correct number, with possibly 5-6,000 in the bottom tier, and another 2-3,000 on the top, so it could be closed off.

I say 6,000, but this scenario makes some sense. If the upper tier could be sealed off, maybe that upper tier could be bigger.

There is absolutely no need for it. If the townies and students even came close to filling any current venue, then I would be for it. However, we have about 500 students at hockey and BB and not many more than that with the townies. Why waste the money? A new arena will not bring the fans. If it must be built, 6000 max.

You "waste" the money to build a money making facility for the university that can bring in funds from sources OTHER than basketball. Concerts, conventions, trade shows, and a host of other events will bring in much needed money for both athletics and the University itself. It is really frustrating to hear so many people talk only in terms of athletics. Try looking at the big picture once in a while people.

Any chance on an off week having the tractor pull in the convo?

Tricky_Falcon wrote:Any chance on an off week having the tractor pull in the convo?

Depends on how big the floor is. The Kentucky Exposition Center is home to the National Farm Machinery Show and Tractor Pull every February. There are also tractor pulls in the Vionovich (sp) building at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Only problem I could see is that a lot of us won't be ready to pull for a few weeks from now. Although, with the right incentives, we could start getting ready sooner.

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bobio wrote:There is absolutely no need for it. If the townies and students even came close to filling any current venue, then I would be for it. However, we have about 500 students at hockey and BB and not many more than that with the townies. Why waste the money? A new arena will not bring the fans. If it must be built, 6000 max.

You've obviously never been to a game that Antonio Daniels or Keith McLeod has played in. The house was packed for most those games, putting something like 3500-4500 people in Anderson. And a couple of those were sellouts where nobody else could get in. Ahhhhhh......Those were the days!!