Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

My phone doesnt take the best pictures, but I thought I would share how the Stroh is coming along. I got to tour it a week or so ago as part of my services marketing class. Big diference from Anderson: you walk in the front entrance, get your ticket scanned. Then you walk up a large flight of stairs. At the top, you will be overlooking the arena, higher than the highest seat. You will have to walk down stairs to get to every seat. My initial impression is that the arena itself seems small at first. But remember as you look at these pictures that there will be seats all the way down to the floor, they just weren't in yet. Except the student section, every ticket sold will have an assigned seat, which I think is a big plus, because instead of having to arrive an hour early to get a good seat, now it will be reserved for you! The official capacity will be around 4,700, but the really cool thing is that there is a huge concourse area behind the east basket, where easily 500-800 standing room only tickets could be sold for the bigger games. Its not a bad view either. Actually, there wont really be a bad seat in the house. Its a great venue all around. 4 concession areas with 1 full size kitchen will be awesome. They talked about having things like steak burgers pizza, etc on game days. They also mentioned that they would most likely have employees walking around the seats with food and drinks, so you dnt have to get up and walk up the stairs. That reminds me, a really cool design feature is that you never lose sight of the game as you go the the concession area. There is an unblocked view of the game all the way around the concourse. Very cool. Also, 2 mens, 4 womens, and 2 "family" restrooms.....just that makes it 100x better than Anderson. And fact that it is being build for $20 million is amazing, I have seen some $30 million arenas that couldnt touch this place. Although I will miss Anderson, I think the Stroh will be amazing and we will not loose ANY of the atmosphere. If this place is packed, I guarantee it will be just as loud as Anderson. Everything is so compact, yet roomy and comfortable. Enough ranting, I could go on but you get the idea. THIS PLACE WILL BE AMAZING!!!

Entrance


The Falcon


This is the $75,000 spa tub that was donated to BGSU by the head athletic trainer, I believe. It has a treadmill in it, much like the one out at Sebo.


View of the south side of the arena


Closer view of the south side. The center concourse area and chairs will be the new "Falcon Club"/suite area. Anyone can buy a ticket to this area. Alcohol will be served in THIS concourse area. Only people with tickets to this area will be able to buy. Alcohol will not be served anywhere else in the arena.


North side bleachers


View of where the student section, band, and cheerleaders will be, under the west basket. Seats arent in yet.


The "standing room only" area


View of the floor from the "standing room only" area






The next part of this post is a question: As part of our class we are developing a new fan experience for the Stroh center. I would love feedback from fans: What do you enjoy about Anderson that you would like to see kept? What is done poorly? What would make your experience more enjoyable? we are looking at this project from the prospective of both students and "townies" and their families. Anything will help. Thanks!

Thank you for the pictures I've had a couple of tours through the Stroh as it was taking shape. Now it's turning into "WOW"
I'd love to hear the band more than the 75% playing time they are given now. The atmosphere is different when canned music is played. The "A" band members pay for the experiece of playing at games---tuition for class credit. So please allow them to play & not stand in their spots while we hear "Ay-Ziggy" from a computer. I know warm-ups have canned music because the teams like their own rev -up stuff. That's great but.....
Hoping that the volume control will be better in the Stroh I won't harp on the idea that louder is better.
As an alumna and a "townie" I've waited a long time to see this building. The Anderson atmosphere will carry over. It's what we know & love.
Can we bring "The House That Roars" from Anderson? Yes but I can't think of a phrase right now to describe it.
Thanks for reading my input.

When I was watching Duke lose yesterday.. I noticed that the SC will look like the Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburgh.

Dukefann9er wrote:When I was watching Duke lose yesterday.. I noticed that the SC will look like the Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburgh.

Actually ya i didnt realize. It will look much similar except we will have seats all the way to the floor.

I would like to see the student section kept for students. I do believe this will be the policy. Then if they get out of class and get there late, there is a place for them, not all amongst the townspeople.
I think canned music at the games that doesn't pertain to the team' s taste at warm ups, or our dance team should close the doors and leave it at Anderson. Our A band contributes sooooooo much to the awesome atmosphere. And the smirky little wah wah wah after the other team commits a foul or travels is beyond embarrassing. It makes me cringe. Some things don't need to change. We have a great band, let them play. PERIOD.
And lastly, how about concentration on getting students to the games? How hard is it to go to a fraternity or dorm council meeting and offer incentives? Or excitement of the new space?
What do we do not as well? The inability to "read" the time out situation and hold the marketing cutesy things and not kill the momentum of the crowd. Putting a large young man out to dance rather than firing up the crowd with the band, needs to be rethought. In a major way. If you want to know what I really think, PM me.
It's going to be great.

I'm an out of town, for your records.

I might be in the minority here but I always kinda liked Flinko haha.

Getting a more likable MC would be nice too. It's not that I hate Brian or whatever the guys name is we have now, but both of them seemed more 'professional' and not really 'down to earth' if that makes any sense.

And I always thought it would be funny to have a pick-up game or Horse game during halftime vs "BG celebrities". 3 or 4 fans get to face a randomly selected member of the A-Band, a Cheerleader, a Dance Team Member, and Freddy or Frieda. If they score more in 5 minutes or whatever the time limit is, they get whatever prize you're handing out.

Did I mention the cheerleaders and dance team members have to play with their pom-poms, and the A-band member has to hold their instrument? Hilarity insues.

Zig wrote:Getting a more likable MC would be nice too. It's not that I hate Brian or whatever the guys name is we have now, but both of them seemed more 'professional' and not really 'down to earth' if that makes any sense.

At least for me I want someone who is a mix of both, I've been to games where there has been that down to earth guy on the mic, and he was way too down to Earth, trying to be too cool with the things he says and does, and its just as bad IMO

Seems to me that a school with such a solid broadcast department could find someone to really give a presentation to the crowd. The downside is, a lot of the TCOM types are usually involved in covering the games too regularly to be available for every one. But I'm sure with the right incentive and planning, it could be done.

I don't know how they do it now, but handing the mic off to a marketing major and telling them to scream real loud isn't working.

The new building is going to get a lot of "curious onlookers" in the first season, hopefully the game day experience (and more importantly the product on the floor) can reel 'em in!

ooh, don't get me started on the PA, the announcer, and the promotions.

First of all, the reason for a PA and microphone is that you talk and it amplifies your voice. The girl with the grating voice and Brian need to realize that we're not deaf but we soon will be. USE THE FRIGGIN' AMPLIFIER and quit shouting into the microphone!!!

The women's announcer might be trying to instill enthusiasm for the game, but his affectations and announcing style suck. Bring back Jim Hof. I want to hear who scored for both teams, the girl's name is PAP en fuss not papen FOOSE. BTW to WBGU announcer the word is ESPECIALLY not EXPECIALLY.

My seat mates tell me that the canned music works in the NBA and "other" arenas. It didn't work in AA and, in fact, the music guy playing over the top of the band showed how amateur the whole concept is.

I can go on and on, but you get my point.

HoopsFan

You guys keep referring to Brian, who is no longer managing the gameday experience at basketball or hockey. The new guy is Chris, and the canned music is his affectation. If you'd like to express your opinions to him, his e-mail can be found on the athletics website directory.

Having music is the way to go... Cmon folks

Beautiful pix! You can tell the SC is gonna be very similar to AA...Thanks for sharing!!

HoopsFan wrote:My seat mates tell me that the canned music works in the NBA and "other" arenas. It didn't work in AA and, in fact, the music guy playing over the top of the band showed how amateur the whole concept is.

+1,000 and a Milky Way candy bar.

jg4242 wrote:The new guy is Chris, and the canned music is his affectation.

af·fec·ta·tion (noun) - the act of taking on or displaying an attitude or mode of behavior not natural to oneself or not genuinely felt.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com

So what you're saying is that he, too, dislikes canned music as much as I (and many others) do?

PresBG wrote:

TG1996 wrote:My seat mates tell me that the canned music works in the NBA and "other" arenas. It didn't work in AA and, in fact, the music guy playing over the top of the band showed how amateur the whole concept is.

+1,000 and a Milky Way candy bar.

I didn't say that, but I like that you agree with me.

TG1996 wrote:

PresBG wrote:

TG1996 wrote:My seat mates tell me that the canned music works in the NBA and "other" arenas. It didn't work in AA and, in fact, the music guy playing over the top of the band showed how amateur the whole concept is.

+1,000 and a Milky Way candy bar.

I didn't say that, but I like that you agree with me.

Apologies and edited!