Arena Size?

[hammb]

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!!

I would say that if he doesn't think there is a need for a new arena then he has likely not been to any game in the last 10 years. Forget capacity, Anderson Arena is in dire need of replacement. I love Anderson as much as anyone, but it's starting to fall apart. Leaky roof, bleachers in disrepair, etc. The place has one set of bathrooms for the whole arena. That says nothing of the offices/lockerroom facilities that the players & coaches must deal with.

Forget capacity crowds, etc, that's not the point. The point is we're running a D1 basketball program in a severely outdated venue. I think it's high time we tried to scrounge up some cash to build a nicer facility. If we're going to participate in Division 1 athletics then let's act like it for a change.

[murph]

What about building a new place to host basketball and hockey where, or close to, the current ice arena is?

[Flipper]

Anderson Arena is a shithole. Why are we even debating replacing it? Renovating it will be too damn expensive so let's just pick a site out by the Ice arena or the footbal stadium and start lining up the $$$

[It's the Journey...]

The very LAST thing we want is a building that is used for both hockey and basketball unless it is one building but two arenas. Practice times will be a mess and you can forget about days where we have a men's game, a women's game, and a hockey game all in the same day unless you want someone playing at 10 in the morning. We need a hockey facility with 2 sheets of ice so it can make money, AND we need a facility for concerts, conventions, and other money making events that we can also use for basketball so it can make money.

[Dayons_Den]

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!!

Crazy- with all due respect that is a little 'revisionist history'. I distinctly remember Antonio Daniels senior year there was an article in The Blade commenting on the poor crowds at Anderson Arena with a not so flattering picture of an empty arena splashed on the front of the Sports section. The feel to the article was "here is a first place team with a lock NBA player on it that can't draw." Now this article did then prompt some good crowds like a sellout for the Miami game but the most notable game of the season, vs. #18 EMU, was far from a sellout.

I would say things were only minimally better during the McLeod years. This is not to take sides with the previous poster who feels we don't have an arena issue.

[hammb]

I would say things were only minimally better during the McLeod years. This is not to take sides with the previous poster who feels we don't have an arena issue.

I took the time to look it up a while back when this topic came up. We averaged somewhere in the realm of 3500 during McLeod's senior year. I believe we notched 4-5 sellouts as well. KSU, UT, UNC-Wilmington, and Michigan definitely come to mind.

[redskins4ever]

You need a facility for graduation... Anderson doesn't cut it... so make it 8-9K seats... lower bowl holds say... 6K of those seats... and the upper bowl the remaining... this makes for a decent size concert venue... 10K seats... and graduation... curtain off what you don't use or need.

Anderson Arena prohibits many fans from going because you can't get close to it... there is no close parking... although students should come regardless... the apathy of MAC students is startling towards their own universitieis... each school needs to instill pride in their institution.

[fulch]

the most notable game of the season, vs. #18 EMU,

Didn't you get thrown out of that game?

[Dayons_Den]

the most notable game of the season, vs. #18 EMU,

Didn't you get thrown out of that game?

Shhhhhhh

[bobio]

I've been to many games over the years when AA was roaring. That is the beauty of the place. Was at the Miami-BG in Oxford this year. The place was a morgue. That is how a new convo center in BG would be. AA is the best place in the country when the fans come and support the team. Put 3,500-4,000 in a new convo center or Miami's digs, and it is still a dull place. When we can show that we can support 6,000 per game, then it will be a necessity. Until then, it would be a waste of money. As for other money making conventions and the like, don't forget you're talking about BG. Not exactly a destination for such happenings.

[hammb]

I've been to many games over the years when AA was roaring. That is the beauty of the place. Was at the Miami-BG in Oxford this year. The place was a morgue. That is how a new convo center in BG would be. AA is the best place in the country when the fans come and support the team. Put 3,500-4,000 in a new convo center or Miami's digs, and it is still a dull place. When we can show that we can support 6,000 per game, then it will be a necessity. Until then, it would be a waste of money. As for other money making conventions and the like, don't forget you're talking about BG. Not exactly a destination for such happenings.

You're forgetting that Anderson Arena is a rundown dump. Sure it can be a loud, fun dump, but it is still a dump. The building needs replaced NOT because we have needs for a bigger arena. It needs replaced because it is in total disrepair & outdated.