Showcase Opportunity?

[Albany Fan]

Now that Siena is down, UAlbany should try to get some of their games played at Pepsi Arena in attempt to gain area basketball fans. Siena's style of play is like watching paint dry as UAlbany is much more exciting. I would love to see Vermont game moved to Pepsi. Area high school teams are even playing at larger venues as demand have developed. The America East presents good product (as consistently beating MAAC teams this year) & having Albany tag would work in their favor. Would also love to see Boston College, Providence, etc (Eastern Powers) come in for non-conference games.

[Patch]

Albany Fan

 

I disagree let's use our home games to fill or atleast get good crowds to the RACC.

 

The RACC is our home court until we out grow it.

 

We haven't arrived yet so let's get our program on solid footing before we attempt big leaps.

 

Just my opinion.

[alum73]

I totally agree with Patch. Let's fill up the RAAC on a regular basis first.

[WCDBNuss]

Everyone forgets the RACC holds 5,000...and at this point we arent even getting 2,000....if we could get atleast 2,500 in their....that place would be rockin'. It would be a lot harder for the fans to be a noise factor in the "dead zone" of the Pepsi. Lets keep it in the RACC, and really get some home court advantage going down the stretch of this season

[olddog71]

The only games we should be playing at the Pepsi are Siena and Syracuse.

 

Hopefully, very soon we should be the host team for Siena downtown.

[DaneFan2k3]

Even the Syracuse game, although I understand monetarily the Pepsi benefits you, I would love to play them at the RACC instead. The atomosphere would be uncontrollable, you showcase the arena, pack it, and you make the tickets available through UAlbany only. Basically it would be a true HOME game, instead of at the Pepsi where Syracuse fans from the area could just call up Ticketmaster and get tickets. There were probably more Cuse fans than Albany fans at our "home" game at the Pepsi.

 

But again, you can probably make more money that way so that will never happen.

[olddog71]

DaneFan2k3,

 

Once again, I disagree. I believe the most important factor for where a game should be held is determined by how many people attend the game. When the Syracuse game was played at the Pepsi, more than 9,000 people were in attendance (or had bought tickets). That is 4,000 people who would have missed exposure to our matchup.

 

Now that UAlbany is more than just a mere curiosity, I believe more people would attend a Syracuse game in the Albany area. Our team's recent relative successes would guarantee that attendance. If you hold the game at the RACC, people from the Albany area who would not normally attend one of our games would be denied the first chance to see us play. These are people who might come away somewhat impressed by our growth, and even diehard Siena fans might have a different, positive impression of the team.

 

The Siena game, played under optimum conditions for the crowd, would not be able to be played at the RACC. We are entering a time where it would not be totally unexpected to sell out all 15,000 seats at the Pepsi. This game should stay where it is. The only difference with the Siena game is that UAlbany should be the alternate host.

[Dane Pound]

It's kind of funny that therea are a fair amount of Siena fans who covet and on-campus facility. We have one and are talking about playing at the Pepsi. The demand is not nearly enough to hold games at the Pepsi and I hope they never do unless it's some huge draw from a power conference.

 

I'd much rather see the RACC expanded by 1,000 or 2,000 seats if it ever came to that.

[DaneFan2k3]

71

 

I agree with what you're saying - but like I said, those 4,000 Syracuse fans ... I would classify it as unlikely to highly-unlikely that they would convert to UAlbany fans. And most people don't really pull for two teams at once. I know plenty of Syracuse fans in the area who wouldn't come to a UAlbany game if it was free, let alone if they had to pay for it. I don't want to cater to those people.

 

I would rather see the RACC get packed for a Syracuse game, really reward the fans who already have season tickets, encourage more people to buy season tickets, and encourage students to come to the arena and see our team.

 

When they did come last time, it was a separate ticket that wasn't included with the season tickets ... to me, you reward your season-ticket holders with a game like that, and use it as a way to sell more season-ticket packages.

 

If you announce it far enough in advance, then the ticketing priority system would be based on seniority, and people would realize to get good seats for the Syracuse game in 2008 that they needed to buy season tickets in 2006 and 2007.

 

I would take 5,000 at the RACC, heavily pro-Albany, over a 50-50 split of 9,000 fans at the Pepsi any day.

 

Again, financially the Pepsi is clearly going to be a better deal. But there would be no better way, in my opinion, to show off the RACC, get the atmosphere up, sell more season tickets, and get students to come to a game, than to have it at the RACC.

[Albany Fan]

I appreciate all the feedback. I guess I just don't believe UAlbany will become anything special by staying exclusively w/ on campus games. The parking situation is ridiculous as delaying people getting into game by collecting money for parking as would rather see higher game ticket price. I'm not saying playing at the Pepsi would make us a super power but may persuade some player to come here because of the facility. The students just are not showing much support for the program & I know for sure of some area basketball fans who would support UAlbany if move to Pepsi. Siena AD said they want to be competitive at MAAC level year after year re: recent problems but that does not excite me at all as feel we could have higher level team w/ UAlbany. The RACC is nice but nothing great as feel Pepsi would be much better in long run for their program. Siena blew it by not attempting to make move to A-10 when have any kind of chance (as Fordham & LaSalle bolted for it). I know Fordham & LaSalle have not been any big deal as of late but to play UMASS, Temple, St. Joes on regular basis would entice me to spend my recreation dollars for it. Even on TV, Siena games look much more impressive as UAlbany games resemble high school look (not talent of players but overall impression). If I were a player I would much rather play at a better facility. As a fan, the Pepsi is much better all around to watch a game. Most college teams have around 8.000 or so in attendance as feel would be reachable in near future. Most college teams jump off campus to play at local arenas. Even St. John's with all their problems play at MSG & not at campus. There also was talk of Siena expanding their on campus facility but that would not have made much of a difference in my opinion as long walk in cold weather to their facility was awful & would stop one from going to their game on a frigid night.

[sarge965]

Most college teams have around 8.000 or so in attendance as feel would be reachable in near future. Albany Fan

 

Lets slow down a little on attendance figures nationwide in NCAA D1. First checkout this from the NCAA - 2003 attendance

The AVERAGE attendance at NCAA D1 MEN'S Basketball games for this period was 5125. There were 325 DI Men's Basketball programs in 2003. Only 61 schools averaged 8000 or more in attendance. On the other hand 218 schools averaged UNDER 5000 and of those about half, 104, averaged under 2000.

So about 20% averaged 8000 or more fans

while about 70% averaged less than 5000 fans

and about 30% averaged less than 2000 fans

IN NO WAY DO MOST COLLEGE TEAMS HAVE 8000 FANS IN ATTENDANCE

$iena averaged about 7300 which put them in the top 25% of schools in attendance

that is impressive but it took them a long time to get there

A realistic goal is to try to fill our own facility

Parking will be changing as the football stadium becomes a reality

Hopefully parking for basketball will be a priority when construction is finished

As our team presents a consistent product on the court more people will come

If we can draw close to 5000 fans per game that will put us in the top 1/3 for attendance among D1 men's basketball programs

As of now we would have to almost triple our official attendance figures.

[DaneFan2k3]

Sarge hit it right on point.

 

The Pepsi Arena also provides problems of its own that the RACC doesn't have to deal with.

 

Yes, you have to walk a longer distance on-campus. At the Pepsi, you have to pay to park. Many people park around the corner from the Pepsi to try to avoid the parking fees, and so they end up walking anyway. So you either pay for it, or walk just as far as with UAlbany.

 

At the Pepsi, ticket prices are higher and are very, very likely to remain higher, than at the RACC. The operating costs just aren't the same.

 

At the Pepsi, I don't see Siena giving that up any time soon. I don't see a huge pissing match taking off between the two schools. So, then, you run into a scheduling conflict. You force the Pepsi to either a.) make a choice, or b.) accomodate both schools. Scheduling two programs for the same arena is going to be a problem.

 

At the Pepsi, you pay "arena" prices for concesssions.

 

One of the main problems with the RACC is that the lobby area can't adequately accomodate 5,000 fans all looking to use the rest room and buy snacks. One thing you have to hope is that when the football stadium is built, they will connect to two buildings where the parking lot entrance is now, and there will be at least rest rooms, if not concessions in there. Also, someone on the board made a suggestion of enclosing the atrium between University Gym and the RACC and adding rest rooms or concessions there. That would help alleviate that problem. That is a solvable problem.

 

Playing at the RACC for the forseeable future is the best option. I hope that games never move to the Pepsi. It's too far away from campus, too big, too much of a hassle.

[Dane96]

I agree with Sarge and D2k. One good thing, Sasaki, as we know, designed Alumni Stadium and Conte Forum. Anyone who has been to a football game knows there is only ONE LEVEL...ridiculous, for concessions and pissers. So, thankfully, as D2k alluded to, they connected Conte and Alumni...thus alleviating (albeit not fully) the problem he speaks of.

 

I would think that the new building (stadium) will be connected tothe RACC. However, I think it would be incredible if they connect the old gym with a glass entrance way. The "lobby" of the old gym (non-football side) can be expanded as a concession area.

 

You would essentially have bathroom facilities in the RACC, the Stadium, and the Old Gym. Awkard...you bet....but much better for the fans. As for the Pepsi...I have been on record as stating if we need it...then ok..but I would prefer the raising of the roof....which can be done, and adding 2000 more seats to the sides (seems like the stadium side would make that prohibitive. It would basically be like taking the first 15-20 Rows on each side and putting them on top of the current version.

 

Remember, if we ever need to expand to 7000...the $$$ would be there...because it would mean A) Bigger Conference Higher profile games and $$.

[olddog71]

I agree with most of what everyone here has contributed to this thread.

 

The great majority of our games should be at the RACC. Personally, I would like to see us evolve (actually within two years) where we become the Vermont of the AEast. It would be really cool if tickets to our games would become so prized that fans would have to buy them in advance and risk a sellout. This scenario would be almost impossible at the Pepsi in our current state.

 

Great ideas of how to link the two buildings and make the space much more effective! I am very pleased so far with the athletic department's changes to accommodate a better Division I program. I am sure they will effect many of the suggestions made so far in this forum.

 

By the way, it's nice to reach the obvious milestone reached last night with men's basketball, compared with last season. We have now duplicated the number of wins over 2003-04. I think it is possible, with a little luck, to triple our victories. Another reason to celebrate.

[alum73]

Also agree with Sarge and Dane2K3, the plans do call for the Stadium and Racc to connect with both "real' concessions and rest rooms. That could be 5 years away, so in the meantime concessions should be increased. I think there should be concessions on the floor, perhaps where the Media food is now. That's a large enough area for that.