The RACC/SEFCU

[mike10778]

One thing that has bothered me lately is the general appearance of the RACC (Sefcu hasnt quite taken yet). The size isnt the issue (perfect for us now)..but other little things just scream at me. First, and I think I saw it mentioned, what is with the lighting? Its a very dark gym....the court should really pop. Secondly, they need to do something with the appearance...some fresh paint on the bleak concrete walls, something. Im not looking for a palace...but something to jazz the place up a bit. Maybe take some of that Sefcu money and put it back into the gym? Any comments?

[alum73]

I thought they did a good job on the lobby. Concessions has gotten better with vendors in the crowd and a slightly expanded menu. RACC mprovements are included in the stadium plan., but I'm not sure a new pait job would bewoth the trouble. I'd like some scoreboards with the players numbers, PFs, and number of TOs left. I'd like all chairbacks on both sides. All of those things are expensive, but I don't think they need to rush into anything yet. I am very happy with the attendence for the 2 games while the students have been out. It's very encouraging for the program. I can remember 2-300+ crowds just a few years ago.

[olddog71]

I thought they did a good job on the lobby. Concessions has gotten better with vendors in the crowd and a slightly expanded menu. RACC mprovements are included in the stadium plan., but I'm not sure a new pait job would bewoth the trouble. I'd like some scoreboards with the players numbers, PFs, and number of TOs left. I'd like all chairbacks on both sides. All of those things are expensive, but I don't think they need to rush into anything yet. I am very happy with the attendence for the 2 games while the students have been out. It's very encouraging for the program. I can remember 2-300+ crowds just a few years ago.

 

Your idea about an improved scoreboard is very valid. Even many high schools have boards that show fouls accumulated. "Why not us?"

 

It would be great to have more chairbacks at SEFCU. I think it might boost attendance enough to pay for itself substantially in future years.

 

I never bother with the concessions. Yes, the choices are greater now, and this step is a substantial improvment, but the long lines are not worth the wait. Perhaps when the stadium is built and the concession area is redesigned, the problem will take care of itself.

 

It's great that attendance is maintaining itself. The only lines I like in the building are the lines waiting for the men's bathroom. It shows a nice increase in interest it UAlbany basketball.

 

There are significant improvements to our program in the last few years, but we can make even more progress in the years ahead.

[mike10778]

It would be great to have more chairbacks at SEFCU. I think it might boost attendance enough to pay for itself substantially in future years.

 

I agree...maybe better quality ones too. The chairbacks separate it from a high-school feel to a higher level. I do remember being one of 200, 300 in a game....brutal. You could hear everything. \

 

I also agree with the scoreboards....a better overhead one would be nice, but not necessary....but something a little better.

 

I have to say, last night (even with the small crowd) was the first time i got into some really bad traffic...i usually park by Dutch Quad, but last night I went into the paid RACC parking....getting out of there was a joke. It took WAY too long, with too many cars going out one small outlet.

 

Overall, its a great gym...but i think some little touches could make it so much better...

[olddog71]

My wife and I could not attend the game last night, but we listened to the second half on the radio.

 

It was difficult to guage the size of the crowd just by listening to their reactions, but it sounded great. If I had had to guestimate the size, it would have been in excess of 3,000. I really like the "UA" chant. I don't recall similar chants coming from other AE teams in their arenas, so this cheering comes across as unique. It really makes the place sound like a high-quality college venue. Congratulations to the students for devising this positive chant!

[alum73]

"I have to say, last night (even with the small crowd) was the first time i got into some really bad traffic...i usually park by Dutch Quad, but last night I went into the paid RACC parking....getting out of there was a joke. It took WAY too long, with too many cars going out one small outlet."

 

Many times the exit was speeded up by people going left, getting in the left lane (as no one is coming in then), but last night a UA police officer forced everyone into the right hand lane. I think they should add a right turn only exit lane at the near end of the lot near the arena.

 

I think the administration is getting sick of all my suggestions.

[bterrywps]

Perhaps I compliment Binghamton's Events Center too much but I really believe that it was built very well for a growing program.

 

First off, the ceiling is high enough to support the type of scoreboard they have...a slightly smaller and less expensive version of the one at the TUCenter. If we put in a scoreboard like that at SEFCU it would practically touch the floor.

 

Also - the box office space. There are more booths and more waiting room for big games so people don't have to stand mainly outside. There is a lot of space and a few more concessions too (although it does sometimes get congested near the front there).

 

There are more chairbacks too as we have been mentioning.

 

Also, please correct me if i'm wrong, but do they have corporate boxes? I know there are some rooms just above the stands but I never really looked into one.

 

The Events Center, however, is NOT good for the television. There's no spot at mid-court to set up a camera and you get that more awkward angle from the corner.

 

All that being said however, the RACC has improved quite a big since, as alum73 mentioned, the days of the crowds in the hundreds. Lobby is certainly better and more vibrant. We have good facilities for a growing program and I believe it will only get better.

 

Does anyone know what's going to happen to all the parking once the stadium project gets underway? Unless I saw wrong, it appears that the project is going to take up a lot of the current parking.

[haggyland]

I had been thinking about posting a thread about some improvements to the SEFCU that I would like to see as a casual fan, and I am glad to see one started.

Some of the suggestions that I had been working on include:

 

1.) The mini-scoreboards with the numbers, points, and fouls for the players on the court. I do not think this would cost too much, and I do not remember being in an NCAA arena that did not have this feature (maybe Boston University?). Anyways, I totally agree with the suggestion.

 

2.) Yellow arrows on the floor of the men's room that will hopefully entice more patrons to make the larger loop around the stalls. Unfortunately, not enough fans wash their hands, and there is a significant amount of doubling back in the line which causes jams and delays.

 

3.) I do not know about fire codes but it seems the southern corners of the SEFCU could easily hold two portable vending carts which could increase the revenue.

 

4.) Superficial, but I would like a redesign of the school emblem by the art department, or some outside source, that would include a drawing of the great dane. UAlbany is the only NCAA school with the great dane, but the athletic emblem only has the school name. For nice emblems (in my opinion), see UVM and Maine.

 

5.) Working off of #4, have the school place a HUGE likeness of the new great dane emblem on mid-court (a la the Kansas Jayhawk or the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, amongst others). I originally thought these designs were ostentatious or excessive, but now I think if the team is on national television again, the big dog drawing will make people remember UAlbany.

 

As for the parking, a right turn lane sounds pretty good.

 

As for the rest, does anyone have comments?

[UAalum72]

Does anyone know what's going to happen to all the parking once the stadium project gets underway? Unless I saw wrong, it appears that the project is going to take up a lot of the current parking.

IF they follow the original plan, the stadium would be in the current CU lot, parking would be built in the south practice field and most of Varsity (soccer) Field, and the soccer field would move east to what is now the first practice field.

[scottotile]

The Events Center in Binghampton is a really nice arena. From the concessions to the bathrooms, much better than the RACC. It has got to be the premeir arena in the America East. But, the RACC was built as a DIII arena. The parking lot is a joke, that thing was full when there were 500 people at a game

[UAalum72]

The lighting's bright enough, but whitewashing the bare concrete in the corners might make it look brighter.

 

A concession in the corner might also divert a few fans to the restrooms at floor level. Arrows on the floor won't do much good if everyone's standing on them.

 

As for the logo, something like this?

[alum73]

Maybe just the head of the dane.

[S-money]

5.) Working off of #4, have the school place a HUGE likeness of the new great dane emblem on mid-court (a la the Kansas Jayhawk or the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, amongst others). I originally thought these designs were ostentatious or excessive, but now I think if the team is on national television again, the big dog drawing will make people remember UAlbany.

 

No offense, but I despise the giant logos on courts these days. We already have advertisements on the courts, and now a third of the floor is taken up by some obscenely large logo. To me, the field is about the grass and the floor is about the hardwood. There are other ways to have an iconic floor besides having the logo all over it (e.g. Boston Garden, Cameron Indoor, Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt). I personally like what my my alma mater has done with Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor--a nice, clean, classic look, though I don't think our floor needs to be as austere. In fact, I like it the way it is now--a fair bit of purple and gold with decently proportioned markings.

 

As for the Dane logo, we do have a secondary Great Dane logo that is on a lot of the athletics apparel sold at the games -- sort of a Scooby-Doo with black eyes. I don't care for it much myself, but I think a black Great Dane sillouhette might look cool.

 

Just my two cents. I like a lot of the other ideas including brightening the gym, but nobody's suggested brightening the men's room. The stalls are positively dim and may be the darkest in the America East, if not the country.

 

Peace out,

S$

[danes05]

The chairback idea is great! I would love to see us have that kind of seating. Also valid points about the bathroom, concession stand, parking and everything else. I figure as the program continues to rise, the administration will work on these issues (I hope). It has been good to see the crowds this season, even with the students off. I would like to see us sell out every game. Hopefully in the future we can get to that level. Nothing like a packed house at the arena. Gotta love the UA chant.

[haggyland]

No offense, but I despise the giant logos on courts these days. We already have advertisements on the courts, and now a third of the floor is taken up by some obscenely large logo. To me, the field is about the grass and the floor is about the hardwood. There are other ways to have an iconic floor besides having the logo all over it (e.g. Boston Garden, Cameron Indoor, Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt). I personally like what my my alma mater has done with Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor--a nice, clean, classic look, though I don't think our floor needs to be as austere. In fact, I like it the way it is now--a fair bit of purple and gold with decently proportioned markings.

 

Interesting ESPN article discussing the giant logo, and other court designs:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/sto...&id=2747864

 

Mentions Boise State, and also says "Is it just The Minutes, or has an epidemic of horrific court designs swept America? Everywhere you look, normally inoffensive 94-foot-by-50-foot rectangles of hardwood has been overtaken by cheesy, gargantuan logos, profligate paint jobs and/or excessive signage?"

 

Apparently the national discussion has started...