Asses In The Seats?

[UA_MA_2000]

simple solution....monorail from dutch lot to the athletics facilities. the campus already looks like Epcot, might as well complete the look

I would prefer a vacuum tube train or a hyperloop: anywhere on campus to SEFCU in a second or two.

[godanesgo99]

 

Really, something tells me you just look for excuses not to go to a game and haven't been to too many. Which venue ? Which sport do you want me to start with? So you really think there are spots for 30,000 basketball fans within the distance dutch quad is from the carrier dome. How about 100,000 people at penn st , ohio state football, etc. You want a smaller venue. Even at Coastal Carolina basketball (the most recent new basketball arena I went to) I was at least as far away from the arena as at home. And I don't want to hear any excuses like it is warmer there . they can walk, but I can't here To them the 35 degrees it was that night I was there is ever bit as cold.

 

The personal preference is I hate parking garages. I rather walk a little further than get stuck in 1. The knick with a big crowd(concert not LCC game) is among the worst getting out of time wise..I let the guys like you park in the garage while I walk to my car and pull right onto the road and then highway

 

 

You have no idea how many games I have been to. I did grow up with season tickets to Syracuse during the Billy Owens days. Still have fond memories of Derrick Coleman, Lawrence Moten, Scott Mckorkle and my personal favorite: Mike Hopkins.

 

I too hate garages, and when I go downtown - I park on the street and walk. When I am with my wife, and the weather is nasty - I do park in the garage because of her. You miss my point - I am a big fan and go to every game I can possibly make it to. If the point is to bring more people to the games - you have to make the casual fans comfortable so that they become super fans. The teams you mention have built huge fan bases and do not need to cater to the casual fan to fill the arena. In Albany, NY - you have to make it easy for people. You have to make people want to make a night of it. I asked a few typical 'sports fan' guys in my office if they have been following UA this year, and they mention reading it in the paper or hearing about it on the radio - but they could care less. I asked if they have been to a game - and they said they did a few years ago - but they hated walking to the RACC (some of them didn't even know it was SEFCU now).

 

Also - those venues you mention with 30,000 or 100,000 - do they have a walk that has no protection, nothing lit, across a dreary campus in January when it is 4 degrees? When it is 26 and slushy in February? Umm no. They have vendors. Tailgate parties. Stuff going on.

 

People like you and I will go to games if we have to park in Colin's Circle and have to walk through 2 feet of snow to get there. My wife and child will not. Unfortunately, the capital region is full of people like my wife, not college basketball fans.

[godanesgo99]

Oh and I looked at your Coastal Carolina example. I haven't seen a home game yet from this years box scores with attendance of 2,600. Not sure we want to model ourselves after that.

[godanesgo99]

According to Google Earth Pro...

 

Walking from the average parking space in the closest section of the Dutch Lot is 1,950 feet or 0.37 miles (0.25 as the bird flies)

 

Walking from the ultra far parking lot on the other side of I-87 at Yankee Stadium is 0.34 miles - most of which is in a covered walkway (0.26 as the bird flies)

 

The outside furthest lot on Oakland St for the Carrier dome is 0.31 miles (0.24 as the bird flies) and no one parks that far away for basketball - that section is only used during football when the place is full.

 

And for Penn State football - the lot is right next to the stadium - Furthest spot at Beaver Stadium is 0.23 miles away

Edited March 4, 2015 by godanesgo99

[bob87]

No 99 you miss the point .

There are always going to be people who don't want to go to the game . With whatever excuse they have. Obviously mr benson is working on growing the fanbase . There really is only so much they can do . Sure a new arena would be nice , but that takes money and time . Also other places have big fan bases and some have smaller fan bases , most have parking issues . It is not unique to us .

Also I didn't say model after coastal Carolina , although they do have a nice small arena . I have been to hundreds of venues and they were the latest . Baseball fan first so I always park at least far enough away to be out of foul ball territory.

But if the people of the capital region aren't going to Albany games , because it is too far to walk and they are healthy enough to walk that is their lose . And if they are going to LCC games for that reason they are beyond help .

Edited March 4, 2015 by bob87

[Eli]

I think people are missing the point he's making, actually. He's 100% correct. You and I will go to the game regardless, but the average fan will say...you know what, it's too cold outside. I'm going to sit at home and watch Netflix instead (or watch the game on ESPN3 if it's on). There is ZERO incentive for them to go to the game. I would love for you guys to take him up on his example and park in the visitor lot at Collin's Circle by the new business building and walk through the wind tunnel that is our campus. I have walked from LC (lecture center) to a handful of games before I got the parking pass (my Wednesday classes ended at 7:05 over the last few semesters). It sucks. See how you like it (doubt you'll be a happy camper after).

It's not like there is a huge structure in between the parking lot and the arena...it's literally, freaking GRASS.

 

Oldtimers idea is pretty good.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Ilko

[Brutus]

Looking at Binghamtons Event center parking I think I have a simple relatively inexpensive solution for basketball and football parking. Leave the tennis courts and basketball courts at Dutch QUAD. Convert the Dutch Quad parking lot to a softball stadium. Convert the current softball field and intramural field to a parking lot!! I KNOW THE INTRAMURAL FIELD IS NEW BUT IT IS ALSO CHEAP. WE NEED NEW FACILITY PLANNERS!!

I respectfully disagree. It's easy to be an armchair architect or engineer, but there's a need to understand the logistics involved.

[bob87]

According to Google Earth Pro...

 

Walking from the average parking space in the closest section of the Dutch Lot is 1,950 feet or 0.37 miles (0.25 as the bird flies)

 

Walking from the ultra far parking lot on the other side of I-87 at Yankee Stadium is 0.34 miles - most of which is in a covered walkway (0.26 as the bird flies)

 

The outside furthest lot on Oakland St for the Carrier dome is 0.31 miles (0.24 as the bird flies) and no one parks that far away for basketball - that section is only used during football when the place is full.

 

And for Penn State football - the lot is right next to the stadium - Furthest spot at Beaver Stadium is 0.23 miles away

 

 

 

 

 

here is the penn state football map.

 

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/psu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/Stadium_Map_2014.pdf

 

The furthest prepaid spot is well over .23 miles. you aren't fitting 100,000 fans in the one lot you looked up. When I last went, it was about a 20 minute walk from a $20 lot I parked in, but I was out of the lot and on my way to the next game (Bucknell) very quickly

 

as far as Syracuse you also quoted season ticket prefered lots. The game I went to this year vs St Johns a parking garage I believe on university that is further than your alleged distance wanted $25 to park. Obviously I didn't park there.

 

You are entitled to your opinion that it is too far to walk

But when you tell me no one walks over .23 miles from parking spot to stadium you are wrong

Edited March 4, 2015 by bob87

[Brutus]

The real issue is not by providing more parking right next to the venue, but knowing how to transport people in and out quick and easy. When I first went to a game at Ohio Stadium, we stayed in a hotel that we could keep our car parked and walked maybe half mile tops. Now we stay in a hotel about 10 miles away in a business park area with hotels, shopping & restaurants. A park and ride lot is right next door and COTA provides bus shuttle services leaving the lot every 10 minutes three hours before the game and two hours after. Quick 20 min ride to a drop off at the stadium gates. Busses continually make the loop. Five bucks both ways.

There's a need to partner with transportation services to make it easy to get to the game.

[bob87]

The real issue is not by providing more parking right next to the venue, but knowing how to transport people in and out quick and easy. When I first went to a game at Ohio Stadium, we stayed in a hotel that we could keep our car parked and walked maybe half mile tops. Now we stay in a hotel about 10 miles away in a business park area with hotels, shopping & restaurants. A park and ride lot is right next door and COTA provides bus shuttle services leaving the lot every 10 minutes three hours before the game and two hours after. Quick 20 min ride to a drop off at the stadium gates. Busses continually make the loop. Five bucks both ways.

There's a need to partner with transportation services to make it easy to get to the game.

Totally agree with this . I went to the college World Series for a week a couple of years ago . The first day I parked about a mile from the stadium for $10. Ever day after that I picked up a city bus just for college World Series $6 that literally picked me up across the street from my hotel and dropped me off by the park entrance by the right field foul poll. They had at least 4 maybe 6 different places they were running busses to the park . Obviously we are not as big, but little things can make a difference

I think in the raac lot the second lane helped get out quicker , but it seems like they have issues getting people in . 1 game I saw a back up and went around to the fuller road entrance to get to Dutch quicker

[Brutus]

 

The real issue is not by providing more parking right next to the venue, but knowing how to transport people in and out quick and easy. When I first went to a game at Ohio Stadium, we stayed in a hotel that we could keep our car parked and walked maybe half mile tops. Now we stay in a hotel about 10 miles away in a business park area with hotels, shopping & restaurants. A park and ride lot is right next door and COTA provides bus shuttle services leaving the lot every 10 minutes three hours before the game and two hours after. Quick 20 min ride to a drop off at the stadium gates. Busses continually make the loop. Five bucks both ways.

There's a need to partner with transportation services to make it easy to get to the game.

Totally agree with this . I went to the college World Series for a week a couple of years ago . The first day I parked about a mile from the stadium for $10. Ever day after that I picked up a city bus just for college World Series $6 that literally picked me up across the street from my hotel and dropped me off by the park entrance by the right field foul poll. They had at least 4 maybe 6 different places they were running busses to the park . Obviously we are not as big, but little things can make a difference

I think in the raac lot the second lane helped get out quicker , but it seems like they have issues getting people in . 1 game I saw a back up and went around to the fuller road entrance to get to Dutch quicker

The original intent for the additional lane was to allow two lanes in prior to the game and then two out post game. Don't think athletics has used it that way yet. Traffic control is a huge part in making this successful. At OSU, once you get close to the stadium traffic lights are shutdown and traffic control personnel take over. Busses have priority routes. I bet if you look at a sports venue of any considerable size, there's a lot of planning going on prior to game day to get the fans in/out safely and quickly. Edited March 4, 2015 by Brutus

[Clickclack]

My preference would be to simply beef up the buss/shuttle access from the lot to directly in front of the arena/circle. To spend money, what will be at least few million on something I personally just don't see that big of an impediment to attendance would be disappointing considering how numerous others needs are.

 

Just provide shuttle service from the lot to the arena.

[Eli]

But not just from the lot...I think, similar to godanesgo's wife, many students skip games when it's -10 outside. I know I would. I've made the walk from the lecture center right after class to a game...one time in the rain. Even with an umbrella, it absolutely SUCKED. It's dark between the science library and the track and I stepped in a puddle I didn't see. Have a shuttle that stops at the dorms and one that stops at the lot to bring the driving fans. It's not hard to get 4-5 buses going every 5 minutes similar to how Brutus mentioned Ohio State was doing it. I think if they did this, they'd see 40-50 more students easy.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Ilko

[Eli]

 

 

The real issue is not by providing more parking right next to the venue, but knowing how to transport people in and out quick and easy. When I first went to a game at Ohio Stadium, we stayed in a hotel that we could keep our car parked and walked maybe half mile tops. Now we stay in a hotel about 10 miles away in a business park area with hotels, shopping & restaurants. A park and ride lot is right next door and COTA provides bus shuttle services leaving the lot every 10 minutes three hours before the game and two hours after. Quick 20 min ride to a drop off at the stadium gates. Busses continually make the loop. Five bucks both ways.

There's a need to partner with transportation services to make it easy to get to the game.

Totally agree with this . I went to the college World Series for a week a couple of years ago . The first day I parked about a mile from the stadium for $10. Ever day after that I picked up a city bus just for college World Series $6 that literally picked me up across the street from my hotel and dropped me off by the park entrance by the right field foul poll. They had at least 4 maybe 6 different places they were running busses to the park . Obviously we are not as big, but little things can make a difference

I think in the raac lot the second lane helped get out quicker , but it seems like they have issues getting people in . 1 game I saw a back up and went around to the fuller road entrance to get to Dutch quicker

The original intent for the additional lane was to allow two lanes in prior to the game and then two out post game. Don't think athletics has used it that way yet. Traffic control is a huge part in making this successful. At OSU, once you get close to the stadium traffic lights are shutdown and traffic control personnel take over. Busses have priority routes. I bet if you look at a sports venue of any considerable size, there's a lot of planning going on prior to game day to get the fans in/out safely and quickly.

 

 

They haven't...not quite anyway. At the beginning of the year, they let cars with the season parking pass in the left lane and the people paying in the right...but the last few games it seems that I've had to merge with the regular paying cars before I get let in. Granted...it hasn't been that bad. At the beginning of the year there were some jams coming from the Western Ave. entrance...but for me coming from the Dutch lot, never any jam.

[dslyank]

My preference would be to simply beef up the buss/shuttle access from the lot to directly in front of the arena/circle. To spend money, what will be at least few million on something I personally just don't see that big of an impediment to attendance would be disappointing considering how numerous others needs are.

 

Just provide shuttle service from the lot to the arena.

 

I agree 100%. Run a shuttle from the circle to Dutch to Sefcu and wherever else needed. To spend money on parking lots or garages or tunnels or monorails {actually I like that idea} simply would not be cost effective; especially with the myriad of needs we have in athletics and academics also. The money spent in parking lots would NOT generate much new attendance. Oh sure a few more casual fans and a couple more students {the cold weather does not seem to keep the students from the local pubs} might attend once in a while. But the investment expense to profit from extra bodies would be negligible and probably negative actually.