Cowduck
Well-known member
TSpoke said:Here are some other schools that have had their basketball arenas capacity lowered due to renovations.
Notre Dame 11,418 to 9149
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_P._Joyce_Center
Michigan 13,751 to 12,721
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisler_Arena
Tennesee somewhere around 25,000 to 21,678
http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/thompson-boling_arena.html
Butler 11,043 to 10,000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkle_Fieldhouse
So obviously we are not the only school that is looking to do this. In fact these schools sell out much more than we do so they would have more to lose by doing this but they still see a benefit of adding club seeting and suites and upgrading the arena. Basketball is different from football and there is nothing wrong with losing some seats if it means a better atmosphere and more revenue coming in.
Now, I have no idea what the renovation plans are for the AA but I would be all for adding club seats and/or suites and more revenue along with a center hung scoreboard and seats closer to the floor at the cost of a couple thousand seats.
That last one is the key for me. My least favorite thing about the AA by far is that stupid concrete barrier that rings the court. That is what hurts the intimacy of the venue the most by a long shot. It sounds they are planning on getting rid of it so that they can have side-by-side practice courts. I sure hope that also means moving seating closer to the court on game days.