Does the 247 Crystal Ball Mean Anything re: Mark Smith
- Thread starter EyeCat
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I'm surprised you weren't aware that NU is by far the smallest Big Ten school. How can we hope to compete?
Our enrollment is so small. I'm worried that good students won't want to apply at NU.
It's never too late to start rooting for the Badgers, you know.
I think we know how that would play out. Getting a recruit of that caliber is necessary for us to build from a nice team to a conference champion.
Actually I'll continue cheering for the Wildcats and let you root for Holy Cross. Yes they are the smallest school in the conference and also will have the smallest arena. But that's ok because they will just move most games to the UC.
I wish him luck, but he's in his 50s and a red-ass. Nobody would trade Chris Collins for Underwood.
You realize that Willy is only doing this since he has run out of things about which to complain, correct? The days of easy targets such as potholes in the West Lot are long gone....
As per the "expert," he is 16 and has grown up a butler fan and beat writer for their online forum. He is actually reasonably knowledgeable, and "in the know," but to say he's unbiased would be untrue.
I live and die with Butler, and if we got him, I'd be stunned.
I live and die with Butler, and if we got him, I'd be stunned.
This is what matters. Also what need to be repeated over and over. Build a reputation as the most intense atmosphere in college BB.
You're right that Willy complains, but he bleeds Purple, and is as true a fan as you will find.
I think you are right on all counts...he may be 17, though (HS class of 2018).
Those of you on twitter could try following him: @THicksBH (<---)
Here is what he's twitted recently about MS:
Then why do you feel dead inside? I think CCC should send Ash over to your house. You need to ride the pine and think about your mistakes and repent. There's nothing wrong with a 7,000-seat arena for 8,000 undergrads. The only thing that we're sacrificing is selling a few thousand tickets to MSU, IU, Purdue, Michigan fans.
Rather see him with Butler than at Illinois. We'd never see the end of combes coming on here to brag.
He's Bruce Weber with a worse bedside manner. Underwood is the Illini basketball version of former IU football coach Kevin Wilson.
Only time will tell, of course, but that's the way I'm choosing to look at it. I've got to believe there's an appreciable measure of validity to this.
There is a LOT WRONG with a 6,800-arena, when your program is ALREADY SELLING OUT an 8,117 arena several times a year (and getting over 7000 in many other games) and the program is ON THE RISE. If you can sell out an 8,117 arena without being really good yet, you can obviously sell out a 10,000-arena, possibly even a larger one, after getting real good.
Last I checked, tickets are an important source of revenue. Losing a a few thousands tickets per game can add up to tens of thousands of tickets each season, and many many millions of dollars over the lifetime of the facility. Even if it is opposing fans money, it is still money. Plus it's a lot of people who wouldn't see the cats play, in person.
But most importantly, why on earth to settle for a renovated 64-y.o. 6,800 arena for $110MM when a neighboring university got a BRAND NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART 10,000 arena for only $70MM (their share), and recovered about $20MM of those in naming rights over only 15 years?
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Can't dispute that these are legitimate questions/points. Guess I'm simply choosing to accept that the decision makers on this knew what they were doing, and went with the best option they could, given the physical constraints and logistics involved (some of which we on the board likely are not aware of).
You are simply assuming that the decision makers couldn't have possibly made a mistake. Not a good assumption. Even very bright and competent people are capable of making mistakes, possibly very costly ones.
NU has a lot of land around WRA (see adjacent softball field) plus $110MM in cash, which is a lot more than what the previously mentioned neighboring school contributed to get its brand new 10,000-seat facility.
Step one: create an atmosphere that is consistently the most electric on court experience in College BB in a small state of the art facility. As per the TV analyst quote.
Step two: sell it out for every game because your team has gone to the NCAA Tournament for ten years in a row.
Step three: Build a bigger, new state of the art facility because the program has proved itself and paid for the last rendition. It's an arms race and there will always be a next step if you want to stay on top.
You criticize the size of the stadium change, but please let us know how many seats are you buying? How many games did you attend these last two years which you actually paid for a seat? I have had seats for over ten years (close to 15) and it has been completely empty for those lovely games against Central Connecticut State, Mississippi Valley State University, Mt. St. Marys and Northern Florida. I doubt you paid and went to any of those games.
I would estimate based upon my seat location in Section 212 and seeing the fan make up that 1/3 of the arena this past year was not governed by season tickets. When I started with these seats, I purposely picked my seats so the railing for section 212 would not be in my view, I was among the extra seat purchases by season ticket holders and sat with a number of opposing fans. The section to my left was predominantly extra tickets and had many opposing fans. I have seen an uptick in season ticket holders the last few years. Now, the opposing fans or the extra seat purchases start at about 5 to six rows above me and the section next to my left, section 211?, has filled in rather well, but the corner sections do not seem to be season ticket holders. I think the number of potential season tickets per year with a regular NCAA team is about 6000 seats.
The only time we sell out is when the big boys come to town. If the team has a very good year next year, I expect my season ticket prices will double for 2018-2019. If the program continues to be successful for the future, there will be a donation requirement with an increase of ticket price. If you make the stadium smaller with the team's success, there will be a higher demand/pressure on seats for the big games. Folks will be forced to buy season tickets if they want tickets for the big games. The current season ticket holders will lose the right to buy extra tickets for opponents as we have for years. Northwestern will also be able to charge higher rates on the remaining tickets due to the availability and there will be price pressure on season tickets. Were you absent when supply and demand was taught in economics?
Your totally wrong. First the size the semi-mew W-R is not 7,000. Secondly, when has 7,000 or 8,000 NU students attended a game and what does that have to do with anything? Now, stop selling your tickets to those SU,IU, Purdue and Michigan fans.
We sold out or nearly sold out many games during CBC and CCC and a lot of those seats went to IU, MSU, Purdue, UM fans.
If you're protesting a smaller arena because you think NU will be losing revenue to fans of those schools, then that's a valid complaint. If you're trying to say we could pack in 10K purple-clad fans, that has simply not happened during the BTN era. If you're complaining because some undergrads might be sent home due to no space, then that's a valid complaint though it has happened maybe 3 times in the last 25 years.
Willy, you are on the same side as Feli in this argument. That should be more than enough to tell you that it is the wrong side.
Actually I just have a different opinion then you and some others regarding downsizing an all ready small arena. Would think that discourse would be a welcome thing on prestigious Northwestern University sports board. repeat that 9,000 t0 10,000 people packed old McGaw hall in the past and would think crowds like that would return during the uplifting Collins era. Also remember that 8,000+ wear in attendance for the Rutgers and Purdue games this past season and that was accomplished without a lot of visiting fans
His recruitment has fully exploded. It'll be interesting to see who he uses his two official visits on.
Starting to remind me of the Tyler Ulis recruitment... hopefully without the behind-the-scenes shenanigans. But Kentucky is SEC...
You must enjoy living in the past before cable TV let alone BTN. There's no reason to believe that we could draw 10k today.
Next thing you'll be telling us that Ryan Field could sell out every home game if only we could win some bowl games. Oops!
Lost in all of this 'uproar' is the likelihood that a smaller arena will allow for the improved amenities that willycat has been requesting. You can't have everything.
Besides that, a smaller arena will make for a tougher ticket and that's not a bad thing.
The university is situated in a high end suburban area, next to a world class city and there is no way they can draw 10,000 fans is just plain wrong. Now go watch your black and white TV, whippersnapper.
Of course there is a big reason: NU is often selling out an 8,117-seat arena.
TODAY.
That's today with the 6th-best team in the B1G. Obviously a stronger team, possibly contending for the top places, should draw even more, right?
8,117 is about 81% of 10,000.
And, if there were a reasonable number of empty seats, so what? A 90+% filled arena is still a virtual sell out. Best to be cheered on by 9,200 (even if 800 seats are empty) than by only 6800 (even if there are no empty seats).
Time for a does of reality:
- There is no excess land surrounding WRA. Where exactly would you relocate baseball and/or softball?
- The arena will not be smaller, as the footprint will be essentially the same (except for what seem to be four minor expansions to accomodate stairwells, etc.).
- The number of seats will decrease because bench seats are being converted to seatbacks and I suspect that legroom will be increased.
- The overall plan is to create a "pit" atmosphere. Others have commented on successful similar atmospheres at Duke, Gonzaga, Villanova, Butler.
To those of you (perhaps only two of you) who are second guessing the plans, I'm sure the NU administration would welcome your new site, an alternative design and the funding to build it!
- There is no excess land surrounding WRA. Where exactly would you relocate baseball and/or softball?
- The arena will not be smaller, as the footprint will be essentially the same (except for what seem to be four minor expansions to accomodate stairwells, etc.).
- The number of seats will decrease because bench seats are being converted to seatbacks and I suspect that legroom will be increased.
- The overall plan is to create a "pit" atmosphere. Others have commented on successful similar atmospheres at Duke, Gonzaga, Villanova, Butler.
To those of you (perhaps only two of you) who are second guessing the plans, I'm sure the NU administration would welcome your new site, an alternative design and the funding to build it!
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