Champion's Center

[SluSignGuy]

 

[Lord Elrond]

FYI, when going to the volleyball game and walking past the new Champion’s Center, it sure looks like it’s right now at the very least 99.9999% completed. The exterior work looks to be 100% done, all construction fencing removed, all construction debris cleared up, all construction trailers and dumpsters removed, the parking lot repaired, repaved, restriped and back in use, landscaping done. Whatever may be left to do on the interior certainly didn’t require the use of any overtime work last night, there was no one working by the time the 6pm volleyball game was starting, you could look in through the windows and see no signs of construction at all, and it looked like furniture was already moved in. Looks like nothing is in the way of the opening ceremony Monday that I could tell, looks like it has always been there, connected to Chaifetz. 
 

There it stands, an absolutely beautiful looking, state of the art monument to a distant and dimly remembered era in the recruiting of men’s college basketball players.

P.S.  After I wrote this, I realized that some would read this and think I was criticizing the Athletic Department, the Athletic Director, and others involved with this project.  NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!  At the time this was conceived, designed, funds raised and construction contracts signed, this was absolutely the right thing to do, a way to set us apart and above other programs in a logical and meaningful way. Then construction started, then a court case changed everything to do with college sports recruiting in ways no one was predicting. If someone would have written an article back then accurately describing how NIL would work in 2023, along with the transfer portal, it would have been dismissed as completely ridiculous.

[TheChosenOne]

While I do agree with your overall commentary, I think programs still need to do both. When I see the new football facilities opening at Georgia and Florida (their new facility appears to be more for all athletes than Georgia’s) it becomes apparent to me that this is still an arms race with NIL being another part of that race. It is amazing to me that boosters are footing the bill on that as well, but it is what it is (I’m not a booster, so I suppose it’s not my $). Anyways, big time praise to those who made this project happen. Now, land us some players next!

[TheA_Bomb]

@TheChosenOne is right it's an all of the above thing in recruiting.  Success, facilities,  and money. If you're missing 1 aspect you better have the others down. 

If the campaign for this is over perhaps those big boosters can switch or increase focus to BVF.

[billikenfan05]

2 hours ago, TheChosenOne said:

While I do agree with your overall commentary, I think programs still need to do both. When I see the new football facilities opening at Georgia and Florida (their new facility appears to be more for all athletes than Georgia’s) it becomes apparent to me that this is still an arms race with NIL being another part of that race. It is amazing to me that boosters are footing the bill on that as well, but it is what it is (I’m not a booster, so I suppose it’s not my $). Anyways, big time praise to those who made this project happen. Now, land us some players next!

[DOC]

While the Champions Center will be a very nice add-on for the basketball team, it will be a significant boost to the non-basketball programs. The baseball team will now have something to sell when kids come to campus. 

[billikenfan05]

10 minutes ago, DOC said:

While the Champions Center will be a very nice add-on for the basketball team, it will be a significant boost to the non-basketball programs. The baseball team will now have something to sell when kids come to campus. 

You are correct. However, I'm sure the baseball program would love a decent stadium to sell their program. Hell the outfield looks worse than most people's front yard right now.

[DOC]

We’re all aware of the need for a serious upgrade to the baseball field. That’s why I mentioned them, but they’re not the only program with facility’s that could be upgraded. Champions Center helps everyone. 

[billikenfan05]

14 minutes ago, DOC said:

We’re all aware of the need for a serious upgrade to the baseball field. That’s why I mentioned them, but they’re not the only program with facility’s that could be upgraded. Champions Center helps everyone. 

Apparently CM and JO are not and it's always worth banging the drum for it. Softball and Baseball are the most in need and can be upgraded at reasonable cost.

[Cowboy II]

-interesting no comments from yesterday's festivities

[wgstl]

28 minutes ago, Cowboy II said:

-interesting no comments from yesterday's festivities

I was gonna see how long this went on for.  

[Scoop]

Frank reported live from there at 5 and 6 yesterday on KSDK.

[JMM28]

Are they allowing non-champions in the building?

[Lord Elrond]

27 minutes ago, JMM28 said:

Are they allowing non-champions in the building?

They opened the doors and let everyone wander about and take a look after the ceremony outdoors. The interior looks fantastic. Bernadette, the A10 commissioner was there, they gave away free plastic mugs when people left.  The band was there, looked like a much higher proportion of students then I’ve ever seen before (although admittedly I wasn’t paying them too much attention).  The place looks really nice. As far as tours go now that it’s open, I would say you’re out of luck if you weren’t there last night. 

[billiken_roy]

During the day the alumni are at work and can't all get off

[Cowboy II]

-where are the lines on what can and can't be posted? 

[billikenfan05]

I really would have liked to see them pivot a portion of the facility as an NIL space. A place for athletes to meet with companies. I have seen other places offer the same and with the NCAA looking to allow schools to facilitate further. If you’re creating a success center for SA’s, then NIL has to be included.

[wgstl]

3 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

I really would have liked to see them pivot a portion of the facility as an NIL space. A place for athletes to meet with companies. I have seen other places offer the same and with the NCAA looking to allow schools to facilitate further. 

That's a really good idea. 

[willie]

6 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

I really would have liked to see them pivot a portion of the facility as an NIL space. A place for athletes to meet with companies. I have seen other places offer the same and with the NCAA looking to allow schools to facilitate further. If you’re creating a success center for SA’s, then NIL has to be included.

I think the victory room or whatever they call it could be used for that. 

[billikenfan05]

5 minutes ago, willie said:

I think the victory room or whatever they call it could be used for that. 

We were on the same page. But they should really slap the word NIL up there to make it for real.

[TheA_Bomb]

13 minutes ago, wgstl said:

That's a really good idea. 

That's a lame idea, don't encourage him. 

If you have a conference room or a coffee shop somewhere you got a meeting place. 

[billikenfan05]

28 minutes ago, TheA_Bomb said:

That's a lame idea, don't encourage him. 

If you have a conference room or a coffee shop somewhere you got a meeting place. 

What sounds better:

“…..and here we have this conference room you can use for meetings with your advisor, group projects etc and you could even use it for NIL meetings.”

 

“Here we have our ABomb Family NIL Center. This space is solely dedicated to Billiken athletes pursuit of NIL sponsorships and is perfect for meetings with perspective companies”

 

Multipurpose looks cheap. Presentation is everything.

[wgstl]

Not to change directions on this too much - where do recruits stay now?  I know it would have cost a lot more, but a small 5-6 room hotel for recruits would have been cool.  Where they used to stay is now closed down.

[billikenfan05]

4 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Not to change directions on this too much - where do recruits stay now?  I know it would have cost a lot more, but a small 5-6 room hotel for recruits would have been cool.  Where they used to stay is now closed down.

Hotel Ignacio but this idea is intriguing. Now we’ve got the creative juices flowing! You wanna get nuts!? Let’s get NUTS! 
 

Although I will say it’s time to get working on fan facing upgrades to baseball/softball, Hermann and Chaifetz. 

[HoosierPal]

34 minutes ago, TheA_Bomb said:

That's a lame idea, don't encourage him. 

If you have a conference room or a coffee shop somewhere you got a meeting place. 

Some of the best deals I ever closed were at country cafe's, coffee houses, cafeterias and yes conference rooms.  There is no need for an artificial room with a fancy NIL sign on the door.  The room is immaterial.  The discussion is what is important.