attendance

[billiken_nate]

I notice that last year we never drew 9000 people or more but this year is alot better (not the bonnies game in fact we almost drew 9000 at the chi st. game. We need to improve ALOT!! but this is a good start.

[gister]

Did anyone hear Frank this morning disucssing the arena. He said because the price of steal has gone up so much, that they are now looking at a 10,000+ arena instead of 13,000. The numbers are something in that range. In any event, they are downsizing somewhat. Based on some of the last few games, that would make for a hard Billiken ticket to get.

[davidnark]

Sounds good to me. More sellouts and better atmosphere. The regular fans will not be affected one way or the other.

[davidnark]

They had the Assistant Ad in charge of development on during halftime last night. He said that he is hopeful that they will break down this Spring but that it may not be until the summer. If we don't break ground until this summer, the project may be delayed by another season.

I am beginning to wonder whether this project will ever be built.

[Billikenbooster]

David

I guess CL didn't get the two big donors in December she was looking for.

I have a conflict next Tuesday. Hope someone will be able to ask the tough questions of Ms Levick that nite.

Hard to think the cost of steel has gone up so much to make the building over 20% smaller.

mhg

[Billiken Rich]

If the arena goes to ten thousand, those of us without big checkbooks start moving up and to the ends. The smaller the arena the worse the seating (for me.) Watching the game through the backboard isn't appealing.

[billiken_roy]

i thought i saw a card in the mail that said it would be this coming monday nite instead of tuesday. not sure though. my daughter has games both nites so i cant make it either way.

[huzzah]

Does anyone know what the arena size needs to be to attract events and become an alternative to Savis. Is 10,000 too small? If the arena scales down to 10,000 get your wallets out. Ticket prices go up and they may be accompanied by a PSL fee. Building the medical research center @ Grand & Choteau is a move to capture federal research money. I hope the arena does not become a similar move only aimed at capturing private entertainment money to the max. The arena should be of appropriate size to attain profits, but still accomodate a majority of the fans.

[gister]

It's Monday night and it is a half hour later than normal. There will probably be some early speakers and then Brad will come over from Bocardi's after his show. I would think the team would already be in DC on Tuesday, the normal night.

[davidnark]

Why would ticket prices go up? One of the reasons for shrinking the building would be to decrease the overall cost. With a smaller overall cost, the amount of the debt service would decrease.

[Billiken Rich]

Because they can.......

[Box and Won]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think 10k would be just about perfect. Frankly, I'm tired of having 1k+ visiting fans at every game.

[davidnark]

The following very successfull programs have built or refurbished on-campus facilities within the last five years:

GONZAGA - McCarthy Athletic Center - Capacity of 6,000 seats

http://gozags.collegesports.com/facilities...-mccarthey.html

XAVIER - Cintas Center - Capacity of just over 10,000 seats

http://cintas.xu.edu/about.cfm

WASHINGTON - Heck Edmundundson Pavillion - Capacity of 10,000 seats

http://gohuskies.collegesports.com/facilit...-edmundson.html

In addition, DUKE, the most successful program in the last twenty years, plays in Cameron Indoor Stadium, which seats just over 9,000

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=218099

All of these schools have one thing in common: They have been in the top 25--most of them regularly--since their facilities were finished. Bigger is not better. Smaller facilities provide better views and, more importantly, a much bigger home court advantage and true collegiate atmosphere. No one will have a bad seat in a well-designed 9-10,000 seat arena. We have averaged 8-9,000 tickets sold per game the last several seasons; actual attendance has been much worse. We don't need an arena in which a quarter of the seats will remain empty many of the games. We want Johnny-come-latelys fighting in line for tickets. A "tough ticket" creates a positive buzz for the program.

[Box and Won]

Exactly. It's interesting that the University of Washington is fine with only 10,000 seats, despite the fact that its student body is approximately three times larger that of SLU, it undoubtedly has a larger alumni base, and it's located in a major metropolitan area.

Ever notice how many "fans" show up when we play schools like Gonzaga who have virtually no interest in the Billikens? At big games, I see countless newcomers who don't cheer, wear gear from other local programs etc. - these people are simply basketball fans. Those are the people who were showing up en masse during the Spoon years when we had a huge spike in attendance.

The fact of the matter is that we have very little tradition, an apathetic student body, and an aging base of season ticket holders. I'd rather have SLU basketball be a "hot ticket" during the good years with games attended by those of us who really care during the lean years. There's no need to waste money on an oversized facility with the hopes of landing NCAA tournament games that will never be played there.

[billiken_roy]

huzzah, why does shrinking the size to eliminate seats that have rarely been used the last 3 or 4 years cause prices to go up? it would seem we just eliminated building costs and overhead by creating a smaller environment for the same revenue stream would equal more profits.

while i thirst for the days of claggett-hughes when we routinely averaged 15-17k per game, i also now realize that the fans that made that happen werent really billiken fans. it will be great to freeze those warm weather bandwagon jumping sob's out imo.

however, what i fear is the same as rich, that somehow those of us loyal for years not only season tix wise, but marginal billiken club members will be pushed to the lesser seats by the big bucks johnny come lately.

[Box and Won]

This is just speculation on my part, but I would think that if any kind of PSL plan is implemented, it would be similar to Mizzou's where only the very best seats require a PSL. That pretty much excludes all of us any way.

I still think that when the new place is built, the low-rollers among us should all get seats in the same section - a billikens.com section! That way, we can yell, stand, and occasionally curse with out ticking off the blue hairs.

[Schasz]

I lived in Seattle before and the year after they renovated Heck Ed. The morning radio sports jock used to whine all the time about the poor support the people gave to UW's basketball team. I don't realy know how they draw now.

The SLU Arena can be done right with only 10K seats. Hopefully, they are getting closer to making it a reality.

[davidnark]

I have seen several of their home games on TV this year. They pack the place, and it gets very loud. If they had 3,000 extra empty seats it probably wouldn't be as loud or exciting.

[davidnark]

Roy, I am much lower on the point system than you, and I am not at all worried. First, there just aren't a lot of high-rolllers waiting in line to get their Billiken tickets. Even under the current system, if you write a big check you jump to the front of the line. I would be surprised if a bunch of very wealthy Billiken suddenly appeared merely because we have an on-campus facility. Second, even if a number of high-rollers show up, there should be enough luxury boxes and courtside seats to accomodate them in the new facility. Third, in small, but well-designed basketball venues, every seat is good. A seat near the top of this venue may provide as good a view as your current seat.

[billiken_roy]

david when this thing is done it will coincide with a lisch and liddell leading the team to the final four in their senior seasons. i.e. bring out the bandwagon jumpers.

[UncleRico]

I personally would prefer a smaller arena. I know for a fact that the boys like playing at the Family Arena more than they do at Savvis because it's smaller and more inimate. It's also considered more menacing for the opposing team because it's filled with SLU fans. Anyway, a few things to think about before clamoring for a larger arena. Besides, the bigger the arena the more on-campus apartments they have to knock down, the very apartments that most of the athletes live in. SLU has a bad enough housing problem anyway, no need in making it worse than necessary.

[AlumniFan]

It would be a mistake to think that the downsizing of the arena is purely a function of cost.

[huzzah]

Supply and demand. Shrink supply while the trend is upward and demand is increasing and you can raise prices.

[BillikenButch]

I know of at least 4 guys in my part of town who are in sales that would jump on purchasing multiple season tickets (at whatever price gets them good seats) to the new stadium if the team was consistently winning.

Bandwagon jumpers to be sure, but they have the resources to get the seats they want.

[huzzah]

I am not saying the smaller arena will destroy the program. I am saying the smaller arena will cause a rise in ticket prices. Prices will rise for the reasons I stated above.