Bunger Field!
Now that’s a shitty name.
(Too easy, but I must)
Our RFP is $233M for the entire complex, the closest proxies for what we’ll get for our money are the new arenas from High Point ($170M for 5000 seats) and Baylor ($215M for 7500). Definitely more grandiose than Elon:
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Wow, that High Point Arena is something!
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I think a 7500 seat arena would be the perfect size!
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EVERYTHING on High Point’s campus is amazing. $$$$$
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I’d imagine that is pulley bell tower, so the main entrance would be facing the intersection at spring/73
Elon’s campus looks a lot like Miami’s.
High Point Philosophy: Build it and they will come.
I like the size of the Baylor one, but the look of the High Point one is a lot nicer than Baylor’s aesthetically both inside and out.
Yeah the outside of the High Point Arena is incredible and looks a little like Monticello, and the shape and design of the interior is just beautiful! High ceilings give it a grand look!
As for capacity for our proposed Arena, I think we need about 6,000 or so.
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I’m surprised that Baylor’s new stadium is only 7000-7500 capacity. They’ve won a National Championship in the past 5 years, play in the Big 12, and have been solid for quite some time.
With Miami’s difficulty convincing big-time opponents to travel to Millett, J-term taking away tons of students in the heart of the season, and Miami’s storied history of students not attending games, it’s tough for me to think we need a 7000-person capacity stadium.
But perhaps I’m thinking too small. Maybe we’re trying to truly shift the paradigm. Maybe we’re not just trying to win the MAC, but trying to dominate or leave the MAC. Maybe we’re trying to become Gonzaga of the MidWest. Maybe we’re Apple right before the iphone. Maybe we’re Beyonce just getting started in Destiny’s Child. Maybe we’re Ryan Reynolds in Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.
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I think the perfect capacity for the new Miami arena is 6,207.
Just make it the first 4 numbers in the phone number and call it good:
5,135
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We had 2 crowds this season between 7000 & 8000.
Also this arena is to hold other events than basketball from what I’ve read.
Obviously capacity is important. However, fan experience and amenities will be an even bigger issue.
Here is what Butler is doing to increase fan experience:
Murray State
NBA Clippers
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In our best season of the last generation (Wally World’s Sweet Sixteen team of 98-99), we achieved a high average home attendance of 6401. So that is a pretty good “high water” mark. Of course,.there could be other perceived uses for the Arena that might justify a larger capacity.
FWIW Baylor’s prior arena seated over 10K, and they intentionally went smaller to improve the game environment.
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If average was 6401 what was the median number? (Stats was a near death experience in my academic career! Had to Google term to make sure I’ve got ghthe rit trerm.)
Would bet most of the time it was somewhere around 3700 which would make a 7000 seat arena about half empty most of the time.
IF…IF we had a 2024/2025 caliber team competing for MAC championships all the time what do you all think it might push attendance up to? Plus- add in a new arena in the middle of campus.
Oops…didn’t read Cincy’s note correctly. Saw it was Wally averages.
What was average this year and possible median? What kind of boost for consistently good team and new and better location for arena?
While the design sounds like it will be hoops first, which is the right decision, I assume the venue will still be used for concerts, speakers, graduations, comedians (parent’s weekend comedian still a thing?), etc. I don’t think you can go much smaller than 6-7k and still accommodate all those events considering you usually have a stage so seats behind the stage aren’t viable for those events, although I guess you gain some floor seats.