You can give to the NIL fund at redbricklegacy.com
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We toured the Joyce when at ND for a football game a few years ago… It’s been kept updated and looked as good as new to me.
I want to say something here. What has @mothermiami said that is drastically incorrect? So incorrect that she is taking the derision she is on here. Look at Miami’s schedule. Who the hell wants to see Bethany, Defiance? I can see playing one of these schools, but why 2? And let’s be honest, Siena and Sacred Heart aren’t going to drive attendance either. But at least they are DI. I don’t care if we build a new arena right as you drive into campus, with leather seats and USB ports at each seat. Students aren’t showing up to see those games. Is she wrong that Miami has been known for a unique and beautiful campus with green space? Is she? I don’t agree with all of what she said (although truthfully I agree with most of it). I wasn’t going to comment on this, but some of what has been directed her way, and apparently she is a former Miami athlete, has been, shall we say, a tad out of line. I think some people’s zeal for a new arena is overshadowing some stark realities of today’s college athletic landscape. And what drives students to Miami University. I am not saying to forgo pursuing a new arena, (we need a significant refresh at a minimum) but let’s not delude ourselves to thinking it is a panacea to fix attendance problems.
Let’s enjoy this season. We are 5-2. Suder scored 42. We probably should be 6-1. Enjoy it because like it or not, we are likely going to lose players after this season. I would hate to be a coach at a mid major. It’s year 3, it’s looking like Steele’s best team. Let’s hope it is. I’m not seeing a lot in the MAC that makes me think we can’t win the MAC. And another reality check. No matter how much money we throw at a player, chances are, X, UC, UD, B10 can throw more at them. I’m not saying don’t support NIL. Support it. But even mid major schools that make basketball their number one priority in athletics, like Indiana State, are decimated by their success last year. The Sycamores best players, Swope and Avila-they are now elsewhere. And the Sycamores threw all the money they had at them. And it still wasn’t enough. What I am saying is simple. Enjoy the moment.
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But we have a supposed anonymous donor that will give how much if we move it all to where? I’m sorry…we are Miami. A supposed great school at producing marketing majors. Solve the marketing problem. Get the right people to lead the Athletic Department - supplying the correct vision and message that will lead to $.We have passionate alumni of all ages that would steip up…and more than the “anonymous” that have the means to really step up. Again, how much will a brand new arena cost? But we can’t raise the cash to do the win/win situation of protecting our campus landmarks and green space, build a “Donoher Center” addition to Millett for all Basketball, Volleyball, etc. - an athlete training center for all teams that would result in attracting big time talent…like we have in the past. But changes MUST be made at the top.
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I’m not sure anyone is saying that. I think what’s being said is Millett is a turd of a basketball arena. It was built to be everything and in it’s push for that, it does nothing well. Combine that with being expensive to maintain, and it’s financially irresponsible to suggest “just doing a renovation.”
And since I was a student at UD, I can confirm a good chunk of what was said about the renovations at UD Arena was incorrect as well.
Sorry Grumpy but its not nostalgia…you would have to have played or been on the sidelines in many arenas to understand the difference our floor makes. Millett’s floor is a home advantage. Have heard it from many opponent friends and more than a few coaches. It takes adjusting to. The lighting, the raised floor, the dark “abyss” coming through the background behind the glass. Its all an adjustment. Having a student section right on top of the sidelines or endline like U.D & a few other MACs is really just a group of people to shut up as you humiliate their team. We had our own that were heard very clearly sitting at halfcourt. We need a tons more for the basketball and volleyball than a new arena. We have the means to create a whole new paradigm to any incoming student-athlete. Its the science-based, cutting edge training offered. The enthusiastic, highly knowledgeable, drama-void, well paid and therefore equally "standards demanded’ coaching staffs. Its the marketing, the integrating of fans, the actual building that can be infused with the talent and knowledge we have in our academic quads of campus. We’re Miami University dang it, don’t have to insert our state address - its not our problem the nation can’t distinguish M.U. from U.of M.in tropical colors. Mindset starts at the top. Trust me…I’m not about nostalgia. Just damn tired of the mediocrity and we have more than a few teams that are carrying the torch despite the decision-making.
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I believe what I said was “it needs a significant refresh at a minimum”. And for the record, I can’t stand Millett.
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If our floor has been such a huge advantage to our teams, why does our record suck these last many years?
The floor being an advantage might be the most bonkers thing I’ve read here. And this is coming from someone (me) who writes plenty of crazy shit.
Hats off to you! That is some true excellence right there.
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After all these years we find that the black curtains provide a home court advantage. Who knew?
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Mother Miami,
Numbers I have heard thrown around were $82million to bring Millett up to current State and/or National standards. Probably around $100 million to build a new arena. Thus the logical choice to build something nice and new. Renovations and upgrades have not really been done since it was built. Since that time we have built a new football stadium and then renovated it with a new student side plus have built 3 beautiful buildings featuring indoor practice facilities, weight training centers, areas for tutoring, modern locker rooms, a theater for viewing film, etc.
We built new softball and field hockey stadiums. We built a new hockey arena and have also added to it with weight training facilities and other amenities.
Finally the time has come to update and modernize our basketball and volleyball facilities. Every school around us has built new facilities since Millett opened except UD and they have spent huge amounts on renovation and additions. Xavier, UC, Wright State, and Northern Kentucky all built new and better facilities. All have passed Miami’s once great basketball programs. Finally,because of the huge cost to update Millett, it is basketball’s turn to get something nice. Volleyball’s turn, another once proud program which has hit rock bottom.
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I was the high school assistant coach for a player who was the point guard for Dayton way back. He told me several times how they hated coming to Miami. It was a combination of the arena and the students. Shooting background and harassment from the crowd. He still remembers what the students yelled at them.
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Maybe? But so many great and terrible teams have come to Millett and kicked our butts, this reader calls nonsense. The other teams love it because there’s no energy so it’s like playing in a neutral court. If we had something that truly gave us an advantage, we’d see it in the results and everyone would agree. Old Goggin might have had that. Small place, always packed, tiny rink that made us play like goons. Maybe old Withrow had that? It would take a special fan on this board to have seen a live game there. Me? I’ll miss the Terrazo floor on the concourse. And that stupid track that used to go around the court. I think that’s gone? What a dumb design.
Look, if you want to save Millett, the sensible thing to do is to turn it into a literal haunted house. Forgo having fans and instead have animatronic ghosts. Keep it all black and pump in spooky music. Dim the lights even more. Now that would be a home court advantage!
Lurker’s hot take on this discussion: Millett sucks.
Back to lurking.
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@YellowNumber5 You don’t have to be special to have seen a game at Withrow, just old.
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Did you ever get to see one?
Now you’ve got me curious. If so, was it a fun place to watch games? I used to jump a lot of rope in there imagining it was used as a location in Hoosiers. It wasn’t, but it could have been.
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I saw a couple of games on TV that were broadcast on Dayton or Cincinnati TV stations. Never saw a game in person.
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I’ll say that the Joyce is probably in good condition because Notre Dame consistently pumped money into renovations and updates over the years. They made the incremental upgrades to it structurally and in terms of amenities and aesthetics so that it never bottomed out. Had they taken Miami’s route and ignored it until it was too late then they would almost certainly have made the decision to raze and replace at some point.
Miami took a different route. Sometimes a building that has been neglected for too long is no longer a realistic and viable candidate for renovation.
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It would be interesting to see the cost figures to blow up Millett and build new there as opposed to cost figures on some other site on campus. There is nothing in Millett that can’t be moved to a new building on the same site. Or any other site.
My first home game my freshman year was in the final season at Withrow. Freddy Foster scored 43 points and Phil Snow had 30 and we beat Ball State ( not yet in the MAC) in OT. Foster had a long and successful NBA career.
I think more of Withrow as my own personal court as I played pickup basketball games there on a regular basis after Millett opened.
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