Is anyone excited about the new basketball arena?

[tigerfan1234 0]

I am in the corner of thinking that it is wonderful Auburn is finally deciding to spend money on a new basketball arena. The university wins, the students win, the alumni win, and the teams win because everyone will have something on campus to be proud of instead of the dump that resides there at the moment. I would have been thrilled to take P.E., attend a concert, or graduate in a sparkling new arena. When the new arena is finally built, it will obviously enhance the appearance of the campus and hopefully attract better talent. But, even if the basketball program continues to struggle after a new arena is built, I still believe replacing the older model is the right call. Beard-Eaves has always been a multi-purpose facility and the new building will be no different. A few people may see the 70 million as unnecesary spending, but no one complained when the athletic department announced they were going to spend 40 million on upgrading Jordan-Hare. It is time Auburn University and its fans take basketball seriously. The sport can be a huge money maker for the school and give Auburn exposure to a wider audience. While football will always be #1 in the hearts of Auburn people, there is nothing wrong with having a two or three headed monster. You gotta admit that March Madness and the Colleg World Series are pretty darn fun too.

[jumbo 0]

nope until they start winning

[TrueBlue72 0]

NO, I don't go for the arena, I go for the game. By the way, how much more are you willing to pay for tickets to cover the cost of the fancy new arena?

NOTE: This is a football board; there is a basketball board for discussions of BB.

[fearthetiger03 0]

Did I miss something? I havent seen anywhere where AU has said for sure what they are planning to do...

[WarTiger 3,910]

I haven't seen anything official on this either. Not sure where this is coming from. How about a link for proof??

[tigerfan1234 0]

This is an AUBURN board. Besides, very few people ever bother to look at other threads besides football. It is on the way to becoming official. I read the article yesterday. As far as paying more for a ticket, sure I would. I have paid up to $150 for a football game. I know many of you have too. I support and love everything about Auburn University. I don't do links, but I can tell you that it is projected to run $70 million and is in the stages of getting approved. If you don't believe me, it will all come official in the not so distant future. But, it is going to happen, bank on it. Some of you need ot stop being so grumpy all the time.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

I don't know if all the students are winning, those that enjoy basketball will.

From what I have read it appears its going to be a basketball facility only, least that is the impression that I am getting.

I saw discussion where tuition will be raised to pay for the arena. I don't think that tuition should be raised to pay for athletic facilities, if anything they should use that money to do something about Parker Hall.

[tigerfan1234 0]

Maybe they would win more if AU fans gave a rats a** about basketball in the first place. You can't put Auburn's basketball's poor performance solely on the team. There is a culture at AU that football is the only thing that matters. That needs to change. Auburn University is about many things and if you consider yourself a true Auburn person then it should not be difficult to expand your interests to other areas.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

I am all for it. Beard Eaves has been neglected. Basketball games are non-events. My kids had much rather go to a baseball game. There is just more going on. Entering Beard Eaves is like entering a cave.

I went to a game at NC State this winter and it was great. Of course, they play in the same arena as the Carolina Hurricanes, but they also make it an event. The student and alumni sang the fight song several times.

I am all for Auburn teams having first class facilities and we do, with the exception of basketball. Will I go to more games if there is a new arena? Yes. My parents still live close enough that a weekend game or holiday game is easy to make and have a place to stay. But with Beard Eaves in the condition that it is now, I don't make the effort as much as I should.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

Maybe they would win more if AU fans gave a rats a** about basketball in the first place.  You can't put Auburn's basketball's poor performance solely on the team.  There is a culture at AU that football is the only thing that matters.  That needs to change.  Auburn University is about many things and if you consider yourself a true Auburn person then it should not be difficult to expand your interests to other areas.

237471[/snapback]

I disagree, because fans don't play the game. If the mentality of the players on the court are we don't have a full house then why win, well we are recruiting the wrong types of players.

With the exception of the occasional shot clock problem its not like the goals are crooked and rims bent, or the floor full of dead spots and torn up. They aren't using uniforms left over from the 90's, they don't travel to games in a 1980 minivan. They have above average weight and athletic training facilities and medical staffing.

I played a year of college athletics, we won. We didn't have 10,000 people in the seats, we didn't have fancy seating for the fans or a super jumbotron with cool animations or laser light shows. We did have a quality coach that brought in quality players and trained these players well and our focus stayed on the field and away from its surroundings, and we wanted to win. We definitly didn't blame a poor showing on anything but ourselves.

I'll agree that is can help with recruiting to a extent, but you can have the greatest facilities in the world and no wins and that facility is going to be empty.

Look at Plainsmen Park, listed as one of the top baseball facilities in the country, the more the baseball program loses, the more attendance drops.

I went to over half our home games for basketball this year btw depending on tests.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

The decision to build a new arena is mentioned in this article:

http://www.al.com/sports/huntsvilletimes/i...4270.xml&coll=1

It is on the verge of committing to the most expensive single building project in state athletics history, a basketball arena that is projected to cost more than $70 million.

[abrnfanatc 6]

Maybe they would win more if AU fans gave a rats a** about basketball in the first place.  You can't put Auburn's basketball's poor performance solely on the team.  There is a culture at AU that football is the only thing that matters.  That needs to change.  Auburn University is about many things and if you consider yourself a true Auburn person then it should not be difficult to expand your interests to other areas.

237471[/snapback]

I disagree, because fans don't play the game. If the mentality of the players on the court are we don't have a full house then why win, well we are recruiting the wrong types of players.

With the exception of the occasional shot clock problem its not like the goals are crooked and rims bent, or the floor full of dead spots and torn up. They aren't using uniforms left over from the 90's, they don't travel to games in a 1980 minivan. They have above average weight and athletic training facilities and medical staffing.

I played a year of college athletics, we won. We didn't have 10,000 people in the seats, we didn't have fancy seating for the fans or a super jumbotron with cool animations or laser light shows. We did have a quality coach that brought in quality players and trained these players well and our focus stayed on the field and away from its surroundings, and we wanted to win. We definitly didn't blame a poor showing on anything but ourselves.

I'll agree that is can help with recruiting to a extent, but you can have the greatest facilities in the world and no wins and that facility is going to be empty.

Look at Plainsmen Park, listed as one of the top baseball facilities in the country, the more the baseball program loses, the more attendance drops.

I went to over half our home games for basketball this year btw depending on tests.

237509[/snapback]

I think you are onto something Texan. It appears as if you need 1) a good coach who can recruit and coach up his players consistently. 2) Facilities that are "up to par" that can be a draw to possible recruits and 3) A fan base that shows up even if you aren't having the best of years.

[tigerfan1234 0]

We don't have a facility that is up to par with anyone and we don't have a good following for basketball. Whether or not we have a good coach is still left to be seen. I am not for getting rid of Lebo because I believe he is young and needs more time to grow into his own as a coach in a bigtime conference. But, if he doesn't begin to produce in the next three years then I believe he may not be a good fit. I believe five full years is a fair amount of time to guage the improvement of a program. We as fans can do something about our lack of support immediately. Go to the games! Make some noise and actually mean it. The athletic department needs to market basketball like they do for football and building a new arena is a fantastic first step in the right direction, but it shouldn't stop there.

[80Tiger 899]

$70 million is way overboard for a basketball facility, especially when it comes in over budget. Sure they need an upgrade of some capacity but not this much since they are riding the backs of the students for this. Winning cures a lot of ills. Other schools consistently win without mega structures. Look at Duke and Indiana. Those two small arenas look like crud on T.V.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Cameron Indoor Stadium is small, but it has been well taken care of and upgraded over the years. I had the opportunity to visit it several months ago and it is amazing how they have preserved the old feel and make it modern at the same time. It might not look like much on TV, but it beats what we have hands down.

Beard Eaves, on the other hand, is horrible. It hasn't been so much as touched with a paintbrush since I was a student.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

I'm not saying Beard Eaves is anything to brag about. But the actual court and equipment (cept our shotclocks) is good. The travel accomodations and training/medical staffs are good also. The things the team needs to win are there. The players equipment is top notch.

Under modern standards, no it is not fan friendly and nothing is exciting about it. But even the most fan friendly arena does not mean your going to win, and its going to take years of winning to develop a fanbase that will come in down years.

University does need to do marketing for the basketball team.

Wins are going to put people in the seat, period.

Until Auburn proves it on the court, I think those people that think a new arena is going to mean packed houses and trips to the NCAA are setting themselves up for disappointment.

Arkansas football team has been pouring money into their program since they went to the SECG, like that super jumbotron they got and other stadium additions as well as new weight facilities, in that time period their record has continued to decrease and we couldn't get pay per view out of Broyles cause he couldn't sell tickets.

[jwise0022 1]

The point of a new stadium or coliseum is two-fold. 1. Make the experience for fans enjoyable, which will lead them to participate in the event through cheering and hopefully providing a home-field advantage. 2. Compete for the top recruits that really do make their final decision based on locker rooms, jumbotrons, and number of games that are televised, along with a successful program that regularly sends players to the next level.

The point about Arkansas is not a good comparison. Point in fact: Arkansas has landed some of the top recruits in the last few years (McFadden, Mustain, Jones, etc.). What if Auburn's football stadium only seated 65,000 with poor field conditions, small and uncomfortable locker rooms, low quality work out room, etc? I hope that people would not argue that we could still get the same quality athletes and players we get now.

I believe coach Lebo does have a plan. I don't think you can turn a program around in 2 years, especially when the conditions are as dismal as they are. Auburn, in recent years, has given scholarships to some questionable characters, and this is what happens when you are unable to get the 5 star athletes with 5 star morals. Duke gets outstanding players and people like Grant Hill, Carlos Boozer, and Paulus. The one thing I hope our coaches start doing is ignoring the stars and paying more attention to the type of person they are recruiting. That is how CTT is building his team, our basketball program would be wise to follow his lead. We don't need anymore defectors because they are unhappy with playing time or their role.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

The point about Arkansas is not a good comparison.  Point in fact: Arkansas has landed some of the top recruits in the last few years (McFadden, Mustain, Jones, etc.). 

237609[/snapback]

Its a great example of what I was talking about. Great facilities, fan friendly stadium, they even get the recruits.

Still they havent matched their win total they got when they went to the SECG, they didn't even make a bowl game this year, and they are not selling out.

As I said, those that think a new arena is automatically mean NCAA bids and packed houses are going to be wrong. Which I have seen alot of people that think we get a new arena then boom! we are in the final 4.

The team has to get it done on the court whether its the American Airline Arena in Dallas or the Opelika High School Gym.

[tigerfan1234 0]

I get excited about a new arena for more reasons than just the basketball team though. First of all, it will enhance the appearance of campus. Second, an arena is truly a multi-use facility and a nicer arena may attract better concerts and other events for students, alumni, and citizens of the area. A new arena benefits the gymnastics team. A new arena benefits the P.E. department. A new arena will be cool to graduate in. A new arena, in my opinion, is a solid investment for the university because of the multitude of activities it will support.

[vatz22au 142]

I get excited about a new arena for more reasons than just the basketball team though.  First of all, it will enhance the appearance of campus.  Second, an arena is truly a multi-use facility and a nicer arena may attract better concerts and other events for students, alumni, and citizens of the area.  A new arena benefits the gymnastics team.  A new arena benefits the P.E. department.  A new arena will be cool to graduate in.  A new arena, in my opinion, is a solid investment for the university because of the multitude of activities it will support.

237621[/snapback]

I agree..... I get scared walking in Beard Eaves. You know... that paranoia you get when a building is about to collapse yet your still in there? Scary

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

I get excited about a new arena for more reasons than just the basketball team though.  First of all, it will enhance the appearance of campus.  Second, an arena is truly a multi-use facility and a nicer arena may attract better concerts and other events for students, alumni, and citizens of the area.  A new arena benefits the gymnastics team.  A new arena benefits the P.E. department.  A new arena will be cool to graduate in.  A new arena, in my opinion, is a solid investment for the university because of the multitude of activities it will support.

237621[/snapback]

So they are going to move the HLHP department into the new facility also? The classes, labs, offices etc?

As I had heard the arena was going to be basketball only.

[Dyebama 2]

One Arena make an Olympic size swimming pool for the national Champ Swimmers

then Freeze the Pool... Break Open Auburn Hockey.....Then put the hard wood for B Ball.

Phillips Arena does it for the Thrashers and hawks why not add a pool for the swimmers too

all one complex and make Beard Eves the new Langdon Hall for movies some concerts and such.

I think it can be Done ,,,, Plus I think Auburn Hockey would be cool

Thanks for Ur Time

As long as we are DREAMING DREAM BIG and OUT SIDE THE BOX

[WarTiger 3,910]

One Arena  make an Olympic size swimming  pool for the national Champ Swimmers

then Freeze the Pool... Break Open Auburn Hockey.....Then put  the hard wood for B Ball.

Phillips Arena does it for the Thrashers and hawks why not add a pool for the swimmers too

all one complex and make  Beard Eves the new Langdon Hall for movies some concerts and such.

I think it can be Done ,,,, Plus I think Auburn Hockey would be cool

Thanks for Ur Time

As long as we are DREAMING   DREAM BIG and OUT SIDE THE BOX

237758[/snapback]

I'm in with this, except one thing. Freezing a pool the size our swim team needs would take days and not very easy either. I like the concept, and LOVE the idea of AUBURN ICE HOCKEY....The "ICE TIGERS"... Its just not practical....

[fearthetiger03 0]

One Arena  make an Olympic size swimming  pool for the national Champ Swimmers

then Freeze the Pool... Break Open Auburn Hockey.....Then put  the hard wood for B Ball.

Phillips Arena does it for the Thrashers and hawks why not add a pool for the swimmers too

all one complex and make  Beard Eves the new Langdon Hall for movies some concerts and such.

I think it can be Done ,,,, Plus I think Auburn Hockey would be cool

Thanks for Ur Time

As long as we are DREAMING   DREAM BIG and OUT SIDE THE BOX

237758[/snapback]

Yeah- there is a group of guys on campus that has tried to get a hockey club going, but is being unsuccessful for a couple reasons-

A - There is a group of guys that tried to get a club going, but as you can imagine, there is a severe lack of players (I think maybe two full lines, and a couple of goalies). That would be similar to a baseball team having say, 7 or 8 players for a game....

B - Just a minor thing, the closest ice rinks aren't exactly close. For example, the rink in Duluth,Ga (140 miles - 2+ hrs) was mentioned as a possible practice / game spot. That is the same place Uga(g)'s Ice Dawgs play their home games at...... Not exactly close to Auburn.....

Oh well- I'd want to play if we had a team (even though I've never played in my life)

[vatz22au 142]

If we built a stadium with the pool.... you could have a retractable floor to cover the pool and then put the ice on top of that. Its actually a concept I think has been done before and would work.

My brother played college hockey for UAH and I played hockey since I was 4 (quit during highschool for football). But I would DEFINITELY be interested in an Auburn hockey club.