B-Ball student section

[Bama Swoosh]

It looks like more than ever before, the students show up early and in huge numbers and bring the energy. I saw this video of Gonzaga students and dreamed of us doing the same -

It's mind boggling we haven't gotten this done yet. For all the great things the athletics department has done, seems like a no brainer this would be something to get fixed asap. Kudos to the students for what they are doing, and I think it's time for the athletics department to acknowledge that with a new setup. This is obviously not a new conversation, and I do send emails to Byrne. I think a big part of this for me is I've never felt so optimistic about Bama Hoops as I do at this point, and I was old enough to enjoy the Wimp Sanderson days when we routinely won the SEC tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 like it was automatic. Roll Tide

 

[winin11]

I think they are talking about it. I'm pretty sure my seats will change next year.
I know Greg Byrne will capitalize on the successes of the basketball program.

 

[TideFever]

If students had been showing consistently with overflow crowds they already would have front row sections. Product on the court has had some to do with that but even when things have been good students have had about as much interest in most games as they would knowingly going to a midweek pop quiz. Exceptions being UK and the occasional game against a ranked LSU, Au or UT.

Then some grouch because "what's the point in going and being active if they have to sit in a corner?". But the folks they are moving are paying a few grand a year for those primo seats so if the students aren't packing it out for every game then the change is a tough sell.

If students are overflow capacity for Dec games after finals then this will change quickly and even the fans being moved would be ok with it. Had an argument with someone about this who tried to claim it was unfair to expect students to show up for games when school is out. Well, think Cameron Indoor has trouble filling the student section? They'd pack it out on Dec 24 against the weakest opponent on their schedule. Same for any of the first examples given for a rowdy student section that gets side court seats.

That being said, overall fan interest this season and potentially the next few seasons will be at highs not seen for Bama games since the late 80s and early 90s. Packed out games and seating logistics problems will help everyone by forcing the admin to look seriously at a new basketball only arena that seats around 14k. It's a lot easier to sell a booster on moving up from side court when it's in a swanky new arena with cushy seats where that row 21 is considerably closer to side court than the current row 5 and has a better view to boot. Doubly easier if they have plush club areas a short walk away.

That last point really hits on the real problem with moving boosters in Coleman. Asking someone to give up row 10 seats that are already like 75 feet from the sideline and barely high enough to see over the bench and move them to row 25 that feels like 50 yards away and not much higher overall is a brutal ask. They'd have to offer complimentary binoculars for the vision challenged crowd (and there are a lot of them in those money seats).

 

[Bocat69]

If students had been showing consistently with overflow crowds they already would have front row sections. Product on the court has had some to do with that but even when things have been good students have had about as much interest in most games as they would knowingly going to a midweek pop quiz. Exceptions being UK and the occasional game against a ranked LSU, Au or UT.

Then some grouch because "what's the point in going and being active if they have to sit in a corner?". But the folks they are moving are paying a few grand a year for those primo seats so if the students aren't packing it out for every game then the change is a tough sell.

If students are overflow capacity for Dec games after finals then this will change quickly and even the fans being moved would be ok with it. Had an argument with someone about this who tried to claim it was unfair to expect students to show up for games when school is out. Well, think Cameron Indoor has trouble filling the student section? They'd pack it out on Dec 24 against the weakest opponent on their schedule. Same for any of the first examples given for a rowdy student section that gets side court seats.

That being said, overall fan interest this season and potentially the next few seasons will be at highs not seen for Bama games since the late 80s and early 90s. Packed out games and seating logistics problems will help everyone by forcing the admin to look seriously at a new basketball only arena that seats around 14k. It's a lot easier to sell a booster on moving up from side court when it's in a swanky new arena with cushy seats where that row 21 is considerably closer to side court than the current row 5 and has a better view to boot. Doubly easier if they have plush club areas a short walk away.

That last point really hits on the real problem with moving boosters in Coleman. Asking someone to give up row 10 seats that are already like 75 feet from the sideline and barely high enough to see over the bench and move them to row 25 that feels like 50 yards away and not much higher overall is a brutal ask. They'd have to offer complimentary binoculars for the vision challenged crowd (and there are a lot of them in those money seats).

I'm old and I appreciate you taking the time to write this. Just move the old people and put the students on the tv side of the court. When the students are gone just let the local kids enjoy a free game. I'm a season ticket holder and I'd move in a heartbeat. It's absolutely absurd to have the students sitting in the corner of the building. Where else they do this at?

 

[Bama Swoosh]

Thanks for the discussion. Good point that in a new modern and smaller arena, the transition for major donors shouldn't be as difficult as reseating what we have now. Add some suites and also seat them just above those students but still close to the floor. Also the student section doesn't have to be huge in case one day the program isn't top 3 in recruiting anymore. The Rowdy Reptiles at FL don't appear to have that big of a section to me, but man they are right on top of the floor and unleash hell on the other team every game. Meanwhile half of our students may as well be yelling at BWW as far away as they are. It sounds like there is starting to be serious momentum on a new facility, and once I saw Ole Miss & Aub get a new facility I thought how in the hell can we not have one yet. I think Byrne will get it done and students and alumni alike will be pleased.

 

[TideFever]

Thanks for the discussion. Good point that in a new modern and smaller arena, the transition for major donors shouldn't be as difficult as reseating what we have now. Add some suites and also seat them just above those students but still close to the floor. Also the student section doesn't have to be huge in case one day the program isn't top 3 in recruiting anymore. The Rowdy Reptiles at FL don't appear to have that big of a section to me, but man they are right on top of the floor and unleash hell on the other team every game. Meanwhile half of our students may as well be yelling at BWW as far away as they are. It sounds like there is starting to be serious momentum on a new facility, and once I saw Ole Miss & Aub get a new facility I thought how in the hell can we not have one yet. I think Byrne will get it done and students and alumni alike will be pleased.

I think it was encouraging that some have mentioned the renovation being put back at least in part because Oats wasn't a fan of playing in B'ham or on the road for two seasons.

The best scenario for everyone is to build a completely new arena for basketball only and keep Coleman mostly as is so the University can continue to use it as a multipurpose facility. That multipurpose aspect just kills what a basketball arena could be when it forces stands further back and forces the lower rows to feel like portable bleachers. Tailor it solely for basketball and bring the fans as close to the court as you can and make the incline in the lower 20 to 30 rows about as steep as they can be and not be a problem.

The trick now is the when and how if an arena is built. The cost today might be 200% of what it would have been just two years ago. Another year from now that might be 400% or more if prices don't settle down. A posh $100 million facility that would have been more than we needed in 2017 might now cost half a billion or more before it's finished and not be nearly as nice.

 

[Bocat69]

I think it was encouraging that some have mentioned the renovation being put back at least in part because Oats wasn't a fan of playing in B'ham or on the road for two seasons.

The best scenario for everyone is to build a completely new arena for basketball only and keep Coleman mostly as is so the University can continue to use it as a multipurpose facility. That multipurpose aspect just kills what a basketball arena could be when it forces stands further back and forces the lower rows to feel like portable bleachers. Tailor it solely for basketball and bring the fans as close to the court as you can and make the incline in the lower 20 to 30 rows about as steep as they can be and not be a problem.

The trick now is the when and how if an arena is built. The cost today might be 200% of what it would have been just two years ago. Another year from now that might be 400% or more if prices don't settle down. A posh $100 million facility that would have been more than we needed in 2017 might now cost half a billion or more before it's finished and not be nearly as nice.

With the cost, a complete renovation may not be that bad. Look at what Birmingham did with the BJCC. They gutted the entire building. It's now on par with any basketball arena in the country. Playing there for a year, maybe two wouldn't be that bad. Scheduling around the Squadron games may be a problem but nothing we couldn't work out. There's so much more to Coleman the average fan doesn't see. From the locker rooms to the practice facilities to the location of the building itself. Either way the University has a big decision on it's hands that should have been made a few years back.

 

[Codie B]

I think it was encouraging that some have mentioned the renovation being put back at least in part because Oats wasn't a fan of playing in B'ham or on the road for two seasons.

The best scenario for everyone is to build a completely new arena for basketball only and keep Coleman mostly as is so the University can continue to use it as a multipurpose facility. That multipurpose aspect just kills what a basketball arena could be when it forces stands further back and forces the lower rows to feel like portable bleachers. Tailor it solely for basketball and bring the fans as close to the court as you can and make the incline in the lower 20 to 30 rows about as steep as they can be and not be a problem.

The trick now is the when and how if an arena is built. The cost today might be 200% of what it would have been just two years ago. Another year from now that might be 400% or more if prices don't settle down. A posh $100 million facility that would have been more than we needed in 2017 might now cost half a billion or more before it's finished and not be nearly as nice.

This is a great point. From a cost standpoint, a new area a may, unfortunately, not be a realistic option anymore. Shoot, a renovated one might not be anymore the ways things are going.

 

[pwestbro61]

I think they are talking about it. I'm pretty sure my seats will change next year.
I know Greg Byrne will capitalize on the successes of the basketball program.

Been talking about it for 5 years. No one want to piss off the football Tide Priders who only buy basketball tickets for points. Just a sad fact.

 

[winin11]

Been talking about it for 5 years. No one want to piss off the football Tide Priders who only buy basketball tickets for points. Just a sad fact.

Oats gave them a very good reason to piss them off. They are really going to get upset when the seating charts are redone.