|
Post by seisky on Apr 5, 2010 23:28:28 GMT -6
I'm gonna be a freshman at UWM next year. I'm really excited about going to basketball games and being a part of an awesome student section for a Division 1 school. I've been keeping up with news about UWM and athletics. I'm interested by the possible move back on campus for men's basketball. I think this would be a great move, but it would cost quite a bit of money to build a new facility/renovate.
Is it at all possible for men's basketball to play in the Klotsche Center until a brand new facility is easily attainable? UWM is going through a lot of changes with the whole master plan and everything, and it would probably be years before the facility would be built. The sooner the games are on campus the better.
The Klotsche Center has a capacity of 5000, and the record attendance for men's basketball wasn't full. Would 5000 be enough space or not? Also, a smaller facility would make a better homecourt advantage. It definately would be a lot louder.
I'm guessing the current Klotsche Center is not an option, but just wanna make sure. Can anyone tell me why it's not at all possible?
|
|
|
Post by nohopspanther on Apr 6, 2010 0:07:14 GMT -6
The Klotsche doesn't actually hold 5000 for basketball and the Horizon League has a rule for minimum capacity being 5000, so no UWM can't play men's games at Klotsche.
|
|
|
Post by PantherU on Apr 6, 2010 12:32:39 GMT -6
I believe, right now, that the Klotsche Center would be a better fit for us as we prepare to pursue a true on-campus arena for men's basketball.
The word I get is that repeated requests to play at the Klotsche Center have been turned down in the past. However, the situation is different now. It is out in the open that we are seriously considering a move back to campus in a permanent setting, and that fact might be enough for the Horizon League to consider waiving the 5,000 minimum capacity rule. It makes sense because it allows us to save a considerable amount of money in the meantime, money that most certainly would go toward paying for the new arena.
I do not know if we have requested to move to the Klotsche Center or not. What I do know is that the exhibition games, at the very least, should be played there so we can gauge the plausibility of playing at the Klotsche Center.
|
|
dutchpthr
Junior
ain't much if it ain't dutch
|
Post by dutchpthr on Apr 6, 2010 12:46:57 GMT -6
What I do know is that the exhibition games, at the very least, should be played there so we can gauge the plausibility of playing at the Klotsche Center. I understand the reasoning on this but i will tell you why that doesn't happen, and to put a baseball spin on it, it is the same reason why the brewers held those 2 games at miller park before the season, you get back to the situation. Think about it you do not want to be working out kinks and issues in the regular season, that is what exhibition is for those who work the games as well. you need to make sure that the PA mic is on and at the right volume for a game setting, that the video board works that the lighting is correct that the led ribbon is functioning properly. All that stuff, that you can not get a feel for by just doing a walk through. Now I am not saying this is the cut in stone reason but trust me those who work the games at the cell need those games there to get back into the swing of everything just as much as the players, I know that i did and that it made me feel better about the regular season and what to expect from an operations stand point for games. just my 2 $.01
|
|
|
Post by seisky on Apr 6, 2010 13:11:14 GMT -6
The Klotsche doesn't actually hold 5000 for basketball and the Horizon League has a rule for minimum capacity being 5000, so no UWM can't play men's games at Klotsche. What is the actual capacity for a basketball game there? The athletics website says the record attendance for a men's basketball game was 4883, which is pretty darn close to 5000. Like Black Panther MKE said, I definately think the Horizon League should lower the requirement just a little bit. Were trying to make drastic changes to improve the Milwaukee basketball environment, and this would certainly help.
|
|
|
Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 6, 2010 14:14:32 GMT -6
The Panthers are signed to play at the Cell untill 2013, I believe.
|
|
|
Post by seisky on Apr 6, 2010 14:59:32 GMT -6
I was wondering about that. I guess it won't be awhile no matter what happens on campus.
|
|
|
Post by PantherU on Apr 6, 2010 15:00:48 GMT -6
I don't think they should lower the requirement. I think there should be no requirement. But if they must, we should get a release to play at the Klotsche Center, as long as plans include a major renovation or new arena to be built.
|
|
|
Post by seisky on Apr 6, 2010 15:19:29 GMT -6
Is there anyway that we can get out of the lease with the U.S. Cellular Arena early if the chance to play in the current Klotsche Center comes up?
Probably getting ahead of myself, but just wondering.
|
|
|
Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 6, 2010 17:24:32 GMT -6
Is there anyway that we can get out of the lease with the U.S. Cellular Arena early if the chance to play in the current Klotsche Center comes up? Probably getting ahead of myself, but just wondering. I don't think the Panthers want to get out of the lease. There is no new arena now, moving back to the KC as-is is a step back.
|
|
|
Post by PantherU on Apr 6, 2010 21:15:18 GMT -6
Make no mistake, if we could play at the Klotsche Center this fall, we would do it. The directive of nearly every state entity is to cut corners and find ways to spend less money. Milwaukee Athletics is not different in this regard. Koonce and those who work for him, specifically Charlie Gross (the new finance Associate AD), are charged with trying to move the program forward while also spending less where they don't need to spend it.
The men's basketball lease is the #1 reason we are in debt today; we believed Bruce Pearl when he said we could average 7-8,000+ in the Cell based on his teams. He left us there, and we had to stick with his wish to play there. Could we have reached that attendance with Pearl here? Maybe, but the answer is irrelevant.
The fact remains that we moved downtown in an attempt to move the program up, and that attempt failed. The Cell, for all its history and great sight lines, doesn't embrace any of it. There's nothing "college" about it, and that's the experience our prospective fan base needs to come back to games.
Obviously no one here would be more apt to come to a game if it had a "college" feel to it, but that feeling is impossible in the Cell without major facelifts, which we would have to pay by ourselves on top of the six-figure rent we pay them. Whether you want to leave downtown or not, what you have to admit is that it is very sad that the Wisconsin Center District has pocketed the Milwaukee Panther rent money and used it to do no improvements to the arena.
Now, in the face of their highest-paying tenant leaving, has the WCD prepared a package to entice Milwaukee Athletics to stay? Nope. Have they come out and said in public that they want the University to remain a tenant? Nope.
They're doing nothing to stop us, so if we can square it away with the Horizon League, we should do it.
Now, moving back to the KC as is would be a step back, if we had no plans for expansion. It's easy to sell to recruits for the 2011-12 season and onward that they will be playing in a new building. If we're not building new, they look at the KC as their home for the full 4 years.
|
|
|
Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 7, 2010 8:47:41 GMT -6
Make no mistake, if we could play at the Klotsche Center this fall, we would do it. The directive of nearly every state entity is to cut corners and find ways to spend less money. Milwaukee Athletics is not different in this regard. Koonce and those who work for him, specifically Charlie Gross (the new finance Associate AD), are charged with trying to move the program forward while also spending less where they don't need to spend it. The men's basketball lease is the #1 reason we are in debt today; we believed Bruce Pearl when he said we could average 7-8,000+ in the Cell based on his teams. He left us there, and we had to stick with his wish to play there. Could we have reached that attendance with Pearl here? Maybe, but the answer is irrelevant. The fact remains that we moved downtown in an attempt to move the program up, and that attempt failed. The Cell, for all its history and great sight lines, doesn't embrace any of it. There's nothing "college" about it, and that's the experience our prospective fan base needs to come back to games. Obviously no one here would be more apt to come to a game if it had a "college" feel to it, but that feeling is impossible in the Cell without major facelifts, which we would have to pay by ourselves on top of the six-figure rent we pay them. Whether you want to leave downtown or not, what you have to admit is that it is very sad that the Wisconsin Center District has pocketed the Milwaukee Panther rent money and used it to do no improvements to the arena. Now, in the face of their highest-paying tenant leaving, has the WCD prepared a package to entice Milwaukee Athletics to stay? Nope. Have they come out and said in public that they want the University to remain a tenant? Nope. They're doing nothing to stop us, so if we can square it away with the Horizon League, we should do it. Now, moving back to the KC as is would be a step back, if we had no plans for expansion. It's easy to sell to recruits for the 2011-12 season and onward that they will be playing in a new building. If we're not building new, they look at the KC as their home for the full 4 years. I think of all that you said is well put. We should of never went to the Cell in the first place.
|
|
|
Post by pantherdon on Apr 7, 2010 10:24:56 GMT -6
As a season ticket holder, I would love to see a new arena built. I would have no problem going back to campus for games there, but here's the thing, I sure as hell don't want to sit in a high school gym all season.
Going downtown is way more desirable than to the campus. The Cell maybe too big, but what will attract paying customers? (read: non-students) The casual sports fan maybe completely removed from the equation if it returns to the Klotsche.
Klotsche = small time. New arena = progress.
My wife and I might never have became season ticket holders if it had never left campus.
|
|
dutchpthr
Junior
ain't much if it ain't dutch
|
Post by dutchpthr on Apr 7, 2010 10:44:20 GMT -6
As it is right now that is the #1 point Don. I know that Jimmy and a lot of the students want games back on campus cuz it might help out the student section attendance, but the big thing that you miss is that the AD gets no money off of a large student section. The AD needs the revenue from the causal fan and the season ticket holders, and don't take this as looking down on students but if your the AD you have to accommodate the paying customers first. Yes i know the AD gets money from your tuition and from your segregated fees but please understand that the paying ticket customers are more of a priority than the get in for free students.
And honestly there are a lot of ticket holders that would prolly stop coming if we went back to the Klotsche. A new on campus arena would be different, but that is not what we have and the Klotsche is not goign to get us anything as far as the causal fan because the fact of the matter is no one sees the Klotsche unless they are on campus or live across the street from it, you at least for right now see the Cell and the signs and that.
As i have said int he past i am for a new on campus arena that would be great but until it gets built there is no good reason to move back into the Klotsche center for men's b-ball. Klotsche is not going to keep paying customers and fans coming back in, you talk about the low attendance figures now i would be willing to say that they would drop even more if we moved back to the Klotsche for guys games right now.
|
|
|
Post by PantherU on Apr 7, 2010 11:05:25 GMT -6
My wishes have gone far beyond just student attendance. And my argument stands far beyond the student attendance argument too.
Athletics controls:
WCD: Nothing.
Klotsche: Concessions, parking, merchandise, all ticket sales (no cut for WCD).
Money is a big reason TO MOVE back to campus.
That said, we should not make the move unless there are plans and they are in motion: i.e. construction plans under way by the fall.
|
|