Panthers To Play Back at Klotsche

[Rawls]

Jun 26, 2012 19:03:13 GMT -6 uwmfutbol said:

It's sad that this will indeed push fans away, even though it shouldn't. It should be about supporting the team, not boycotting because you don't like the facilities.

Preaching to the choir. A new arena is the only way to grow our fanbase, and this move makes that more financially possible.

[Rawls]

I find it interesting the Horizon League waived the capacity minimum on a facility that doesn't even really come close. Two possibilities are;

-With Butler leaving, they want to minimize reasons for programs to leave/join.
-Geiger and Co. convinced them that a sufficient arena was well on it's way.

Here's hoping it's the latter.

[Pounce Needs Pals]

I guess we'll see what is new at the KC for this season.
I hope it's a new scoreboard. With the players points and fouls.

[illwauk]

I wish they would've played 1 or 2 games at the Cell, but I'm sure they'll host the Horizon Tournament there if necessary (at least the championship game). Either way, I'm cautiously optimistic about this move.

[Hack]

Jun 26, 2012 19:49:52 GMT -6 illwauk said:

I wish they would've played 1 or 2 games at the Cell, but I'm sure they'll host the Horizon Tournament there if necessary (at least the championship game). Either way, I'm cautiously optimistic about this move.

Not if Cell is already booked. Can't imagine they are going to hold dates for UWM (as we saw this year), especially after the WCD dipsh*t's comments.

The 2003 tournament was held at the Cell (even though the regular season was at Klotsche) because it was already scheduled to host the Horizon tournament.

[dutchpthr]

Jun 26, 2012 19:49:52 GMT -6 illwauk said:

I wish they would've played 1 or 2 games at the Cell, but I'm sure they'll host the Horizon Tournament there if necessary (at least the championship game). Either way, I'm cautiously optimistic about this move.

After the comments by the WCD guy I do not see any way in which UWM ever plays a game in the Cell, at least as long as he is still in charge there.

I am with illwauk here, I'm cautiously optimistic with this move. I would be less cautious if this move was coupled with the a firm plan that a new arena is the next move, and I have yet to read that is the for sure plan from anyone connected with the AD.

I also agree that if this is the reason someone decides to not renew their season tickets then fine, honestly we don't want you as a true fan, you are another one who saw the fact that it is an amazingly priced deal and you get great value out of it, but if you are going to be petty about the presumed temporary change in location then fine see ya, have fun paying much more for a Golden eagle or badger ticket. This should not fraction the fan base but bring it more together.

Also it is now on the students, all of you students who are in walking distance of campus you now have no reason to not show up other then you are not interested in your school at all. I agree that these students have to be marketed too but if they are and they still don't show it is on them, they have no more excuses of its not on campus or its too hard to get to and i couldn't make the bus or any of that crap, STUDENTS IT IS ON YOU NOW! We need you to make this season hell on all of our opponents and you have to show up and this includes the games during the winter break, no more excuses at all anymore for there to no be less then a few hundred students at every game.

[PANTHERfan]

Wow, you can almost hear the exodus of season ticket holders with this terrible move. Let's be real about some things here. Competitive D1 basketball is partly about the students, at best. What it really is is a Revenue sport that caters to monied alums and the business community. In one fell swoop, that component has been completely undermined.

I'm certain my season ticket group of seven years will be shrinking dramatically --- Not from some bs argument about lack of loyalty or lack of school spirit. This is 100 percent about the experience. When the university puts a mediocre product on the floor, at least you can fall back on the social component --- downtown and it's many entertainment options. Not to mention beer in the stands. Instead we'll be watching games in a high school gym with no amenities and few walkable venues nearby. And yeah, that stuff matters. Not to mention the fact that there's zero chance to ever expect the rare big crowd or the rare big student section. I don't care if they were few and far between, at least it happened once in a while. No chance of that now.

My only hope is that this short-sighted move is being done to 1. Play hardball with the Cell, or 2. Announce plans for a new arena. But nothing that has happened in this athletic department over the last three or four years gives me much hope that that's the case.

[Pounce Needs Pals]

Will the Panthers get their brand new banners back from the Cell?

Will the KC sell beer? Can they? They have beer for the black vs gold game in October.

[PantherU]

This summer and fall is extremely important in marketing. Freshmen need to believe 100% that the UWM community cares deeply about the Milwaukee Panthers. That's a tall order, but school pride will play an enormous role in whether or not this works out.

[FTA1982]

Jun 26, 2012 20:39:36 GMT -6 PANTHERfan said:

Wow, you can almost hear the exodus of season ticket holders with this terrible move. Let's be real about some things here. Competitive D1 basketball is partly about the students, at best. What it really is is a Revenue sport that caters to monied alums and the business community. In one fell swoop, that component has been completely undermined.

I'm certain my season ticket group of seven years will be shrinking dramatically --- Not from some bs argument about lack of loyalty or lack of school spirit. This is 100 percent about the experience. When the university puts a mediocre product on the floor, at least you can fall back on the social component --- downtown and it's many entertainment options. Not to mention beer in the stands. Instead we'll be watching games in a high school gym with no amenities and few walkable venues nearby. And yeah, that stuff matters. Not to mention the fact that there's zero chance to ever expect the rare big crowd or the rare big student section. I don't care if they were few and far between, at least it happened once in a while. No chance of that now.

+1

[davedome]

Horrible decision in my opinion. Understand the move, but its more of a gamble than people think. And if Geiger will only be around for a year, why make this move? Wasn't a new arena already approved, but we're just looking for the right location? No Major Goolsby after the game, but what? Jimmy Johns or 5 Guys? How many season ticket holders will we lose? I know most of you on here will disagree and slam my post but this is not MATC or MSOE. Remember, we didn't play at the KC for a reason....... sad day, step backwards.

[panther9193]

Jun 26, 2012 20:39:36 GMT -6 PANTHERfan said:

Wow, you can almost hear the exodus of season ticket holders with this terrible move. Let's be real about some things here. Competitive D1 basketball is partly about the students, at best. What it really is is a Revenue sport that caters to monied alums and the business community. In one fell swoop, that component has been completely undermined.

I'm certain my season ticket group of seven years will be shrinking dramatically --- Not from some bs argument about lack of loyalty or lack of school spirit. This is 100 percent about the experience. When the university puts a mediocre product on the floor, at least you can fall back on the social component --- downtown and it's many entertainment options. Not to mention beer in the stands. Instead we'll be watching games in a high school gym with no amenities and few walkable venues nearby. And yeah, that stuff matters. Not to mention the fact that there's zero chance to ever expect the rare big crowd or the rare big student section. I don't care if they were few and far between, at least it happened once in a while. No chance of that now.

My only hope is that this short-sighted move is being done to 1. Play hardball with the Cell, or 2. Announce plans for a new arena. But nothing that has happened in this athletic department over the last three or four years gives me much hope that that's the case.

+1

People who think this will bring fans together are dreaming.

[panther9193]

Jun 26, 2012 20:28:35 GMT -6 dutchpthr said:

Jun 26, 2012 19:49:52 GMT -6 illwauk said:

I wish they would've played 1 or 2 games at the Cell, but I'm sure they'll host the Horizon Tournament there if necessary (at least the championship game). Either way, I'm cautiously optimistic about this move.

After the comments by the WCD guy I do not see any way in which UWM ever plays a game in the Cell, at least as long as he is still in charge there.

I am with illwauk here, I'm cautiously optimistic with this move. I would be less cautious if this move was coupled with the a firm plan that a new arena is the next move, and I have yet to read that is the for sure plan from anyone connected with the AD.

I also agree that if this is the reason someone decides to not renew their season tickets then fine, honestly we don't want you as a true fan, you are another one who saw the fact that it is an amazingly priced deal and you get great value out of it, but if you are going to be petty about the presumed temporary change in location then fine see ya, have fun paying much more for a Golden eagle or badger ticket. This should not fraction the fan base but bring it more together.

Also it is now on the students, all of you students who are in walking distance of campus you now have no reason to not show up other then you are not interested in your school at all. I agree that these students have to be marketed too but if they are and they still don't show it is on them, they have no more excuses of its not on campus or its too hard to get to and i couldn't make the bus or any of that crap, STUDENTS IT IS ON YOU NOW! We need you to make this season hell on all of our opponents and you have to show up and this includes the games during the winter break, no more excuses at all anymore for there to no be less then a few hundred students at every game.

Be careful what you wish for. You just may be hearing crickets at the KC during games.

[PJD]

I think the core season ticket-holders will continue to show. I completely understand everyone's comments about why it looks like a step backwards. Let's hope they announce the plans for the on campus area soon. I feel about 80% confident this will happen before year end. I'm hoping that this can come soon to provide some incentive for our season ticket holders, but if not before the start of the season, then sometime around the end of the year. The WCD lease was bad and they have no right to complain about not having it renewed. They are lucky we didn't find some way to break it erlier. I think the WCD was holding us hostage as the only 5K+ facility we could get. They lost with the trump card of the league waiver. I bet they didn't even think we could pull that one out.
From my standpoint, I live less than a mile from campus. I just hope they can get the beer there (which I'm quite confident they will. Hey, this is Milwaukee!!!). I'll be there. Hell, I'm good with being much closer to the floor than I was before.

[Hack]

Jun 26, 2012 21:10:06 GMT -6 PJD said:

I feel about 80% confident this will happen before year end.

The more I think about this, the more I feel this becomes an absolute necessity ... to prominently show that this move to the KC is just a temporary, cost-saving measure.

New arena (even if it's just location) must be announced before the end of the next basketball season.