Facilities and Arena discussion

[Portlandian]

Or a swamp internment camp.

 

[Pablo]

Building on a Historic Year - George Mason University Athletics

Mason Nation,

gomason.com

• "Facilities Progress: We've entered the design phase of the new Basketball and Academic Performance Center, with groundbreaking anticipated in late 2025."

 

[DRK331]

If you have kids, they can join the GMU Patriot Kids Club. Learn more here:

Patriots Kids Club

Patriots Kids Club

gomason.com

 

[DRK331]

Video of the current basketball practice facility

 

[Pablo]

Old Glory DC to Play 2026 Matches at George Mason Stadium - George Mason University Athletics

Major League Rugby Playoff Contender Partners with George Mason to Grow the Game Regionally Fairfax, Va. -- Old Glory DC will play all 2026 home regular season

gomason.com

Athletics: 11/10/2025 12:58:00 PM

"Fairfax, Va. -- Old Glory DC will play all 2026 home regular season and playoff matches at George Mason Stadium on campus announced by Old Glory. Entering its 8th season and coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, Old Glory aims to continue building momentum while growing the sport of rugby throughout the Greater Washington region.

All Old Glory DC's home matches will be played at George Mason Stadium, which sports a natural, high-use Bermuda grass pitch. The top-tier field and facilities have attracted several international soccer clubs to utilize as training sites while in the U.S. The stadium design features fixed seating for 4,500 fans and a field-level VIP viewing area. The move to GMU provides easy access to Old Glory fans throughout The District, Maryland and Northern Virginia."

 

[tblack33]

Interesting to look back at this thread now. Facilities are no longer the plus they used to be. If you have bad/no facilities, it’s def a minus, but the facilities arms race ended up being short lived with pay to play and NIL.

 

[DRK331]

Here is a picture of some of the banners hanging in EBA

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/co...-basketball-arena-ncaa-tournament-1234885867/ - Why can’t we do something forward thinking like that? Our arena is 40 years old. It’s time for a new venue.

 

[Jack Strop]

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/co...-basketball-arena-ncaa-tournament-1234885867/ - Why can’t we do something forward thinking like that? Our arena is 40 years old. It’s time for a new venue.

Yep. And in a few short seasons they'll have a shiny new arena that once again averages 1,860 fans in attendance. Millons well spent.

 

[mkaufman1]

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/co...-basketball-arena-ncaa-tournament-1234885867/ - Why can’t we do something forward thinking like that? Our arena is 40 years old. It’s time for a new venue.

I agree, although considering how things are done I wouldn't hold your breath for that actually happening. Nice to see that it is coinciding with a solid basketball season.

 

[Where's the party?]

Yep. And in a few short seasons they'll have a shiny new arena that once again averages 1,860 fans in attendance. Millons well spent.

Unless of course we raise our cost to $60k / yr like Little Miami, which ain't gonna happen.

Remember, we are a state school with a very undedicated alumni base. We ain't gonna get enough money from VA to compete, and our sports donations are not gonna equal a P5 state school.

The worst place to be in the new normal NCAA is exactly where we are.

 

[GSII]

Unless of course we raise our cost to $60k / yr like Little Miami, which ain't gonna happen.

Remember, we are a state school with a very undedicated alumni base. We ain't gonna get enough money from VA to compete, and our sports donations are not gonna equal a P5 state school.

The worst place to be in the new normal NCAA is exactly where we are.

Well shit. Close the program.

 

[FlPatriot]

Well shit. Close the program.

Think the money could be spent on academics rather than half a$$ sports. Do it right or do something else.

 

[jkh1978]

My seat is broken. Don’t even know how to report that.

 

[GMUgemini]

Think the money could be spent on academics rather than half a$$ sports. Do it right or do something else.

Sure but 60k in tuition costs goes towards everything else not athletics.

Also, Miami (OH) in that report spends just $2.9 million for basketball. That would put them near the bottom of the A10 (I think their peer would be La Salle and that’s about it).

 

[Ben Chwarmer]

My idea to create a true tailgating environment before games would only require a modest investment, with the potential for a big impact.

It could be multi-purpose — used for farmers markets, small concerts, festivals, watch parties, alumni events, recruiting receptions, and even winter holiday markets. A year-round social hub that drives revenue, builds community, and makes game day feel like an event.

 

[pm57WOW]

I remember when the Patriot Center hosted its first game. I drove up to the game from Williamsburg where I was in my last year of law school at William & Mary.. It was Saturday November 26, 1985. The ends of the arena were bare unpainted concrete. I sat in section 108, but the pull-our bleachers were not yet installed on my end of the arena. (One section of pull-out bleachers was installed sections 123 and 124 at the other end of the arena WERE installed. The uninstalled pull-out bleachers for Sections 108 and 109 at my end of the arena were laying on a pallet in the concourse awaiting installation. Also, about half of the concession stands was laying wrapped in clear plastic awaiting installation.) Mason lost to the Maryland Terrapins 81-80 when forward Darrin Mosely of George Mason missed a ten foot shot from the corner of the Key as time expired. I did not realize it then, but all Mason and Maryland players probably all knew each other from years of local competition and through attendance at summer camps and the local Jellef League. So long ago, when I was young (I was only twenty-four and eight months old. I will turn sixty-five in April. Geez'. My kids are now thirty-three and thirty-seven. Boy I'm old. .)

 

[Verdad]

I remember when the Patriot Center hosted its first game. I drove up to the game from Williamsburg where I was in my last year of law school at William & Mary.. It was Saturday November 26, 1985. The ends of the arena were bare unpainted concrete. I sat in section 108, but the pull-our bleachers were not yet installed on my end of the arena. (One section of pull-out bleachers was installed sections 123 and 124 at the other end of the arena WERE installed. The uninstalled pull-out bleachers for Sections 108 and 109 at my end of the arena were laying on a pallet in the concourse awaiting installation. Also, about half of the concession stands was laying wrapped in clear plastic awaiting installation.) Mason lost to the Maryland Terrapins 81-80 when forward Darrin Mosely of George Mason missed a ten foot shot from the corner of the Key as time expired. I did not realize it then, but all Mason and Maryland players probably all knew each other from years of local competition and through attendance at summer camps and the local Jellef League. So long ago, when I was young (I was only twenty-four and eight months old. I will turn sixty-five in April. Geez'. My kids are now thirty-three and thirty-seven. Boy I'm old. .)

Thanks for that bit of history! You probably never thought it would take ~40 years for us to finally get that 1st win over UMD.

 

[Tomatoman]

If not against safety regs, etc., maybe consider a similar concept and materials to build a bump-out of the North entrance (does not seem to be in use much for patrons entering/exiting the building) to create a covered space for Gold Room and other purposes.

 

[jkh1978]

If not against safety regs, etc., maybe consider a similar concept and materials to build a bump-out of the North entrance (does not seem to be in use much for patrons entering/exiting the building) to create a covered space for Gold Room and other purposes.

Gold room needs its own space. Also a merch stand. Wish they could use the box office space but there's times I had to go in there to get problems fixed and its busy.