Game 21: George Washington University, Sunday, January 31st, Noon, NBCSN

[Five Two]

This is the third time this season where we have a week between games. The first was due to finals (Dec 12-Dec 19) and that makes sense. The 2nd was Dec 22-Jan 2 and now this week due to the A10's scheduling formula (every team has always had a week in between conference games). Given they had to scramble to put a schedule together, I'm curious to know if the staff would prefer these week-long breaks or try and find a non-conference game this Wed. I guess we'll see next season when they have more time to get games.

 

[PoorManProfit]

I don't know about anyone else, but the Patriot Center itself is a bit of a turnoff for me and not much incentive to go to games. I know other students feel this way. The lighting is terrible, there's some annoying flash that drove me insane at the last game I went to, and in general the whole place just feels dated. Maybe I'm alone here but I feel like a better environment might draw some more people. Guess I'm just frustrated nothings been done about the lighting but it feels like I'm in a cave every time I go to a game.

Lots of nice new building on the campus. Still 1986 at Patriot Center. Attendance was NEVER great. A 5 to 7K seat facility would be perfect. They need to get busy on getting that joint into present day or tear it down and start over. It's a depressing place.

 

[GMU_DCU]

Realtimerpi has us losing by 1:
http://www.realtimerpi.com/cgi-bin/rpi/scouting?team1=208&team2=113&gender=1&home=&date=01-31

I'm all in!!

 

[liem.le.3388]

It's a perfect time to tear PC down bc we can play at the RAC, we prob can't even fill that up.

 

[psyclone]

It's a perfect time to tear PC down bc we can play at the RAC, we prob can't even fill that up.

Why not? I'm sure Eagle Bank will be happy to pay $600K/yr. for the next 9 years for some dedicated parking spaces. We can just hold graduations outside in Lot A--that will be fun when it rains.

 

[psyclone]

Latest column from Dick Patrick:
http://www.gomason.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=25200&ATCLID=210665896

 

[GMUgemini]

From what I understand about the arena, Brad Edwards is trying to figure out a long-term strategy for the arena (renovate or build new). So, I don't think anything major is going to happen until he and Cabrera decide what to do with the long-term future of EagleBank.

As for the GW game, we have no answer for Larsen, Garino, or Cavanaugh. The Colonials will be able to sit in their 1-3-1 all night. And we'll lose by a good 15.

 

[mkaufman1]

From what I understand about the arena, Brad Edwards is trying to figure out a long-term strategy for the arena (renovate or build new). So, I don't think anything major is going to happen until he and Cabrera decide what to do with the long-term future of EagleBank.

As for the GW game, we have no answer for Larsen, Garino, or Cavanaugh. The Colonials will be able to sit in their 1-3-1 all night. And we'll lose by a good 15.

Yep. For now it's little things like new signage, speaker system, lighting at some point,etc.

As for the game, mason is going to have to move the ball against the 1-3-1, and also make some perimeter shots to have a prayer, but like many others I expect a blowout loss.

 

[MasonSAE4]

Lots of nice new building on the campus. Still 1986 at Patriot Center. Attendance was NEVER great. A 5 to 7K seat facility would be perfect. They need to get busy on getting that joint into present day or tear it down and start over. It's a depressing place.

I don't really begrudge them for not building a new one as they won't get state funds for it, but gosh darn you'd think they'd be able to do something to the inside of it. 7k would be perfect but with all the special events I doubt we'll ever see a reduction in capacity. A guy I know who works for the University said the school wants to get to about 44,000 students in the coming decade. If true (up for debate for sure) a 10,000 seat arena is probably still needed. And who knows. With that number of students maybe we'd pack the place.

 

[GMUgemini]

I don't really begrudge them for not building a new one as they won't get state funds for it, but gosh darn you'd think they'd be able to do something to the inside of it. 7k would be perfect but with all the special events I doubt we'll ever see a reduction in capacity. A guy I know who works for the University said the school wants to get to about 44,000 students in the coming decade. If true (up for debate for sure) a 10,000 seat arena is probably still needed. And who knows. With that number of students maybe we'd pack the place.

And you've hit upon the problems with renovation, because Mason spent $20 million immediately following the Final Four on improvements to the Patriot Center -- didn't go very far, did it? I mean a new roof (which it's going to need by, what, 2017 or '18?) is going to cost $10 million. Who is going to notice a roof?

And I know we are talking about the perfect fit for basketball, but I'd caution against anything under 9,500 seats if Mason decides to build a new arena.

 

[MasonSAE4]

And you've hit upon the problems with renovation, because Mason spent $20 million immediately following the Final Four on improvements to the Patriot Center -- didn't go very far, did it? I mean a new roof (which it's going to need by, what, 2017 or '18?) is going to cost $10 million. Who is going to notice a roof?

And I know we are talking about the perfect fit for basketball, but I'd caution against anything under 9,500 seats if Mason decides to build a new arena.

Yeah I obviously don't know the numbers of what kind of revenue they're bringing in on other events but I have to imagine its more than enough incentive to not reduce capacity. Plus graduation tickets are hard enough to come by as is.

If they built a new one what would the team do? Play in the RAC for a year?

 

[Scythe]

I don't know about anyone else, but the Patriot Center itself is a bit of a turnoff for me and not much incentive to go to games. I know other students feel this way. The lighting is terrible, there's some annoying flash that drove me insane at the last game I went to, and in general the whole place just feels dated. Maybe I'm alone here but I feel like a better environment might draw some more people. Guess I'm just frustrated nothings been done about the lighting but it feels like I'm in a cave every time I go to a game.

Yep, the PatDome's lighting is really dark/dim. The lighting is archaic in comparison to modern day arenas. The flash/strobe you see is part of the integrated camera system. So if a photog on the baseline takes a picture, it'll lighten up the arena and make it appear brighter for a split second.

If we had proper lighting, we wouldn't need the integrated flash stuff as much. That said, the new sound system is a huge improvement [!], as are the corner screens, baseline ad screens, the scoreboard, and the hand rails. The biggest turn off is it just feels "old".

We could easily improve that with changing the lighting to a better color range (more towards a daylight color, less in the 2700K yellow-ish zone). Then it'd expose the coloring of the arena, which probably needs to be improved. Mustard yellow and forest green typically gives off an "old" vibe, and you need a lot of nice bright white to make it pop correctly and not feel that way.

Anyway, it all could use some improvement. The problem is it's extremely expensive to do, even if it's a coat of paint. I just like that Cabrera is addressing things that Merten neglected for so long.

 

[GSII]

Cameron Indoor was built in what, 1898, and its roof is strong enough for video screens but the PatDome built almost 100 years later isnt?

 

[Five Two]

Years ago I thought I read something that showed how the seating bowl is not up to code. Any renovations to the seating bowl would require a complete gutting. If true, there is no sense doing anything major until a decision has been made to build new or completely gut it.

Sad how quickly a game thread turns into an EBA renovation thread. Such is life at the bottom of the league.

 

[Vurbel]

With that number of students maybe we'd pack the place.

I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see that ever happening. Even coming off a Final Four run we were still 30% vacant. There is nothing to believe, other than wishful thinking, that even with a vibrant and exciting and winning program we will ever average past 7,000. If we couldn't do it in fall, 2006 we could have 50,000 students and it still would only make a small difference. Right now we get a thousand students on a good night. So basically 3% of the student body. If we get to 50,000 with the same percentage we've added a couple hundred. Wooptie-do.

Now I would be interested in exact numbers of students, I don't know if they exist, but the above are ballpark figures, but you get the idea. It's the whole micro vs. macro thing. The above is macro.

Sorry for being Johnny Raincloud.

 

[MasonSAE4]

I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see that ever happening. Even coming off a Final Four run we were still 30% vacant. There is nothing to believe, other than wishful thinking, that even with a vibrant and exciting and winning program we will ever average past 7,000. If we couldn't do it in fall, 2006 we could have 50,000 students and it still would only make a small difference. Right now we get a thousand students on a good night. So basically 3% of the student body. If we get to 50,000 with the same percentage we've added a couple hundred. Wooptie-do.

Now I would be interested in exact numbers of students, I don't know if they exist, but the above are ballpark figures, but you get the idea. It's the whole micro vs. macro thing. The above is macro.

Sorry for being Johnny Raincloud.

I think we have to look at it more as a percent of those who live on campus. Mason has a large commuter/graduate population comprised of people who probably have other things going on in life that need to come first. Not arguing attendance is poor and needs to improve, but I think increased housing on campus would increase turnout. Just a theory.

I'd be interested to see what attendance would be for a early season out-of-conference game against a big name opponent. Would like to imagine that students would be more likely to walk across campus/drive to campus for an ACC game.

 

[Vurbel]

I think we have to look at it more as a percent of those who live on campus.

I think that's fair.

 

[JimP]

I think we have to look at it more as a percent of those who live on campus. Mason has a large commuter/graduate population comprised of people who probably have other things going on in life that need to come first. Not arguing attendance is poor and needs to improve, but I think increased housing on campus would increase turnout. Just a theory.

I'd be interested to see what attendance would be for a early season out-of-conference game against a big name opponent. Would like to imagine that students would be more likely to walk across campus/drive to campus for an ACC game.

Sold out the PC when UVA played GMU a few years ago in the first game of the season. I suppose the transient nature of NOVA has something to do with the attendance. Lots of people - but how many with a connection to GMU? If GMU were to pull off a vcu type run of success - big attendance #'s would follow. Bandwagoners would pile on. Tough to do though and we missed a chance for that post '06 unfortunately.


About the game - I have a hunch Mason will keep it close. Hopefully Shevon is healthy and the team comes out extra motivated after 9 days off.

 

[Snowflake Slayer of Seals]

Snowflake performance set in stones!

Snowflake begin dancing with large erection at 1030 am at North Pole entrance. Free sundaes and ice cream bar for all those with valid Masun ID who go George Masun!

Attendance not be a problem this Sunday with no Super Bowl and Snowflake in town!!!!

 

[GMUSig03]

I also think the problem is more in the environment created on campus/marketing directly to students to get them out. We have lots more students living on campus now then 10+ years ago and the overall population is larger, but it doesn't seem to translate to student butts in the seats.

I think the #1 one thing that needs to happen is the AD needs to figure out how to get those students to care about going to games, and obviously whatever is done now isn't working. Marketing to student groups (I know they have done in the past), players handing out schedules in the dorms/JC, shuttle around Patriot circle 30-60 mins before tip off, etc. Lots of small cheap things that can be done, and it can be mostly done with unpaid student interns.