News Mason Basketball Meet & Greet Set For Tuesday, Sept. 29th at EagleBank Arena

[Pikapppatri8]

I also spoke with James Meyer and asked him how season tickets were going. He indicated that they were ahead of last year but from the tone of his answer, it didn't sound like by very much.

Well it will take some time to get those numbers back up - if DP has the team moving in the right direction they will make progress in that direction. The fan base has been gang raped the past few years - it will take a little time for the memories and trauma to recede and trust be re-established.

 

[Pablo]

Villanova's $18.5 million Davis Center was fully funded by private donations - see

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgHzpL6wDwk
.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Pablo - good point - maybe we need to ask the AD if they want to start a campaign for this - I have a check. Not 18 million but a check. :0

 

[gmu05]

Villanova's $18.5 million Davis Center was fully funded by private donations - see

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgHzpL6wDwk
.

I'd be more interested in how schools on our level got funding for theirs, like Cleveland St and Delaware

 

[gmujim92]

Overall I agree with your statement - although this lays at the feet of the previous administration not Cabrera. I also don't find an issue with the practice facility not being in the capital campaign as it is at a high level. It's exclusion does not preclude a practice facility. As someone stated above it will probably be part of its own fundraising effort. I am more interested in how we start out the season. I think we need to calm down a bit - the Admin and the AD have made the right moves thus far - so they have earned a little leeway - at least from me.

I have to politely disagree PiKapp, only because I am extremely skeptical that our administration will allow millions of dollars in donations to be diverted to an athletic facility at the same time they're holding a capital campaign.

No. Freaking. Way. Not at Mason. It's just not in our DNA to go "all in" on athletics.

Oh, and for anyone who remains skeptical that we actually need a dedicated basketball practice facility, google the terms "Calipari," "Kentucky" and "UMass," then get back to me.

UMass just opened a new $25 million practice facility. They just landed their highest-ranked recruiting class ever, even coming off a mediocre season with a terrible in-game coach.

Coincidence? Yeah right.

 

[Pablo]

I'd be more interested in how schools on our level got funding for theirs, like Cleveland St and Delaware

http://wtvr.com/2014/03/11/vcu-basketball-complex/:

"The university said $14.5 million of the building's estimated $25 million cost was raised through private donations making this the 'single largest private fundraising project in vcu Athletics history.'

The remaining $10.5 million was acquired through 'non-state funding,' according to vcu.

'We aren’t using any new university fees for this project,' vcu Executive Associate Athletic Director Glenn Hofmann told RichmondBizSense.com. 'Any university fee revenue that we are getting currently we are reallocating to some extent to the practice facility.'”

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I have to politely disagree PiKapp, only because I am extremely skeptical that our administration will allow millions of dollars in donations to be diverted to an athletic facility at the same time they're holding a capital campaign.

No. Freaking. Way. Not at Mason. It's just not in our DNA to go "all in" on athletics.

Oh, and for anyone who remains skeptical that we actually need a dedicated basketball practice facility, google the terms "Calipari," "Kentucky" and "UMass," then get back to me.

UMass just opened a new $25 million practice facility. They just landed their highest-ranked recruiting class ever, even coming off a mediocre season with a terrible in-game coach.

Coincidence? Yeah right.

I am agreeing with you on the need for a facility - but I am not as pessimistic about the Admin not supporting this.

 

[The Great PATSby]

I think a cheaper alternative could be turning the RAC, formally known as the PE building into a student athlete only facility and closing it off to the general student population.

 

[Steve33]

I went to the event last night, my two cents is that everyone there seemed to be excited. I had a great conversation with coach Paulsen about how he hadnt had a chance to get a hot dog yet and how he and his family like Fairfax alot. That's about all we talked about. Also chatted at length with Assistant Dane Fisher. Now this guy is as down to earth as they come. I asked him how much convincing he needed to follow DP to Mason, he said it was a 2 minute phone call and he was in. Love's Fairfax, GMU Campus and the fan base. Got to meet some of the Freshmen class, DeAndre Abram, Otis Livingston, Danny Dixon, and all are very excited to get going.

For this being the first time ive been to this event i thought it was pretty cool. Would have been nice to see more people attend, but as ive read here, Tuesday night at 5:30 doesnt work for alot of folks. Throw rainy weather on it too. Even worse. Great to meet a bunch of great fans last night though.

 

[gmujim92]

I think a cheaper alternative could be turning the RAC, formally known as the PE building into a student only facility and closing it off to the general student population.

How do you turn the RAC into a "student-only facility" and then close it off to the general student population?

Are you suggesting to convert it into a basketball-only facility and bar the general student population from using it?

If so, I would support that plan -- recognizing that the other teams that use the RAC would be getting screwed, the university's tuition-paying stakeholders would be furious and the admin would never go for it.

Our basketball coaching staffs need to have a facility where they know they can have workouts and other team activities without being bumped out for the circus or a volleyball match or whatever. They also need to be able to offer recruits a place with 24-hour access to come work on their individual skills.

But the RAC isn't it.

 

[Pablo]

IMO, with such a wealthy alumni base and corporate sponsors as Mason has, there is no reason why a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility can't be fully funded through private donations and built next to EagleBank Arena.

 

[MasonFanatic]

I didn't ask about a practice facility, but Brad Edwards told me that the sound system in EagleBank Arena has been replaced, and that they are also doing some less publicly-visible stuff like remodeling the locker rooms.

 

[MasonFanatic]

IMO, with such a wealthy alumni base and corporate sponsors as Mason has, there is no reason why a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility can't be fully funded through private donations and built next to EagleBank Arena.

All it would take is a proper marketing campaign, including visibility into the progress of the campaign. I would recommend building a dedicated website with a $ counter, among other things.

 

[JBiggs]

I didn't ask about a practice facility, but Brad Edwards told me that the sound system in EagleBank Arena has been replaced, and that they are also doing some less publicly-visible stuff like remodeling the locker rooms.

What about the lighting?

 

[gmujim92]

IMO, with such a wealthy alumni base and corporate sponsors as Mason has, there is no reason why a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility can't be fully funded through private donations and built next to EagleBank Arena.

The obvious reason is that the president doesn't want it.

 

[The Great PATSby]

How do you turn the RAC into a "student-only facility" and then close it off to the general student population?

Are you suggesting to convert it into a basketball-only facility and bar the general student population from using it?

If so, I would support that plan -- recognizing that the other teams that use the RAC would be getting screwed, the university's tuition-paying stakeholders would be furious and the admin would never go for it.

Our basketball coaching staffs need to have a facility where they know they can have workouts and other team activities without being bumped out for the circus or a volleyball match or whatever. They also need to be able to offer recruits a place with 24-hour access to come work on their individual skills.

But the RAC isn't it.

whoops, I meant "student-athlete" only facility. my bad.

 

[MasonFanatic]

What about the lighting?

It hasn't been done yet, but it's on Brad Edwards' wish list. I think he said they are researching options.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

The obvious reason is that the president doesn't want it.

You are making assumptions here.

 

[gmujim92]

All it would take is a proper marketing campaign, including visibility into the progress of the campaign. I would recommend building a dedicated website with a $ counter, among other things.

If Edwards had somebody draw up renderings of what he wants the practice facility to be, and Cabrera gave him the freedom to launch an organized, aggressive fundraising drive specifically for that building, I have no doubt the money would come flowing in.

Unfortunately, I highly doubt Edwards is gonna be able to get anywhere near our wealthiest alumni and corporate donors because of the capital campaign.

 

[gmujim92]

You are making assumptions here.

Just using common sense. I'd be willing to bet you $100 that Edwards isn't the one standing in the way.