Attendance + crowd question

[legelsegel]

So to caveat: I moved out of the State as a teenager and have never been to a game in Iowa City.

1. For as long as I can remember (even during the latter years of Davis) we never fill up Carver during the first few games of the year. Granted, they the games are typically against cream puffs; however, if I was a student at a 30,000+ school, those would be fun games to go to. You're virtually guaranteed a win and it's going to be a fun blowout. With a team knocking on the door of the Top 25, how come that student section hasn't been packed the first few games? If anyone is a current student, is there not a lot of buzz on campus right now?

2. Why does it feel like the student section is so far away from the hoop. It looks like there is a significant gap on TV. I love watching games at Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa State because it feels like the fans are surrounding the game and the other team. For such a big arena, feels like there is much more that the program could be doing to make the environment more hostile for the other team. Maybe it's the perception caused by the camera--as I'll repeat, I've never been to a game in person before.

 

[Seth53]

Season ticket FB and BB holder here.

It's all about the product on the field/court. That includes the quality of opponent.

Then there's the magical "band wagon" effect which takes awhile to generate.

Personally, I love the mid-week early blowout games since as you suggested, people tend to stay away from those (work, school, etc).

Also, don't confuse "sell out" with "seats in butts". Especially at Kinnick, they *never* are the same figure.

Student promoting @ Iowa has always lacked. Always. I've seen FB games at every away venue (sans upstart Nebraska) and by far Illinois, MSU and PSU set the tone for student involvement.

.

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

Our seat configuration sucks in Carver. I can't understand why we have 4 ft wide aisles going all the way to the floor with only 10-11 seats between aisles. Other arenas seem to have solid seating/bleachers across most of the bottom rows (maybe bottom 10+ rows?)

Here's Duke's Cameron:

Michigan State's Breslin Center:

Wisconsin's Kohl Center:

Ohio State's Value City Arena:

 

[tm3308]

Our seat configuration sucks in Carver. I can't understand why we have 4 ft wide aisles going all the way to the floor with only 10-11 seats between aisles. Other arenas seem to have solid seating/bleachers across most of the bottom rows (maybe bottom 10+ rows?)

Here's Duke's Cameron:

Michigan State's Breslin Center:

Wisconsin's Kohl Center:

Ohio State's Value City Arena:

I think you have a valid point, but I wouldn't use Cameron as a comparison. It was built in 1940 and seats less than 10,000.

 

[HawksMN]

Kick the foggies out of the prime seats and move in the students. Most other schools do it.

and students you don't need to drink on week nights you losers, get to the games and support your top 25 team!

 

[bcl20]

Or drink before the game and be crazy ****ers!

 

[Hawk1960]

Kick the foggies out of the prime seats and move in the students. Most other schools do it.

and students you don't need to drink on week nights you losers, get to the games and support your top 25 team!

Exactly, let the students sit in the first 25 rows from behind the basket all the way around to the top of the key opposite the visitors bench. Anything above row 25 in those sections could be for general admission. The remaining 75% of the seats could be reserved for season ticket holders.

 

[clicheusername3]

Kick the foggies out of the prime seats and move in the students. Most other schools do it.

and students you don't need to drink on week nights you losers, get to the games and support your top 25 team!

Troll. You are obviously not a TruHok4LYF.

 

[1hawkeye1]

if I was a student at a 30,000+ school, those would be fun games to go to. You're virtually guaranteed a win and it's going to be a fun blowout.

The initial fun wears off pretty quickly when the other team is horrendous.

 

[FRANAMANIAC]

The seating configuration is such b/c Carver is also used for wrestling tournaments

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

The seating configuration is such b/c Carver is also used for wrestling tournaments

can you explain further? I don't understand why we need wide aisles every 10 seats?

 

[FRANAMANIAC]

can you explain further? I don't understand why we need wide aisles every 10 seats?

as far as the configuration of the seats/aisles, I do not know.

But the reason parts of the stands are so far from the court is b/c for a big wrestling tournament you need multiple rings. Arenas built with strictly basketball in mind can be made the dimensions of the court.

 

[tubahawk]

can you explain further? I don't understand why we need wide aisles every 10 seats?

The closer you get to the floor of the arena the shorter the isles. At the top of the arena there are approximately 25-30 seats between each isle. Also, the isles widen as you get to the top. It's about two people wide (comfortably) at the bottom. It gets to be about 4 people wide at the top.

 

[legelsegel]

Thanks for sharing--that was exactly my point. Surprised the Hawkeyes don't do more to facilitate a better basketball atmosphere. If I was a student, not only would I want to play for an amazing coach, but I'd want to play in an electric atmosphere.

Our seat configuration sucks in Carver. I can't understand why we have 4 ft wide aisles going all the way to the floor with only 10-11 seats between aisles. Other arenas seem to have solid seating/bleachers across most of the bottom rows (maybe bottom 10+ rows?)

Here's Duke's Cameron:

Michigan State's Breslin Center:

Wisconsin's Kohl Center:

Ohio State's Value City Arena:

 

[legelsegel]

Is it totally out of the picture to imagine a basketball oriented arena being built ever? Or with wrestling as prevalent as it is, is this something that will always be drawback for the program? Surprised they can't roll in more bleachers or something.

as far as the configuration of the seats/aisles, I do not know.

But the reason parts of the stands are so far from the court is b/c for a big wrestling tournament you need multiple rings. Arenas built with strictly basketball in mind can be made the dimensions of the court.

 

[FRANAMANIAC]

Is it totally out of the picture to imagine a basketball oriented arena being built ever? Or with wrestling as prevalent as it is, is this something that will always be drawback for the program? Surprised they can't roll in more bleachers or something.

I've half jokingly said with my friends that we should build a new basketball arena. I think we'd really have to become a perennial powerhouse for that, though.

 

[acharipar35]

As a student, I've been to every game so far. However, other students are eagerly waiting for the ND matchup. Most figure we will breeze by the other non-conference opponents, and it will help to have some success in the tournament over break. The second round of midterms last week didn't help either. As far as the seating, it would be nice to have a couple sections opposite of the away teams bench. The student section once was like that, right?

 

[ajkhawkeye]

Exactly, let the students sit in the first 25 rows from behind the basket all the way around to the top of the key opposite the visitors bench. Anything above row 25 in those sections could be for general admission. The remaining 75% of the seats could be reserved for season ticket holders.

Since there's no luxury seating or sky boxes, the only place you can put the big time donors is where they are currently sitting. Sucks for us students, but the athletic department has still gotta get those donations.

 

[Scotttyd]

Since there's no luxury seating or sky boxes, the only place you can put the big time donors is where they are currently sitting. Sucks for us students, but the athletic department has still gotta get those donations.

and that is exactly why the Dean Dome is being demolished/refurnished - that place is fricking huge - and they put the big money donors right down courtside - and stick many students in the rafters.

although Duke has nothing even remotely resembling luxury boxes, but they are able to still throw the students courtisde and making the big money donors sit up high, and they still have a waiting list a mile long to get season tickets, but then again, well, they are Duke. (where footbal season tickets are cheaper than a single game for basketball)

 

[tm3308]

I've half jokingly said with my friends that we should build a new basketball arena. I think we'd really have to become a perennial powerhouse for that, though.

I don't know about that. The big reason Carver is built the way it is, isn't because of wrestling/volleyball/gymnastics. It was built to also hold concerts, which is no longer a thing. Now they either cram everyone into the Field House or IMU ballroom, or put them outside in Hubbard Park. Not that those are always bad venues (depends on the artist), but Carver was designed for that and is no longer used for it. Which makes it stupid to have a less-than-sports-focused arena for two of our biggest sports.