Carver Arena is BORING

[hawkation]

The problem with carver isn’t the students, it’s the crowd that the UofI is attracting to the games. It’s my 1[SUP]st[/SUP] season as a season ticket holder and in my opinion, Carver is a family-friendly environment. Changes need to come from the University. The half-time shows, time-out fillers, video boards are all stale. They haven't gotten old, real quick – it's seems like an attempt to attract families. Not rowdy fans.

The video boards only show limited stats during the game & they never show the blown-call instant re-plays. I am in section FF near the tunnel and both video boards are off to one-side or another. Anyone sitting on the end of the court can’t watch the video board and the floor at the same time. The large video boards on each end of the court shows advertising. Really?! "Mediacom" court needs a real scoreboard mounted above the court with a large screen for everyone to see. I would also like to see the instant replay controversial calls. This will get the crowd into the game.

All of the time-out fillers are an attempt to get the audience in the game during the time-outs are a joke. They are good for kids. It’s also a good time for me to check the game stats on my phone, since the stats on the board are a joke. Not everyone is playing games or texting on their phones.

I think Carver is a great building and we have the best court in the BIG. I love the tiger-hawk at midcourt and what’s better then the black parquet flooring? No bench seating as far as I can tell. How bad would that suck to have to sit on high school bench the entire game? Northwestern. I also love the single tier stadium, not having to walk up steps to get to my seat or the floor before the game. Minnesota.

Last complaint is getting out of Iowa City. Why can’t all lanes go in one direction away from the stadium after the game for 1 hour? Right lane – right turn only. Left 2 lanes – left turn only. Center lane – any direction you want to go.

Either way, I love Carver-Hawkeye and will gladly drive from Des Moines for every home game. I also understand why people leave early, as 7 am comes up fast.

Go Hawks!

 

[Jazzmonkey]

All lanes can't go away from Carver because there is a major hospital right down the road, among other things happening around the arena, like people who study and live there. ✌

 

[HawkeyeBriGuy]

Not sure if this has already been said but why not try overselling the student tickets. Just lower the price and sell more student tickets. If you don't show up early or show up late, you don't get in. Iowa State does that I believe.

 

[Cardinals54]

Watch your language, posts such as that have no place on this forum. Many of our children read this forum. Also, 1985 is wrong. Public funds need not be used either as donations are often times raised for these projects. Let us just look at the reality of how long the team has used facilities.

Close Hall 2 years (1902-1904).
The Armory 14 years ( 1905-1919).
The "new" Armory (later ajoined to fieldhouse) 6 years (1920-1926)
The Fieldhouse 55 years (1927-1982)

Plans to replace the field house were first proposed by Ralph Miller in the late 1960s. Approximately 15 years before it was completed. So yes it might be time to start planning.

Lol. That's why I didn't use the exact term or spelling, Reverend. I know Carver is older than '85. I was there when the doors first opened. It was used as a generic timeline for 30+ year old arenas and the ridiculous acceptance that a new facility should only be expected to last 30-40 years. If you build a new house, are you only expecting it to last 35 years and then tear it down and build a new one? This seems to be the mindset for athletic arenas. Lighten up.

 

[tm3308]

The problem with carver isn’t the students, it’s the crowd that the UofI is attracting to the games. It’s my 1[SUP]st[/SUP] season as a season ticket holder and in my opinion, Carver is a family-friendly environment. Changes need to come from the University. The half-time shows, time-out fillers, video boards are all stale. They haven't gotten old, real quick – it's seems like an attempt to attract families. Not rowdy fans.

The video boards only show limited stats during the game & they never show the blown-call instant re-plays. I am in section FF near the tunnel and both video boards are off to one-side or another. Anyone sitting on the end of the court can’t watch the video board and the floor at the same time. The large video boards on each end of the court shows advertising. Really?! "Mediacom" court needs a real scoreboard mounted above the court with a large screen for everyone to see. I would also like to see the instant replay controversial calls. This will get the crowd into the game.

All of the time-out fillers are an attempt to get the audience in the game during the time-outs are a joke. They are good for kids. It’s also a good time for me to check the game stats on my phone, since the stats on the board are a joke. Not everyone is playing games or texting on their phones.

I think Carver is a great building and we have the best court in the BIG. I love the tiger-hawk at midcourt and what’s better then the black parquet flooring? No bench seating as far as I can tell. How bad would that suck to have to sit on high school bench the entire game? Northwestern. I also love the single tier stadium, not having to walk up steps to get to my seat or the floor before the game. Minnesota.

Last complaint is getting out of Iowa City. Why can’t all lanes go in one direction away from the stadium after the game for 1 hour? Right lane – right turn only. Left 2 lanes – left turn only. Center lane – any direction you want to go.

Either way, I love Carver-Hawkeye and will gladly drive from Des Moines for every home game. I also understand why people leave early, as 7 am comes up fast.

Go Hawks!

I can't tell you who I heard it from, but I was told when I was shooting yesterday's game that this is very much being discussed, possibly for as soon as next season.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

No this is long term planning for the 2030s or maybe the 2040s. One of the big reasons for this is land planning. If future space on campus is not reserved it could push the new facility far away from campus thus making it not as student friendly. This is why planning the recreation building site or some other close space is a good idea. As I stated above it is not too early for long term planning, but yes this would be to early for construction.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Figures. Ok, so whoever is in charge of the student section (if anyone?) needs to say "no phones - come and cheer!"

I never understood why you would bother going to a game or something if you're just going to sit there and d!ck around on your phone all night and ignore what's going on around you. Can anyone peel themselves away from their phones for 5 fricken minutes anymore?

Must be an Iowa thing, then, because other student sections seem to, you know, actually pay attention to the game and make noise.

I can see going on Twitter or whatever to get in-game updates (i.e., injuries, etc.) that aren't clear from your seat. But spending the whole darn game on your phone? I don't get it, either.

 

[jjh4hawks01]

I swear some of the nutjobs on hawkeye lounge do this.

 

[ssckelley]

Discussing a new arena is crazy talk, I love Carver the building itself and the way it is built into a hill is neat. All they need to do is renovate it by changing the seating and the aisles. The arena is not breaking down, nor is it falling apart.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

The Fieldhouse was great too, yet they moved. Although it was great in a far different way. Still men's basketball only used it for 55 years with the plans to replace it starting about 40 years into it's lifespan. I think it was the On Iowa podcast that mentioned this and got me thinking. So as a fan I want to express my opinion.

 

[ssckelley]

The Fieldhouse was great too, yet they moved. Although it was great in a far different way. Still men's basketball only used it for 55 years with the plans to replace it starting about 40 years into it's lifespan. I think it was the On Iowa podcast that mentioned this and got me thinking. So as a fan I want to express my opinion.

So is engineering and construction stayed the same to where these buildings still only last as long as they did back then? I walk around Carver and it still has the feel of a fairly new arena, I don't see anything falling apart. Of course I don't get to be in the locker rooms or in any other part of the arena, perhaps it is filled with rats and falling apart like the old Fieldhouse was.

 

[bcl20]

So is engineering and construction stayed the same to where these buildings still only last as long as they did back then? I walk around Carver and it still has the feel of a fairly new arena, I don't see anything falling apart. Of course I don't get to be in the locker rooms or in any other part of the arena, perhaps it is filled with rats and falling apart like the old Fieldhouse was.

When i bought student tickets, which is about 10 years now so this is useless but i make a crapton of annoying posts so whatever, we toured the locker rooms and they seemed cool enough for me and it was Steve Alford who took us on the tour so there was only one rat.

And yes i rambled on so i could make my Alford is a rat joke.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Discussing a new arena is crazy talk, I love Carver the building itself and the way it is built into a hill is neat. All they need to do is renovate it by changing the seating and the aisles. The arena is not breaking down, nor is it falling apart.

I like Carver too - I think the arena itself is fine. It's unique and the atmosphere can be great... When the crowd cares. Usually, people just sit there with their hands in their laps. Even when MSU came to town this year (ranked #1!) and Iowa started out up 10-4 or something, and the response from the crowd was just some polite clapping. WTF. You'd have thought the crowd would've been amped and ready to go for a game like that, at least. It's really a mystery to me.

I don't have the answers, but someone just needs to figure out a way to inject some life back into the place, because clearly a Top 5 ranked team isn't enough. Building a shiny new arena isn't the answer to this particular problem IMO.

 

[ssckelley]

I like Carver too - I think the arena itself is fine. It's unique and the atmosphere can be great... When the crowd cares. Usually, people just sit there with their hands in their laps. Even when MSU came to town this year (ranked #1!) and Iowa started out up 10-4 or something, and the response from the crowd was just some polite clapping. WTF. You'd have thought the crowd would've been amped and ready to go for a game like that, at least. It's really a mystery to me.

I don't have the answers, but someone just needs to figure out a way to inject some life back into the place, because clearly a Top 5 ranked team isn't enough. Building a shiny new arena isn't the answer to this particular problem IMO.

It doesn't help that those former raucous fans that have been around since the Fieldhouse days are getting old. The arena itself can still generate good crowd noise, I can remember being at a NIT game in Frans 2nd season when they got to host Dayton and it got so loud it was deafening and my kids were covering their ears. But that crowd that attended that game was different, IIRC you had the option to purchase those seats where the donors normally sit.

But we are talking issues that a simple renovation could fix. They need to change the seating, the way they designed the aisles from the top going all the way down to the floor are all screwed up. They need a landing about 2/3rds of the way down (or so) and reshuffle the aisles in the lower levels to accommodate more seats (or bleachers if you want to move students) instead of steps. Give those donors the prime seats right on top of the landing, it would have the best views then they could sit and clap all game without people standing in front of them.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

I am not sure about that, but I will look on Sunday's game. I would also like to do more historical research into Ralph Miller's reasoning and exactly what the scale model for the new arena looked like vs what it ended up being.

Also it is not exactly obvious at what point renovation is less cost effective than replacement. Could they have modernized the lower level seating, locker rooms, restrooms and concession areas at the fieldshouse too? Could they have done something different with the armory wing of seating to increase capacity and reduce the echo? Did the design limit plans too much? Does the CHA design make it too difficult now?

Above all is it easier to fundraise for a new arena vs a renovation. Generally these things take time too answer, and complete. An exception to this happened in 1924. Paul Belting as it said, he quickly determined that Iowa would need new athletic facilities for basketball and football. He also set up the funds at great speed and had them both built within 5 years! I doubt that could happen again.

 

[tksirius]

There is a rumor on another site suggesting that a new scoreboard (supposedly in the center of the arena) among other changes are going to happen after this season. Anyone heard about this?

 

[zhawk]

I can't tell you who I heard it from, but I was told when I was shooting yesterday's game that this (a center-hugn score/videboard) is very much being discussed, possibly for as soon as next season.

I think that would be great. I seem to recall some time ago people saying that a center scoreboard/videoboard wouldn't work in Carver because the ceiling isn't high enough or something? Perhaps the technology has advanced to where that's no longer an issue.

 

[sioux34]

I think the problem with a center mounted scoreboard/screen is the design of the roof not able to support the weight. It is pretty much a tent you may recall.

 

[hawkation]

All lanes can't go away from Carver because there is a major hospital right down the road, among other things happening around the arena, like people who study and live there. ✌

All roads may not be able to go away from Carver but changes can be made to make exiting more efficient. ‘finkbine commuter drive’has a north and south entrance. Open both lanes to the south entrance going away from Carver.

I havent left a game early yet, but have no problem with those who do. Especially if you have to wait in your car 30 min or more to get out of a parking lot on top of a 2-hour drive home. There are ways they can make getting to the interstate more efficient, its just a matter of importance to the university or city. Are fans leaving early really a big deal?

 

[hawkation]

I think the problem with a center mounted scoreboard/screen is the design of the roof not able to support the weight. It is pretty much a tent you may recall.

There are 2 huge screens on each end of the court that can be used. They only have advertising. Why? The video is shown on the 2 smallest screens in the building.