Time to move the students

[BA96MA99]

(In my best old geezer voice...)

When I was a student, when CHA was filled up all the time, I had Row 40 season tickets near the southeast entrace as a student, and was happy to have them. Two years later I got front row seats. Best memories ever.

Sure, move the students. But the students will show up when the basketball is good, and CHA will get loud when the basketball is good.

Let the fat cats keep their seats. In fact, charge extra for them--gotta pay for buyouts somehow.

 

[DuffMan]

It's a double edged sword. Yes if they show up having them in the first few rows would be awsome. If they don't show up it would look terrible. I too think they would come back once we start winning games but relying on a group that has been proven to be a bit whimsicle when it comes to going to bball games would make me nervous.

IMO you just can't put all the kids around the lower sections unless you are 100% certain they will show up in force like they do at Duke, MichSt8, etc.

 

[HawKCP]

The students have messed this up almost as bad as the AD. They could have taken the high road and continued to show up through thick and thin but when the going gets tough you can count on the students not showing up. It's a two way street, do you give primo seats to kids that pay tiddly winks and might not show up? Or do you sell those seats for big money and who cares if anyone sits in them they are bought and paid for?

So by saying that the students aren't showing up because of where they currently sit aren't you just proving my point? If they gave two craps wouldn't they show up just because they want to cheer for their school? I'm not blaming anyone, I'm blaming everyone take it easy. Are you an RA or something?

You called out the students...and while they deserve some blame...they are the least to blame of all those responsible. The main thing that irritates me is that people on these boards seem to be pretty quick to point the finger at everyone but themselves (Barta, Lickliter, Alford, students, Jon Beutjer, Marcelo Gomez, Pierre Pierce, am I missing anyone). The Iowa fans are the most responsible group for the mess that Iowa basketball is in...who was the last coach that wasn't run out of town by the fans? If you ask me...it's not Tom Davis...or Lute Olson...or George Raveling. And make no mistake...we are in this position because of coaching changes...plain and simple.

Keep in mind...the side of the court in the student section was always full...so you're asking students to show up to a more than half empty arena and sit behind the basket. I do realize they receive discounted prices on tickets...but c'mon they're students do you realize how much a beer costs at Brothers...much less if you have to pay some upper classman extra to go get it for you...you're buying at least 2 beers for every 1 you get to drink.

 

[HawKCP]

It's a double edged sword. Yes if they show up having them in the first few rows would be awsome. If they don't show up it would look terrible. I too think they would come back once we start winning games but relying on a group that has been proven to be a bit whimsicle when it comes to going to bball games would make me nervous.

IMO you just can't put all the kids around the lower sections unless you are 100% certain they will show up in force like they do at Duke, MichSt8, etc.

Michigan does it too.

 

[clicheusername3]

But why should the students be held to a higher standard than the general public? It still costs money for students to go to the games.

Because they are current students at the University. They have every advantage to go to games over the general public. It's part of the college experience. There are a whole bunch of Iowa fans in the general public that live no where near CHA, never even went to Iowa, never even went to college period, and certainly aren't alums.

 

[MikeDog70]

I'm far from an architect, but my thoughts have always been this: Right now, the floor has the walking space around it with chairs on the floor and pull out bleachers behind them. A few rows higher, the permanent seats start. Would it be possible/beneficial to slide the pull out bleachers closer to the floor, and making the walkway around the arena a cement slab between the pull outs and the permanent seats? That way, if the people who surround the court (students mostly hopefully) want to stand, they can and the people sitting in the permanent seats behind them can still get a decent look at the game with the added distance the walkway would provide. Granted, they would have people walking in front of them from time to time, but still, it would get fans even closer to the action. One problem I saw with this was I wasn't sure how this would affect wrestling when they have those pull out bleachers pushed in to accommodate a multi-mat tourney?

 

[HawKCP]

I'm far from an architect, but my thoughts have always been this: Right now, the floor has the walking space around it with chairs on the floor and pull out bleachers behind them. A few rows higher, the permanent seats start. Would it be possible/beneficial to slide the pull out bleachers closer to the floor, and making the walkway around the arena a cement slab between the pull outs and the permanent seats? That way, if the people who surround the court (students mostly hopefully) want to stand, they can and the people sitting in the permanent seats behind them can still get a decent look at the game with the added distance the walkway would provide. Granted, they would have people walking in front of them from time to time, but still, it would get fans even closer to the action. One problem I saw with this was I wasn't sure how this would affect wrestling when they have those pull out bleachers pushed in to accommodate a multi-mat tourney?

I believe they have a similar setup to what you described at Duke...the bleachers for students and then a railing behind them...but I don't think there is a walkway...which brings the fans even closer to the action.

What do you really need a walkway for anyway? Maybe it's more important at other sporting events...as Cameron Indoor doesn't need to support wrestling meets, etc.

http://pictures.replayphotos.com/im...r-stadium-interior-2009-d-sic-sip-00011lg.jpg

http://duketower.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/cameron-indoor-stadium.jpg

 

[parquet]

I'm far from an architect, but my thoughts have always been this: Right now, the floor has the walking space around it with chairs on the floor and pull out bleachers behind them. A few rows higher, the permanent seats start. Would it be possible/beneficial to slide the pull out bleachers closer to the floor, and making the walkway around the arena a cement slab between the pull outs and the permanent seats? That way, if the people who surround the court (students mostly hopefully) want to stand, they can and the people sitting in the permanent seats behind them can still get a decent look at the game with the added distance the walkway would provide. Granted, they would have people walking in front of them from time to time, but still, it would get fans even closer to the action. One problem I saw with this was I wasn't sure how this would affect wrestling when they have those pull out bleachers pushed in to accommodate a multi-mat tourney?

If you move the pullout bleachers closer to the floor, the standing students would block the view of even more rows of the permanent seats. Right now they tarp off five rows behind the standing students. In your scenario, that would become at least ten rows.

You do identify the biggest structural problem with getting more people close to the court, the walking area behind the scoring/press tables. The bleachers start farther back than a lot of arenas.

 

[Billso]

If you give primo seating to students that accomplishes two objectives...number one it would go a long way in assuring that students are at the games (behind the basket really does suck)...number two it would go a long way in creating a winning environment. It would make us a much tougher team to beat in Carver...and even when the team is bad...if CHA is rocking (which it would be with students down front)...then the general public is more likely to come than when you've got a bad team and a boring arena.

Great post, and great idea by the OP. Get it done.