The official off season - season

[NJFlyr71]

So it is OFFICIALLY THE OFF SEASON for UD.

With the last of the NCAA games played by the Flyers Men and Women and the authorized celebration held yesterday evening, we can launch into the “SO what are we going to do next?” portion of the year.

There are a few posts here and there that touch on some of the topics, but to distill the “WHAT should UD do now?” thinking here is a couple potential To Do’s:

Strengthen OOC schedule.

Can we do this for next year or do we have to wait till the start in 2016?
Who would you place on the desired OOC schedule? [not counting exempt tourney’s]
Wichita State, Gonzaga, New Mexico, Iowa State. Who else? [Lets go west not east young man!]

Transfers.

What is our BIGGEST NEED to fill a gap OR is there a gap?
For 2015?
For 2016?

Season Ticket Allotment.
Place more season tickets on the public side and reduce the “student section”?
Lower Bowl?
Upper Arena?

I say we need to make the students fit within their expected usage and tone down the numbers they have available.

Up-date the arena game time environment?
Up-grade the sound system?
More BASS More body shakin boogie woogie vibes

Provide better recorded music played during timeouts? [not aimed at the Pep Band music] (declare certain games Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Country, Soul music games selected appropriate to getting the crowd energized)

Lights and Sound shows?
Use technology to 'light up the Video boards' coupled with the music. Mount lights that flash and dazzle with the motion of the music, etc.

Up-grade the video boards in what they display (pre-game, in game and post-game)?

And of course any other opinionated suggestions that can be addressed for the coming season or in the near term future.

Have at it! (I think )

[Buckleyma]

NJFlyr71, this is a very well written note. Thank you. I am surprised that this note did not get more responses. Perhaps, I am misunderstanding, are you wishing to reduce the seating capacity for UD students in favor of opening up more seats for full priced paying non-students? There is a fine line to be stepped here. It may be frustrating to see prime location seats not being utilized when full priced paying fans are sitting up in the nosebleed section. It may be frustrating to think that the university is not maximizing its revenue potential on every seat. However, these are university games and actually all about the students. This is not a professional sports venue or professional event. As a non-student, you and I are interlopers. The student body allows us to watch the games. It's not the other way around. The alumni and non-alumni fans at not most important. The students are the ones building the memories. It's their house. So, as an alumni, I am not certain that I would support taking away any seats allotted to students.
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[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Agree, nice post.

What about the old scoreboards on the ends? Been told for years they are beyond repair and nothing can be done. Well how about ripping them completely out, along with the few ads on the ends now, and replace with state of the art scoreboards here too. Yes, you can flash the adds on these occasionally too.

[Glen Clark]

Originally Posted by ClaytonFlyerFan Agree, nice post. What about the old scoreboards on the ends? Been told for years they are beyond repair and nothing can be done. Well how about ripping them completely out, along with the few ads on the ends now, and replace with state of the art scoreboards here too. Yes, you can flash the adds on these occasionally too.

Back in the last century the scoreboards behind the baskets showed other scores of interest.
Maybe the U could use some of the NCAA share revenue to bring that back.

_____________________
Whether your glass is half full or half empty, you still have more to drink

[number21]

I disagree that it is their house. I have been going to games since the arena opened and show up whether it is Coppin State or X. Todays students pick and choose what games they go to and usually only a strong contigent at the bigger games. In most cases these students are passing through for 4 years. I went to the games during the JOB era, could you imagine todays students showing up for those crappy teams?

That being said you still cannot take away any seats.

I would like to know out of town scores and I would like to know how many timeouts each team has left.

I would like them to fix the parking lot lanes so that people with A B or C passes don't mistakenly try to got into D and hold up traffic. Every game same story.

I would lilke the arena to be rockin every game like it was for BSU.

I would like it if they didn't let people walk down the aisles during live ball situations and make them wait on concourse for the next timeout.

I would like Archie Miller to come out and say "Me and my wife love it here and I plan on being here for a long long time".

OK i got a little sideways.

[Bill Elwood]

Originally Posted by Glen Clark Back in the last century the scoreboards behind the baskets showed other scores of interest. Maybe the U could use some of the NCAA share revenue to bring that back. _____________________ Whether your glass is half full or half empty, you still have more to drink

ed


What Glen and ClaytonFlyerFan said!! Loved seeing the updated conference scores.

[Medford]

Originally Posted by NJFlyr71 So it is OFFICIALLY THE OFF SEASON for UD. Season Ticket Allotment. Place more season tickets on the public side and reduce the “student section”? Lower Bowl? Upper Arena? I say we need to make the students fit within their expected usage and tone down the numbers they have available.

Perhaps in the 200 section of the lower arena and sell the upper tier, but I'd leave those to a single game purchase, not available until a day or so prior to the game, in order to give students the opportunity to purchase those tickets first. If they student don't claim them, open them up to the general public.

Up-date the arena game time environment? Up-grade the sound system? More BASS More body shakin boogie woogie vibes

So its all about the Bass

Up-grade the video boards in what they display (pre-game, in game and post-game)?

I'd agree with the comments above, update the score boards on the end, give it a fresh look. While out of town scores are nice, most people just get those on their phones, and its going to be updated far quicker on your phone than you'll see on the score boards, plus its not going to be geared towards a specific game that you want to follow. Out of town scores shown on scoreboards are becoming increasing "last century".

And of course any other opinionated suggestions that can be addressed for the coming season or in the near term future. Have at it! (I think )

I'd improve the parking situation. Similar to the student section, open up last lot for "single game" purchases, not available until a day or so prior to the game. There is no reason to have a half empty lot that you could be making money off of.

[N2663R]

Originally Posted by ClaytonFlyerFan What about the old scoreboards on the ends? Been told for years they are beyond repair and nothing can be done. Well how about ripping them completely out, along with the few ads on the ends now, and replace with state of the art scoreboards here too. Yes, you can flash the adds on these occasionally too.

What I was told last year regarding scoreboards was:

- They were still paying off the 4 large boards. Those cost in excess of $1million in total and they were requested to be put in by the NCAA.
- They have looked at installing long "ribbon" or "strip" boards (similar to the big boards) where the old end scoreboards are. Cost is the issue, but they are thinking about it.
- They did not put the large screens on the main scoreboard because of the weight. Remember when the roof collapsed during construction? Having said that, the new thin OLED screens weigh next to nothing, so in 10-15 years we might see the 4 large boards replaced with a new center video scoreboard. If nothing else, I'd like to see a screen covering the bottom of the center scoreboard with the image of Rudy, much like you see at other large arenas.

[CE80]

Originally Posted by N2663R What I was told last year regarding scoreboards was: - They were still paying off the 4 large boards. Those cost in excess of $1million in total and they were requested to be put in by the NCAA. - They have looked at installing long "ribbon" or "strip" boards (similar to the big boards) where the old end scoreboards are. Cost is the issue, but they are thinking about it. - They did not put the large screens on the main scoreboard because of the weight. Remember when the roof collapsed during construction? Having said that, the new thin OLED screens weigh next to nothing, so in 10-15 years we might see the 4 large boards replaced with a new center video scoreboard. If nothing else, I'd like to see a screen covering the bottom of the center scoreboard with the image of Rudy, much like you see at other large arenas.

I really can't picture the Arena's scoreboards but in Cleveland, they have a big jumbo one over the center of the court with screens facing 4 directions. They also have 4 scoreboards, with one in each corner. During Cav's games, the ones in corner show player stats , etc. However, during the NCAA regional games, the corner scoreboards were not used. Nothing but the NCAA logo was displayed.

What were the Arena's corner scoreboards used for during the First Four?

[N2663R]

Originally Posted by CE80 I really can't picture the Arena's scoreboards but in Cleveland, they have a big jumbo one over the center of the court with screens facing 4 directions. They also have 4 scoreboards, with one in each corner. During Cav's games, the ones in corner show player stats , etc. However, during the NCAA regional games, the corner scoreboards were not used. Nothing but the NCAA logo was displayed. What were the Arena's corner scoreboards used for during the First Four?

The 4 corner boards are video boards and are used for everything. The center scoreboard is the one they have always had and it's just the score, time outs, etc., no video whatsoever.

[SeasonTicketFan]

My biggest change would be fill the arena during the buy games and when students are gone with high school and grade school students. This would be similar to the straight A program offered by the Cincinnati Reds years ago. Sell 400 level tickets in blocks and cheap to fill the arena.

That program would fill the 400 level seats which are impossible to sell for buy games. It would offer three important things:
1) Fill the arena with fans who are excited about a buy game. I remember my first UD game at the Fieldhouse. Kids experiencing these games feel like any game is like the Pitt game
2) Expose Dayton recruits to UD earlier. Build some possible loyalty. The Dayton area has some very good talent. A friend of Tom Izzo's told me last year that Michigan State was going to recruit the Dayton area heavily for the next few years. Why not get some of those teams to attend games, so their teammates can help they decide on UD? If you could get Kennard of Payne in grade school to go to UD games, maybe you make them think harder about staying home.
3) Build the next generation of fans.

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Originally Posted by SeasonTicketFan My biggest change would be fill the arena during the buy games and when students are gone with high school and grade school students. This would be similar to the straight A program offered by the Cincinnati Reds years ago. Sell 400 level tickets in blocks and cheap to fill the arena. That program would fill the 400 level seats which are impossible to sell for buy games. It would offer three important things: 1) Fill the arena with fans who are excited about a buy game. I remember my first UD game at the Fieldhouse. Kids experiencing these games feel like any game is like the Pitt game 2) Expose Dayton recruits to UD earlier. Build some possible loyalty. The Dayton area has some very good talent. A friend of Tom Izzo's told me last year that Michigan State was going to recruit the Dayton area heavily for the next few years. Why not get some of those teams to attend games, so their teammates can help they decide on UD? If you could get Kennard of Payne in grade school to go to UD games, maybe you make them think harder about staying home. 3) Build the next generation of fans.

Originally Posted by Medford I'd improve the parking situation. Similar to the student section, open up last lot for "single game" purchases, not available until a day or so prior to the game. There is no reason to have a half empty lot that you could be making money off of.

I love SeasonTicketFans idea, but Medfords parking grip needs to be addressed first. As I have posted before mutliple times, nearly every game I was at lot D had the front third of the lot empty. Others have commented on the back part of Lot C being empty. Yet no passes are sold for single games. The bus idea sucks if your timing is not perfect to catch it before or after the game. The walk is easy, except for when it is raining, snowing, windy and cold, which seems to happen more times than not on game nights. Sell more parking passes, and work on a solution to expand parking in lot D.

And I said to myself earlier I did not want to hijack this thread with my parking complaint, sorry.

[rollo]

I believe it's against NCAA rules to 'give' tickets to any athletes...has to do with benefits and recruiting. My daughter's team tried that years ago and were refused for those or similar reasons.

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Originally Posted by rollo I believe it's against NCAA rules to 'give' tickets to any athletes...has to do with benefits and recruiting. My daughter's team tried that years ago and were refused for those or similar reasons.

I believe the rule says "recruitable athlete" which I believe the NCAA says is anyone who has entered the 9th grade.

At least that is the language the NCAA used when basically banning any and all high school age kids from being able to play AAU basketball events on NCAA Division 1 college campuses.

[SeasonTicketFan]

Originally Posted by rollo I believe it's against NCAA rules to 'give' tickets to any athletes...has to do with benefits and recruiting. My daughter's team tried that years ago and were refused for those or similar reasons.

I am not suggesting giving tickets away, but rather sell them in bulk to a school organization for a very low price.

[m21eagle45]

Originally Posted by SeasonTicketFan I am not suggesting giving tickets away, but rather sell them in bulk to a school organization for a very low price.

If you are selling them in bulk at a reduced price to anybody that can be considered "recruitable", even if it is through a school or organization where these students profit from this, then it is a recruiting violation.

[NJFlyr71]

Originally Posted by Medford Perhaps in the 200 section of the lower arena and sell the upper tier, but I'd leave those to a single game purchase, not available until a day or so prior to the game, in order to give students the opportunity to purchase those tickets first. If they student don't claim them, open them up to the general public.

I think the attendance for most games by the students is not enough to support all the seats allotted. I went to games in the fieldhouse my first year and I believe there were a total of 600. Obviously demand was much more than that which created a stir to get in the game. They don't typically have that anymore.

Let them earn it back. The students should have the lower bowl but give the upper sections to the general public or game packages (like A10 home games or special premium game series).

Originally Posted by Medford I'd improve the parking situation. Similar to the student section, open up last lot for "single game" purchases, not available until a day or so prior to the game. There is no reason to have a half empty lot that you could be making money off of.

I think parking sucks, there appears to be open space yet you can't park as part of general admission. You park OFF site and get a bus ride, which takes forever and a day to get back/forth. Plus I believe there is not enough buses to carry the peak demand especially post game back to the lots.

[NJFlyr71]

Originally Posted by N2663R What I was told last year regarding scoreboards was: - They were still paying off the 4 large boards. Those cost in excess of $1million in total and they were requested to be put in by the NCAA.

I forgot that they cost that much! But more to my point, $1M and they just don't strike me as being utilized with the level of technology that they could be pre-game, during TO's and any other time to display something of value.

Couple a video show with some on court activity (not during game time however). Get Communications, Computer Sci and Eng students involved in building some presentations. Make the $1M LOOK LIKE A MILLION BUCKS!