New ARENA as part of entertainment District

[bcsooner]

The 8k capacity is an issue. Long term, you've got to give yourself flexibility, which an additional 1-2k would've done. I imagine the gymnastics program can't be too thrilled. For a blue blood like them with great brand recognition, the new arena size will be underwhelming. How are meets going to fit? Based off renderings, capacity will be reduced to at least 5-6k as they'll need a more expansive floor. They already average well over that at the LNC. Very short sighted.

 

[TINY]

I agree. Because he made a statement about it when it was first announced in the summer I think.

Yes and he also went to the city council meetings and spoke about how important it is. He was extremely outspoken and I appreciated that.

His silence now is deafening.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Cameron Indoor sits 9,314 at capacity. 8k is plenty enough for OU, but think 10k would be ideal. As long as the seats are closer to the court and there is a true college basketball atmosphere, that's all that matters.

OU being the smallest arena in the SEC is a joke ..

duke is a tiny private school ..

 

[BoulderSooner]

The 8k capacity is an issue. Long term, you've got to give yourself flexibility, which an additional 1-2k would've done. I imagine the gymnastics program can't be too thrilled. For a blue blood like them with great brand recognition, the new arena size will be underwhelming. How are meets going to fit? Based off renderings, capacity will be reduced to at least 5-6k as they'll need a more expansive floor. They already average well over that at the LNC. Very short sighted.

this is correct .. but that is what you get with Joe C .. Very short sighted.

 

[TINY]

this is correct .. but that is what you get with Joe C .. Very short sighted.

Are you going to pay for the cost of the extra 2k seats? You are being very unreasonable. Just because you like ou basketball a lot doesn’t mean that the rest of the donor base and fans feel the same. The evidence that ou fanbase largely doesn’t care much about men’s basketball goes back decades. At least not enough to be competing with the programs and donors that are committed being the best.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

Yes and he also went to the city council meetings and spoke about how important it is. He was extremely outspoken and I appreciated that.

His silence now is deafening.

Porter knows he'll never get to coach in it.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

maybe they'll play a game or two ...when the demand for tickets is there....in the lloyd noble.....for old times sake

Probably not.

Incidentally, this is the 50th anniversary of the LNC. OU wisely has not commemorated it with the new arena in limbo until yesterday.

It would be good to mark a sendoff celebratory season at the LNC when we have an opening date for the new arena. LNC is a dump now, but it's our dump. It has a lot of memories and a lot of great moments in Sooner history happened there.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Are you going to pay for the cost of the extra 2k seats? You are being very unreasonable. Just because you like ou basketball a lot doesn’t mean that the rest of the donor base and fans feel the same. The evidence that ou fanbase largely doesn’t care much about men’s basketball goes back decades. At least not enough to be competing with the programs and donors that are committed being the best.

the size is because joe c failed to support the 2017 plan when the cost for 10k was possible with the TIF .. the reality is the 8k is all the tif can build .

but that still is a failure by Joe C and the athletics dept ..

 

[SoonerDutch]

Yes and he also went to the city council meetings and spoke about how important it is. He was extremely outspoken and I appreciated that.

His silence now is deafening.

Probably too deep devising inbound plays to be disturbed.

 

[SoonerDutch]

Is there a long-term plan for the LNC? MBB, WBB, & women’s gymnastics are all moving to UNP?

I still imagine they will need an indoor venue that seats 10k for like Price or Arts & Science graduations?

 

[mict085]

I didn’t realize there were only 5000 regular seats. How many do we have to give up to SEC visitors? This is not good. Another failure by Joe C.

 

[Wayman Fan 2]

and of course the other issue will be getting people to actually use the tickets they buy ..

OU has had over 9k season ticket holders most of the last 30 years .. and often half (or more ) of those would not show up to games .. (and lots of time those were the high dollar seats)

This is because you can get Sooner Club points (to be used towards football seating priority and OU-Texas tickets, etc.) by being a season ticket holder for basketball. Another example of Joe C’s M.O. of revenue generation above all else. I’m all for revenue generation, but we have to draw a line somewhere. Just like the ridiculous west side renovation project.

 

[mict085]

The more I think about it, the more pissed off I am at Joe c for ruining the basketball program. Negligence.

 

[MJSooner]

This is because you can get Sooner Club points (to be used towards football seating priority and OU-Texas tickets, etc.) by being a season ticket holder for basketball. Another example of Joe C’s M.O. of revenue generation above all else. I’m all for revenue generation, but we have to draw a line somewhere. Just like the ridiculous west side renovation project.

Not really a factor.

Only get credit for attending games, very minimal amount. The purchase of the season ticket counts nothing toward Sooner Club points.

The donation is where the most points come from, and it wouldn’t matter if you gave it toward basketball or just gave extra to football.

No advantage for a football season ticket holder to purchase basketball to enhance Sooner Club status.

 

[Wayman Fan 2]

Not really a factor.

Only get credit for attending games, very minimal amount. The purchase of the season ticket counts nothing toward Sooner Club points.

The donation is where the most points come from, and it wouldn’t matter if you gave it toward basketball or just gave extra to football.

No advantage for a football season ticket holder to purchase basketball to enhance Sooner Club status.

That’s what they tell you, but it is not entirely accurate.

 

[BoulderSooner]

That’s what they tell you, but it is not entirely accurate.

you get 1 point for having tickets to different sports that is all . the donation is what matter s..

 

[MJSooner]

That’s what they tell you, but it is not entirely accurate.

Why is that not entirely accurate? It’s laid out in the Sooner Club Guide at soonerclub.com, nothing secret about it.

• 1 point per $100 donation for seats.
• 3 points per $100 for Cash Champion club donation.
• 1 point per season ticket purchased.

Based on those points, better off and get more points for donating extra to the SoonerClub not related to a seat donation vs buying seats for basketball.

Been a season ticket holder in both sports for 23 years and can attest this is the way it works for real.

But I will agree that Joe C has totally flubbed these recent pending facility announcements without any consideration of the average fans.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

IIRC the current plans have no ability to expand ..

they wanted 10k .. but that planed TIF arena was voted down 5-4 in 2017 ..

when they brought the plan back .. the same amount of TIF would only build 8k .. and it passed 5-4

this is not ideal .. but as has been said it it better then nothing (which was the other option) ..

this will only have about 5-6k normal seats .. 1000-1500 club and 500 suites ..

Dang. Didn’t realize it was so small

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I can’t believe we will finally be done with orange seats

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

I can’t believe we will finally be done with orange seats

I remember sitting in them when they were red.

Those 1975 vintage plastic seats would be nice at auction. Historical souvenirs. OU will probably find something to do with Lloyd Noble, though, and keep those seats.