New Arena could be coming sooner than thought

[NickZepp]

https://www.normantranscript.com/ne...cle_f6fa79ca-8b96-11ec-921d-9f1c3b359c3e.html

Seems like it's still years away. But it could be moving towards that process. My guess is the SEC move is gonna bring in enough money to make it happen.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

It'd be better to have it on campus, but if this is what it takes to get a new arena, so be it.

 

[mict085]

On campus arena would be better, especially an OU basketball only arena. I don’t want a multipurpose arena.

OU should have an on campus arena for OU basketball only.

 

[BoulderSooner]

On campus arena would be better, especially an OU basketball only arena. I don’t want a multipurpose arena.

OU should have an on campus arena for OU basketball only.

north Norman will be better for attendance ..

 

[Swans]

It won’t be better for student attendance!

 

[Sooner Season]

It won’t be better for student attendance!

Boy that's for sure and that's what confuses me about proposals like this. To have any chance of revitalizing crowds for Oklahoma basketball the student attendance seems to be the first stone in the foundation but having an arena miles away from campus would absolutely kill student involvement.

I don't know what the answer is but this doesn't seem like a good one to me.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Boy that's for sure and that's what confuses me about proposals like this. To have any chance of revitalizing crowds for Oklahoma basketball the student attendance seems to be the first stone in the foundation but having an arena miles away from campus would absolutely kill student involvement.

I don't know what the answer is but this doesn't seem like a good one to me.

currently students drive to games ..

i dont' think it will hurt student attendance ..

 

[sooner333]

currently students drive to games ..

i dont' think it will hurt student attendance ..

At some point there's a cutoff as to how far someone is willing to drive to go to the game. I'm not sure that cutoff is North Norman for most, but it could be for some.

Also, if OU basketball starts playing in Moore, I might boycott on principle.

 

[skyvue]

Back in the Stone Age, when I was living in the dorms, parking was at a serious premium, so driving to a game would be problematic, if it meant giving up the space you'd spent half an hour driving around to find. Has that changed?

 

[BoulderSooner]

Back in the Stone Age, when I was living in the dorms, parking was at a serious premium, so driving to a game would be problematic, if it meant giving up the space you'd spent half an hour driving around to find. Has that changed?

the majority of students do NOT live in the dorms ..

 

[BoulderSooner]

Back in the Stone Age, when I was living in the dorms, parking was at a serious premium, so driving to a game would be problematic, if it meant giving up the space you'd spent half an hour driving around to find. Has that changed?

did you walk to LNC then??


we always drove from the dorms and always drove from off campus ..

 

[Sooner Season]

currently students drive to games ..

i dont' think it will hurt student attendance ..

We will have to disagree on that. Moser has to practically beg students to come to the game now when it's less than a mile from campus (plus let them in free) and you think driving to Moore or north Norman wouldn't affect attendance? Adult fans won't drive from OKC to Norman to attend so why would students drive the opposite way when attendance is a game time decision for most of them anyway?

 

[thegreyghost]

Not enough students attend games for that to be a huge factor/ this has been a big problem for the last 30 + years

The real problem is OU would be much better off building their own stand alone arena where they get to keep concessions and parking from all the events in it.

I certainly wouldn’t hold out much hope that this proposed arena is ever going to go with all politics involved.

 

[BoulderSooner]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/BPrzybylo/status/1494401797326360582?s=20&t=SeHoNTSL8JSczShQUqlngQ[/TWEET]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/BPrzybylo/status/1494409250281512962?s=20&t=SeHoNTSL8JSczShQUqlngQ[/TWEET]

 

[SoonerBounce13]

As a nonstudent, I would love one on the north side of town and I really think it would convince me to go to a handful of games each year instead of just 1 or 2.

I would hate it for the students, but they are a small percentage of the targetted audience.
The school would have to really up their game and get creative to get students there

 

[Stikboy]

Where can you get Moser's availability today? Can't find it anywhere. OU basketball coverage never ceases to amaze me.

 

[TINY]

I think student attendance would be similar because the students will be able to eat/drink before/after the game right on site. The out of town attendance would go up.

 

[61sooner]

Why can't free bus service be provided to transport students to games regardless of where a new basketball arena is place?

 

[mict085]

I don’t understand those that argue against a new arena. They always say “if we win it won’t matter” but they fail to acknowledge the fact that LNC is a detriment to recruiting, which is the lifeblood of every program. It’s a horrible place to watch a basketball game and the atmosphere is terrible. The concrete everywhere gives it a bad mojo too. It’s outdated and everything about it is a hurdle for the program to overcome.

We absolutely need a new arena if we really want OU Basketball to be successful. It would help with recruiting, GAMEDAY atmosphere, and attracting more fans, especially the next generation of fans. The program should be improving every aspect it can control to give us the best chance at winning. We have enough natural obstacles that we can’t control. We should remove any obstacles that we can control and LNC is one of those. Its terrible and many of our regional rivals have built newer and nicer arenas that create a better fan and player experience. We are way behind and it needs to be remedied.

 

[skyvue]

I've been to many games at LNC -- not in a few years, but many over the years -- and I never once gave a thought to the arena. There was a reasonably comfortable seat and an OU game being played out on the court. That's all i've ever required.

I'm not against a new arena -- I'm not sure anyone is. I just don't buy that it'll make a huge difference in the long term. I don't believe that it will change the culture around Sooner basketball. There'll be some increased interest at first due to the curiosity factor, but that uptick will level out before long unless we happen to have a top-notch, highly ranked team at the time (and who knows--maybe we will).