Tramel: "OSU would have been better off with old GIA"

[AdaSooner]

Berry Tramel has some interesting things to say about OSU's decision to more than double the capacity of the old GIA, as well as how the arena has gone from what was once a packed house to an atmosphere of what he calls, "an antiseptic game day." Interesting, too, that while the number of students with season tickets has increased, OSU's AD, Mike Holder, says that 600 of the students still haven't picked them up.

Things have sure changed since the good ol' days when OSU students camped out on the front lawn to be first in line at the old GIA.

And, yes, I know this has been discussed before. So, sue me, or better still start your own thread on a slow day.


http://newsok.com/osu-would-have-been-better-off-with-the-old-gallagher-iba-arena/article/3748789

 

[bocabull]

I stopped reading when he called it "the states best sporting venue". That's ridiculous.

 

[scrybe]

I neither want nor need to make excuses for OSU, but I have a little different opinion than Berry on the Cowboys' inability to fill GIA.

While there's probably some validity to what he's saying, I believe the attendance problems at OSU have more to do with this: The one-and-done rule is killing college basketball. Look around, you'll see the same thing happening at D1 schools throughout the U.S.

But, hey, at least the NBA is strong!

 

[campbest]

I neither want nor need to make excuses for OSU, but I have a little different opinion than Berry on the Cowboys' inability to fill GIA.

While there's probably some validity to what he's saying, I believe the attendance problems at OSU have more to do with this: The one-and-done rule is killing college basketball. Look around, you'll see the same thing happening at D1 schools throughout the U.S.

But, hey, at least the NBA is strong!

Then why would the NBA care?

 

[CoachTalk]

Then why would the NBA care?

They dont care. In fact, nothing will change, NBA is all about developing their D-league. Minor league system is here to stay.

 

[AdaSooner]

I neither want nor need to make excuses for OSU, but I have a little different opinion than Berry on the Cowboys' inability to fill GIA.

While there's probably some validity to what he's saying, I believe the attendance problems at OSU have more to do with this: The one-and-done rule is killing college basketball. Look around, you'll see the same thing happening at D1 schools throughout the U.S.

But, hey, at least the NBA is strong!

He is also wrong in that every school in the country packs the house for all of their games. I remember reading an article a few years back with quotes from Coach K complaining about the attendance at Cameron Indoor.

I'm sure he was talking about Duke's lesser games, not when UNC comes to town. Still, it's not like the elite basketball schools don't have a problem with empty seats these days. It's also easier to fill every seat in a 9,314 capacity Cameron Indoor arena than in a much larger LNC or GIA. That gets to the heart of what Berry is saying, and it's something I definitely agree with.

 

[skyvue]

He is also wrong in that every school in the country packs the house for all of their games.

He also doesn't understand what "salad days" means.

Since Iba's retirement, oswho fans have shown solid support to one coach and one coach only: Sutton. So it was foolish -- one might even say arrogant -- of them to assume they'd fill a 13,000-seat arena going forward.

 

[DenverSooner]

I neither want nor need to make excuses for OSU, but I have a little different opinion than Berry on the Cowboys' inability to fill GIA.

While there's probably some validity to what he's saying, I believe the attendance problems at OSU have more to do with this: The one-and-done rule is killing college basketball. Look around, you'll see the same thing happening at D1 schools throughout the U.S.

But, hey, at least the NBA is strong!

Why? Wasn't the old rule that guys could go to the NBA directly from high school? I think Moses Malone, Dawkins, Garnett, Kobe and others all did it. Was there a period when guys had to play in college for more than one year?

I think what is killing college basketball more than the one and done rule is the NBA's willingness to speculate on potential more now than they did in the past.

 

[AdaSooner]

He also doesn't understand what "salad days" means.

Since Iba's retirement, oswho fans have shown solid support to one coach and one coach only: Sutton. So it was foolish -- one might even say arrogant -- of them to assume they'd fill a 13,000-seat arena going forward.

Good point. It could easily have been smaller, of course, except that a 13,000 plus arena gave them a "one-up" on a certain school to the south. One has to wonder how much that played a role in their decision to build it bigger?

 

[WTSooner]

Why? Wasn't the old rule that guys could go to the NBA directly from high school? I think Moses Malone, Dawkins, Garnett, Kobe and others all did it. Was there a period when guys had to play in college for more than one year?

I think what is killing college basketball more than the one and done rule is the NBA's willingness to speculate on potential more now than they did in the past.

Agree that the one and done doesn't appear to be the biggest reason for the struggles in college ball. How many freshmen declared for the draft last year?

I'm not sure what exactly the problem is, and while I don't think the one and dones are the reason, I do hope the chance the rule soon. Something like baseball has would be solid. You can enter the draft right out of HS, or you have to wait two years. Don't see how that could be a bad rule.

 

[KBaden145]

Good point. It could easily have been smaller, of course, except that a 13,000 plus arena gave them a "one-up" on a certain school to the south. One has to wonder how much that played a role in their decision to build it bigger?

Both arenas need to be at a tight, cozy 9000-10,000 seat capacity.

By the way, OState also overshot on the capacity at BPS by about 5000 or so. Should have made it 55,000 expandable to 70,000 not 60,000 and 75,000.

 

[Big Old Booger]

He also doesn't understand what "salad days" means.

Since Iba's retirement, oswho fans have shown solid support to one coach and one coach only: Sutton. So it was foolish -- one might even say arrogant -- of them to assume they'd fill a 13,000-seat arena going forward.

This is spot-on.

When Sutton retired is when the attendance started to decrease. He took OSU to 2 final 4's and a bunch of sweet 16's, something they haven't sniffed since he left. I think they have 1 NCAA tourney appearance since Sutton retired. So, maybe the OSU fans are fair weather fans, too?

 

[KBaden145]

This is spot-on.

When Sutton retired is when the attendance started to decrease. He took OSU to 2 final 4's and a bunch of sweet 16's, something they haven't sniffed since he left. I think they have 1 NCAA tourney appearance since Sutton retired. So, maybe the OSU fans are fair weather fans, too?

Shut your mouth! Not OState basketball fans. No way...

 

[badger]

I think Mizzou had a similar story at one time--- old rowdy building filled to the rafters in noise replaced with fancy new big arena they can't fill consistently. Not sure if that's still true today or not.

Did anyone here attend OU's Fieldhouse basketball game? What was it like?

 

[Big Old Booger]

Both arenas need to be at a tight, cozy 9000-10,000 seat capacity.

By the way, OState also overshot on the capacity at BPS by about 5000 or so. Should have made it 55,000 expandable to 70,000 not 60,000 and 75,000.

I don't think it's the number of seats where they made the mistake, it's the number of club seats. I think they would fill most of the empty seats if they weren't all expensive club seats, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think Mizzou had a similar story at one time--- old rowdy building filled to the rafters in noise replaced with fancy new big arena they can't fill consistently. Not sure if that's still true today or not.

Did anyone here attend OU's Fieldhouse basketball game? What was it like?

It was fun, but the Field House has some issues that would be expensive to resolve. I wouldn't mind if every seat in the LNC was a bleacher seat, but they would have to be different than the bleacher seats at the Field House. There is something wrong with the bleacher seats at the FH. I don't know if they are too high for my short legs, but they are definitely more uncomfortable that the average bleacher seat. The only time I have been in GIA, was for a women's game a few years ago and I sat in the pull out bleachers behind the team. They were typical pull out bleacher seats and more comfortable than the ones in the FH. I didn't pay any attention to what the upper level seats in GIA were like.

Also, the court in the FH seemed to be too slick for basketball. If we are going to play more games there, they need to do something about that.

 

[KBaden145]

I don't think it's the number of seats where they made the mistake, it's the number of club seats. I think they would fill most of the empty seats if they weren't all expensive club seats, but maybe I'm wrong.

No it's the actual number of seats. They essentially wiped out the demand for the average seat in the stadium. They sell very well for big games but you won't see but 55 to 57,000 people at their games. It isn't just club seats they aren't selling. With a 55,000 seat stadium, you sell approximately the same number of tickets and create demand for future growth. If OU was to use their strategy, we would totally renovate Memorial stadium, add up all the seats requested by people on our waiting list, and add that number to our current capacity. Our waiting list, ie demand, would vanish.

 

[badger]

I almost feel bad for OSU about the ticket thing, because it's a topic that never dies in the local media and gets beaten like a dead Bullet every year.

I love basketball, but somewhere along the lines athletic departments became convinced that they could sell college basketball tickets like they were college football tickets, everything from donor requirements to ticket pricing. You can at basketball schools, but for everywhere else, you can't. Number of games, length of games. No comparison.

 

[tycat947]

This is really a college basketball problem, not just OU or osu. We see more easily here in the state but this is affecting the vast majority of college basketball, men's and women's, across the country.

 

[KBaden145]

This is really a college basketball problem, not just OU or osu. We see more easily here in the state but this is affecting the vast majority of college basketball, men's and women's, across the country.

Very sad.