UC / U of L / UConn to ACC?

[Rational Cat]

But even that would require so much money as to be totally impossible. To build both venues would be too much.

I refuse to believe that with the banks and lots for tailgating, they can't come up with an acceptable game day experience at PBS.

Yes, we would need lots and lots of private money to do both. Or even just BB.

I have always enjoyed Bearcat football at PBS. Few here agree with me or you on that.

[Binturong05]

i've always been strongly against moving football to pbs, but i've recently just switched my opinion.

5/3 needs to be upgraded correctly...now. Nippert can still get renovated, but that can come later if there's an existing option two miles down the road.

...unless, of course, if both could be done simultaneously (blue sky).

Was listening to Eddie & Tracy on 700wlw on the way home from work Friday and Eddie said something about perhaps some people who are not familiar with the Clifton area not going down there because of the perception it is a bad area. He followed that up with "if you didn't go to school there and if you're not familiar with the area" and you can easily get lost and wind up in a not nice part of town. He did say campus and the immediate area is nice but the implication was not far from campus was "dangerous."

As a former student I feel comfortable roaming all over the campus and surrounding area. I can recall stumbling home drunk from parties on Ravine, Straight Street, West Clifton Ave., etc. I never found myself the victim of a crime but then again my profile isn't that of an easy target.

Are any of you non-alumni? Can any of you that did not attend UC attest to the perception of the area the first few times you attending a campus event or sporting event? I'm just wondering if that isn't what's keeping a few families away when they clearly will travel to Kings, or Sycamore, or Reading for a HS football game.

[jplog]

i've always been strongly against moving football to pbs, but i've recently just switched my opinion.

5/3 needs to be upgraded correctly...now. Nippert can still get renovated, but that can come later if there's an existing option two miles down the road.

...unless, of course, if both could be done simultaneously (blue sky).

Totally agree. I hate playing at PBS and I think it cost us the outright BEast title in 2011 but desperate times call for desperate measures. 5/3 is an awful fan experience and Mick Cronin deserves to be rewarded by UC for his loyalty and perseverance. PBS could be used until the the day that UC has the money and support to redo Nippert to acceptable standards.

Although, on the other hand, seeing how football seems to drive conference realignment maybe Nippert should get first dibs. Mick and the boys could play downtown in a more fan friendly environment. Bus the students down, not really a campus atmosphere in the Shoe anyway. Maybe worth a try to drive up attendance.

[shadyo]

Nippert is a charming money pit. The reality of our current conference situation is that committing to Nippert accomplishes four things for UC:
1) Requires financial resources we don't have and aren't going to get from the BE TV contract.
2) Keeps UC from addressing the needs of the MBB program
3) Makes us unattractive to the conferences we want an invitation from.
4) Makes it impossible for corporations to engage with the program in a meaningful way. Do you think companies would really want to entertain clients at a UC game at Nippert?
This is not the 80s when we played at Riverfront. We have a competitive program that can draw the casual fan with a good game day experience. That experience is at PBS and not at Nippert.

[Pruke]

Nippert is a charming money pit. The reality of our current conference situation is that committing to Nippert accomplishes four things for UC:
1) Requires financial resources we don't have and aren't going to get from the BE TV contract.
2) Keeps UC from addressing the needs of the MBB program
3) Makes us unattractive to the conferences we want an invitation from.
4) Makes it impossible for corporations to engage with the program in a meaningful way. Do you think companies would really want to entertain clients at a UC game at Nippert?
This is not the 80s when we played at Riverfront. We have a competitive program that can draw the casual fan with a good game day experience. That experience is at PBS and not at Nippert.

Lots of truth here - good post

[jplog]

All good points but don't dismiss the night and day in regards to atmosphere between the two sites. Nippert is a very special place on a sold out Friday night. It is the definition of "college atmosphere". Granted it's old and it's amenities are outdated but it really could be worth the money to update. Tear down the pressbox to add more seats and luxury boxes. I think there is room to expand the concourses and add more restrooms. Expensive I know but if done right it could be a jewel. Anyone who attended 2011 BEast games at PBS knows it may have cost us the outright title. It's bland, alot quieter, and usually equally full of the opposing teams fans. I know it may be a necessity but I'd hate to give up on Nippert altogether.

[Brian H.]

All good points but don't dismiss the night and day in regards to atmosphere between the two sites. Nippert is a very special place on a sold out Friday night. It is the definition of "college atmosphere". Granted it's old and it's amenities are outdated but it really could be worth the money to update. Tear down the pressbox to add more seats and luxury boxes. I think there is room to expand the concourses and add more restrooms. Expensive I know but if done right it could be a jewel. Anyone who attended 2011 BEast games at PBS knows it may have cost us the outright title. It's bland, alot quieter, and usually equally full of the opposing teams fans. I know it may be a necessity but I'd hate to give up on Nippert altogether.

I keep seeing that but I have never heard a coach or player back that up. I think an injury may have had more to do with it. There is no way there were 50% opposing teams fans at those games. If you add seats to Nippert and have a game against a big opponent the ratio of fans from the other team will probably be about the same.

[RedRocker]

All good points but don't dismiss the night and day in regards to atmosphere between the two sites. Nippert is a very special place on a sold out Friday night. It is the definition of "college atmosphere". Granted it's old and it's amenities are outdated but it really could be worth the money to update. Tear down the pressbox to add more seats and luxury boxes. I think there is room to expand the concourses and add more restrooms. Expensive I know but if done right it could be a jewel. Anyone who attended 2011 BEast games at PBS knows it may have cost us the outright title. It's bland, alot quieter, and usually equally full of the opposing teams fans. I know it may be a necessity but I'd hate to give up on Nippert altogether.

That's bull cr@p. Oklahoma had at most 8K of the 58K down there. WVU and UL were significantly less than that. UL was having a bad season to that point which dropped their numbers.

The only time there has been close to 50% was the OSU game 10 years ago.

[jplog]

That's bull cr@p. Oklahoma had at most 8K of the 58K down there. WVU and UL were significantly less than that. UL was having a bad season to that point which dropped their numbers.

The only time there has been close to 50% was the OSU game 10 years ago.

There was no home field advantage at PBS in those BEast games. If they're played at Nippert I think we win the title.

[cat-attack2008]

The only game at PBS where I felt we had somewhat of a homefield advantage was Oklahoma. Place was rockin.

Other than that, I agree we are a much different/better team at Nippert. Just feels like home.

[RedRocker]

There was no home field advantage at PBS in those BEast games. If they're played at Nippert I think we win the title.

If Zach doesn't get hurt, we win the title. Blaming the stadium is ridiculous and has been discussed ad nauseum in the past on this board.

Explain our big road wins like Pitt and VT in recent years. I don't think we had a home field advantage there. How about the Liberty Bowl where we were outnumbered by Vandy fans considering the proximity to Nashville.

[cmm27]

Exactly. Zach getting injured and tossing the ball straight up in the end zone to WVU did it, not PBS.

[London 'Cat]

How much of a home-field advantage does 21-22,000 people in a stadium that holds 35,000 give you? I don't buy that UC wins those games if played at Nippert instead of PBS. That can never be proven nor supported by any factual data. And it's silly to even argue it.

[cmm27]

The fact is, UC could not have beaten Oklahoma at Nippert because they would have never played the game. They lost to WVU because of, basically, one really bad play. They beat Louisville...

[jplog]

Yet another reason to hate OSU and Urban Meyer came to light in the Enquirer today. Seems Urban declined to make a phone call on UC's behalf to the ACC concerning conference realignment. The man seems to try and forget he's had any association with this university.