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Do y’all think enough fan pressure could tip Byrne to build a new Arena?
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:25 am
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:25 am
I’m sure talk is already going on campus, but I think the Bama basketball fan base is loud enough to be heard if we all speak up.
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Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:33 am to Lemonpuppy
I have no faith in whoever makes that final decision. Even with the renderings released, we'll delay renovations until every urinal in Bryant-Denny has a big-screen TV
It wasnt until 2015 that we let some students have seats on the sideline. Even then, most of the student section seats are among the worst in the building
It wasnt until 2015 that we let some students have seats on the sideline. Even then, most of the student section seats are among the worst in the building
This post was edited on 1/21/21 at 10:39 am
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:33 am to Lemonpuppy
I sincerely hope so. It's shameful that a University as accomplished as Alabama has one of the worst basketball facilities in the SEC. If he doesn't commit to something soon he's sending a message to Oats, whether on purpose or not, that basketball just isn't a priority to him.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:34 am to Lemonpuppy
Folks can be loud all they want, but somebody has to start cutting large enough checks or it won’t matter.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:35 am to Bryant91092
We have the money. That's not the issue. The issue is getting them to spend it on something other than football.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:37 am to Bryant91092
Yea, I wonder if the boosters will care for basketball enough. Hopefully they will watch and realize how entertaining it is.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:49 am to RollTide33
quote:
It's shameful that a University as accomplished as Alabama has one of the worst basketball facilities in the SEC.
Coleman needs to be hit with a wrecking ball but the rest of the b-ball facilities are pretty good....which is the problem. We basically have to demo all of that to get a new arena.
Amazing how many times we tried to put lipstick on a pig instead of just nutting up and doing it
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:49 am to Lemonpuppy
Nope. They'll use the pandemic to justify delaying non-football facility upgrades indefinitely and then quietly use the excess funds on future football upgrades in 3-5 years. Take it to the bank.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:53 am to Lemonpuppy
Byrne secured a donation from a booster that would be enough to secure the down payment for financing a new arena. That news came out sometime in early 2020.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:53 am to Robot Santa
If that happens it almost guarantees Oats ends up elsewhere. Assuming he continues what he's started here, the next blue blood basketball program looking for a coach is going to come steal him right out from under us unless we can show him that we can give him anything another school can.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:54 am to RollTide33
quote:
We have the money. That's not the issue. The issue is getting them to spend it on something other than football.
All Saban has to do it say he wants a new arena. Saban has been very vocal in saying we need a strong basketball program and even meets basketball recruits when they come to campus.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:54 am to Bryant91092
That's why the school needs to start skimming some of that FOG money and put in a basketball endowment. We need to consult Tom Jurich on how to finance isht. 
This post was edited on 1/21/21 at 10:58 am
Posted on 1/21/21 at 10:57 am to RollTide33
IU is the immediate threat but they don't pay all that much for a top coach (at the time) in Archie Miller. Remember this is the school that ran off Bobby Knight and had Myles Brand as president. They have instate talent but they also compete with ND and Purdue for it, plus Big Ten is usually a tougher conference.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:00 am to FairhopeTider
quote:
Coleman needs to be hit with a wrecking ball but the rest of the b-ball facilities are pretty good....which is the problem. We basically have to demo all of that to get a new arena.
I think you're correct, the underneath facilities are pretty good. Every time I've heard Byrne speak on the matter, he refers to Coleman as having "good bones," so it feels as though any work will involve a renovation, not a demo, unfortunately.
He has also indicated that Ole Miss and Auburn built their arenas at a perfect time when construction costs were low, and we are not in a similar situation.
If the basketball team makes a deep run this year and maybe even next year, we might see this possibly change, but as far as I know, there are no plans for a brand new arena. I'm not even sure they have a place to put it, unless Coleman was razed first.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:17 am to paperwasp
quote:
If the basketball team makes a deep run this year and maybe even next year, we might see this possibly change, but as far as I know, there are no plans for a brand new arena. I'm not even sure they have a place to put it, unless Coleman was razed first.
They would have to play a season at the BJCC which is a problem.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:45 am to paperwasp
quote:
Ole Miss
Not a fan of the Pavillion.
It feels more like a concert venue. The old Tad Pad they had was garbage in terms of upkeep, seating and lighting, but it was still a cool fan experience with seating and student sections and retained an old school flavor to it, which I thought was cool. You were basically on the court. The dome shaped coliseums also got really loud.
They lost something IMO in the upgrade. Building a well designed venue that keeps that retro look and feel to it should be the goal. Bigger isn't even necessarily always better. Maybe I'm just overly nostalgic.
The Phog is a great example. Tremendous facility and atmosphere. Great balance of new convenience with traditional feel to go along with large capacity seating that doesn't detract from the experience. I like Bud Walton at Arky as well.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:50 am to RollTide33
quote:
We have the money.
No, we don't.
quote:
That's not the issue.
Yes it is.
Bama is still short a few hundred million on the capital campaign that will fund a renovation.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:54 am to Bryant91092
quote:
somebody has to start cutting large enough checks or it won’t matter.
The only guy in here that gets it.
Posted on 1/21/21 at 11:55 am to Evolved Simian
We have about half of it raised., Believe the goal was $600 million across all sports venues, have like $300 million. The proposed renovation to coleman is gonna cost like 100 million (you would think you could get a new building for that). If they prioritized it next, now that stadium is done, they could do it now I think
This post was edited on 1/21/21 at 11:56 am
Posted on 1/21/21 at 12:20 pm to narddogg81
quote:
The proposed renovation to coleman is gonna cost like 100 million (you would think you could get a new building for that)
A new one would probably cost twice that currently. Plus, we'd have to find a spot for a new one, unless we just tear Coleman down and relocate men's and women's basketball, and gymnastics (and every athletic office except for football) for a year. That would be tough, I think.
ETA - The projected cost for a new arena was $185 million three years ago. Would be significantly more now. Construction prices have soared recently.
This post was edited on 1/21/21 at 12:29 pm
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