UA to Renovate the JAR

[clarkwgriswold]

I'd sure miss my seat vibrating every time someone goes up or down the lower level seats!

[zippy5]

I'm not sure I'd call Temple a "name" team

[K92]

I'm not sure I'd call Temple a "name" team

I don't know how strong their brand is either but they are 6th in all time wins.

[zippypitt]

Hope the following piece of info from Post-Gazette blogger Bob Smizik helps add perspective to the JAR discussion....

* The annual $5 million, plus incentives, Michigan awarded to Jim Harbaugh isn’t the only recent example of the escalation of the college football arms race. LSU is building a state-of-the-art, athletes-only dining hall. The 22,500 square foot facility will cost $12 million.

[LZIp]

Pretty sure USC has one of those as well. Not sure how common it is at power conference programs though.

[skip-zip]

Hope the following piece of info from Post-Gazette blogger Bob Smizik helps add perspective to the JAR discussion....

* The annual $5 million, plus incentives, Michigan awarded to Jim Harbaugh isn’t the only recent example of the escalation of the college football arms race. LSU is building a state-of-the-art, athletes-only dining hall. The 22,500 square foot facility will cost $12 million.

It often seems so unfair that we have to compete in the same division as teams that are able to do this.

In order to keep pace, we need more money. A lot more money.

In order to get money, we need to attract supporters.

In order to get supporters, you need people to believe that we can do something significant.

It's that simple.

They either need to tighten the restrictions on what schools can do, or the top level of D-1 is going to run away from us again. And I think the trend is towards the latter direction if they start allowing players to be paid, let schools slide with tons of NCAA violations and very little consequence, etc.

[zippy5]

I don't know how strong their brand is either but they are 6th in all time wins.

I consider myself about as big of a sports fan there is, and I had no idea that was true. I'm just trying to think as a casual fan.. Dave's "big" home games, Nevada, Temple, VCU pre-final four run, I'm not sure a casual fan would really hear those names and call the box office for tickets. We realize those are awesome games to have at home, just as Dayton was (DiG, what was the attendance for that one?).. But I think the casual fans would show up in more numbers vs say, Penn State at home, regardless of how much worse they are on the court than the above mentioned teams.

[footballzip]

How are they going to complete phases in construction and have the JAR ready for volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter. It seems like a small amount of time when you are doing demolition to the interior of the JAR, when you have a fall and winter sports using the facility. They are talking 2 story glass walled entry/foyer area, new concourses, seating, concessions, and restrooms. I know this will be done in phases if they do decide on renovating, but it will be interesting on how much of the JAR will be shut down during construction. I'm looking forward to see how it looks when its done.

[skip-zip]

I consider myself about as big of a sports fan there is, and I had no idea that was true. I'm just trying to think as a casual fan.. Dave's "big" home games, Nevada, Temple, VCU pre-final four run, I'm not sure a casual fan would really hear those names and call the box office for tickets. We realize those are awesome games to have at home, just as Dayton was (DiG, what was the attendance for that one?)..

I always forget about that Dayton game. We easily could have won that game, and led almost the entire way.

It drew 4,059 in 2008-2009. So, about the same as those two VCU games that Dave has on his list.

[ZippyRulz]

How are they going to complete phases in construction and have the JAR ready for volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter. It seems like a small amount of time when you are doing demolition to the interior of the JAR, when you have a fall and winter sports using the facility. They are talking 2 story glass walled entry/foyer area, new concourses, seating, concessions, and restrooms. I know this will be done in phases if they do decide on renovating, but it will be interesting on how much of the JAR will be shut down during construction. I'm looking forward to see how it looks when its done.

Good question. I'm guessing volleyball is the least concern; they will just practice & play at some other local gym(s). If they started renovations right after basketball season they would have 7 months from April-October to work before the next season starts. Even if the first phase wasn't totally complete, it could probably be in a usable/safe state to resume playing before continuing/completing renovations. Kind of just depends how much they bite off for the first round of rehab. I wonder who is going to create the actual plan for modifications, and when.

[Hilltopper]

Volleyball could play their games at the Central Hower gym.

[BirdZip]

One way to help justify a large expenditure is to show what it's going to cost you if you don't make the large expenditure. To be legitimate, it has to be a real study, done as though you're going to do it. Then you publicize that this is the idea (renovate) and this is what it will cost. Then you come back and say, for just x million more, we can build a brand new arena. The true cost, then, is the delta.

[Dave in Green]

Dayton travels so well that they had a huge cheering section of hundreds of Dayton fans when they played at the JAR. VCU had very few fans at the JAR, so I'd say VCU attracted way more Akron fans than Dayton did. Coach Dambrot really liked the home-away series with Dayton. But after that close call at the JAR, Dayton dropped UA and replaced the Zips with a home-away series with Miami that's continued over the past six seasons. Only Dayton can say why they prefer an ongoing series with Miami rather than UA. Maybe they prefer the 80-mile Miami round-trip drive to the 400-mile Akron round-trip.

As far as attracting bigger name schools than Dayton, VCU, Temple, etc., I think most Zips fans understand that there is absolutely nothing to be gained by a really big name team traveling to Akron. They would not get much credit for beating UA, and a loss would be terrible for their NCAA tournament resume. That's why the big name programs play most of their OOC games at home and only rarely travel to a smaller name school.

[BirdZip]

Couldn't disagree more (with ZtZ--not sure why Quote's not working for me). I've been a season ticket holder for several years. Love college basketball. But UA lost two games in a row on lackluster performances. While I was deciding if I wanted to drive an hour to watch the next game, I see the opponent is Bluffton. I pass. The opponents we play in the JAR stink. The halftime shows this year have consisted of chuck-a-duck and, well, nothing else. The seats are uncomfortable. The concessions stink. The sightlines stink. The student attendance / support stinks. The promotions stink.

The reason we can't agree on the problem is because there are so many. A few years ago we had the slogan "Think Bigger". We need to do more than think about it.

[Zip_ME87]

They either need to tighten the restrictions on what schools can do, or the top level of D-1 is going to run away from us again. And I think the trend is towards the latter direction if they start allowing players to be paid, let schools slide with tons of NCAA violations and very little consequence, etc.

Totally agree.

I always forget about that Dayton game. We easily could have won that game, and led almost the entire way.

It drew 4,059 in 2008-2009. So, about the same as those two VCU games that Dave has on his list.

One of the reasons why the Zips can't consistently draw a crowd. When people show up for a game against a good opponent, and it's actually a good (close) game, the Zips pee down their leg and give it away. Should have beat MTSU this season. Had 4 chances at the end. For the final chance, the Zips couldn't even get a shot off within 11 seconds or so.

[zippy5]

That 2011 VCU game.. just ugh. Prime example of that.

[skip-zip]

But after that close call at the JAR, Dayton dropped UA and replaced the Zips with a home-away series with Miami that's continued over the past six seasons. Only Dayton can say why they prefer an ongoing series with Miami rather than UA. Maybe they prefer the 80-mile Miami round-trip drive to the 400-mile Akron round-trip.

Did you forget that we also took them to overtime the previous or following year at their place?

I think that would be a good enough reason to end the series, for another MAC school much closer in proximity, who was not on a string of 20+ win seasons.

Miami was obviously much less of a threat.

I just had a conversation the other day about Cleveland State ending the series with us. I'm sure college coaches all look at these things the same way.

[Dave in Green]

Right, Skip. It was the season before in Dayton where the Zips took them to 2 overtimes before losing by 2. Two tough games in a row like that didn't make it an attractive ongoing series for an A-10 power like Dayton that's not supposed to struggle against MAC teams.

[1981 grad]

I agree with you 100%. I am also a season ticket holder and I am amazed that there is no half time entertainment. At the Marshall game, there were 3000 people in attendance and only one concession stand open. The line was 20 deep at half time. You complained about the giveaways. Does this mean you did not like the Proenza bobblehead?

[zippyman23]

Dayton travels so well that they had a huge cheering section of hundreds of Dayton fans when they played at the JAR. VCU had very few fans at the JAR, so I'd say VCU attracted way more Akron fans than Dayton did. Coach Dambrot really liked the home-away series with Dayton. But after that close call at the JAR, Dayton dropped UA and replaced the Zips with a home-away series with Miami that's continued over the past six seasons. Only Dayton can say why they prefer an ongoing series with Miami rather than UA. Maybe they prefer the 80-mile Miami round-trip drive to the 400-mile Akron round-trip.

Dayton had Marcus Johnson (ASVSM grad) on their roster at the time, which was the big reason why they agreed to series. Don't think they ever had any plans to extend it beyond the two years.

FWIW...They didn't schedule Miami as a replacement. Miami/Dayton have played 131 times over the years. It's a longstanding rivalry.

[Zip_ME87]

A colleague of mine who is a Dayton alum attended that game. He couldn't believe how small our gym was.

Think Bigger. Imagine Bigger. Ponder Bigger. Contemplate Bigger.

Lose Bigger.

Bigger Excuses. More Excuses.

Stagnate [at best]. (I don't think you can Stagnate Bigger, or we'd probably do that.)

Found the money for Football and Soccer, but can only find excuses for Basketball. I'm just about done caring.

[LZIp]

Dayton had Marcus Johnson (ASVSM grad) on their roster at the time, which was the big reason why they agreed to series. Don't think they ever had any plans to extend it beyond the two years.

FWIW...They didn't schedule Miami as a replacement. Miami/Dayton have played 131 times over the years. It's a longstanding rivalry.

Thank you. Hopefully this puts the conspiracy theory to rest that anybody is afraid of us because we lost to them.

[skip-zip]

Thank you. Hopefully this puts the conspiracy theory to rest that anybody is afraid of us because we lost to them.

What? Are you trying to say that schools don't selectively schedule based on the strength of a certain prospective opponent?

[LZIp]

What? Are you trying to say that schools don't selectively schedule based on the strength of a certain prospective opponent?

No.

[Dave in Green]

Dayton had Marcus Johnson (ASVSM grad) on their roster at the time, which was the big reason why they agreed to series. Don't think they ever had any plans to extend it beyond the two years.

FWIW...They didn't schedule Miami as a replacement. Miami/Dayton have played 131 times over the years. It's a longstanding rivalry.

I didn't check back far enough. Miami and Dayton first played in 1909, then again in 1917. When they met for the 3rd time in 1936 it was the beginning of a home-away series that has continued for more than 75 years. Miami and Dayton have a long history of rivalry.

UA has played Dayton 13 times over the years, starting in the same 1936-37 season that the Dayton-Miami home-away series began. The first 2 games were played in Akron and the Zips won both. Of the last 11, 10 have been played in Dayton, which makes it pretty obvious that Dayton does not want to play in Akron.

Coach Dambrot made a special effort to get Dayton on the schedule, agreeing to play in Dayton in his first season as Zips head coach (2004-2005) and again in 2007-2008. He was finally able to get Dayton to play at Akron for the first time in more than 60 years during the 2008-2009 season, perhaps helped by Dayton having ASVSM grad Marcus Johnson on their roster and thinking it benefited their recruiting to play one game in the Akron area. The Zips also traveled to Dayton again in the 2010-2011 season.

So Coach Dambrot managed to get Dayton on the Zips schedule 4 times in his first 7 seasons as head coach, but Dayton agreed to play only 1 of those 4 games in Akron. This all suggests that Coach Dambrot would welcome a regular home-away series with Dayton and has tried to make it happen, but Dayton is only interested in playing the Zips in Dayton and not in Akron.