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The biggest reason for bad attendance IS the JAR. For any number of reasons.

I'll keep this list as up-to-date as possible as recruiting season goes on. Tyler Shipman, 6-1 230lb DT, Buford HS, Buford, GAESPN profile, Hudl profileJaquavis Dixon, 6-2 177lb ATH, Hagarty HS, Oviedo, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profileChris Bivins, 5-11 185lb CB, Highland CC, Highland, KSESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profileKefa Cort, 5-11 159lb WR, Erasmus Hall HS, Brooklyn, NYESPN profile, Hudl profile, Rivals profileVince Lockett, 5-11 190lb SS, St. Vincent St. Mary HS, Akron, OHESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profileMichael Means, 6-2 200lb WR, Scottsdale CC, Scottsdale, AZESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileRichie Kallay, 6-5 287lb OL, Clearwater Central Catholic HS, Clearwater, FLHudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileJoe Tupta, 6-1 256lb FB, Walsh Jesuit HS, Cuyahoga Falls, OHESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profileAvery Cagle, 6-4 227lb TE, Riverside Military Academy, Gainesville, GAESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profileVan Edwards, 5-8 195lb RB, Island Coast HS, Cape Coral, FLHudl profile, Scout profileUlysees Gilbert, 6-1 225lb LB, Trinity Catholic HS, Ocala, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileJoe Riggins, 6-2 205lb S, Cardinal Gibbons HS, Fort Lauderdale, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileMitchell Hlay, 6-7 275lb T, Revere HS, Richfield, OHHudl profileBrandon Junk, 6-3 228lb HB, Clearwater Central Catholic HS, Clearwater, FLHudl profileRichie Cooper, 5-10 171lb WR, Hallandale HS, Hallandale, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileMontel Jordan, 6-4 310lb OL, Deerfield Beach HS, Deerfield Beach, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile, Scout profileRay Ray Smith, 5-11 191lb ATH, Apopka HS, Apopka, FLESPN profile, Hudl profile, 247Sports profile, Rivals profile

I'm so Akron... I'm a Zips' fan.

Sometimes I feel like we are going back to the same things that we felt about 6 years ago, when many of us were certain that people would be filling up football games, if we just had a better and more comfortable venue. I think what you'll find is that people who already want to go to games are the ones clamoring for more comfort, but you have to WANT to go to games for that to make an impact. The lack of Akron Zips basketball fans in the area is the primary reason why people aren't at the JAR. Basketball fans would jump on our bandwagon and flock to JAR if Akron basketball was accomplishing something of significance. They wouldn't care.

I could care less if the county leaders are happy. There is an old Ben Franklin (maybe) saying used in construction, "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low prices is forgotten." Change out the words poor quality for "a bad deal" and you might have the result of this deal. UofA is going to have to live with this deal for a looooong time if it passes. Probably longer than the years many of us have left in our lives.

I sense we may finally have a new candidate for that vacant Vice President of Strategic Engagement position?

The objective is certainly not to turn thousands of fans away by removing seating capacity from an arena that occasionally sells out. The objective should be to properly size an arena to handle the biggest expected crowds with the understanding that it will not always be filled to capacity because all games played will not be of equal interest to fans. I said earlier that Zips attendance had been steadily rising. But it actually fell last season when the team struggled after peaking in 2012-13 when the Zips were on their record winning streak and student and fan interest was at an all-time high. Just two seasons ago, the Zips averaged 3,782 for all home games and 4,553 for all conference home games. Reducing capacity to just 4,000 seats makes no sense.