Spin

If it makes economic sense and it puts "eyes on campus" then it very much serves the University and its programs. A Browns fan from another county comes to see the training camp, and decides to stop in one day to see a football game, soccer game, basketball game. Or he brings his high school age kids and they decide they want to know more about Akron. That it isn't CSU or Tri-C or LCCC or _______ College. Maybe he (like me) is returning to school at 30+ 40+ 50+ and likes what he sees. Maybe someone notices the banners in the soccer stadium and comes to a game, the Student Union, the Rec facilities, the dorms, the green spaces. The ballpark. OK not the ballpark. The campus has a lot to offer and the more eyes it gets from outside, the more the whole university loses its stigma.

I never said anything of the sort. In fact I did ask if anyone thought the grounds crew was so inept they couldn't have the field ready for soccer season. I guess that was your "answer". So yes you are putting words in my mouth. Only the figure that somehow proves your stance. Why not use actual attendance numbers? Why not use any other stats? Why do you feel the need to get so defensive about soccer that you need to put down another UA program to make soccer "look good" when nobody is putting soccer down?

I still think the MAC is looking better than it's big bro (B1G) right now...

The Browns already said they were looking at facilities and negotiating costs. Were national team members concerned about playing at Cleveland Browns Stadium? Showing only stats that support your cause doesn't work with me. Again, the Browns aren't looking for a handout and the U isn't going to hand over the keys unless it makes sense. Not to mention, eyes on campus. Now you're putting words in my mouth. Are you interested in having a real conversation here or just want to pound fists and yell? I have no time or interest in the latter.

There's no comparison to the groups of people who would come to a pro team camp to who the Zips (might) have come to games if the teams were relevant. You want a broader base of people to see the campus. Well, anyone concerned with things like enrollment and future growth. It would help break the community college stigma that parents have that Akron is like CSU or Tri-C. or parents/students who think tOSU is the only choice in Ohio. A winning Zips fotball program would do that, but not necessarily the same people, and not to the same scale.

What are the costs involved compared to the money it would bring in? What would the publicity of "eyes on the campus" be worth if you could buy it? Is Coach Embrick even capable of recruiting the kind of high school player who would be concerned about divots? What is the attendance at the soccer pitch since the team isn't what it use to be? What do First Energy and Cub Cadet think about this? And most of all, is the grounds crew so incapable that they can't have the stadium ready for soccer season? When the soccer games were played at Cleveland Browns Stadium, was it a World War II minefield??? I see a lot of panties bunched up and no facts to back anything up. I'm looking out for the whole university (as usual) not just the narcissistic wants of a few.

Nice to see Cleveland State kept up their end and scheduled a game in Akron I guess we hurt their feelings last year.

I've been having all kinds of trouble getting this board to load, and submitting a message is near impossible. I tried three different browsers. Is it just on my end?

So while the rich get richer, how do the rest survive? Less scholies? Less OOC travel?

Dri didn't do this to us... http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio/videos/Steelers-at-Giants-Dri-Archer-46-yd-reception/efbe644e-de69-4546-a1b0-5dd086a777b2

Might as well make the best of the situation. Even if they were to start today it would be several years the doors open.

1) I never saw the Clevealnd Arena but I spent many a summer evening at Thurmon Munson sitting on the bleachers and waiting in line for food despite only a couple hundred being there. Likewise the Rubber Blow.Cleveland Municiple Stadium, And peed in the sink more than once. 2) The Tribe was battling for first place the past several years and attendance has been atrocious. While the Gilbert Cavs have played like a reincarnation of the Stepien era and were third in the league in attendance. The Force sold out the Little House on the Prarie until it was certain Wolstein was not going to go all-in. Attendance dropped like a rock even though the team was still in the playoffs. Fans are smarter than you give them credit.

NCAA board votes to allow autonomy http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/11321551/ncaa-board-votes-allow-autonomy-five-power-conferences Looks like nothng changes as far as conferences and all that, just the rich getting richer and the rest not so much. I was hoping for the professional teams to break away, but the NCAA managed to keep its cash cow in its barn.

I'm not asking you to compare minor league sports to Division I college sports. I'm asking you to compare attendance at a small, uncomfortable ball park with bleachers and poor facilities to a modern ballpark with comfortable seats and lots of clean facilities and places to buy refreshments. We don't need numbers since the team was moving out of Canton due to bad attendance. No such problems at Canal Park. Or lets compare attendance at the JAR-like Cleveland Arena to the Richfield Coliseum. Attendance doubled from 4013 to 8161. Both years they missed the playoffs. And I don't agree solely with the winning and losing being the primary effector on attendance. The fan perception of the team management plays a much bigger role in attendance than wins and losses. With the Tribe, fans have very little confidence that this team, owned by Paul Dolan and attendance sucks even when they're in the playoff hunt.Compare that to their neighbor, the Cavs have been drawing 15,000+ per game with Dan Gilbert in charge despite having the worst team in the league. In 2010-11 they won 19 games and attracted 20,112 per game, 3rd in the NBA. Under Ted Stepien they won 15 games one year and attracyed 5669 brave souls. Second to last in the NBA, (Ohio U had more fans last year). Same team, same record, much different perception. But going back to the same team, same owner, similar records, and a new venue, I'm hard pressed to find a facility where there isn't a significant increase in butts in seats,

Care to support that with attendance data comparing old and new sports venues? You can start with examples from this region, including Canal Park, Jacobs Field, and the Richfield Coliseum. I'll even let you try to rationalize the Dialer, without mentioning the 6-42 record of the program in the first four years there.

What would engage the student population? Win some tournament games. It worked for soccer.

Coach D chimes in http://akronnewsnow.com/wakr/ray-horner-show/item/155693-audio-summit-county-council-members-discuss-changes-in-sales-tax-issue

My point exactly. They have never explored the idea of benefactors providing at least some of the funding for a new building. One issue would be whether or not to have non-Zip events there that would result in it breaking even. A lot of alumni and university officials are dead set against having any non-Zips events there, They would rather see it sit empty 330 nights a year, and be another financial drain.

It had to help break the "community college" stigma with a lot of people.

Heck, duing January February and March, play indoor soccer!!!!

Read again. They want soccer to play fall and spring. I think it's a great idea. I assume in the north the season would take December January and February off, with the teams playing once a week (which would allow more time for school, and make the game crisper. The pros don't often play twice a week very often). Play non-conference in the fall and conference play in the spring. It would also open up northern schools being able to host the College Cup. The south wouldn't always get home field advantage.

Those who wonder where the U could get the money for a new arena, have you received requests for a donation as alumni? I haven't.

Or could they be "once bitten twice shy"?

Summer seems like a big dead space for sports, with nothing but major league baseball and hours of coverage of NFL training camps Too bad it doesn't fit into the academic year.

IDK if it's the site or the forum software but this forum can be a real PIA sometimes.