MDZip Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 The Ryan Center has one of the best seating layouts I've seen for basketball. Take a look in the link below at the interior images, which you can click on for even larger images to see details of the seating. It's all at a very steep angle and up close to the court. The size is also very close to optimum for an improving Zips basketball team with aspirations of drawing larger crowds than the JAR will hold. I don't know about the rest of the Ryan Center, but I love the seating. Ryan Center Just as a side note, I poked around that site a little more since there were a lot of stadium notes and in one section I noticed this from a writer who apparently came from NJ. So we arrived into Akron around 7, parked and walked downtown into beautiful Canal Park. The city's done a nice job revitalizing the area, but there are some shady folk (ed. note: he apparently was not referring to CK or JohnnyZip84 when he was making this comment) when I was walking around taking pictures. The Aeros have a terrific AA facility both inside and out. Loved how they incorporated Wings Warehouse into the interior design. Its a bar and restaurant with patio that has a view of the game. Most times I'm not a fan of just single level seating, but it was fine here. The crowd was average and there was a lot of talk about Ohio State's season opener (Yes, even where there is a D1 football team just down the street, OSU still dominates in this state). Apparently we are not the only ones who notice it. Of course if it was this year, Akron was OSU's season opener. Reading further down he stopped at Infocision on his way back and reported the following: Our last day was spent heading home and we stopped half-way again in Akron. Besides the zoo, there seems to be only one touristy thing to do in the city itself, and that is the Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, former home of the Seiberlings, who founded Goodyear. So we stopped there and it was pricey but worth it. Both the house and grounds were interesting to check out. Then it was off to #110 on the list: InfoCision Stadium, home of the Akron Zips. Weird visit. We parked at a downtown lot, where a shuttle brings you to the stadium, since the parking map didn’t show much nearby. It felt like we were the only ones downtown, we were definitely the only ones on the shuttle and the whole experience was empty. Fans that were there talked more Ohio State than Akron and the Zips seemed like a joke. Even though, they are a joke (they lost 41-3 to Temple), it was still the home and conference opener, hope should be in the air, even after a 1-11 season. It’s too bad because they have a beautiful, brand-new stadium. Loved the stadium here as it had some great features, like building it below ground with the lower deck of seats below street-level (makes it more intimate and appealing). Also, they made good use of a steep grassy seating area set in the end zone. Nice job too of having concourse banners, ring of honor and retired numbers. And of course, what would a college football game without me sitting through a lightning delay. Yet another one here lasting about an hour and a half. This is getting tiresome and frusterating, especially as this one was just for the threat as I never saw lightning or heard thunder (it was all legit though as it was in the vicinity). After waiting that out, Temple came back and blew the Zips out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajgareri Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 I would love to have Vandys place...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 http://www.ohio.com/news/local/university-...-arena-1.264926 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Lots of possibilities to choose from, and no signs that any decisions are going to be made quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 The JAR: Renovate or Replace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 The hockey team needs a better rink. The ice and the boards at Center Ice aren't the best, and it doesn't have the capacity for further growth. But playing in a new arena built for the basketball programs would be overkill. Even if the sport became a sanctioned sport, only one Div II/III team averages more than 2500 per game. (Sidebar, looking at the numbers, Akron would be in the top 50 in DII/III attendance right now ). So a smaller rink would be better. Best case scenario would have been if the team were in existence when the Wellness and Rec was designed. It might have been considered then, I don't know. Apparently I'm the only one who sees how the student skate nights and pickup/intramural indoor soccer nights would add to the campus life. If someone in Akron were to build one, the team would have the same scheduling issues there, with early morning practices and game times after 10pm. It would have to hold more than Center Ice. Alice Noble in Wooster claims to hold 900. I don't know what the answer is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 The hockey team needs a better rink. The ice and the boards at Center Ice aren't the best, and it doesn't have the capacity for further growth. But playing in a new arena built for the basketball programs would be overkill. Even if the sport became a sanctioned sport, only one Div II/III team averages more than 2500 per game. (Sidebar, looking at the numbers, Akron would be in the top 50 in DII/III attendance right now ). So a smaller rink would be better. Best case scenario would have been if the team were in existence when the Wellness and Rec was designed. It might have been considered then, I don't know. Apparently I'm the only one who sees how the student skate nights and pickup/intramural indoor soccer nights would add to the campus life. If someone in Akron were to build one, the team would have the same scheduling issues there, with early morning practices and game times after 10pm. It would have to hold more than Center Ice. Alice Noble in Wooster claims to hold 900. I don't know what the answer is. If hockey became a scholarship sport, we wouldn't be D-1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 If hockey became a scholarship sport, we wouldn't be D-1? Bump. Spin? Root4Roo? ZachtheZip? If hockey would become a scholly sport, we wouldn't be a D-1 program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Bump. Spin? Root4Roo? ZachtheZip? If hockey would become a scholly sport, we wouldn't be a D-1 program? Not necessarily, especially for a start-up program. Assuming the university decided to sanction the sport, AND provide scholarships, it could still play in Division II. A DII or DIII program would have some long travels, compared to DI, but would seem like a good growing point. DI would have closer rivals, BGSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris. Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State. Fun to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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