Public Forums with the AD

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.gozips.com/general/public_forums

Hopefully a lot of Zips fans can make it to these.

[johnnyzip84]

http://www.gozips.com/general/public_forums

Hopefully a lot of Zips fans can make it to these.

After a couple hours of tailgating in Lot 9, TW might be in store for some interesting questions :lol:

[GP1]

George Thomas wrote in his article this morning that TW was going to have the second of these public discussions in the near future. Since there has already been one, did anyone go to it and what happened?

[Blue & Gold]

George Thomas: UA Athletics Begin to Look to the Future.

[GP1]

George Thomas: UA Athletics Begin to Look to the Future.

Thanks for posting this Blue and Gold. There is a reference in this article about football and m basketball being "threats" in a recent survey. When I took the survey, I listed both as threats as well. If memory serves me correct, I also listed them as opportunities.

If football can get good, it is the springboard to a successful revenue year for Athletics as it is the first major sport of the traditional school year. If not, it takes things like a long winning streak on the part of the MBB team to gain interest.

The threat from the MBB team is if they continue to do what they do right now and don't improve in the NCAA tournament. Americans easily get bored. A new arena would provide some interest for a year then that interest would be gone leaving only a line on the resume for people in the Athletic Department. Most people aren't so easily duped for a number of years because Americans are always looking for something new. What the MBB team could produce that would be new would be an NCAA Tournament win. If not, the treat continues. Winning is the key to success for a program, not new arenas. Gonzaga won long before they had a new arena. There is little evidence that new arenas produce winning. I would rather the Zips be in a position where winning in the NCAA Tournament produces a new arena. If a team wants a big time arena, they need to prove they belong in the big time by winning in the NCAA Tournament. If the want to pretend they belong in the big time, they should build an arena before winning in the NCAA Tournament. MAClike schools pretend a little too much.

[taxpayer]

I agree with TW's comment regarding student involvement on campus. From what I've observed the last few years, leadership needs to decide if they will build dorms or if they want to let private industry continue to provide the bricks and mortar for upper class housing. UA definitely needs more residential students, those same students would hopefully translate into better attendance at week night basketball games. UA athletic & marketing departments did a better job this year getting some BBall players to speak to student groups about attending their home games. This year was better than last year and the goal should be that next years student turnouts be better than last years.

I believe football has the necessary ingredients in place, great facilities and a name head coach. Winning has to be next.

Men's basketball has a loyal, successful head coach who is bringing in better and better talent in spite of playing in a less than impressive facility. Like it or not the facility does impact recruiting. There are ways to make the JAR more attractive to the general population which is needed badly. A packed JAR is still a below average facility but it can be an above average game day experience any kid would want to play in. Since there isn't a line of corporations drooling over funding, buying corporate seating/boxes, or even bidding on naming rights UA will be in the JAR for at least 2 - 4 more years.

The first question is what is the long term plan for the JAR? Will it remain in use for students and D1 sports other than hoops if and when a new bball facility is built? If yes, then improve the seating now. Put some kiosks in so everyone doesn't have to get some food and drinks from the current location. I doubt much $ is made from the current food/beverage arrangement. Invite some people in that business to come in and bid to take that function over. Install some additional lighting in the main entry so people don't feel like they just entered a mine shaft upon entering.

Figure out how to get the students down on the floor. I've suggested moving the media table to one of the corners on "the track". Bunch the boosters into courtside seats opposite the benches if there are enough of them willing to pay to be down on the court. There is wasted floor space in all 4 corners, explore ways to increase student bleacher seating in the corners and dedicate both ends to students/band,cheerleaders/dancers.

Find a top 25 D1 team who is willing to come into the JAR. Heck find a top 50 team to come into the JAR. Everyone complains about the OC schedule; someone else mentioned playing at the Q with OSU, Xavier or Cincy being involved.

Cant could participate but we would never play them because of conference obligations. Would a Saturday of college hoops involving the Zips, Cant and the other Ohio schools draw a big enough crowd to entice (pay) the bigger schools to come in? Would ESPN bid/sponsor such games? The exposure would be worth as much for the Zips as the money.