Bowden Says JAR Needs Replaced

[Blue & Gold]

George Thomas quotes Coach Bowden

Without being solicited, Bowden made a push for the basketball program to get a new facility to replace Rhodes Arena, which is 30 years old.

“I, too, want to be part of the Akron big picture. I can keep my nose to the grindstone. I don’t have to look up or look down. I just have to go try to win ballgames,” he said.

“Keith [Dambrot] has now got them to a successful level where if he wants to attract the premier athlete, he needs a premier facility. If we want to be poised to do what he wants to do … it [Rhodes Arena] needs to be replaced.”

[Dr Z]

UA should hire someone to help with the funding.

[akzipper]

I feel like just about everybody would agree that the JAR is insufficient and needs replaced. Doesn't mean it's going to happen anytime soon...

[GoZips]

UA should hire someone to help with the funding.

They already did. You know that. Raising awareness, interest and sufficient funds is not like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Just give coach Tressel the time needed. He will produce the desired results.

[Dr Z]

They already did. Just give coach Tressel the time needed. He will produce the desired results.

Has anyone seen his projected business plan?

[jupitertoo]

Has anyone seen his projected business plan?

I assume you folks are reading the newspapers regarding the financial situation at UA. Enrollment down, projected to be down again next year, plus state changing its funding model to reflect student success, which puts us at a disadvantage. Given the debt already incurred at the stadium and in other projects, simply don't see how a new facility (as opposed to a rehabbed one) is possible.

[johnnyzip84]

I predict the ‘Meister will enjoy comparing the thread title to TB’s actual quote.

[GP1]

I assume you folks are reading the newspapers regarding the financial situation at UA. Enrollment down, projected to be down again next year, plus state changing its funding model to reflect student success, which puts us at a disadvantage. Given the debt already incurred at the stadium and in other projects, simply don't see how a new facility (as opposed to a rehabbed one) is possible.

Please, please, please stop making sense. We are talking about the "building process" here and there is no room for that.

[GP1]

Just give coach Tressel the time needed. He will produce the desired results.

As a former sales manager, regional sales manager who managed sales managers and now a business owner, there is an interesting point to be made here about selling a product and capturing money.

If any of us were selling beer, would we rather be the Budweiser brands sales representative or the sales rep for Miller brands (this isn't a discussion on what tastes good)? With 40% market share in the US, Budweiser brands are pretty easy sale and that's where the game is easy for a rep to play. Lots of people drink Budweiser brands so bars stock lots of it because it moves. Because they stock it, they need to move it in order to not tie up cash so they push it. Basically, the more you sell, the more you sell because the momentum is so great.

If you take a Budweiser sales rep and make him a Miller sales rep, will he have the ability to get the Miller market share up to 40%? The answer is....Hell no. He can make a small dent for a short period of time, but one person can't change a market by himself.

What does any of this have to do with Tressel? While at OSU, he was the Budweiser sales rep. Raising money was easy when you are wearing a uniform people respond to. Take Tressel and put him at Akron selling Miller, he doesn't have quite the pull he once did. A lot of forces start to work against you. There should have been a short term, measurable impact and we aren't seeing it in terms of dollars. Americans are funny...we forget very quickly.

[Zipmeister]

As a former sales manager, regional sales manager who managed sales managers and now a business owner, there is an interesting point to be made here about selling a product and capturing money.

If any of us were selling beer, would we rather be the Budweiser brands sales representative or the sales rep for Miller brands (this isn't a discussion on what tastes good)? With 40% market share in the US, Budweiser brands are pretty easy sale and that's where the game is easy for a rep to play. Lots of people drink Budweiser brands so bars stock lots of it because it moves. Because they stock it, they need to move it in order to not tie up cash so they push it. Basically, the more you sell, the more you sell because the momentum is so great.

If you take a Budweiser sales rep and make him a Miller sales rep, will he have the ability to get the Miller market share up to 40%? The answer is....Hell no. He can make a small dent for a short period of time, but one person can't change a market by himself.

What does any of this have to do with Tressel? While at OSU, he was the Budweiser sales rep. Raising money was easy when you are wearing a uniform people respond to. Take Tressel and put him at Akron selling Miller, he doesn't have quite the pull he once did. A lot of forces start to work against you. There should have been a short term, measurable impact and we aren't seeing it in terms of dollars. Americans are funny...we forget very quickly.

You are correct; that point wouldn't have been interesting at all if you hadn't been a sales manager, a regional sales manager who managed sales managers and now a business owner.

[pat]

All good assessments...but let us keep in mind that Tressel is HELPING with fundraising for the new arena. He is not alone in that endeavor and never has been. There are many who have been "behind the scenes" long before Tressel arrived on campus who have been gaining donors for a new on-campus University of Akron Arena. And, BTW, if any of you think there is still a chance of the UA arena going downtown, take a very big bite of a reality sandwich. Look at all of the goals and objectives of Dr. P, Tom W., KD, and TB.

We will have a new campus arena and it will be state-of-the-art and funded by alumni and other doors. The unfortunate dip in enrollment and lack of state funding will not negatively influence this project. While these factors impose a challenge, UA will succeed in its drive to build a new state-of-the art on-campus college arena.

[Spin]

Is it true the university looked at the cost of renovating the Rubber Blow (in much worse shape than the JAR), funds from the state, benefactors, and what they could get for naming rights and sponsorship, and paid for the Info with that?

[ZachTheZip]

I think we're just waiting for baseball to find a new home. Perhaps with the Aeros under new ownership, we will be able to move the baseball team to Canal Park permanently. If you remember, softball used to play all their games at Firestone Stadium before moving on campus. That opens up the perfect spot for an arena.

With the tennis courts moving to Buchtel Field across Exchange, you can rule out that location.

[MDZip]

I predict the ‘Meister will enjoy comparing the thread title to TB’s actual quote.

It can't be debated that the Zipmeister will not be baited, I too was awaiting his response with bated breath.

[Spin]

Might be a silly question, but could baseball play at Firestone? I know for softball they put up a temporary outfield wall.

That would be a nice lighted venue that would be a huge improvement over the retention basin, and it wouldn't look so empty as when they play at Canal?

And more important, do they sell the Three Dog Night during Zips games at Canal???

[ZachTheZip]

Might be a silly question, but could baseball play at Firestone? I know for softball they put up a temporary outfield wall.

That would be a nice lighted venue that would be a huge improvement over the retention basin, and it wouldn't look so empty as when they play at Canal?

And more important, do they sell the Three Dog Night during Zips games at Canal???

Concession options are limited when we play at Canal Park, but would improve if it was officially our home field and we could staff it properly.

The problem with Firestone Stadium is that's it's basically the Rubber Bowl of baseball. It's old and far from campus.

[Zipmeister]

Might be a silly question, but could baseball play at Firestone? I know for softball they put up a temporary outfield wall.

That would be a nice lighted venue that would be a huge improvement over the retention basin, and it wouldn't look so empty as when they play at Canal?

And more important, do they sell the Three Dog Night during Zips games at Canal???

As I recall they do not have adequate lighting for evening play and I think many of the golfers would object no matter what time a baseball game was scheduled.

[K92]

As I recall they do not have adequate lighting for evening play and I think many of the golfers would object no matter what time a baseball game was scheduled.

[taxpayer]

Move the baseball team to Canal Park = great facility for Zips baseball = great recruiting venue not mention a great facility.

That opens up ground for a new facility to be built while the Zips continue to play in the JAR.

Now it's a matter of corporate sponsorship and TB's team to be successful so some financial pressure can be relieved within the athletic department. Maybe KD will have to agree to some buy games from the big boys in college hoops to start raising some cash within the program itself.

[legendofzippy]

Blame Tressel or whoever you want, but until the JAR sells out on a regular basis, I don't see a new arena. That's on the fans.

[Dr Z]

Blame Tressel or whoever you want, but until the JAR sells out on a regular basis, I don't see a new arena. That's on the fans.

Good thing the Rubber Bowl sold out all those years, so they could build Infocision Stadium.

[taxpayer]

LOZ, I wasn't blaming anyone; simply making an observation. I agree the Zips need more fans in the stands and that the little steps taken last year sending out a couple players to talk to the students was a good idea but even with a very long winning streak and a great record, the Zips had trouble filling the JAR. Quite frankly, with enrollment over 20,000 and still having a 6,000 seat arena not filled to capacity is hard to believe. As was the announcement at one game that having 1800 - 2000 students at a game was the largest student attendance ever! Can't decide if that's funny or pathetic.

The game day experience is s l o w l y getting better but the young man who came up with the LBJ/KD bobblehead and the whole black Z jersey with twitter links was new, creative and effective. Such thinking should be directed at the JAR gameday fan experience.

To expect different results from the same old efforts has been defined as insanity.

[legendofzippy]

LOZ, I wasn't blaming anyone; simply making an observation. I agree the Zips need more fans in the stands and that the little steps taken last year sending out a couple players to talk to the students was a good idea but even with a very long winning streak and a great record, the Zips had trouble filling the JAR. Quite frankly, with enrollment over 20,000 and still having a 6,000 seat arena not filled to capacity is hard to believe. As was the announcement at one game that having 1800 - 2000 students at a game was the largest student attendance ever! Can't decide if that's funny or pathetic.

The game day experience is s l o w l y getting better but the young man who came up with the LBJ/KD bobblehead and the whole black Z jersey with twitter links was new, creative and effective. Such thinking should be directed at the JAR gameday fan experience.

To expect different results from the same old efforts has been defined as insanity.

I agree that the marketing efforts have been top notch, and I'm very glad to see them. Loved everything they did this year.

I'll use the bracketbuster game as an example though. A friend and I got there early because we figured it would sell out. While the crowd had a ton of energy that night and the stands were pretty full, it wasn't close to sold out. It was a nationally televised game we needed to win in case we lost MAC title - but didn't sell out.

So the team regularly competes for the MAC title, has made numerous post-season tournaments, and continues to recruit at a very high level. But the actual demand for more seats just isn't there. If I'm in charge of the cash at UA, why would I invest?

Look, I'd love to have a nicer facility, but it's a tough sell.

[ZachTheZip]

I agree that the marketing efforts have been top notch, and I'm very glad to see them. Loved everything they did this year.

I'll use the bracketbuster game as an example though. A friend and I got there early because we figured it would sell out. While the crowd had a ton of energy that night and the stands were pretty full, it wasn't close to sold out. It was a nationally televised game we needed to win in case we lost MAC title - but didn't sell out.

So the team regularly competes for the MAC title, has made numerous post-season tournaments, and continues to recruit at a very high level. But the actual demand for more seats just isn't there. If I'm in charge of the cash at UA, why would I invest?

Look, I'd love to have a nicer facility, but it's a tough sell.

It's pretty simple. More fans aren't coming because they don't want to sit in the JAR. Uncomfortable seats all around, you have to go down a flight of stairs to get our single concession stand (baring major games when they open up stuff at the top of the stairwells), the sightlines are bad for everyone in the arena who is not sitting right at mid-court.

Marketing is doing everything they can, the team is winning more now than ever. The JAR is what's holding things back. You can't require that fans to show up to sit in a facility that is so bad it is hampering our attendance in order to justify building its replacement.

[legendofzippy]

It's pretty simple. More fans aren't coming because they don't want to sit in the JAR. Uncomfortable seats all around, you have to go down a flight of stairs to get our single concession stand (baring major games when they open up stuff at the top of the stairwells), the sightlines are bad for everyone in the arena who is not sitting right at mid-court.

Marketing is doing everything they can, the team is winning more now than ever. The JAR is what's holding things back. You can't require that fans to show up to sit in a facility that is so bad it is hampering our attendance in order to justify building its replacement.

I guess you'd have to show me a study that proves that. I'm not certain that with more comfortable seats we suddenly start getting 7,000 people each game.