Increasing JAR Attendance/Engaging the Fans

[zippy5]

Cuse will be looking for a basketball coach this offseason most likely 

[ZipsBBjunkie]

29 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Cuse will be looking for a basketball coach this offseason most likely 

John Groce is Goodrich’s primary selling point

[kreed5120]

15 hours ago, zippy5 said:

Cuse will be looking for a basketball coach this offseason most likely 

 

I would hate to see it happen, but if Groce has an itch to test his luck at a P5 programs there isn't much we can really do.

 

I would hope Dustin Ford would be in consideration as the next coach in such a doomsday scenario. Considering Oats job looks secure in Alabama and no way any of us would want Hurley, I can't imagine there being another Groce falling into our laps.

Edited March 3 by kreed5120

[NWAkron]

Everything one reads on the internet and the speculation and assumptions that follow are always true.  

[zippy5]

I think we'll need a link with a source to discuss this further. And then probably in its own thread 

[Hilltopper]

He is not getting the job. He was not a finalist. The only person with an Akron connection who was in the mix was Heather Lyke. But that seems unlikely now.

 

http://Complaint alleges Lyke contributed to ‘culture of intimidation' at SU https://share.google/Zdhpf4NGDFCpKV9vR

[GP1]

15 hours ago, ZipsBBjunkie said:

John Groce is Goodrich’s primary selling point

Maybe. Syracuse is an awful place most of the year. Summit county is more desirable. 

 

Syracuse needs a coach who could reach into the deep recruiting pool that is NYC and get that program going. 

[clarkwgriswold]

I remember Jim Brown back in the day saying something to the effect that Jim Boeheim had to be cheating in recruiting as there's no way the top basketball players would ever want to go to Syracuse, New York without an "incentive."  

 

I was in Syracuse 3 or 4 years ago.  Other than the winter weather, it's not a bad city.

[NWAkron]

45 minutes ago, Hilltopper said:

He is not getting the job. He was not a finalist. The only person with an Akron connection who was in the mix was Heather Lyke. But that seems unlikely now.

 

http://Complaint alleges Lyke contributed to ‘culture of intimidation' at SU https://share.google/Zdhpf4NGDFCpKV9vR

Thank you.  We have a troll on here and a few continue to feed him.

[NWAkron]

if the JAR is usually at least 1/3 empty and the Zips have won 30 in a row, stands to reason that the lack of capacity crowds is working for them?  certainly prepares them for a game at let's say Mt Pleasant or DeKalb. 🤔🫣

[exit322]

On 3/3/2026 at 10:47 AM, clarkwgriswold said:

I was in Syracuse 3 or 4 years ago.  Other than the winter weather, it's not a bad city.

 

Most places that get a bad rap aren't really as bad as they're made out to be.

[Blue & Gold]

With WMU & Miami both building new arenas, CMU, Kent, and Akron will be the only schools left in the MAC using glorified high school gyms as arenas.

[kreed5120]

3 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

With WMU & Miami both building new arenas, CMU, Kent, and Akron will be the only schools left in the MAC using glorified high school gyms as arenas.

 

I wouldn't get caught up in trying to keep up with the Jones's. Infocision has financially hamstrung the football department. If you add in what we're spending on the stadium to what we're spending on everything else football related (coach, staff, recruiting, etc) we're near the top of the MAC. The problem is we can't both make debt service payments on the stadium while still having an upper tier G5 budget. That's why we just lost an assistant to Marshall.

 

IMO NIL is a great equalizer for a program like Akron. Facility upgrades are immensely costly and don't correlate directly to success. Two of our G5 peers in the Sun Belt built new arenas in the last 5 years. This season they went a combined 15-21 in conference play. 

 

What matters for success and notoriety is players. We already have the training facility and fantastic locker rooms that are in the upper echelon of the MAC. IMO every dollar you spend in NIL equates to $10, $20, maybe more in facilities. You get a greater ROI in NIL.

Edited 6 hours ago by kreed5120

[Zips1991]

2 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

I wouldn't get caught up in trying to keep up with the Jones's. Infocision has financial hamstrung the football department. If you add in what we're spending on the stadium to what we're spending on everything else football related (coach, staff, recruiting, etc) we're near the top of the MAC. The problem is we can't both make debt service payments on the stadium while still having an upper tier G5 budget. That's why we just lost an assistant to Marshall.

 

IMO NIL is a great equalizer for a program like Akron. Facility upgrades are immensely costly and don't correlate directly to success. Two of our G5 peers in the Sun Belt built new arenas in the last 5 years. This season they went a combined 15-21 in conference play. 

 

What matters for success and notoriety is players. We already have the training facility and fantastic locker rooms that are in the upper echelon of the MAC. IMO every dollar you spend in NIL equates to $10, $20, maybe more in facilities. You get a greater ROI in NIL.

I think the contrast between how much NIL hurts our football but helps our MBB is amazing.

[kreed5120]

23 minutes ago, Zips1991 said:

I think the contrast between how much NIL hurts our football but helps our MBB is amazing.

 

It's also worth noting NIL dollars in basketball go much further because there are fewer players to pay and more schools are actively trying to compete in FBS compared to basketball.

[NWAkron]

Hard for me to complain about the gym when the team playing there has 31 home win streak.

[ZipsFan31]

I know a long shot but do you think we could ever get a 10k arena downtown Akron. Next to the rubber ducks a lock 3. LeBron could pay and the city could help.  Then move the Cleveland charge into that arena and have the zips play there. 
 

it would be a UA, charge and concert venue.  Creating a stadium district downtown.

[kreed5120]

4 minutes ago, ZipsFan31 said:

I know a long shot but do you think we could ever get a 10k arena downtown Akron. Next to the rubber ducks a lock 3. LeBron could pay and the city could help.  Then move the Cleveland charge into that arena and have the zips play there. 
 

it would be a UA, charge and concert venue.  Creating a stadium district downtown.

 

A lot to unpack here.

1) What would make you think LeBron would ever fund such a thing? Almost all the charity work he has done in the area has been for the impoverished community (not criticism). This wouldn't really fit that profile. You'd have better luck getting funds through the Knight Foundation IMO.

 

2) Akron city tried and it was hugely unsuccessful.

 

3) Why would the Charge move to Akron after they just relocated from Canton to Cleveland.

 

4) 10k seats is way too many for Zips basketball. I think we hosted only 1 game with 3k fans, maybe 2. 

 

5) Moving the games off campus would lead to fewer students attending.

 

6) Akron already has venues for concerts/plays. Between Blossom, E.J. Thomas, Akron Civic Theater I'm not really seeing the capacity to support more.

[Let'sGoZips94]

22 minutes ago, ZipsFan31 said:

I know a long shot but do you think we could ever get a 10k arena downtown Akron. Next to the rubber ducks a lock 3. LeBron could pay and the city could help.  Then move the Cleveland charge into that arena and have the zips play there. 
 

it would be a UA, charge and concert venue.  Creating a stadium district downtown.

 

No and it wouldn't benefit UA or the city of Akron. 

 

IMO, the ideal, best possible scenario is a JAR renovation. 

[zippy5]

59 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

 

 

6) Akron already has venues for concerts/plays. Between Blossom, E.J. Thomas, Akron Civic Theater I'm not really seeing the capacity to support more.

There is definitely a market for a mid size music venue in Akron imo. There's a level of musician that doesn't come to Akron but hits up places like Kemba Live in Columbus and Stage AE in Pittsburgh and drives right through Akron. Too small for Blossom, too big for EJ or Akron Civic 

 

Below is the tour schedule for Akron's own Black Keys

 

https://theblackkeys.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoq5FvIBX6ltfsV_nnzvRIsqUaOdTHK6iukNKNvPeC9MiYxtWbmV

Edited 4 hours ago by zippy5

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, ZipsFan31 said:

I know a long shot but do you think we could ever get a 10k arena downtown Akron. Next to the rubber ducks a lock 3. LeBron could pay and the city could help.  Then move the Cleveland charge into that arena and have the zips play there. 
 

it would be a UA, charge and concert venue.  Creating a stadium district downtown.

The voters of Summit County unequivocally said no 10-12 years ago.  Politicians proposed a downtown arena essentially across from Canal Park.  It went over in polls like a fart in church, even when they tried to attach it to a levy for a 911 upgrade, so they gave up.  

 

In today's climate no one is paying for an arena.  Our best hope is an upgrade to the JAR.

[roopride]

Agree.  Fund NIL first.   

[NWAkron]

A Bowen Hardman bobble head would be nice.

[kreed5120]

9 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

A Bowen Hardman bobble head would be nice.

 

I'd love an Akron seat cushion promotion.

[ZippyRulz]

To be clear, Summit Co. voters haven't expressed opposition to a downtown arena, they just don't want to be taxed for it. And I don't think LBJ has been approached to contribute to any Akron basketball facilities or has said he never would. A lot may depend on his next endeavors after retirement, his business interests, and how/where is is splitting his time and residency. It would probably be a good sign for the area if he decides to play a final season with the Cavs.