Where would you spend the 5.5 Million @SuperPit?

[TheWestie]

When Tony was playing during Johnny's last season, 3/4 of that media section was full. The UNT Sports Information people, Hank and George and their folks, Sports Information people from the visiting school, visiting radio people, occasional media covering the other team, NBA scouts. It's not just me, Vito and the team photographer. 

First four rows are usually full, and that's usually just the SIDs and radio. Back two rows are usually empty, except when the sports broadcasting students in Hank's class show up to do their play-by-plays. 

They can't shove anyone behind the scorer's table, there's no room. Hell, you can barely walk back there as it is. During a TV game it's even worse. 


It's not like the place looks like this still...

If we're gonna spend 5.5 million, can we get a cool center court thing again?

 

[GrandGreen]

Anyone wanting to replace the Super Pit is not dealing in reality.   There are a lot of places to spend money before that happens.  I don't like the new bright McDonald's like arenas, and think the SP has a lot of more years in it.  

I think most have it right, improve the lighting, add permanent ticket areas, and do something with that press area.  I think the concession areas are fine, just get  improved menus which should not cost anything, in fact it should make some money.

There could be a lot of improvements in the non-public areas, but not sure that should be a priority.  It would be nice to have a much improved facility for the Mean Green members who meet their donation requirements.  

 

 

Edited August 30, 2015 by GrandGreen

[southsideguy]

UNM spent like 50 million to redo their gym.  That place rocks and next impossible to get a ticket.  Not much else to do in albuquerque but locals love them.

[Army of Dad]

Anyone wanting to replace the Super Pit is not dealing in reality.   There are a lot of places to spend money before that happens.  I don't like the new bright McDonald's like arenas, and think the SP has a lot of more years in it.  

I think most have it right, improve the lighting, add permanent ticket areas, and do something with that press area.  I think the concession areas are fine, just get  improved menus which should not cost anything, in fact it should make some money.

There could be a lot of improvements in the non-public areas, but not sure that should be a priority.  It would be nice to have a much improved facility for the Mean Green members who meet their donation requirements.  

 

 

Oh, add that to the list. The players lounge needs some serious improvement. That would help us look more on par with the competition when it comes to recruiting.

I know @TheWestie has mentioned this before.

[Ben Gooding]

Is Benford still our coach? If so, might as well write that check out to Ben Gooding. 

[James329]

1. Remove the oval partition that separates the seating from the floor. (At least on the sidelines. Just fix the floor seating like everyone else has said.)

2. Redo the entrances and concourses.

3. Fix the lighting

4. Fix the internal and external signage. Outdoor banners are a good idea.

5. Update the concessions. 

[rws69]

I heard at one time that any significant renovation would require adding hand rails for the steps, but the current aisles are not wide enough for that. Seems like the solution would be taking at least one column of seats out of each section.

I agree with the comments about converting the current press area to seats. I am in the first row of seats behind the floor seats. Those are folding chairs instead of stadium seats. That area is rarely more than half full, and it seems that most folks sitting there are one-time or occasional guests - not season ticket holders. Put the media there on the same side as the TV cameras and add a row or two of nicer seats for those who want to pay for that.

I agree on the need for ticket windows, but reconfigure the entrances so that ticket buyers can line up INSIDE the building.

And yes, let there be light!

[gksmith]

I really like the Coliseum but the seats are a tight fit for me. I'm a big guy - 6'7" and my shins are against the seat in front of me. Any way to expand the space a few inches would be greatly appreciated.

[greenit]

You could try sitting in an exit row, assuming you are willing to fulfill the duties of sitting in an exit row.

Alternatively, you could get seats on the first row.  At 6-7, that lovely green rail may not be an issue for you.

[TheWestie]

5.5 Million bucks?


BOUNCE HOUSES FULL OF NACHOS FOR EVERYONE!!!!!

[Army of Dad]

5.5 Million bucks?


BOUNCE HOUSES FULL OF NACHOS FOR EVERYONE!!!!!

RV ultimate birthday party?

 

question, no info

[CMJ]

I am in no way favor of cutting the capacity down to 5-6K like some advocate.  If we win, we'll get crowds over that.  Hell, we were getting nearly that many for Sunbelt games at the end of JJ's tenure.

[oldguystudent]

I am in no way favor of cutting the capacity down to 5-6K like some advocate.  If we win, we'll get crowds over that.  Hell, we were getting nearly that many for Sunbelt games at the end of JJ's tenure.

I'm on the fence.  It feels mighty cavernous in there sometimes.  There were more than a few who wanted to build Apogee out to 50,000 from the beginning on the same premise that if we started winning, it would fill up.  The last four seasons would've been ridiculous had it been built that big with no relief in sight for the foreseeable future.

[greenit]

I would be fine with 5-6k if the seats we had were really nice.  There are worse things to deal with than having too many fans and not enough seats.

[North Texas Shep]

On baseball. I would spend it all on baseball. 

[Matt from A700]

Lighting should be #1, and just hire better people for the general presentation of the game with better use of the scoreboard graphics, games, etc. Make Mean Green basketball games a source of entertainment - and make people actually get excited when offering four free tickets. Then obviously make permanent ticket booth structures and deal with the media space afterwards. Whatever's left can go to the non-public areas behind the scenes.

 

Also, I know the former arena was nicknamed the Snake Pit, but does it have any significance? I feel like honoring an alumni or someone who was big in the program's history would give the place a cooler feeling with some history. For example, you would get more specific Google Images results for "Johnny Jones Court/Arena". Meanwhile, if you do a Google Image search for "The Super Pit", you get:

 

[CMJ]

If the Super Pit was less than ten years old, I could maybe see trying to change the name as you mentioned.  But after 40 some odd years it IS historic and significant.

[Mean Green Scrappy]

I heard at one time that any significant renovation would require adding hand rails for the steps, but the current aisles are not wide enough for that. Seems like the solution would be taking at least one column of seats out of each section.

I agree with the comments about converting the current press area to seats. I am in the first row of seats behind the floor seats. Those are folding chairs instead of stadium seats. That area is rarely more than half full, and it seems that most folks sitting there are one-time or occasional guests - not season ticket holders. Put the media there on the same side as the TV cameras and add a row or two of nicer seats for those who want to pay for that.

I agree on the need for ticket windows, but reconfigure the entrances so that ticket buyers can line up INSIDE the building.

And yes, let there be light!

Disagree about who the people are sitting in the floor seats.  Most of the people sitting in those seats are the actual season ticket holders and show up 99% of the time to support the team and university despite what their personal thoughts might be about the coaching staff or AD.  Same goes for a large chunk of season ticket holders who sit in the lower bowl.

Overall I think the Super Pit is a great arena and not much needs to be done to enhance the game day experience.  With the limited $ the things I would change would be putting in new seats in the lower/upper bowls, have better lighting, update restrooms, update players lounges if that is needed (I have never seen them), add the ticket booths, and finally create or build a new space for the MGC room to be on the main concourse level.  I think it would be better served up there and not hidden in the tunnels below the seats.  It would be more visible and could help in the drive to get new members or to get current members to up their current level.

[TheWestie]

Spend all 5.5 million on a new slick locker room to attract the players we need to win.

 

 

 

[UNTFan23]

Spend all 5.5 million on a new slick locker room to attract the players we need to win.

 

 

That's a pretty awesome locker room but weren't they having money problems thus canned their football and a few other programs?

Edited September 9, 2015 by UNTFan23

[Army of Dad]

Disagree about who the people are sitting in the floor seats.  Most of the people sitting in those seats are the actual season ticket holders and show up 99% of the time to support the team and university despite what their personal thoughts might be about the coaching staff or AD.  Same goes for a large chunk of season ticket holders who sit in the lower bowl.

Overall I think the Super Pit is a great arena and not much needs to be done to enhance the game day experience.  With the limited $ the things I would change would be putting in new seats in the lower/upper bowls, have better lighting, update restrooms, update players lounges if that is needed (I have never seen them), add the ticket booths, and finally create or build a new space for the MGC room to be on the main concourse level.  I think it would be better served up there and not hidden in the tunnels below the seats.  It would be more visible and could help in the drive to get new members or to get current members to up their current level.

99% attendance is too high, but your point that those "big money" supporters is otherwise well made. Those seats are used at a significantly higher rate than any other class of seats in the Pit. No idea about other season ticket holders beyond our seats. It's been empty enough there's no way to be sure.

[Cerebus]

That's a pretty awesome locker room but weren't they having money problems thus canned their football and a few other programs?

No, they did not.  But Bear Bryant Jr hired the right contractor and campus president to make the books look that way.  The real campus having money problems was UAT, UAB is doign well because the medical school/research hospital is one of the best funded in the nation off of federal grants. 

Getting their hands on that money is why the UA BOT went along. 

[untjim1995]

That's a pretty awesome locker room but weren't they having money problems thus canned their football and a few other programs?

UAB hoops has always been supported very well.  They just fell victim to Bear Bryant Jr. and the big Alabama boosters.

[EagleMBA]

There were numerous good ideas in the above thread. I would have reservations on ideas that substantially changed the configuration/use of space at the floor level in any permanent way. Particularly concerning would be narrowing any tunnel entrances.

My reasoning is that this building is a muti-purpose building not dedicated to basketball. Those tunnels accommodate vehicles to transport exhibits or whatever that may be required to be delivered to the floor. Until it belongs solely to the athletic department, I don't see how it could be truly customized for our basketball use.

That doesn't mean that great things can't be done to improve the "look and feel" on gamedays.  Just my humble opinion.

[GMG24]

Spend all 5.5 million on a new slick locker room to attract the players we need to win.

 

 

 

YESSIR!! Then, raise more money and fix the other stuff we mentioned. lol