Convenient bathrooms & concessions at least make the game experience @ FH acceptable. At the Dome, this has been a constant problem.

I love it that Rod is trying to say this is "following the herd?" What the hell? Now they're pulling out all of the big games won @ the dome? Well, true, that's where the team has played their games. But think about this: How many might have been won @ FH that got away with a loud arena? Maybe Belmont wouldn't have shot the lights out. I remember just as many disappointing losses over the past 13 years as memorable wins in that facility.

People have been complaining about the dome since I arrived in 2000, including the games w/ Wadood & Fields.

The team liked playing there. The coach liked playing there. Why? Because it's a basketball venue. It's louder. Even though it's old, it's better. This is a non-starter. When the dome opened, it was probably a decent facility. Now it's just dated and it's a dump. FH is old but offers so much more. Why? Because it's a facility MADE FOR BASKETBALL.

I agree, I like FH better. It's a real basketball arena, not a football stadium with a basketball court in the middle. Bathrooms WAAY better, louder, and actually resembles a big time arena which makes people think you might kinda have a big time program. I've talked to quite a few folks at work who are thinking about buying season tickets next year just because they think playing in Freedom Hall is exciting. I don't care what the SoCon says, I'd want to play in FH anyway, just as long as we raise money for an on campus arena as soon as the football stadium is done.

I like the dome but love Freedom Hall for basketball. Can anyone photoshop Freedom hall showing us what it would look like with a little work? Blue seats, Buc bb floor, scoreboard, signage, etc.

I don't think I'll renew my season tickets unless basketball is moved from the dome. I'm tired of paying my hard earned money and the result is basketball on a football field with no atmosphere, no student attendance, little to no access to a restroom, and absolutely no access to concessions.

(02-21-2014 05:04 PM)BucDoctor Wrote:  I don't think I'll renew my season tickets unless basketball is moved from the dome. I'm tired of paying my hard earned money and the result is basketball on a football field with no atmosphere, no student attendance, little to no access to a restroom, and absolutely no access to concessions.

Well moving it off campus will certainly help that.


The only way they get students to games now is to bribe them with a give away. To get them to leave campus and come to Freedom Hall they are going to have to promise them beer.

Sounds good to me.

Hmmm Bartow loved the Mini Dome. "It is a great place to play"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhdYIZ9UI0k

I do not think that you can take seriously any comment, either way, that our coaching staff says about the facility. Obviously they are going to say what the AD wants them to say. A year ago, the Dome was a great facility. Now, its a recruiting liability. Both statements are BS.

(02-21-2014 08:56 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  I do not think that you can take seriously any comment, either way, that our coaching staff says about the facility. Obviously they are going to say what the AD wants them to say. A year ago, the Dome was a great facility. Now, its a recruiting liability. Both statements are BS.

Bingo! Bartow will say whatever needs to be said to stay in good graces with his new bosses. I would be willing to bet that he realizes having such a ridiculously high ceiling above the playing floor provides an extremely poor peripheral vision reference for visiting shooters . . . unless they're visiting from Belmont, of course.

Silly question here. Does the City or Freedom Hall get any of their other bookings for the building approved by the School Board?

I booked and helped run an MMA event there a few years ago. We had a contact that was signed by the City Manager and we produced our insurance paperwork, wrote the check. Keys were handed over.

Also, the SoCon members HATE playing basketball in the Dome. I've never heard a Coach from any other team say they like it. The lack of depth perception due to it's expansive ceiling and barrier walls is the excuse I've always heard. I think the SoCon members also hate it because it swallows up the Visitors section (when they actually have fans that travel). We've got one of the most consistent home court advantages in the conference, even when it's empty.

Win games and people come. Pretty simple. Won't matter which facility.

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And for "historical context," the Freedom Hall question has popped up since 1998 (I'll just give the two times I was actually witness to the internal conversation). There was a presentation by F.Pergollizi and partnering with the City to build an Arena and other Athletic facilities toward downtown off the future I-26 exit. The City wanted to develop that area as a hub for retail/restaurants/hotels etc, and a partnership bringing an entertainment venue in there would have been the centerpiece. I don't know exactly why it never took off. I don't recall Stanton attending the press conference, I could be wrong. I have photos from that presentation.

The second time was when the City tried to hand the Freedom Hall keys over to TStansbury. Todd actually fought tooth-and-nail to stop the wooing that was going on from the City/Chamber to the President's office. Todd had an Engineering study done (if I'm recalling correctly, it was a TBR group) and the results of retooling Freedom Hall to accommodate Division I college basketball were off the charts. Everything from water/electrical to State Code issues with the railings, steps, lighting... Just multiple engineering issues. Not to mention the reno and facelift needed in lockerrooms, arena, new seating etc. I believe the unofficial quote was "if they want to dish out the money for the place, we'll talk."

That idea was squashed because there was an on campus Athletics Master Facilities plan being assembled. I still have the copy of that plan done under Stansbury. It included on campus basketball, outdoor football, golf practice, tennis, track, soccer, softball/baseball. It also included the study done by the GaTech engineering buddies of Todd's to show multiple ways the Dome could be refigured for indoor football, of needed. I seem to remember the total price tag for everything being $80 million. It was in play when Stansbury walked out the door. Then the walls came crashing down. I also have the "revised" Master Plan copies after football was dropped.

Different President's will approach the challenges of Athletics facilities differently. I'm just glad we've finally got one that gives a darn and that understands the role that Athletics can play and the resulting impact. In five years, I doubt what the SoCon "wants" will matter. It's what our President wants and is visioning.


Takes deep breath and signs off.

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(02-22-2014 05:48 AM)ReturnOfMommaBear Wrote:  Also, the SoCon members HATE playing basketball in the Dome. I've never heard a Coach from any other team say they like it. The lack of depth perception due to it's expansive ceiling and barrier walls is the excuse I've always heard. I think the SoCon members also hate it because it swallows up the Visitors section (when they actually have fans that travel). We've got one of the most consistent home court advantages in the conference, even when it's empty.

Thank you!!! You're the FIRST person that's offered an actual REASON . . . not just a "clowd" statement of what the SoCon wants, like they're some kind of far reaching God-like superior to all things micro manageable at ETSU.