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Basketball Arena Rankings!
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PirateJP Offline
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Post: #1
Basketball Arena Rankings!
Earlier this month Stadium Journey Magazine posted an article about a 4 year trek, in which they visited and ranked all 351 Division I basketball arenas. Now I tend to take these rankings with a grain of salt especially since it was conducted by multiple people (all of whom have different opinions on what makes a good arena/atmosphere), and the fact it took 4 years to complete. A lot can change in that time span.

Article

Here are the AAC arena rankings (Minus Louisville and Rutgers).

Quote:3.) Memphis: FexEx Forum
20.) UConn: Gampel Pavilion
80.) UCF: CFE Arena
107.) Cincy: Fifth Third Arena
126.) SMU: Moody Coliseum
143.) USF: Sundome
152.) Temple: Liacouras Center
226.) Houston: Hofeinz Pavilion
293.) ECU: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
311.) Tulane: Devlin Field House
329.) Tulsa: Donald Reynolds Center

Like I said I tend not to put much stock in to these rankings because he happened to visit ECU during the construction of the new practice facility. He was very critical of "problems" that were secondary to the construction (i.e parking).
04-25-2014 03:35 AM
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illusionescape Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
Yeah, I don't buy those rankings. No way that Hofheinz Pavilion isn't dead last. That place is a dump.

Also, Tulsa's Reynolds Center only opened in 1998. I've never visited it but looks like a pretty nice venue from photos I've seen. Way better than Hofheinz.

And didn't Tulane's gym just get renovated a year or two back?
(This post was last modified: 04-25-2014 06:37 AM by illusionescape.)
04-25-2014 06:26 AM
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CalallenStang Offline
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Basketball Arena Rankings!
The SMU writeup was pre-renovation. So there's that...
04-25-2014 06:50 AM
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mac6115cd Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
Totally useless description of 5th3rd arena. Looked liek sometinhg you'd find in the AAA travel guide. Not that it deserved a higher ranking, but their comments demonstrate that they have not been insdie 5th3rd.
04-25-2014 08:26 AM
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MattofNazareth Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 06:26 AM)illusionescape Wrote:  Yeah, I don't buy those rankings. No way that Hofheinz Pavilion isn't dead last. That place is a dump.

Also, Tulsa's Reynolds Center only opened in 1998. I've never visited it but looks like a pretty nice venue from photos I've seen. Way better than Hofheinz.

And didn't Tulane's gym just get renovated a year or two back?

I would say that the "Hof" needs some love and is going to get that soon in the form of major renovations, but for all the faults, it has the best seat comfort of any arena I have ever been to including Toyota Center. The sightlines are excellent as well. It is old and will be renovated soon but it really isn't as bad as people make out.
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04-25-2014 08:35 AM
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Clarence Iba Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
This is an absolute joke. Our arena is definitely in the top half of this league. Having been to UCF's arena, I would say ours is a little nicer. Theirs has more suites but ours has this scoreboard! This photo doesn't really do it justice.

[Image: 1240565_503070643118802_674992173_n.jpg]
(This post was last modified: 04-25-2014 08:37 AM by Clarence Iba.)
04-25-2014 08:37 AM
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goldenhurricane2 Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
There's no way the Reynolds Center is 329th. It only holds 8355 but it's a very nice facility.

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04-25-2014 08:37 AM
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Native Georgian Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 06:26 AM)illusionescape Wrote:  And didn't Tulane's gym just get renovated a year or two back?
Yes. After being known as "Fogelman Arena" since 1989, the building went significant renovations in 2012 and was renamed "Devlin Fieldhouse". While it is tiny (3,600), it is still a lot of fun when the team is good, which it used to be, but unfortunately hasn't been since Katrina.

Also, the Hertz Center (practice courts + weight room for hoops and volleyball) opened less than 3 years ago. It is a first-class facility.
(This post was last modified: 04-25-2014 08:45 AM by Native Georgian.)
04-25-2014 08:43 AM
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ECUGrad07 Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
Minges is an ugly baby, but it's our ugly baby.

[Image: Minges-SF.png]
[Image: minges-arena-crowdview.jpg]
**During construction of the Practice Facility**
[Image: 060513jbatt1.jpg]
[Image: 033113ECUHoops-6.jpg]
[Image: 3328380140_8f8fac5562_z.jpg]
04-25-2014 08:53 AM
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gopirates11 Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
Minges has a damn good homecourt advantage, but it really is a crappy arena. 293 is about where I would put it. I know some of our fans want to put it as a top 100 arena LMAO. If we win the lottery Id hope we would build a new one similar to UCFs. The seating capacity can be exactly the same, but its just an ugly and outdated arena.
04-25-2014 09:06 AM
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UConnHusky Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
Fans have so much to do with the arena experience. After this season, there is no way that a thinking person would put Moody Coliseum outside of the top 50. Even on TV, you could feel the electricity of the games there this year.
04-25-2014 09:16 AM
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HP-TBDPITL Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
What I thought was interesting about the Minges write-up is many of the items can be/are being fixed....so I would expect it to be ranked higher in the long run...

A new grand entrance is now in place and parking is not a problem (with construction over)...and when you factor in the Hall of Fame that you walk through, that should add to the extra column.

Technology improvements weren't mentioned but should have been...those will be done next year and include video/scoreboard at all 4 corners rather than just two. Neighborhood got a good score (Mellow Mushroom/Carolina Ale House is the other direction he didn't go).

If ECU would fix the "gray" he noted multiple times, and relocate the coaches/players/visitors section to the other side (the student section will stay, they want to be on TV), the only other thing would be the somewhat cramped seats up top and the bleachers down below. At some point the seats could be re-done in the lower section with some more permanent seats now that the practice facility is there.

Finally, there is adequate concessions in Minges, they just all aren't opened. Do that and it would be much better.
(This post was last modified: 04-25-2014 10:19 AM by HP-TBDPITL.)
04-25-2014 10:18 AM
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ecumbh1999 Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
HP, the DA that did the Minges right up never went to the upper concorse, the 4 consession stands up there are open for every men's game, plus the two downstairs.

The scoreboards will be done this summer.
(This post was last modified: 04-25-2014 10:48 AM by ecumbh1999.)
04-25-2014 10:34 AM
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gopirates11 Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
even after the upgrades its hard to see minges being a top 200 arena
04-25-2014 02:09 PM
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NYCTUFan Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 03:35 AM)PirateJP Wrote:  Earlier this month Stadium Journey Magazine posted an article about a 4 year trek, in which they visited and ranked all 351 Division I basketball arenas. Now I tend to take these rankings with a grain of salt especially since it was conducted by multiple people (all of whom have different opinions on what makes a good arena/atmosphere), and the fact it took 4 years to complete. A lot can change in that time span.

Article

Here are the AAC arena rankings (Minus Louisville and Rutgers).

Quote:3.) Memphis: FexEx Forum
20.) UConn: Gampel Pavilion
80.) UCF: CFE Arena
107.) Cincy: Fifth Third Arena
126.) SMU: Moody Coliseum
143.) USF: Sundome
152.) Temple: Liacouras Center
226.) Houston: Hofeinz Pavilion
293.) ECU: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
311.) Tulane: Devlin Field House
329.) Tulsa: Donald Reynolds Center

Like I said I tend not to put much stock in to these rankings because he happened to visit ECU during the construction of the new practice facility. He was very critical of "problems" that were secondary to the construction (i.e parking).

Take it for what it's worth, but the review of the Liacouras Center was from a game back in the 2010-11 season. A lot has changed on the Temple campus over the past 4 seasons. I doubt most of these are recent.
04-25-2014 02:25 PM
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HP-TBDPITL Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 02:09 PM)gopirates11 Wrote:  even after the upgrades its hard to see minges being a top 200 arena

I agree...a few more things need to be done (paint/seating)...but I think the entrance at the front made a huge difference. This guy basically sat in the student section which was the previous main entrance. The new entrance is much grander in scale and has the HOF. It shows off the practice gyms...and the parking is right up to the Coliseum.

I would venture that a trip next year to see Memphis or UConn will be an entirely different trip, except the seating is the same....but with the technology upgrades (including flatscreens in the concourses) and his notes that the fans were great...I'd say it will vault up there. There are a lot of small schools ahead of ECU on that list that can easily be passed. Gyms at North Florida, Samford, Vermont, and James Madison are between 175-200. They gave good ratings to small gyms that do things well...and discount the big ones that are new but stale. Minges can do things well for its small size....with the upgrades and new entrancing. The fans will show up for this type of conference schedule. If you fill the place up, create a circus type environment, have good parking, entrances and stuff to do around town...the quality of the seating will become less of a factor.

Another extra...if the walkway over the RR tracks gets done from the Hill, it will really add to the gameday environment with the on campus kids walking from the Hill to the games.
04-25-2014 03:09 PM
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PuddlePirate Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 09:06 AM)gopirates11 Wrote:  Minges has a damn good homecourt advantage, but it really is a crappy arena. 293 is about where I would put it. I know some of our fans want to put it as a top 100 arena LMAO. If we win the lottery Id hope we would build a new one similar to UCFs. The seating capacity can be exactly the same, but its just an ugly and outdated arena.

Minges is getting some upgrades and it's not going anywhere. After the practice facility is fully paid for the next facility that should get some attention is the south side of DFS. But honestly I'd be surprised if that happens any time soon although with low construction costs currently it's probably wise to start looking into it.
04-25-2014 03:10 PM
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TheBigEastSucks Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 03:35 AM)PirateJP Wrote:  Earlier this month Stadium Journey Magazine posted an article about a 4 year trek, in which they visited and ranked all 351 Division I basketball arenas. Now I tend to take these rankings with a grain of salt especially since it was conducted by multiple people (all of whom have different opinions on what makes a good arena/atmosphere), and the fact it took 4 years to complete. A lot can change in that time span.

Article

Here are the AAC arena rankings (Minus Louisville and Rutgers).

Quote:3.) Memphis: FexEx Forum
20.) UConn: Gampel Pavilion
80.) UCF: CFE Arena
107.) Cincy: Fifth Third Arena
126.) SMU: Moody Coliseum
143.) USF: Sundome
152.) Temple: Liacouras Center
226.) Houston: Hofeinz Pavilion
293.) ECU: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
311.) Tulane: Devlin Field House
329.) Tulsa: Donald Reynolds Center

Like I said I tend not to put much stock in to these rankings because he happened to visit ECU during the construction of the new practice facility. He was very critical of "problems" that were secondary to the construction (i.e parking).

I watched a ton of smu games this year and was very impressed. Moody looked impressive on tv and I remember seeing Bush court side. They would get my vote for #1 in the AAC
04-25-2014 03:19 PM
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ncbeta Offline
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RE: Basketball Arena Rankings!
(04-25-2014 03:19 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  
(04-25-2014 03:35 AM)PirateJP Wrote:  Earlier this month Stadium Journey Magazine posted an article about a 4 year trek, in which they visited and ranked all 351 Division I basketball arenas. Now I tend to take these rankings with a grain of salt especially since it was conducted by multiple people (all of whom have different opinions on what makes a good arena/atmosphere), and the fact it took 4 years to complete. A lot can change in that time span.

Article

Here are the AAC arena rankings (Minus Louisville and Rutgers).

Quote:3.) Memphis: FexEx Forum
20.) UConn: Gampel Pavilion
80.) UCF: CFE Arena
107.) Cincy: Fifth Third Arena
126.) SMU: Moody Coliseum
143.) USF: Sundome
152.) Temple: Liacouras Center
226.) Houston: Hofeinz Pavilion
293.) ECU: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
311.) Tulane: Devlin Field House
329.) Tulsa: Donald Reynolds Center

Like I said I tend not to put much stock in to these rankings because he happened to visit ECU during the construction of the new practice facility. He was very critical of "problems" that were secondary to the construction (i.e parking).

I watched a ton of smu games this year and was very impressed. Moody looked impressive on tv and I remember seeing Bush court side. They would get my vote for #1 in the AAC

It was very impressive. Lots of stars and bigwigs. The students were rowdy as they should be. If we can get the ball rolling look for minges to look like moody in terms of energy and atmosphere.
04-25-2014 03:43 PM
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PirateJP Offline
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Basketball Arena Rankings!
Some reviewers actually took the time sit down and write thorough reviews about their experience. Many of the higher ranked schools just have a blurb. Not very accurate IMHO.


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04-25-2014 03:49 PM
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