will find a good all basketball conference for us to become affiliated with. Or maybe form one from teams that don't play football. That would be very good for a school like UALR, IMO. However, I think the Sun Belt is a good league for us overall, and unless we could get some very good teams to join us, or get into an established basketball only league, we're probably well situated right now. Especially if we ever were to start a football program.
(11-17-2014 03:44 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]will find a good all basketball conference for us to become affiliated with. Or maybe form one from teams that don't play football. That would be very good for a school like UALR, IMO. However, I think the Sun Belt is a good league for us overall, and unless we could get some very good teams to join us, or get into an established basketball only league, we're probably well situated right now. Especially if we ever were to start a football program.
I don't see any place we could go that would fit better than the Sun Belt. Only way we leave is if we get kicked out. The addition of UTA makes me more comfortable that this won't happen.
(11-17-2014 04:08 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ] (11-17-2014 03:44 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]will find a good all basketball conference for us to become affiliated with. Or maybe form one from teams that don't play football. That would be very good for a school like UALR, IMO. However, I think the Sun Belt is a good league for us overall, and unless we could get some very good teams to join us, or get into an established basketball only league, we're probably well situated right now. Especially if we ever were to start a football program.
I don't see any place we could go that would fit better than the Sun Belt. Only way we leave is if we get kicked out. The addition of UTA makes me more comfortable that this won't happen.
I agree MJS. The Missouri Valley is a good basketball only league but we would be an outlier. Also, given the present state of our program, I doubt the MVC would be interested in us anyway. But that said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the SBC and we are a good fit in the SBC, along with UTA. In any event, we need to win some league championships in the league we are in before dreaming of something higher up.
SBC is fine with me. I do get tired of the "football is the only sport that matters" types.
(11-17-2014 04:08 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see any place we could go that would fit better than the Sun Belt. Only way we leave is if we get kicked out. The addition of UTA makes me more comfortable that this won't happen.
I agree, we just need to get serious about winning, or they need to drop down to DII, I just don't see this program being able to continue unless we get a larger fan base that will mean more dollars for tickets. They might even lead the league in attendance. If they get in the league with Henderson, Harding, and Arkansas Tech, the travel will be cheaper. Make a couple of trips to Oklahoma each year and the rest are in-state. Might even develop some rivalries. If that happens most of you will drop out, and most of us who have already left would never be back.
This program has to be on life support. Can't depend on businessmen to continue to support the program. Even those people want to support a winner. You can't make me believe that we aren't treading in deep water financially. And, it's embarrassing to have more empty seats than full ones in a small 5600 seat arena. That'll tell you that people think our program sucks. And when they built it I thought they were building it too small. Shows you what I know about things.
I think that is the truth.
(11-17-2014 08:00 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (11-17-2014 04:08 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see any place we could go that would fit better than the Sun Belt. Only way we leave is if we get kicked out. The addition of UTA makes me more comfortable that this won't happen.
I agree, we just need to get serious about winning, or they need to drop down to DII, I just don't see this program being able to continue unless we get a larger fan base that will mean more dollars for tickets. They might even lead the league in attendance. If they get in the league with Henderson, Harding, and Arkansas Tech, the travel will be cheaper. Make a couple of trips to Oklahoma each year and the rest are in-state. Might even develop some rivalries. If that happens most of you will drop out, and most of us who have already left would never be back.
This program has to be on life support. Can't depend on businessmen to continue to support the program. Even those people want to support a winner. You can't make me believe that we aren't treading in deep water financially. And, it's embarrassing to have more empty seats than full ones in a small 5600 seat arena. That'll tell you that people think our program sucks. And when they built it I thought they were building it too small. Shows you what I know about things.
Funny you should say that about the Jack being too small. I thought that also, and thought we should have the ability to make it around 7500. Guess I'm in the same boat as you Trojan. Shows what I know about things also.
(11-18-2014 10:12 AM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ] (11-17-2014 08:00 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (11-17-2014 04:08 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see any place we could go that would fit better than the Sun Belt. Only way we leave is if we get kicked out. The addition of UTA makes me more comfortable that this won't happen.
I agree, we just need to get serious about winning, or they need to drop down to DII, I just don't see this program being able to continue unless we get a larger fan base that will mean more dollars for tickets. They might even lead the league in attendance. If they get in the league with Henderson, Harding, and Arkansas Tech, the travel will be cheaper. Make a couple of trips to Oklahoma each year and the rest are in-state. Might even develop some rivalries. If that happens most of you will drop out, and most of us who have already left would never be back.
This program has to be on life support. Can't depend on businessmen to continue to support the program. Even those people want to support a winner. You can't make me believe that we aren't treading in deep water financially. And, it's embarrassing to have more empty seats than full ones in a small 5600 seat arena. That'll tell you that people think our program sucks. And when they built it I thought they were building it too small. Shows you what I know about things.
Funny you should say that about the Jack being too small. I thought that also, and thought we should have the ability to make it around 7500. Guess I'm in the same boat as you Trojan. Shows what I know about things also.
I remember lost of folks I know saying the new arena was "too small" and wondering if it would be built so it could be expanded. I thought it was the perfect size- we sure don't need an arena bigger than Gonzaga. Duke only seats 3500 more than we do. It actually been a lot bigger than we needed since it opened. That may have been one of Chris' miscalculations. He thought with "only" 5600 seats he could charge premium prices and still come close to filling it. That strategy obviously did not work. I think there will be some restructuring of ticket prices when we get a new AD. It will be tough (on the budget) to actually lower prices. I think they could do something like lower men's leather seats from $500 to $375. Make the women's seats $175, but you can continue to get both for $500 which a large percentage of folks would do anyway. But this would allow fans who only are interested in the men's team to get season tickets for 30% less. That's just an idea, off the top of my head, but hopefully the new AD will come up with some innovative ideas to sell tickets and get more folks in the arena.
The Jack is small enough that when we have one of our larger crowds, it feels basically full, but large enough that it will accommodate any crowds we are likely to have. Good size.
(11-18-2014 01:31 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]The Jack is small enough that when we have one of our larger crowds, it feels basically full, but large enough that it will accommodate any crowds we are likely to have. Good size.
Well put. 2500 in the lower bowl, with the student section pretty full, creates a very good college atmosphere. Never had that at Barton or Alltel. I doubt we'll ever get to the point where we fill the arena regularly. We do need to get where we regularly have 4500-5000 for big conference matchups on Saturday nights.
Maybe the new AD will get with it and start a football program!
(11-18-2014 01:27 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I remember lost of folks I know saying the new arena was "too small" and wondering if it would be built so it could be expanded. I thought it was the perfect size- we sure don't need an arena bigger than Gonzaga. Duke only seats 3500 more than we do. It actually been a lot bigger than we needed since it opened. That may have been one of Chris' miscalculations. He thought with "only" 5600 seats he could charge premium prices and still come close to filling it. That strategy obviously did not work. I think there will be some restructuring of ticket prices when we get a new AD. It will be tough (on the budget) to actually lower prices. I think they could do something like lower men's leather seats from $500 to $375. Make the women's seats $175, but you can continue to get both for $500 which a large percentage of folks would do anyway. But this would allow fans who only are interested in the men's team to get season tickets for 30% less. That's just an idea, off the top of my head, but hopefully the new AD will come up with some innovative ideas to sell tickets and get more folks in the arena.
Maybe they should hire Mickey as the new AD. Sounds like a good suggestion on tickets. No, cancel that idea. We never would get rid of Shields.
Want to fill the arena? Have Kentucky and Arkansas play all their home games here.