...because it's cold???
Word from the official release is "due to the campus being closed for cold weather". Something doesn't add up here. It's going to be 26 degrees and mostly sunny in Chicago State's zip code today. That is practically flip flop weather in the Windy City.
For comparison, Cougars hosted UTRGV at Convocation Center on Jan 5th when temps only reached a high of 16 degrees. NMSU came through two day later, when the high was a balmy 19 degrees. Maybe it isn't a good look to say you don't want to heat a 7000 seat venue for only a couple hundred people, but "closed for cold weather" is a joke.
(02-09-2017 06:21 AM)gleadley Wrote: [ -> ]...because it's cold???
Word from the official release is "due to the campus being closed for cold weather". Something doesn't add up here. It's going to be 26 degrees and mostly sunny in Chicago State's zip code today. That is practically flip flop weather in the Windy City.
For comparison, Cougars hosted UTRGV at Convocation Center on Jan 5th when temps only reached a high of 16 degrees. NMSU came through two day later, when the high was a balmy 19 degrees. Maybe it isn't a good look to say you don't want to heat a 7000 seat venue for only a couple hundred people, but "closed for cold weather" is a joke.
Apparently there must have been some heating issues that had to get repaired. @DrHendersonCSU (Provost) reported yesterday that the main campus would be closed due to "declining temperatures in the buildings." I take it this means there was a late mechanical issue and given the time it occurred and not knowing how long it would take to be fixed, the decision was made to close down the campus for the safety of the students.
A couple hours ago it's been updated that the main campus is now open and classes will be resume after 2pm central. But again, due to the uncertainty arrangements were already made regarding the basketball game.
I imagine they're probably paying a lot more to fix this issue and rent out the Quest Multisport than what it would take to host the game on their own campus to entertain a couple hundred people.
*edit* - I actually found this mentioned elsewhere --
CSU Faculty Voice website:
"Apparently the problem was with the main boiler, a gas leak in the main gas feed."
At least they're paying the power bill.
Currently mobile....but not necessarily upwardly.
Josh, do you think playing at a facility closer to the heart of Chicago could benefit the program. At second glance, playing a game just steps off the Blue Line near UIC campus doesn't seem like a terrible option. Admittedly, I don't know what life is like down at the end of the Red Line, but wonder if CSU games would be better attended if they took a few games a year more into the city?
(02-09-2017 01:15 PM)gleadley Wrote: [ -> ]Josh, do you think playing at a facility closer to the heart of Chicago could benefit the program. At second glance, playing a game just steps off the Blue Line near UIC campus doesn't seem like a terrible option. Admittedly, I don't know what life is like down at the end of the Red Line, but wonder if CSU games would be better attended if they took a few games a year more into the city?
Not to mention south Chicago is one of the most dangerous places in the city and the country. 784 homicides in 2016 and already 61 in 2017. There have been 10 shootings since January 1st within the campus area (4 within 8 blocks of campus during this time).
Obviously this isnt CSUs problem, but have to wonder if it plays apart in attendance.
I like the idea of downtown games though. Itd be really cool to see Chicago State do a yearly invitational for midwest or even just Illinois schools/strictly mid major schools. At Allstate Arena or United Center (I think thats what its called still, where the Bulls play).
Chicago State (WAC)
Eastern Illinois/SIUE (OVC)
Northern Illinois (MAC)
UIC (Horizon)
SIllinois/Loyola/Bradley/Illinois State (MVC)
Western Illinois (Summit)
Northwestern/Illinois (Big 10)
DePaul (Big East)
Make it a tournament or just a series of games (this lets multipe schools from same conference come) and build fan interest, recruiting, and maybe get some more local fans for CSU and all the schools. Illinois has tons of mid majors and luckily they are very spread out in their conference affiliations.
Just an idea
No offical attendance numbers have been released. The facilities twitter header shows the NBA draft combine happening there. Glad they found a place to play it. Not a game SU would want to make up with another trip to the midwest.
One note for SU: we won by 25 points on the road with 5 players inactive including 2 starters (Menzies, Means). We had walk-on Zach Moore and Jack Shaughnessy (first career start) starting. We also appear to have a new player out of nowhere. Luis Cosmos from Redmond, WA. A true freshman. Hadnt even noticed he was added to the roster. He wasnt on the roster at the start of the season
gl- I'm not sure if the attendance would improve or not. My assumption is that it wouldn't just due to the fact the Cougars just aren't a good (appealing) team. They really need to promote within the community and on-campus. Give the neighborhood a reason to come to the game. It really is a nice arena but very unfortunate it's barely filled unless there's a high school game played.
The campus, itself, is safe. The surrounding neighborhood isn't bad either. The south side covers a large area of Chicago so it's difficult to just generalize it. I attached a map of shootings in Chicago since Jan 1. I made a horribly shaped circle to indicate where CSU is located. The city has also been doing renovations on the red line near the university which is supposed to address multiple things including safety concerns.
Regarding an Illinois tournament, I really do like that idea. It'd have to be strategic in scheduling though since there are multiple teams in the same conference like Ben mentioned (OVC, MVC, Big Ten). They could either count as a conference game if same conference teams met up or just restrict the number of teams involved. That's where it could get difficult to organize. If they could get U of I to commit to that (which I wouldn't hold my breath) then it would draw pretty well.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9-83D...UJ4QjNsd3c
I hope the pic meant to say since Jan 1, 2016 and not 2017
(02-12-2017 01:50 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote: [ -> ]I hope the pic meant to say since Jan 1, 2016 and not 2017
385 shooting victims since Jan 1, 2017. 4367 during 2016.
What is with that? This tops the Al Capone era level. We have just as many people in the Bay Area and we are a small fraction of that. Guns are just as prevalent, and we have all the Mexican gangs, so it's something else going on.