Several nonpower five with limited resources have became top 25 programs in basketball (once upon a time-we were) But IMHO we have neglected basketball facilities. So just for the fun of it please just list what you think is needed.
The most needed and unfortunately most expensive is a new practice facility. (?four? programs in the state already have one) Related is a new separate strength and conditioning area. player lounge with food, and new first class locker room
Our attendance is way down most of us blame schedule but todays fan demand amenities. The first is sky boxes to attract back the non-UAB $$$ business community. A more open concourse with food court where the game can be seen, Make end zone seats closer to court (not for hockey). Redo individual seats
It took forever to get handrails in the upper section, so...
Coach Clark was asked by Mackin what was needed for the football program and you see what happened.
The most needed and unfortunately most expensive is a new practice facility.
• Active fund-raising in progress, though a long way from fruition.
Related is a new separate strength and conditioning area.
• Basketball got a separate training area in Bartow less than 2 years ago.
new first class locker room
• Men's basketball has a new first class locker room, less than 5 years old. I'm still paying for part of it.
player lounge with food
• Player lounge with food and tv/gaming area was completed at the same time as the new locker room.
IMHO, the green and gold room, champions club room, and whatever is above that, should be a glass lined palace that is truly a leasable ballroom for UAB and is attached to the Eastern side of Bartow Arena for quick access. I'd also move all corporate purchased seats to the Eastern end zone.
After the new Green & Gold room is built, that would give you ~6000 sq. ft. to remodel as you see fit.
Old Bell gym should be turned back into a practice facility. 110°, two 48" fans, and Coach Bartow screaming at Larry Rembert for not hustling.
Practice facility is badly needed. The locker room and separate weight room has already been done. They renovated the G&G room last year and are renovating the Champion's Club room right now. Also added several new wall graphics that look pretty cool in the coaches' offices.
Other than the practice facility, I think we need to dress up the exterior of the building. Add back-lit Bartow Arena signage to all four sides of the building and put a back-lit dragon head on each of the 4 corners of the building. I think it would be cool to enclose the overhang at the main entrance with a glass wall to make it an atrium. Also, we badly need to renovate the concourse.
Badly
For a small nominal fee I’ll whip out a design.
1) Whatever the coaches say they need to land recruits
2) Upgrading the outside of Bartow.
Signage on Bartow is a huge need. When viewing it from Childrens Hospital, there is literally nothing to distinguish what it is.
As the list of suggested additions, renovations, enlargements and modifications grows yearly, at some point the reality begins that an entirely new Bartow Arena embodying as many of these suggestions as possible needs to be built. Parking, particularly on class days, is already a problem since the new school building eliminated a lot of the most convenient parking spaces, and it can only get worse as enrollment grows.
I know I'm talking a decade or so away, but since I'm 77 I can't take that decade for granted so I'm bringing it up now. We don't want Bartow Arena to become our campus equivalent of Legion Field by 2030.
The entire Basketball program needs to be revamped, Sure, The Basketball team sees the football Facility and would like to have something like it, But the School did not pay for it, The people did, So when the people want to pony up for a revamped state of the art basketball program, you are going to see mixed feelings among the two programs. So the people, the ones that want it, are going to have to pay for it. When is the last time the University invested in sports programs such as Baseball and Basketball; until they do, you will have to expect the people to put in to the program, UAB actually has enough funds to do it, but it; is delegated to back to, where it came from, so in its self that's where it is going.
We have to raise money. The rebounders are about to return and several of us here or on the board Details when we are ready to release them