What will be the seating capacity of the stadium?

Jack

What stadium are you talking about? If it's the Manhattan one, 75k.

What will be the seating capacity of Nippert Stadium after the rennovation? Also: any rumors about UC getting a new basketball arena?

I think close to 40k. No idea on the basketball thing.

starguy Wrote:What will be the seating capacity of Nippert Stadium after the rennovation? Also: any rumors about UC getting a new basketball arena?

There will be a new section added to the north endzone this year when the new student rec center is completed. That should increase the capacity to about 35,000. UC's AD Bob Goin mentioned on a radio show recently that he'd love to raise the pressbox at Nippert and add in another tier of seats below it to further increase the capacity to 40k. Not sure it that'll ever happen, but the largest Nippert will ever get will be around 40k. Any games big enough to attract 50K+ fans will essentially be moved to Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincy, which seats about 66k.

As for a new basketball arena, Mr. Goin has also mentioned recently that the school will look into the option of either renovating the existing Shoemaker Center or building an entirely new arena with a capacity of at least 16k. Where this new arena can be built is anyone's guess right now, but at least the thinking and planning process has begun.

Isn't the capacity of Nippert Stadium already 35K? If so, how can 35K represent the new increased capacity? As I recall, we have had several sell-out games at Nippert with 35K in attendance. Am I correct or have I missed something?

The only explanation I can think of is that the current renovation will not significantly increase the seating capacity to any measurable extent.

The capacity was about 35000 before the end zone seats were removed a couple of seasons ago. Now that they are coming back it will be near 35000 again.

The Shoe will be looked at by the New Ad when they are appointed by June 06. Bob stated two weeks ago that he will leave plans for
a remodel of the Shoe and a plan for a new arena with the new Director. Bob has said several times that around 2009 would be the practical time to begin such work. The site would be exactly the same as the Shoe as they would implode the Shoe and then play downtown for a year...Please just remodel! The arena is only 16 years old. The building is an great place, it just needs some improved seating in the lower level and possibly another small upper level with some additional boxes on the south end. The facilities have now all been duplicated in other new buildings so the Shoe no longer has to have temporary seating in some areas. Nippert is looking amazing these days...It requires an on site visit but you can catch a glimpse on ucbearcats.com under sports teams football selection
they have photos as of 4-1-05. The stadium wall on the northwest side of the pressbox appears to be taken down so as to make the Main Street Plaza come right into the stadium when finished. You cannot see this in the photos, but you can see the new endzone seating etc. The Athletes will all eat dinner nightly in the restaurant
overlooking the stadium. Great pics of the Linder Athletic building
looking and winding right into the north east corner of the stadium
and now rising higher than the upperdeck. I wnet to the Baseball game last night in the new 11 million dollar stadium it is drawing many more students etc. what an atmoshpere for the Purdue game, great music, concessions etc. Campus is looking like a whole new place and was alive with frisbees on the lawns , music, and life ...the 24 hour campus has arrived and is worth a tour this Spring. The Student Rec center is on target for fall 05 completion.
It's an exciting time to be a Bearcat!

Bearcat T Wrote:The Shoe will be looked at by the New Ad when they are appointed by June 06. Bob stated two weeks ago that he will leave plans for
a remodel of the Shoe and a plan for a new arena with the new Director. Bob has said several times that around 2009 would be the practical time to begin such work. The site would be exactly the same as the Shoe as they would implode the Shoe and then play downtown for a year...Please just remodel! The arena is only 16 years old. The building is an great place, it just needs some improved seating in the lower level and possibly another small upper level with some additional boxes on the south end. The facilities have now all been duplicated in other new buildings so the Shoe no longer has to have temporary seating in some areas. Nippert is looking amazing these days...It requires an on site visit but you can catch a glimpse on ucbearcats.com under sports teams football selection
they have photos as of 4-1-05. The stadium wall on the northwest side of the pressbox appears to be taken down so as to make the Main Street Plaza come right into the stadium when finished. You cannot see this in the photos, but you can see the new endzone seating etc. The Athletes will all eat dinner nightly in the restaurant
overlooking the stadium. Great pics of the Linder Athletic building
looking and winding right into the north east corner of the stadium
and now rising higher than the upperdeck. I wnet to the Baseball game last night in the new 11 million dollar stadium it is drawing many more students etc. what an atmoshpere for the Purdue game, great music, concessions etc. Campus is looking like a whole new place and was alive with frisbees on the lawns , music, and life ...the 24 hour campus has arrived and is worth a tour this Spring. The Student Rec center is on target for fall 05 completion.
It's an exciting time to be a Bearcat!

Problem is the big boys usually play in arenas over 16k. If Cinci wants to be in the elite group you need to increase capacity.

Not really true I would consider UConn, Duke, UCLA Big Boys and they play in 9000 and 10,000 seat arenas. UC at 13,176 ranks in the top 25 almost every year in attendance. The changes I mentioned above can easily take the Shoe to 15,000 if needed. Pitts new arena at about 12.5 is bigger than most in the Big East. Remember UC plays on campus unlike Marquette, Depaul, U of L etc. ND and Pitt, WVU all pretty big boys in the Big East have the same or smaller size arenas on campus etc.

In hoops, UConn actually alternates between two locations.

Hartford Civic Center - 15,635 (Downtown Hartford)
Gampel Pavilion - 10,027 (On-Campus)

Bearcat T Wrote:Not really true I would consider UConn, Duke, UCLA Big Boys and they play in 9000 and 10,000 seat arenas. UC at 13,176 ranks in the top 25 almost every year in attendance. The changes I mentioned above can easily take the Shoe to 15,000 if needed. Pitts new arena at about 12.5 is bigger than most in the Big East. Remember UC plays on campus unlike Marquette, Depaul, U of L etc. ND and Pitt, WVU all pretty big boys in the Big East have the same or smaller size arenas on campus etc.

UConn plays their big games downtown

The handwriting is on the wall if Cinci wants to be in the elite group (top 10-15 programs) they need to fill 16-20k for a game. UCLA needs to build a better arena but I'm not sure their is support--historically they are elite, reality is UCLA is over the hill. Pitt is losing revenue on a 12.5k arena and they are not Elite.

Cincy is already elite... Top ten program of All-time. Who wants to play downtown for big games? UC plays downtown for one game a year against Miami Ohio capacity 16.0m. Who would not want the
awesome campus atmopshere for almost every game? Downtown is meant for NBA type games or tournaments. It sounds like UConn needs one much more than Cincy. With 21 of 26 games on National TV last year you will love the eliteness UC will bring the Big East. Why would you want your students to not be able to walk right out of their dorms and into the arena...UC bussed downtown for years. Its expensive, time consuming etc. UC has that arena anytime it wants it...which is seldom.

Bearcat T Wrote:Cincy is already elite... Top ten program of All-time. Who wants to play downtown for big games? UC plays downtown for one game a year against Miami Ohio capacity 16.0m. Who would not want the
awesome campus atmopshere for almost every game? Downtown is meant for NBA type games or tournaments. It sounds like UConn needs one much more than Cincy. With 21 of 26 games on National TV last year you will love the eliteness UC will bring the Big East. Why would you want your students to not be able to walk right out of their dorms and into the arena...UC bussed downtown for years. Its expensive, time consuming etc. UC has that arena anytime it wants it...which is seldom.

I agree oncampus is a huge plus however you risk "pigeon holing" yourself with revenue shortfall is you continue to play in a smaller venue.

Renovate the Shoe and add 2,000 - 3000 more seats and some boxes. As a Bearcat alum, I do not want to watch games at a off site campus facility. If there is a game here or there that will require more seats we can play downtown.

Exactly.... and the same for football ...we have a beautiful historic stadium that can go from 35m to 40m easily. Any games that
can draw 50m. UC has the NFL Paul Brown Stadium three miles down on the river. The stadium worked well for the OSU game that drew over 66m. I invite all the Big East to see UC's Varsity Village and UL'sCardinal Park two of the best sports complexes anywhere.

TexanMark Wrote:I agree oncampus is a huge plus however you risk "pigeon holing" yourself with revenue shortfall is you continue to play in a smaller venue.

When compared to the costs of construction the net increase in revenue from a few thousand seats in basketball arenas is marginal. Typically a modification is much more financially viable than a new venue. Long waiting line for tickets? Perfect excuse for higher prices. ( I know, not what anyone wants to hear.) Most of the AD revnue streams will come from TV and merchandising, and while off-campus might mean more seats it might also mean a smaller/no share in parking and concessions. You probably need to achieve a difference in 8k+ seats, or a dramatic difference in venue quality, to make expansions/new facilities really worth while. In some cases even that might not be worth it: witness the power of Cameron Indoor with less than 10k seats.

Without last seasons figure fully available, Cincy ranks around #22 - 24 in avg attendance. Literally hundreds of schools behind them. Playing the Facilities Arms Race is fun, but I don't think getting to 18k in basketball capacity is their biggest need right now.

Just my two pennies, anyway.

Cincy ranks in the top twenty-five in attendance every year and has been in the top 25 AP poll for so many years in a roll it's rediculous. Who is so unknowledgable that they would question if Cincy is an elite B-ball program? Even a hated rival UofL fan like me knows that.

cardtopper Wrote:Cincy ranks in the top twenty-five in attendance every year and has been in the top 25 AP poll for so many years in a roll it's rediculous. Who is so unknowledgable that they would question if Cincy is an elite B-ball program? Even a hated rival UofL fan like me knows that.

Relax--I was talking the future not the present--I agree Cinci is in the elite group of teams but as more and more 20k+ arenas get built they run the risk of falling behind. Cinci doesn't carry the cachet like Duke who can survive with 10,000 seats for the forseeable future.

UC will have an arena that holds 16K-20K in the future, but I don't see it ever holding them up if they have 15K or less.