New Arena Nate Oats comments

imauafan

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Coach Saban was at the basketball game this past Saturday and he has been a supporter of the basketball program ever since he has been at Bama. I really wish he would throw his weight behind getting a new arena built. I guarantee you if he did that, it would get built.
 
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TIDE-HSV

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One thing to consider is that the trend these days is smaller BB arenas, which can be filled easily. Think Auburn and hanging curtains over the stands behind the goals, until they built their new boutique arena. The reported attendance, IIRC, for the UK game was 13K+, which wouldn't fit in Auburn's arena, which holds only 9K. Rupp holds 20K plus. Which way do we go? Is it Oats' type crowds or do we constrict? I've only attended a few games at Coleman, mainly because of the commute and because I felt totally isolated from the action on the postage stamp far, far below. Admittedly, it's not just size. The slope of Coleman is a disgrace. I hope they get somebody competent. However, it will be built...
 

4Q Basket Case

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The concept I've seen from some credible sources is a new Competition Arena.

Coleman houses a lot of stuff that the general public doesn't often see -- coaches' offices for multiple sports, practice facilities, training facilities, meeting facilities, etc., etc. That's a big reason it would be prohibitively expensive to replicate, even at a smaller seating capacity.

As I've seen it presented, the Competition Arena would be for Basketball and Gymnastics, have a capacity of 9K - 10K, and would be just where games / meets take place. While it would of course have locker rooms and fan concessions, along with equipment storage and probably some nice recruiting rooms, all the other ancillary stuff would remain at Coleman.

Siting is TBD, but one place under consideration is the parking lot across Capstone East Drive from the Softball stadium.

Still expensive, but nine figures less than replacing Coleman -- which everybody from Finis St. John and Dr. Bell, down to the newest grounds crew intern, knows needs to be replaced.
 

BamaMoon

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Well, UA will step up and build the new arena or a team like Texas or UK will hire Oats away.
This might move the needle. CNO will be the target of some other programs. It was mentioned in KY game.

Think we'll go smaller than Coleman as 4Q explains, but I have a sneaky feeling it'll seat more than Auburn (just because!). Maybe somethink 10-12K (with possibly some standing room only seats to boot for bigger conference games).

I hope it gets done and CNO stays around. It's not a stretch to say he could actually win a basketball NC at Bama. We are living in odd times. 😁
 

DzynKingRTR

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This might move the needle. CNO will be the target of some other programs. It was mentioned in KY game.

Think we'll go smaller than Coleman as 4Q explains, but I have a sneaky feeling it'll seat more than Auburn (just because!). Maybe somethink 10-12K (with possibly some standing room only seats to boot for bigger conference games).

I hope it gets done and CNO stays around. It's not a stretch to say he could actually win a basketball NC at Bama. We are living in odd times. 😁
Winning a title in hoops would take some of the bad taste out of my mouth.
 

JDCrimson

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I think 12,000 is the right size for us. We are the flagship program in the state and easier to get to than Auburn. Any new venue should be larger than Auburn's imo.

But let me tell you how much of an after thought the basketball fan experience is at Bama games. I have been to several games this year.

They do not offer public wifi inside the arena, none, zero, zilch. It's virtually impossible to get a cell signal through all that concrete. That by itself is ridiculous!
 

Padreruf

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I think 12,000 is the right size for us. We are the flagship program in the state and easier to get to than Auburn. Any new venue should be larger than Auburn's imo.

But let me tell you how much of an after thought the basketball fan experience is at Bama games. I have been to several games this year.

They do not offer public wifi inside the arena, none, zero, zilch. It's virtually impossible to get a cell signal through all that concrete. That by itself is ridiculous!
I think we should model more after Duke -- smaller arena with students close -- and less after UNC/UK -- huge arenas with large sight distances to the court. I've been to all 3 and Duke is much better...imho.
 

imauafan

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They do not offer public wifi inside the arena, none, zero, zilch. It's virtually impossible to get a cell signal through all that concrete. That by itself is ridiculous!
I agree with needing public wifi but I was at the UK game this past Saturday and had no issues getting a cell signal inside of CC. I sent and received several texts with photos and received many other notifications during the game.
 
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TideEngineer08

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Hopefully ground is broken and foundations poured before someone can entice CNO away. He says it's not a big deal except for the fans, but I've always thought he was being nice in saying that.

The real question is, can we build this AND continue to raise his salary to where it will continue to need to be?

Obviously he can build a championship program at Alabama.
 

BamaMoon

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I think we should model more after Duke -- smaller arena with students close -- and less after UNC/UK -- huge arenas with large sight distances to the court. I've been to all 3 and Duke is much better...imho.
I agree the students should be front and center. That's the one thing Auburn got right in their new arena setup.

The season ticket holders (blue hairs as they are often called) can still get plenty of good seats and probably closer to the court than they are in Coleman) if the new arena is designed right.
 
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