Griz1999 said:
Getting the students on the sideline is very important. When they did the remodel they really cheated the basketball program I think. Sure it made sense to sell those seats to make $ but in the long run it should have been about the students. I sat there in college from when I started in '95 and it was always pretty full, that year of playing at Sentinel really set the program back I feel in terms of keeping students involved.
The recent success the Griz and Lady Griz have had should be getting everyone excited again. Keep on coming to the games students and show you want to be on the sideline and create the atmosphere of a Gonzaga or Duke!
We lost seats in the remodel I want to say close to a 1000. How that hurts us in hosting bigger events I have no idea. Lady Griz have been able to host 1st round games of NCAA's but I remember when we hosted regionals. Does anyone know what level of seating we must have to host?
Capacity is around 7,400. Before remodel it was around 9,000. So, 1,500 seats lost.
Consider, the north upper level behind the basket there hasn't been any change, so no lost seats. The south upper level has been changed, but before remodel there was a lot of leg room as the isles between the seats were wider. Now seats are closer, so may have lost some seats. So, where did most of the seats go? Most of the seats lost were the ones between the baskets which are the highest revenue seating. So, naturally, to do the remodel and not lose the most money, you have to sell the seats between the baskets for the big money, thus I would say the major reason for moving the students.
I would say from 1,000 to 1,200 seats between the baskets were lost.
Heck, even many of the season ticket holders prior to the remodel were screwed along with the students.
As for hosting NCAA tournament: UM will never host a regional anymore like in 1993 and 1997 (Lady Griz had a small shot at making that tournament but lost to Texas Tech by two points in sub-regional hosted by Stanford). Lost to many seats, and Missoula not in a big market.
Lady Griz hosted sub-regional in 2004. Talked to someone in UM athletics a couple years ago about UM hosting sub-regional and was told that it was very unlikely. NCAA is going more for the larger markets for hosting sub-regionals and Missoula just is not that big of a market.
As for level of seating, our arena certainly is large enough. Stanford has same size of arena and Stanford will certainy be hosting more sub-regionals. But Stanford is in a much larger market.
