Chip: Time for Williams Arena teardown? Not if we get more Gophers games like Tuesday's.

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goldengophers said:
Ummm, I'm going to assume trolling.
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Ope isn't a troll. He's right, Sports facilities are trending smaller.
And if the Wolves get a new building, my guess is it's put right where the current one is, and they play at the X for a year or two.

I don't think the U would make the same mistake in moving off campus again. If any stadium is built at the fairgrounds, my guess it would be for UST football.
 

disco said:
I'm going to be brutally honest here. Sorry.

The long time season ticket holders are not who the prospective improvements are for. People who spend no money on concessions are not who the prospective improvements are for. Upgrading the bathrooms so you don't have to pee in a trough is not aimed at old timers like yourself.

These improvements are intended to bring the facility up to modern standards to compete with other entertainment venues in the Twin Cities, most of which are vastly nicer, and provide a vastly nicer overall entertainment experience for the customer. Especially in a market saturated with options including, but not limited to, sports.

In the end, this is entertainment, and is competing against other forms of entertainment for peoples' disposable income. If the overall experience is lacking, people will spend their money elsewhere. This may well be felt when UST opens their brand new arena in a couple years.
(and I still maintain they will be able to pay basketball players more in NIL than the Gophers at that time.) I know a couple college hoops and long time Gopher fans who bought Tommie season tickets so they get priority in the new building, because it's going to be a nicer experience than the Barn.



Target Center is a subjectively bad building for anything. Even with the improvements to concessions and seats, it's still so poorly designed that even though the Wolves are right now one of the best teams in the NBA, I think they're still tarping off the upper deck behind the baskets (not positive on that - I haven't been this season) because the seats are so bad.
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“vastly nicer” is a vague and subjective descriptor.
 

GoodasGold said:
“vastly nicer” is a vague and subjective descriptor.
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It was also prefaced with "most." I'd stand by the statement anyway. The only one I think you could make an arguement for being worse is Target Center.
 

Ope3 said:
Even NBA arenas are trending smaller.

FiServ in Milwaukee capacity is 17,385 where as the one it replaced, Bradley Center had 18,717. The Clippers are going to move into the Intuit Dome, 18,000 capacity, down from 19,000+ at Staples.

I could envision a joint Timberwolves-Gophers project, something along the lines of the Moody Center in Austin, TX which seats 10,763 for the Longhorns, but can be expanded to 16,000 for NBA games, such as when the Spurs have played there.

State Fairgrounds would be a potential site.

It's a longshot. Just throwing it out there as a possibility.
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Hard pass on that. Pro arenas just don't have a good vibe to them and putting up curtains to not show 6000 seats makes it even worse.
Renovate Williams Arena and the Pavilion. That is choice A, B and C :)
 

GFBfan said:
Hard pass on that. Pro arenas just don't have a good vibe to them and putting up curtains to not show 6000 seats makes it even worse.
Renovate Williams Arena and the Pavilion. That is choice A, B and C :)
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Take a look at the Moody Center, it's not the typical put curtains up to cover 6000 seats venue.

New arena - just look at the Longhorns’ new Moody center

The longhorns opened the new $375m 10k seat arena that can flex up to 16k seats (for concerts / other large events when needed. QUESTION: How in the heck does a fan base as rabid as Texas (and as large) come to the conclusion that a smaller arena (seating wise) is better than their more...
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Holy Man said:
Definitely contrarian. I’m told by people close to recruiting world that the charm of the arena is not often appreciated by recruits and is a hindrance so you’re not alone.

I’ve never been to Cameron or the Palestra. I wonder if those are dumps as well.
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I feel like with the new practice facility, this should have less of a factor on recruiting. I would think the practice facility would matter more than the arena. Players spend very little time in the arena.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I feel like with the new practice facility, this should have less of a factor on recruiting. I would think the practice facility would matter more than the arena. Players spend very little time in the arena.
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Definitely true, but the Barn isn't great when there are 3K there for non-conference games either. Also, I imagine the average recruit sees it when it's empty.
 
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Go4POV said:
I could be wrong on this, but I think a lot of people with high ticket priority, long time ticket holders, are older. We tend not to buy “ junk food,” hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, popcorn, etc. Most people that I see in the lines tend to be younger, maybe even people who don’t attend as often. IDK. Personally, I rarely buy any concessions, wouldn’t no matter what they were, just don’t want to be bothered with eating during a game. No place to set stuff down comfortably, etc.
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We've been season ticket holders since 1990, and I'm on a first name basis with the ice cream vendors.
 

disco said:
It was also prefaced with "most." I'd stand by the statement anyway. The only one I think you could make an arguement for being worse is Target Center.
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Yes indeed. Target Center and the Kohl Center. 👍
 



I love Williams Arena, I’m 54, I remember Mychal Thompson and Kevin McHale, gives me goose bumps! Recruits don’t feel like I do, I get it. Probably time
 


Bad Gopher said:
We've been season ticket holders since 1990, and I'm on a first name basis with the ice cream vendors.
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Good for you! Low turnover on the concession staff then? Personally, never had The Barn ice cream. Don’t tell me my life would have been just a little bit better…
 

disco said:
I'm going to be brutally honest here. Sorry.

The long time season ticket holders are not who the prospective improvements are for. People who spend no money on concessions are not who the prospective improvements are for. Upgrading the bathrooms so you don't have to pee in a trough is not aimed at old timers like yourself.

These improvements are intended to bring the facility up to modern standards to compete with other entertainment venues in the Twin Cities, most of which are vastly nicer, and provide a vastly nicer overall entertainment experience for the customer. Especially in a market saturated with options including, but not limited to, sports.

In the end, this is entertainment, and is competing against other forms of entertainment for peoples' disposable income. If the overall experience is lacking, people will spend their money elsewhere. This may well be felt when UST opens their brand new arena in a couple years.
(and I still maintain they will be able to pay basketball players more in NIL than the Gophers at that time.) I know a couple college hoops and long time Gopher fans who bought Tommie season tickets so they get priority in the new building, because it's going to be a nicer experience than the Barn.



Target Center is a subjectively bad building for anything. Even with the improvements to concessions and seats, it's still so poorly designed that even though the Wolves are right now one of the best teams in the NBA, I think they're still tarping off the upper deck behind the baskets (not positive on that - I haven't been this season) because the seats are so bad.
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I essentially agree with the points you make. Us old time season ticket holders won’t be around forever and there has to be appeal to a younger audience and families. I acknowledge that I do not know what appeals to that younger fan base. Yet, I hope they do not build entirely new.
 



Go4POV said:
I could be wrong on this, but I think a lot of people with high ticket priority, long time ticket holders, are older. We tend not to buy “ junk food,” hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, popcorn, etc. Most people that I see in the lines tend to be younger, maybe even people who don’t attend as often. IDK. Personally, I rarely buy any concessions, wouldn’t no matter what they were, just don’t want to be bothered with eating during a game. No place to set stuff down comfortably, etc.
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I think you are wrong. How do you define older?
 

Go4POV said:
I essentially agree with the points you make. Us old time season ticket holders won’t be around forever and there has to be appeal to a younger audience and families. I acknowledge that I do not know what appeals to that younger fan base. Yet, I hope they do not build entirely new.
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We agree on that last point. I'm pro-renovation, but a very big one.
 

Go4POV said:
I essentially agree with the points you make. Us old time season ticket holders won’t be around forever and there has to be appeal to a younger audience and families. I acknowledge that I do not know what appeals to that younger fan base. Yet, I hope they do not build entirely new.
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at the risk of sounding even older---- it seems like the strategy of more, louder music and ads at every conceivable break in the action is plan 1, 2 and 3. The band standing and listening to 3 minutes of pumped in music at crucial points in the game goes against what i think of as the collegiate atmosphere. And yes, I am old, but not quite as old as the season ticket holder to my left with the ear plugs in for the entire pre-game
us old, long-time season ticket holders would enjoy being able to converse with the season ticket holders around us that we have known for years-- or we can meet out in the new spacious concessions area maybe
 

Go4POV said:
Nor do I hear griping about the bathrooms. It would be nice to have somewhat more comfortable and larger seating space.
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Uhm…I think you‘re spending too much time in the bathroom, you should see a doctor, and maybe lose some weight if you need a larger seating space on the toilet.
 


Unregistered User said:
Uhm…I think you‘re spending too much time in the bathroom, you should see a doctor, and maybe lose some weight if you need a larger seating space on the toilet.
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WTF are you talking about? I said that I do not hear people griping ABOUT the bathrooms, not griping IN the bathrooms. BTW, I am not overweight, but I am well over 6 feet, played the post. You were probably one of those skinny guards, or maybe you didn’t hoop. Wanting larger seats means I’m fat? Get real.

Please try to make intelligent and relevant comments, not just wise-ass comments.
 
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Go4POV said:
WTF are you talking about? I said that I do not hear people griping ABOUT the bathrooms, not griping IN the bathrooms. BTW, I am not overweight, but I am well over 6 feet, played the post. You were probably one of those skinny guards, or maybe you didn’t hoop. Wanting larger seats means I’m fat? Get real.

Please try to make intelligent and relevant comments, not just wise-ass comments.
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You have an amazing sense of humor.

And wow! You played the post! I bet you rocked in high school, and I’d love to check tape.
 

PMWinSTP said:
It absolutely should be renovated. Even if it means losing 1000-2000 seats (not sure that would even happen).
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The mid-90's renovation resulted in approximately 2,000 less seats plus the "box seats" on the top-level sides. Before that renovation there were still sell outs though with almost 16k capacity. The scoreboard's been upgraded a few times and those have been mostly good. The floor was painted grey a few years back and after a couple years changed backed to the current color. For 20 home games per year I don't see the need.
 


dbmn said:
The mid-90's renovation resulted in approximately 2,000 less seats plus the "box seats" on the top-level sides. Before that renovation there were still sell outs though with almost 16k capacity. The scoreboard's been upgraded a few times and those have been mostly good. The floor was painted grey a few years back and after a couple years changed backed to the current color. For 20 home games per year I don't see the need.
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See the need to renovate it?
 

During the Gophers v Rutgers game, announcer Mike Hall referred to Williams Arena as “a 96 year old palace”. Just saying.
 

Shooter chimes in:

— Despite internal discussions, the Gophers do not plan to replace time-worn Williams Arena.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: Timberwolves buyers may need another extension

It still looks like the $1.5 billion sale of the Timberwolves and Lynx will happen. But up until at least last week, there was an awkward silence on behalf of the buyers. The initial deadline for t…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Shooter chimes in:

— Despite internal discussions, the Gophers do not plan to replace time-worn Williams Arena.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: Timberwolves buyers may need another extension

It still looks like the $1.5 billion sale of the Timberwolves and Lynx will happen. But up until at least last week, there was an awkward silence on behalf of the buyers. The initial deadline for t…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!
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The least they could do is patch up and repaint the concrete floor.
 



GFBfan said:
Hard pass on that. Pro arenas just don't have a good vibe to them and putting up curtains to not show 6000 seats makes it even worse.
Renovate Williams Arena and the Pavilion. That is choice A, B and C :)
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If you renovate Williams Arena, are you able to deal with all the beams? Don't you need them to support the place? Or are you able restructure with new technology?
 

#2Gopher said:
If you renovate Williams Arena, are you able to deal with all the beams? Don't you need them to support the place? Or are you able restructure with new technology?
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That's why you need to level and build a replica. Even if it can be done, renovating could well end up costing more.
 

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