Williams Arena Improvements

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There are many seats in the barn that can't see the main video/stat board hanging over the court. So displaying the stats in another way would be great for those folks. Either enforce the no seat back's rule on the benches or create one and then enforce it. Nothing worse than having a metal bar bash you in the knees the entire game.
 

Bad Gopher said:
I agree with Gopher Rock - there should be a sound system that would work in that building. Spend a few dollars for an accoustical analysis and an engineered audio system.
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Now that I think about it, the building that's similar in design to Williams Arena is the State Fair Coliseum. The Fair installed a new sound system in there before the 2010 Fair, and it's a country mile better than what they had before. If anything, the Coliseum is acoustically worse than The Barn (poured concrete reflecting everything). So if the Fair can do it there, the U can do it.

And as much as we'd all love to have him back, I think Jules Perlt is dead. Can someone confirm this?
 

Ribbon scoreboards around the ENTIRE second deck is definately needed. For one, the existing backlit boxey advertisements look like *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# and do nothing for the atmosphere of the Barn. Secondly, the ribbon will provide endless stats and out of town scores. Thirdly, its a better advertising tool and could result in less tv timeout advertisements from Dick J. Also, instead of paying for a permanent backlit advertisement panel a ribbon scoreboard can offer more flexibility. Buy a game versus a whole season.

My real hope for improvements is to turn the University Avenue side of Williams Arena into a state of the art main entrance for Williams Arena. This area would be a high space that would serve as the grand entrance for Gopher Basketball. This area would also incorporate large bathrooms and extra concessions that could help alleviate the others in Williams.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
Ribbon scoreboards around the ENTIRE second deck is definately needed. For one, the existing backlit boxey advertisements look like *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# and do nothing for the atmosphere of the Barn. Secondly, the ribbon will provide endless stats and out of town scores. Thirdly, its a better advertising tool and could result in less tv timeout advertisements from Dick J. Also, instead of paying for a permanent backlit advertisement panel a ribbon scoreboard can offer more flexibility. Buy a game versus a whole season.
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I agree with you here, but the ribbon boards would likely seem really out of place too. Though I agree, they would offer flexibility. If forced to chose I'd pick the ribbon boards over the old backlit ads myself.
 

For scores, you can't beat the way Julie used to do it:

"final score in big ten play...Purdue 61, Indiana...
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Sixty two"
 



I am truly sorry for all the fans today who never got to hear the golden throat of Julius Pearlt. "La-a-a-a-a-andsberger-r-r-r-r-r!!!!!!" "O--o-o-o-o-o-o-olberding-g-g-g-g-g-g!!!!!!!!!!"
 

Julius Pearlt circa 1972----"Final score from East Lansing (pause) (crowd totally silent) Michigan 92 (crowd dejectedly sighs) (very long pause) MICHIGAN STATE 96!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
 




University Entrance

GoGophers2005 said:
My real hope for improvements is to turn the University Avenue side of Williams Arena into a state of the art main entrance for Williams Arena. This area would be a high space that would serve as the grand entrance for Gopher Basketball. This area would also incorporate large bathrooms and extra concessions that could help alleviate the others in Williams.
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I agree with GoGophers2005 on this. I really hadn't thought about this as an option, but there seems to be room on that side of the Barn to expand that entrance. It was a nice first step to see the expanded Gold Country set-up the past few games, but I could see building an attractive, airy glass and brick entrance to the building that could include additional ticket windows, a small team store, and concessions.

The bottom line for me on all of this is to do whatever it takes to make Williams a profitable, attractive, and fun venue for as long as possible, while at the same time maintaining the mystique and character that has always inhabited the place.
 

That side is where the media and other buses park. Not sure how it could be expanded any further...
 

brucekaupa said:
For scores, you can't beat the way Julie used to do it:

"final score in big ten play...Purdue 61, Indiana...
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...
...
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Sixty two"
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Not ragging on Jules here at all - but as a side topic I wish they'd stop showing/broadcasting scores of other games at sporting events.

Since it's no longer 1970, I have the ability to actually watch any game I want at any time - I don't have to be physically sitting by my radio or TV. And on most nights or weekends there are probably more than one game on the day worth watching. If I am so in need of a score that I can't live with myself if I don't know immediately I can just look it up on my phone (or ask my friend since I don't have internet on my phone). Every time I go to a sporting event now I am constantly plugging my ears, diverting my eyes, trying not to listen to people around me discuss scores, etc. It's like I'm walking in a minefield.
 

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