TomahawkCruise

I’m glad there seem to be rumors out there about getting a new arena. The Plaza idea sounds good and Baylor really has built a great looking venue.

The only thing I’d take issue with is the capacity. I think 11,000 is probably more than we need and in down years it’s gonna give us the same bad optics of looking half empty. I would say capacity…[Read more]

Yes you are certainly right that private donors play a big role in building facilities on campus, and I’m certain a new arena would be no exception. I just think it wouldn’t all have to be footed privately.

Yeah I just think BYU is in a different situation than we are. Their teams are only occasionally good, but they always have fan support. I…[Read more]

You bring up a very good point that I hadn’t mentioned specifically. A new arena would most definitely attract fans that otherwise would not attend. Yes, that novelty would only have a finite shelf life before the new attendees stop coming, but that wouldn’t be for a few years and over those few years the program will be (hopefully) building…[Read more]

I agree. It won’t reel in top recruits all by itself, but it would help Utah’s overall appeal. I know when they built all the new basketball facilities a few years ago that really began to make an impression on visiting recruits. I think a new arena would do the same.

Better seating, smaller capacity, improved everything (acoustics, wifi, revenue…[Read more]

Interesting. Where did you hear about all that?

You make some good points, sir.

I am in the minority of Utah fans who love our basketball program more than our football program, and I just want the Runnin Utes to be relevant again. I hate watching the greatness of March Madness every year and not seeing Utah in it. I think a new arena would help inject new life into the program (mostly from a…[Read more]

I wonder how a downtown arena would affect the student fans? It would be easier for non student fans to get to games, but I wonder if having the game elsewhere downtown would make student attendance take a hit?

Obviously there’s no ideal solution.

I think Burgess is finished at Utah and he knows it. He had to have known that when he basically trashed the owners house on the way out the door.

I’d like to see Miller or Jensen as coach, or some up and comer somewhere.

I actually think that’s why Smith will be back next year. Because Utah isn’t really taking basketball seriously right now, there is no appetite for buying out another coach and go looking for another (who most likely won’t do any better because he faces the same obstacles Smith did).

I fully expect Smith to be back next year. And I think I’m OK…[Read more]