Dome Sweet Dome

[CU44SE]

This recent sell out got me thinking. Would people be for building a basketball only stadium for basketball, or do people love the massive crowds too much to change? My recent visit to Pitt, watching the Michigan State game, the Missouri game, and the Maryland game against Duke really got me thinking about this. These were hostile crowds, and I don't always see that at Syracuse games. I don't know if its just the culture of the Dome, or because the Students are so far away from the court. The students bring the most energy, this is especially evident when they are home on break; the dome seems dead. I went to the Peterson Events Center a couple weeks ago and loved how the Students were right on top of the floor. I have been seeing that a lot more recently. I love the dome for basketball but I was wondering if anyone thinks its time to build a basketball only stadium and put the students around the court? Sometimes it feels like everyone is so far away. Im not complaining at all, just wondering what everyone else seems to think about this. And yes, Im fully aware that we currently have the longest active winning streak at home.

 

[Townie72]

They have a basketball only facility. It's called "Manley Field House". Doesn't that still exist? What was its capacity?

 

[Marsh01]

This recent sell out got me thinking. Would people be for building a basketball only stadium for basketball, or do people love the massive crowds too much to change? My recent visit to Pitt, watching the Michigan State game, the Missouri game, and the Maryland game against Duke really got me thinking about this. These were hostile crowds, and I don't always see that at Syracuse games. I don't know if its just the culture of the Dome, or because the Students are so far away from the court. The students bring the most energy, this is especially evident when they are home on break; the dome seems dead. I went to the Peterson Events Center a couple weeks ago and loved how the Students were right on top of the floor. I have been seeing that a lot more recently. I love the dome for basketball but I was wondering if anyone thinks its time to build a basketball only stadium and put the students around the court? Sometimes it feels like everyone is so far away. Im not complaining at all, just wondering what everyone else seems to think about this. And yes, Im fully aware that we currently have the longest active winning streak at home.

Its not about atmosphere, its about affordability. The Dome is cheap and we dont need the burden of building a hoops only arena when what we have now is working. Sure its old and not state of the art but it still does the job. Look at Louisville. They build the state of the art Yum center and they are losing thousands and thousands of dollars per day because they got in over their heads with it. To build a 25,000 seat hoops arena is silly IMO.

Build a football practice facility (which I know is in the works) before anything is done.

 

[Marsh01]

They have a basketball only facility. It's called "Manley Field House". Doesn't that still exist? What was its capacity?

Used for football only now.

 

[armory]

Eh, it's just become too much a part of the teams identity at this point. IMO it would take either a massive, prolonged slump in SU bball prominence (at which point they probably wouldn't be able to afford nor justify a new arena), or a few more decades of outdated discomfort before the fans are ready to pop the dome.

 

[cuseincincy]

I love the Dome. Its an event going to a game there, especially a big crowd game. I also enjoy other smaller arenas I've been to. Loved Manley which gave the experience I think you are looking for. Hard for me to say which is better.

 

[Orangemen]

a 25,000 seat stadium could be made to be imposing. I don't really feel like the dome is all that imposing. Given equal teams and equal opponents, I would bet that Duke, Pitt, or Kansas would have better home records than SU.

I think the check list for an imposing home arena is:
Steep lower level
Students right next to the court, surrounding as much of the court as possible

Once you have that, you can build as many seats around it as you want. I think the dome would be a much tougher place if they get rid of the existing movable stands, replaced them with student seating, and moved it as close to the court as possible.

 

[sufandu]

They have a basketball only facility. It's called "Manley Field House". Doesn't that still exist? What was its capacity?

It was less than 10,000, but isn't equipped for basketball games anymore. It's only a practice facility now.

 

[Marsh01]

a 25,000 seat stadium could be made to be imposing. I don't really feel like the dome is all that imposing. Given equal teams and equal opponents, I would bet that Duke, Pitt, or Kansas would have better home records than SU.

I think the check list for an imposing home arena is:
Steep lower level
Students right next to the court, surrounding as much of the court as possible

Once you have that, you can build as many seats around it as you want. I think the dome would be a much tougher place if they get rid of the existing movable stands, replaced them with student seating, and moved it as close to the court as possible.

Again its not about imposing, its about the $$$$$$$$. Bleacher seats (as I refer to them) are higher donor seats and bring in a good buck for the university. No way in hell the students get those back.

 

[Hoov50]

They have a basketball only facility. It's called "Manley Field House". Doesn't that still exist? What was its capacity?

Unless they are going to pull up the turf and reinstall the bleachers they won't be playing basketball at Manley any time soon.

 

[JoeSU]

I don't really feel like the dome is all that imposing.

Seriously?
How do you explain our current home win streak?
I agree there are ways to make it more imposing (e.g., moving the student seating) but as others have pointed out, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[Orangemen]

How do you explain our current home win streak?

We're really good.

We have been for some time.

We've had some good fortune (WVU 3 pointer missing as time expires...)

Pitt had a great home court winning record. They were also great at the time. Their home court is not nearly as imposing now. Their home record since they dropped off is not nearly as imposing either.

 

[TBCuse11]

Seriously?
How do you explain our current home win streak?
I agree there are ways to make it more imposing (e.g., moving the student seating) but as others have pointed out, it ain't gonna happen.

Agreed. The Dome is imposing to other teams. It isn't to us, because we have been there dozens of times.

 

[jgeorge322]

i think the students should be placed on the pull out bleachers. seats behind the basket suck because of view and its too far away. they need to change that but never will because itd take away too much revenue from the people who sit there.

also dont get these venues are imposing because syracuse is a premier team and we draw crowds and that added level of excitement.

 

[Orangemen]

We're really good.

We have been for some time.

We've had some good fortune (WVU 3 pointer missing as time expires...)

Pitt had a great home court winning record. They were also great at the time. Their home court is not nearly as imposing now. Their home record since they dropped off is not nearly as imposing either.

Just to be clear, I think it's a great home court, but I've never felt it was nearly as intimidating as some other places.

 

[JLine]

The biggest and cheapest change that could be made would be to just stand up and cheer. I understand their are a lot of elderly folks who pay top dollar for their seats and they have the right to sit but when you're in a section like that, no one wants to be that guy to stand up so everyone just sits. This won't be as big a problem versus Georgetown of course but in general, fans could make a bigger difference. It is what it is though, I love the Dome.

 

[DomeStranger]

Can't they update the bleachers and just make them 5-10 rows higher? Just bump everybody up and give the students 5-10 front rows of bleacher seats. It would make a world of difference.
I guess they could do some kind of lottery to see who gets to stand there.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Dome

 

[Townie72]

Just to be clear, I think it's a great home court, but I've never felt it was nearly as intimidating as some other places.

It is different enough to count as an advantage for SU.

 

[skurey]

I just wish the poor people in the nosebleeds were closer.

 

[cpatrocks]

the dome still needs some major renovations --- #1 replace the bleachers with stadium seating. I'm sick of fatass 4 seats down pushing the row down because they can't fit in the 11.5 inches allocated to them on the bench.

 

[Marsh01]

the dome still needs some major renovations --- #1 replace the bleachers with stadium seating. I'm sick of fatass 4 seats down pushing the row down because they can't fit in the 11.5 inches allocated to them on the bench.

Never will happen as they would lose seats. I agree with you though. Saturdays game will be a tight squeeze in my section

 

[ClamOtto]

Judged purely on its own merits the Dome is horrendous. Everyone too far from the court, uncomfortable overcrowded metal or concrete benches, terrible sound system, mostly disgusting food, too few bathrooms. That said, you can go anywhere in this country and even many places overseas and mention Syracuse and the one thing even casual sports fans know is the Carrier Dome. It's unique, the enormous crowds bring us lots of attention and it seems to be a great recruiting tool. I'm willing to put up with the discomfort to maintain those advantages.

 

[rrlbees]

The crunch i believe offered up several years ago to have a 24-25k arean built downtown to be shared by su and the crunch/others. su nixed it.

 

[PauliePeppas]

Could at least paint all the concrete orange...looks like crap