Dome Sweet Dome

[BlueCurtain]

It needs to return for all but the 30k+ games. Take it down for the big occasions when we fill the uppers to the other goal line like Georgetown.

33,071. That was the attendance for the Blue Curtain's final game. I don't know who started this f-ed notion that the curtain is an obstruction. It can always be pinched if necessary.

Dr Gross is a smart guy and needs to realize this. No one is impressed because we have a video board on the other side of the stadium.

He is business savvy, that doesn't make him smart in other areas. I'm sure they are making a pretty penny from the Turning Stone ads that are visible to all of the upper deck. I think the only way the curtain returns is if Gross cuts a deal utilizing the curtain space for ad revenue. While not like the old days, it would still be better than the empty void.

 

[Marsh01]

I thought the curtain was taken down because of the video board in the far end zone?

 

[RF2044]

I thought the curtain was taken down because of the video board in the far end zone?

I think that they could adjust the size of the curtain to make it loss obstructive of the "diagonal" views in those 30K+ games, as well as the video board.

I tend to agree with bluecurtain above that having it "encloses" the court and makes for a qualitatively louder game experience. It would probably be better than just having the Dome completely open.

 

[BlueCurtain]

I thought the curtain was taken down because of the video board in the far end zone?

Jake C made that decision w/o consulting anyone. Nobody gives 2 sh!ts about that board.

 

[Marsh01]

I think that they could adjust the size of the curtain to make it loss obstructive of the "diagonal" views in those 30K+ games, as well as the video board.

I tend to agree with bluecurtain above that having it "encloses" the court and makes for a qualitatively louder game experience. It would probably be better than just having the Dome completely open.

Oh I agree as well. I loved the curtain and the way in boxed in the court. It just felt louder with that curtain there.

 

[BlueCurtain]

Oh I agree as well. I loved the curtain and the way in boxed in the court. It just felt louder with that curtain there.

Nobody is debating whether the curtain should be there- I haven't heard one person say, "Oh yes, the Dome looks wonderful naked". We're just discussing the level of stupidity and moronic rationale for taking it down. And it would be nice if someone who is connected to Gross could pass this along.

 

[SU2NASA]

Of which $1.9M was the bill for heating and air conditioning.

Well, we don't have to worry about that air conditioning part.

 

[OrangeDW]

The Dome itself is fine. It actually looks quite a bit better than it used to inside. Recruits still comment on it often, players like it. It would look even better with the curtain back up, I agree.

My problem is the atmosphere, and a lot of the problems with that would still be problems in other buildings. In the entire first half of play yesterday, I heard the band during ONE timeout. In the others, we got the kiss cam, the fan cam, somebody shooting a 7 footer from a chair, stupid poll questions that any fan would know and anyone else could google if they cared, and ridiculously annoying European sounding music that I refuse to believe anyone actually listens to by choice played loudly.

In the second half we get the same annoying music, Journey, the WEATHER report(do they do that anywhere else? ridiculous), but the band a couple more times. Not much though. About the ONLY thing they do right is the running around the court with the flags while the band plays with under 4 minutes. That's it.

The band never plays, there's no chance for the students to get any chants going(the hey you suck thing was the last fun thing that used to just happen, but they killed that), or for the crowd to continue to make any noise when the team is on a run.

Playing in such a big space can cause some problems with the atmosphere but it doesn't have to. People brought up the Butler NIT game a few days ago. The Maryland NIT game in the Donte Greene season had a good atmosphere too, and there weren't more than 10-15K for that. Small crowds can make a lot of noise, when all of the stupid advertisements aren't happening at every break in play.

 

[RF2044]

The Dome itself is fine. It actually looks quite a bit better than it used to inside. Recruits still comment on it often, players like it. It would look even better with the curtain back up, I agree.

My problem is the atmosphere, and a lot of the problems with that would still be problems in other buildings. In the entire first half of play yesterday, I heard the band during ONE timeout. In the others, we got the kiss cam, the fan cam, somebody shooting a 7 footer from a chair, stupid poll questions that any fan would know and anyone else could google if they cared, and ridiculously annoying European sounding music that I refuse to believe anyone actually listens to by choice played loudly.

In the second half we get the same annoying music, Journey, the WEATHER report(do they do that anywhere else? ridiculous), but the band a couple more times. Not much though. About the ONLY thing they do right is the running around the court with the flags while the band plays with under 4 minutes. That's it.

The band never plays, there's no chance for the students to get any chants going(the hey you suck thing was the last fun thing that used to just happen, but they killed that), or for the crowd to continue to make any noise when the team is on a run.

Playing in such a big space can cause some problems with the atmosphere but it doesn't have to. People brought up the Butler NIT game a few days ago. The Maryland NIT game in the Donte Greene season had a good atmosphere too, and there weren't more than 10-15K for that. Small crowds can make a lot of noise, when all of the stupid advertisements aren't happening at every break in play.

Great post--agree 100%. Making the game experience more like a professional atmosphere has been the wrong move, IMO. Collegiate basketball games are truly a unique experience--wish we'd emphasize the band more instead of piping in music or having the 57 cheerleaders do dance routines, etc.

The beginning of the end [my opinion only] was when the administration took away the "Hey--You Suck" chant by restricting the band. Since then, it's gotten even more like an NBA game, which is a disservice, IMO.

 

[Marsh01]

The Dome itself is fine. It actually looks quite a bit better than it used to inside. Recruits still comment on it often, players like it. It would look even better with the curtain back up, I agree.

My problem is the atmosphere, and a lot of the problems with that would still be problems in other buildings. In the entire first half of play yesterday, I heard the band during ONE timeout. In the others, we got the kiss cam, the fan cam, somebody shooting a 7 footer from a chair, stupid poll questions that any fan would know and anyone else could google if they cared, and ridiculously annoying European sounding music that I refuse to believe anyone actually listens to by choice played loudly.

In the second half we get the same annoying music, Journey, the WEATHER report(do they do that anywhere else? ridiculous), but the band a couple more times. Not much though. About the ONLY thing they do right is the running around the court with the flags while the band plays with under 4 minutes. That's it.

The band never plays, there's no chance for the students to get any chants going(the hey you suck thing was the last fun thing that used to just happen, but they killed that), or for the crowd to continue to make any noise when the team is on a run.

Playing in such a big space can cause some problems with the atmosphere but it doesn't have to. People brought up the Butler NIT game a few days ago. The Maryland NIT game in the Donte Greene season had a good atmosphere too, and there weren't more than 10-15K for that. Small crowds can make a lot of noise, when all of the stupid advertisements aren't happening at every break in play.

I've echoed these same issues all season. We kill our own momentum and we dont even know it.

 

[OrangeDW]

I've echoed these same issues all season. We kill our own momentum and we dont even know it.

Yeah, I know, I've read some of your posts on this and agree completely.

It's not a new thing either. I remember a lot of these things being problems going back to the Preston Shumpert years, when Eilenberg was the PA guy. We'd make a run and there would be a timeout, and then he'd be reading advertisements or talking during the entire timeouts about free windshield washer fluid, and the kids would dribble the court and shoot a layup in adult sized sneakers and SU uniforms, a fan(usually a complete stiff) would try to make a layup, free throw, 3 pointer, and half courter in a minute or something, etc. It's been a problem for a long time, it's just way worse now.

 

[Marsh01]

Yeah, I know, I've read some of your posts on this and agree completely.

It's not a new thing either. I remember a lot of these things being problems going back to the Preston Shumpert years, when Eilenberg was the PA guy. We'd make a run and there would be a timeout, and then he'd be reading advertisements or talking during the entire timeouts about free windshield washer fluid, and the kids would dribble the court and shoot a layup in adult sized sneakers and SU uniforms, a fan(usually a complete stiff) would try to make a layup, free throw, 3 pointer, and half courter in a minute or something, etc. It's been a problem for a long time, it's just way worse now.

It really needs to be addressed.

 

[Flacusian]

I see it like this. If you asked anyone in the Nation what comes to mind when you mention Syracuse Basketball the responses would be the following and not necessarilly in this order.
1. Zone
2. Jim Boeheim
3. The Dome
4.

Syracuse and the Dome are inexorably intertwined.

 

[BlueCurtain]

with the midget leaving pretty soon, this may be the window of opportunity to address some of these issues.

 

[rrlbees]

It the comes down to 1 thing $$$$$$.

Its why there are so many ads. Its why we don't bring top fball teams to the Dome and sell them to NJ.

The band playing or the students doing cheers doesn't increase revenue. Selling AD's do.

Sent using my Commodore 64

 

[BlueCurtain]

It the comes down to 1 thing $$$$$$.

Its why there are so many ads. Its why we don't bring top fball teams to the Dome and sell them to NJ.

The band playing or the students doing cheers doesn't increase revenue. Selling AD's do.

Sent using my Commodore 64

They could put ads on the curtain and charge a nice fee. What's the problem?

 

[RF2044]

It the comes down to 1 thing $$$$$$.

Its why there are so many ads. Its why we don't bring top fball teams to the Dome and sell them to NJ.

The band playing or the students doing cheers doesn't increase revenue. Selling AD's do.

Sent using my Commodore 64

That makes sense; highlights why it is important to get attendance back up for football, so that there is more revenue being generated.

 

[longtimefan]

Selling AD's

Sent using my Commodore 64

How much could we get for Dr. Gross?

 

[OttoMets]

It the comes down to 1 thing $$$$$$.

Its why there are so many ads. Its why we don't bring top fball teams to the Dome and sell them to NJ.

The band playing or the students doing cheers doesn't increase revenue. Selling AD's do.

Sent using my Commodore 64

Playing canned music and having the cheerleaders shout "Let's go SU" while everyone in the stands uncomfortably ignores them doesn't generate a dime. And that's more than half of the concern that Marsh and RF (and hundreds of others) have expressed.

What I'd like to know: what kind of a hit in revenue would be take by running an ad on the tail end of the timeout rather than at the beginning? Because it's that placement that makes the commercials especially intrusive. If the SSS could play for 90 seconds and then be followed by an ad, things would feel a lot better.

And things would really feel better if they used the band and scrapped the canned garbage. And reminded the cheerleaders that actually leading cheers is part and parcel of who they are. If the fans aren't following, they aren't leading, and they need to think up something new.

 

[OttoMets]

That makes sense; highlights why it is important to get attendance back up for football, so that there is more revenue being generated.

I can't see them declining revenue streams. If football revenue climbs, they'll be more than happy to invest that and whatever they're bringing in now for basketball.

The key is to mitigate the damage caused by the revenue grab. Find a way to run these (allegedly) necessary ads while making them as unobtrusive as possible.

And whenever an ad isn't running, let's pretend it's a college basketball game. They're not putting any effort into that end. When they do that idiotic "Verizon wants you to text them and choose a song" ad, there's no reason not to make each choice (or at least one choice) "Let the band play." No way their contract stipulates that that promotion involves canned music. But someone up there isn't paying attention to what the customers want.

 

[rrlbees]

Playing canned music and having the cheerleaders shout "Let's go SU" while everyone in the stands uncomfortably ignores them doesn't generate a dime. And that's more than half of the concern that Marsh and RF (and hundreds of others) have expressed.

What I'd like to know: what kind of a hit in revenue would be take by running an ad on the tail end of the timeout rather than at the beginning? Because it's that placement that makes the commercials especially intrusive. If the SSS could play for 90 seconds and then be followed by an ad, things would feel a lot better.

And things would really feel better if they used the band and scrapped the canned garbage. And reminded the cheerleaders that actually leading cheers is part and parcel of who they are. If the fans aren't following, they aren't leading, and they need to think up something new.

Hey, I didn't say what cheers they do were any good. I'm just commenting on the number of ad's and announcements etc. Hell, we were sold on these ribbon board we got as some great addition. All they do is scroll ad's on them too. They add zero to the fan experience.

 

[Marsh01]

Playing canned music and having the cheerleaders shout "Let's go SU" while everyone in the stands uncomfortably ignores them doesn't generate a dime. And that's more than half of the concern that Marsh and RF (and hundreds of others) have expressed.

This right here ^^^

I dont care about the commercials so much. Its the damn canned music and the stupid cheerleader chant. That can bee eliminated and replaced by the band playing. No reason to have any canned music. Ever.

 

[OttoMets]

Hey, I didn't say what cheers they do were any good. I'm just commenting on the number of ad's and announcements etc. Hell, we were sold on these ribbon board we got as some great addition. All they do is scroll ad's on them too. They add zero to the fan experience.

No, I understand. I'd just have to say that:

a.) no one at SU cares about what we think when it comes to revenue - unless I offer them seven figures to cool it with the ads, the ads are going to stay; but
b.) if they just conducted the game presentation more thoughtfully, the ads would be a small part of our concern.

Mike Veley talks too much. He fancies himself more of a radio or television personality than a TV guy. I think 6 out of 9 official timeouts come with canned music. That's outrageous. The cheerleaders, unfortunately, do detract. Don't by any means intent to disparage them, and I do think cheerleaders are integral to the experience, but their cheers just aren't well-received. A hint: if the head cheerleader needs a microphone to get the crowd's attention, despite the fact that that you're part of a group of 42 people with megaphones, something is wrong with your delivery. And the placement of the ads isn't ideal (but I don't know what the numbers look like on that).

If they were to fix those, we could probably live with the ads.

 

[DPCuse]

When the time comes to replace the dome, I would build a football facility that can be morphed in to a cozy basketball arena just like ours now. But some engineers and architects would have to figure out a way to make it more intiment and get the people closer to the court. I'm sure they could figure it out. Have the seats behind the baskets retractable so they can be pushed in like the far endzone does now. Best of both worlds. Still have the capacity for 30K+ crowds but it's cozier. The dome and its large crowds is a huge recruiting tool. Always has been. No need to change. It's who we are.