Hobbs’ Response After Multiple Sellouts, Decrease Capacity

[RUskoolie]

Easy answer would be that both are due to us being far away from a lot of the rest of the conference. Longer travel times for teams to get to us, and we have longer travel times on the road.

Anyway I don't think we really need to expand the arena capacity. I don't think there's a gigantic appetite for Rutgers basketball even now. I'd rather sell out 8000 seats than have 10000 people a game in a 16000 seat arena.

We as Rutgers fans are all really excited about the basketball team but if you zoom out, we have been a bubble team the last 4 years, never even made a sweet 16.

That's not a recipe that suddenly creates fans everywhere. Go to a few Final 4s in a decade, yeah then you're talking major expansion.

 

[greenknight]

Agreed MetLife is a shitshow, Yankee Stadiun underwhelming though I like the PRU could have done more with it

I heard Citi is a great stadium was supposed to see Zac Brown there but ate the $500 in tickets. I do trade shows at World's Fair Marina at least I get my gas & tolls back lol but to go to a Mets game between tolls & parking probably $100 before you even step in stadium...wait until they develop that whole surrounding area with the $8 billion Cohen wants to spend to develop. That area will be a congested shitshow of an area to and from. While great for my company which should get alot of business from not great for me to travel to & from

 

[sct1111]

A bond issue for major facilities is a certainty, unfortunately at generation-high interest rates. The debt will not be paid using athletic revenues. Instead, the university will pick up the tab. Incremental revenues generated by athletics will be used to fatten coaches’ bank accounts, not service debt.

Who do you think pays the football stadium debt, the athletics department or the university? Of course, the university. The expansion has not come close to earning the revenue needed to service the debt.

Even with the $60 million we're getting annually from the Big Ten? Which might double the next time contracts are renewed.

 

[Degaz-RU]

Easy answer would be that both are due to us being far away from a lot of the rest of the conference. Longer travel times for teams to get to us, and we have longer travel times on the road.

Anyway I don't think we really need to expand the arena capacity. I don't think there's a gigantic appetite for Rutgers basketball even now. I'd rather sell out 8000 seats than have 10000 people a game in a 16000 seat arena.

Nobody is asking for the RAC to be doubled in size to 16,000 seats.

I think most people just want to see the capacity increased to about 9,500, instead of capacity remaining at around 8,000 or even dipping by a couple hundred seats.

 

[RUDave_01]

I totally get the need to raise revenue and club/luxury seating is the main way to do that. With that said, you build the fan base by enabling more fans to come to the games, especially with there clearly being demand for tickets. I would find a way to utilize the current front of the building and build out, putting seats up above the handicap area up through the current offices.

As it is, the 300s are going to be cut down if they are putting real seats in place of the bleachers. RU needs to put some affordable seats in the arena or find a way to move people down from the 200s to the corner 100s, allowing others from the 300s to move down too.

 

[RUGiddy777]

Nobody is asking for the RAC to be doubled in size to 16,000 seats.

I think most people just want to see the capacity increased to about 9,500, instead of capacity remaining at around 8,000 or even dipping by a couple hundred seats.

I’d go to 12. We have a waiting list for season tickets and I think it’s reasonable to expect our program to consistently be a top 20 program.

 

[RU MAN]

I’d go to 12. We have a waiting list for season tickets and I think it’s reasonable to expect our program to consistently be a top 20 program.

Based on Pernetti's plan, we should've gone up to 10K, and then Hobbs could satisfy all concerned. Have your premium seats and concessions while adding 2,000 seats so that some of the long-time ticket holders can grab some of those seats, but still locking in the corporate donors. I think it's very shortsighted of Hobbs to go forward with his plan. Yes, I realize money is tight, but you want to do this right. And right now, this is NOT the answer keeping it at 8K.

 

[RUGiddy777]

Based on Pernetti's plan, we should've gone up to 10K, and then Hobbs could satisfy all concerned. Have your premium seats and concessions while adding 2,000 seats so that some of the long-time ticket holders can grab some of those seats, but still locking in the corporate donors. I think it's very shortsighted of Hobbs to go forward with his plan. Yes, I realize money is tight, but you want to do this right. And right now, this is NOT the answer keeping it at 8K.

Exactly. This should be done with the next 30+ years in mind. 8k just isn’t enough seats for where this program is going. The sleeping Giant is awake and hungry.

 

[Degaz-RU]

I’d go to 12. We have a waiting list for season tickets and I think it’s reasonable to expect our program to consistently be a top 20 program.

I just don’t think there’s space to add 4,000 seats within the RAC.

 

[Scarlet83]

We need premium seating, we need to add revenue. The RAC is built in a very unique way and it's likely difficult and costly to blow out any side of it. I think they might be over thinking it. Just add some club seating options, bathrooms and keep the place a snake pit.

Correct. Premium seating and lounge areas can go in the section 118 end court. Add bathrooms and concessions in the new lobby.

Leave the sideline seats the same. Keep it a snake pit.

 

[Scarlet83]

Is is possible to leave seating as it is on the sidelines and student section and build out fancy stuff on the open end? You could stack suites and seats on top of each other and blow out the wall where the current concessions are. What makes the RAC loud stays and you’d probably increase capacity. Then build the big lobby with concessions and bathrooms and maybe a bar/restaurant that is open pre game and for away games for hoops and football into the green lot.

Exactly!! Leave the side court seats alone.

Luxury stuff in the whole section 118 end court. Go nuts there!