RAC Atmosphere

[Big boy stan]

I know it is old, ugly, small, hard to get in or out of, bad concessions spots, no big money boxes but... when that place is full and loud like last night, it has to be one of the best places to be a fan.

I am not really sure how I would feel if they ever announce a full on remodeling or new construction.

 

[RU82]

I agree. The RAC is a special place. I don’t know of a louder venue anywhere.

 

[Upstream]

I think a lot of what makes the RAC special is the bandbox feel of the arena, with the angled ceilings and steep inclines from the floor to the 300 levels.

I don't have a problem if they renovate the RAC with improved concourses and an extension in front (or sides and rear) to add additional amenities. But I would not be happy with any major changes to the arena itself.

 

[jersey07080]

Expand the concourses and move on. Don't need more seats or changes to seating set up

 

[bwrlaw]

I think a lot of what makes the RAC special is the bandbox feel of the arena, with the angled ceilings and steep inclines from the floor to the 300 levels.

I don't have a problem if they renovate the RAC with improved concourses and an extension in front (or sides and rear) to add additional amenities. But I would not be happy with any major changes to the arena itself.

Agreed. blow out the front and sides, but leave the arena footprint alone.

 

[BigRnj]

Agree 100% on the expanded Concourses, more amenities, better restroom access, etc. But we can get more seating by putting permanent bleachers replacing 109 and the old 118. Slightly steeper incline (and move 109 a bit closer to the court) you can go court level to the roof (no need for the “office” view above 118) on both court ends. They can also be widened to take up some of the corner dead space (use a tunnel approach in the corners for court access). Doing just this would likely bring us near 10K.

PS - accessible viewing can be accommodated where it is today NUT as part of the floor to ceiling bleacher.

 

[rudad02]

Like going into the lion's den.

 

[Mr Magoo]

I know it is old, ugly, small, hard to get in or out of, bad concessions spots, no big money boxes but... when that place is full and loud like last night, it has to be one of the best places to be a fan.

I am not really sure how I would feel if they ever announce a full on remodeling or new construction.

I wouldn't trade the RAC for anywhere. I just want it refurbished and 1-2k seats added.

A state-of-the-art arena in downtown new Brunswick would be great but that's not happening.

 

[RUSK97]

Expand the concourses and move on. Don't need more seats or changes to seating set up

Second smallest arena in the B1G - just ahead of Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan. I too like the RAC the way it is, but we need revenue.

 

[4theknights]

The RAC got so loud last night in my section 214 that my ears started to hurt. I think whatever changes are made they include maintaining the loudness of the building.The vacant offices over section 118 need to eventually go and like others have indicated, please please move the student section closer to the floor like they were years ago.

 

[scarlet4life]

Expand the concourses and move on. Don't need more seats or changes to seating set up

Disagree. Also should put 118 back the way it was or all the way to the ceiling in front of the offices, unless that will be boxes. Also put student section back close to the court. As many here have said, it's too far away as it is now.

 

[BellyFullOfWhiteDogCrap]

When they showed the clip of the student section from the RU v PSU Atlantic 10 Final, the student section looked so much bigger. I know it was moved backwards, but did the student section also lose capacity?

 

[198hamilton]

Schools spend millions to improve their programs. Coaches, practice and training facilities. All to get more wins. The Rac helps us get more wins as is . Leave it be.

 

[Plum Street]

Schools spend millions to improve their programs. Coaches, practice and training facilities. All to get more wins. The Rac helps us get more wins as is . Leave it be.

This. Our guy really feed off of the atmosphere. Penn state was clearly affected by the environment last night . If people can’t see that they are blind . The RAC is a weapon. Improve it, make it stronger . Don’t lose it.

 

[kcg88]

The additional revenue from 1-2000 extra seats is a drop in the bucket compared to BTN revenue.

 

[soundcrib]

What makes the RAC special are the people. We would make just as much noise at Madison Square Garden.

 

[MoobyCow]

What makes the RAC special are the people. We would make just as much noise at Madison Square Garden.

Maybe, the NIT finals was nuts, you could feel the place shaking, but it wasn't RAC loud. Acoustics has something to do with it.

 

[Big boy stan]

What makes the RAC special are the people. We would make just as much noise at Madison Square Garden.

Agree that the fans make it special. Disagree that it would be as noisy at MSG but .... we get to find out in 3 weeks.

 

[198hamilton]

It's more than the people. It's a lot about the building. Former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is somewhat familiar with the Garden, says the Rac is the loudest arena he's ever been in. Just last night Pike said Calhoun said it was the toughest place to play. The list of coaches who have said this is a very long one

 

[RUPete]

Maybe, the NIT finals was nuts, you could feel the place shaking, but it wasn't RAC loud. Acoustics has something to do with it.

MSG can get RAC loud under the right circumstances. The same principle applies in there with sound bouncing down off the ceiling of the building.

It was loud for the NIT, but it was insane in there for a couple of Knicks playoff games I attended during the Riley and Van Gundy eras. Even Bono talked about it after U2 performed their first shows at MSG.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

@Big boy stan

“RAC-mosphere” my friend!!

 

[Big boy stan]

MSG can get RAC loud under the right circumstances

With 8000 fans??? Or when it was SRO (~20,000)

 

[RUChoppin]

There are <500 seats available for Indiana right now through sk.com - should be another sellout, possibly even before we play at Illinois.

 

[RutCorRx]

Just wondering, I feel like I've read/heard in the past people say that if we were to build a new arena we couldn't replicate certain aspects of the RAC as they now are, as it isnt allowed. Is this correct? Does it have to do with the overall design just being a reverberation chamber from hell that they dont allow anymore?

 

[RUChoppin]

Just wondering, I feel like I've read/heard in the past people say that if we were to build a new arena we couldn't replicate certain aspects of the RAC as they now are, as it isnt allowed. Is this correct? Does it have to do with the overall design just being a reverberation chamber from hell that they dont allow anymore?

The pitch/angle of the stairs/stands isn't to code anymore, apparently. You'd need a more shallow incline away from the court, which means those in the 300s would be further away from the court itself. The RAC is very steep, and packs a ton of people right on top of each other, which makes it louder on the floor.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Still a good amount of tickets remain for upcoming weekend afternoon games.
Minnesota and Nebraska.

get your tickets now before they sell closer to game day

https://scarletknights.evenue.net/c...nkID=rutgers&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=

 

[OntheBanks]

Agreed. blow out the front and sides, but leave the arena footprint alone.

Almost right. Expansion plans from the '70'/'80's was make the concession area and current student section similar to the sideline seating
by 'blowing out' those walls. At that point you could have the concourse run completely around the RAC.

 

[e5fdny]

With 8000 fans??? Or when it was SRO (~20,000)

I was at the Garden for a RU/St. John’s game many years ago. Way before the billion dollar renovation. Wasn’t a sellout, not even close, and we were winning for awhile. But when St. John’s tied it up on an old fashioned 3-pt play it was really, really loud. So the acoustics have to come into play here.

And the steepness of the RAC does have something to do with it. Apparently the new arena that Penn State Hockey plays in was built with that in mind.

Like going into the lion's den.

The Trapezoid of Terror.

 

[198hamilton]

Don't change a thing. At the Caldwell game my daughter asked why there were doors leading to the seats. I told her it ends up keeping the noise in and it does. I don't think the Rac was designed to be loud. It's just serendipity

 

[rufeelinit]

Would be nice to get rid of the bleachers in the 300 section but that would reduce capacity and would need to made up elsewhere.

 

[fbc1866]

The RAC is home to Rutgers Basketball, that our round table.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Would be nice to get rid of the bleachers in the 300 section but that would reduce capacity and would need to made up elsewhere.

Just put backs to the bleachers

 

[ScarletDave]

The RAC is classic. Add bathrooms at the other end of the building, pull the student section back out to the floor (and this adding 5 or so rows to the rear), put a big bleacher back in 118, and add an upper terrace grandstand where the offices are now, handicapped where it is, and call it a day

 

[scarlet4life]

It's more than the people. It's a lot about the building. Former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is somewhat familiar with the Garden, says the Rac is the loudest arena he's ever been in. Just last night Pike said Calhoun said it was the toughest place to play. The list of coaches who have said this is a very long one

Chambers also said PSU players couldn't hear him during the second half last night.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

I thought the RACmosphere was awesome last night!

 

[Myrtleknight]

Pretty sure the RAC is the best atmosphere in the B1G when we are good. Leave it alone. I'll be okay if you put boxes and a larger grandstand towards the offices. Other than that leave it alone.

 

[RC1978]

If anyone is watching Wisc vs Ill right now it shows you the difference with the RAC vs other locations. The place is like a morgue in a close game. On defense the Wisc crowd just sits there on their hands and polite cheers on offense when the score. Boring

 

[RU848789]

I know it is old, ugly, small, hard to get in or out of, bad concessions spots, no big money boxes but... when that place is full and loud like last night, it has to be one of the best places to be a fan.

I am not really sure how I would feel if they ever announce a full on remodeling or new construction.

All those amenities rank about 49th in importance, relatively speaking, with maintaining the loudness of the RAC as #'s 1 through 48. Meaning I don't give a crap about any of the amenities, although I'm ok with improving them as long as we don't lose the noise.

 

[Myrtleknight]

And anyone who entertains clients at MSG can vouch for this. The best seats at MSG are not the boxes but the seats that give you access to the club under the grandstand.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

All those amenities rank about 49th in importance, relatively speaking, with maintaining the loudness of the RAC as #'s 1 through 48. Meaning I don't give a crap about any of the amenities, although I'm ok with improving them as long as we don't lose the noise.

Overall I am not crazy about the RAC as a facility for a major D1 basketball program. From the outside it looks like a 1960’s era airplane hanger. Inside the layout is horrible, concessions suck and the bathrooms are a nightmare. I will never understand why Rutgers cannot figure out bathrooms at RAC and SHI, just terrible.
I however agree the noise is the difference. For whatever reason the acoustics in the RAC make it really loud. Other arenas, even double the size filled to capacity don’t seem nearly as loud. In those larger arenas the sound is sucked up into the rafters. In the RAC, the sound bounces around off the walls and converges at floor level, seems loud AF.