Trenton gives. Trenton should get. Play them there while they frack up the RAC.
Place (Trenton Arena,);needs support. Return the favor.
Place (Trenton Arena,);needs support. Return the favor.
RAC renovation
- Thread starter RU72
- Start date
Not being able to play at the RAC for a year would suck and Newark would be difficult for any season ticket holders south of NB, as well as students.
It would be easier for North Jersey fans but who wants to go into Newark on a weeknight for a game?
It would be easier for North Jersey fans but who wants to go into Newark on a weeknight for a game?
Moving the entrance around to the side facing the parking lot sounds like a big and expensive job. You would have to blow out that entire side or a large portion of it to make a new entrance.
Does that mean they would just close off the front entrance?
Does that mean they would just close off the front entrance?
Do it all the time for hockey games and I'm south of NB. Not hard at all
I hope this is true. After reading this thread, I had a nightmare about all this last night. We ended up with two new trees planted by wherever the front doors end up, three new stalls in each bathroom and a vendor cart that sells premium chicken fingers for the $100 million (this is NJ, after all!)! No work gets started until at least 2024 because Murphy wants the "ground breaking" photo op for the kickoff of whatever election campaign he is starting at that point (this is NJ, after all!). Once started, the "construction" takes 6 years (this is NJ, after all!)...but, I expire as I receive my tickets to the inaugural game vs. PSU in the "new" arena in the mail. My surviving spouse unknowingly (I think) sells the tickets on StubHub to Penn State fans. Somehow, my former friends on these boards find out that she sold the tickets on StubHub to Penn State fans and, subsequently, there is a thread 500 posts long dragging my name through the mud. People show up at my burial site and throw Rutgers tomatoes at my tombstone through infinity. I then woke up in a cold sweat...ya' think I've been a Rutgers fan too long???? It's got to go better than this...doesn't it??? Go RU!
Might not be hard for you but it will be hard for plenty of people who have family or other commitments in their lives, especially for a weekday.
I live in Burlington County so no way am I going to Newark for every game. Communicating up to New Brunswick almost 20 times a year for basketball is a stretch.
Play the early season multiple team event at the barn.
Late December games as well.
Late December games as well.
I agree. The Athletic Department is going to have to weigh the pros and cons, and one of the big cons is another site will be disruptive to some season ticket holders and all students. What are these costs, plus losing the RAC home court advantage, plus paying for rent vs keeping the games at the RAC by staging the construction and doing the invasive parts of the construction during the 16 off season months (before and after a basketball season)?
I think keeping the games at the RAC is the better call all around.
I don't think that is possible due to the media contracts with NY based radio station. From a media standpoint, Trenton is part of the Philadelphia media market even though the federal government considers it part of the NYC/NorthJersey metro area. It becomes a legal thing.
Maybe they can work the schedule so the last home game is the end of Feb and can start work in March. Then for the start of the next season play all nonconference games at MSG or wherever, then get December B10 games away.
That would give March-December, 10 months, to get it done. Is that possible? I don't know, but that seems like best-case scenario.
You can take the northeast corridor rail line and walk to Prudential Center. Or Drive to Prudential Center and park in a nearby lot. Newark is a much better location than any other because it can handle the volume.
Agree would like to play in Trenton. Play up the home angle.
Also thought instead of playing a ridiculous tournament like the one we’re in next season with a bunch of ridiculous opponents there should be an NJ only preseason tournament in Trenton. Make it a NJ basketball day, each year (like Greg created for football) and build some other events around it.
I still don't get these people that are making a big stink about one year away if it makes our building better in the long term.
First people complained there wasn't enough bathrooms or concessions. Now on to the next complaint.
First people complained there wasn't enough bathrooms or concessions. Now on to the next complaint.
Agree there is no perfect solution.
If they have to play in another venue for a year it is what is.
They just better not make me buy season tickets for that season to keep the priority on my current seats…I don’t think they would do this.
One season = not a long time for long-time fans
One season = a very long time for players
And we only have long-time fans complaining about impact to them in this thread.
Not going to Newark
Not going to Trenton
Not going to Jadwin
Start home games later, play some OOC at the Barn, end B1G games late February, that's 9 1/2 months to get it done, then finish the rest incrementally the following year
Playing anywhere but the Rac is shortsighted, foolish and quite honestly, one of the worst ideas (along with the Death Star) that I've heard in quite awhile
Not going to Trenton
Not going to Jadwin
Start home games later, play some OOC at the Barn, end B1G games late February, that's 9 1/2 months to get it done, then finish the rest incrementally the following year
Playing anywhere but the Rac is shortsighted, foolish and quite honestly, one of the worst ideas (along with the Death Star) that I've heard in quite awhile
The only thing for certain is that the analysis you describe should be done and may already have been done. If they have to move for a season, you're not going to make everyone happy. But a modern arena with a train stop right there makes the most sense in that scenario.
If they decide to play in Trenton, I would still keep my tickets and try to make as many games as I can. Maybe offload some weekday games to other Rutgers fans (NO MICHIGAN FANS!) and try to get to all the weekend games.
Part of it is, if the scope of work requires us to play away for a year and can’t be done in such a way over phases in the off season, there is a a worry that we ruin what makes the RAC exceptional in terms of home court advantage.
Secondly playing a season away puts that season at a greater disadvantage of a Strong B1G finish and tourney invite for that season. Would a dip for a season have a long term impact on the program, hopefully not. But it’s always a worry, someone pointed to the NW situation and article, although I think we are on much more solid ground than them to sustain a dip.
I have these concerns but am still excited we got this funding and am hopeful this gets done the right way.
Last note saw someone negate the concept of additional bathrooms and that it’s not that bad to wait on line or time the the TV timeouts to get it done.
I have to imagine we do get some kind of bump in food/merch/$12 beer sales over the course of a season if people can easily pee then have time to open their wallets and still get back to the seats.
Too many season ticketholders now to play at the Barn and I don't think the league is going to disrupt its schedule for one program. It's good that you're flexible though.
Wow! I am surprised that they are talking about playing all games away from the RAC for a season. You only need to do that if you are making major renovations to the seating bowl or the building structure (e.g., roof line) that will take more than 9 months to complete. I think either type of major renovation would diminish what makes the RAC unique.
I assumed most of the work would be adding amenities in additions that extend beyond the current building footprint, and renovating the concourses. All of that can be done by closing off areas, while still allowing games to be played. Addition of luxury suites (depending on where they are located) and expansion of the Sec 118 area, should be able to be done in off-season, if well planned.
I haven't seen any recent plans or concepts, so I'll withhold further judgment on building changes until we see more details.
However, every attempt should be made to figure out how to keep the games at the RAC during construction. Any other location would adversely affect large portions of the season-ticket base.
Almost all season-ticket holders currently drive to attend games at the RAC. If fans have to drive to Newark or Trenton, it will be a much longer drive for those fans coming from the opposite direction. And while mass transit is an option, it is also a slower option for most, since you have to add the time to drive to/from your home station, and also waits of up to an hour for the next train after the game ends. For a significant portion of fans, this would make attending a season of weeknight games after work virtually impossible.
If it is necessary to play games elsewhere, it would also be necessary to schedule home games on weekends (and that introduces other complexities like arena availability and conflicts with youth sports). Either way, Pat Hobbs should be prepared for a season-ticket holder revolt similar to the one he saw when he forced season-ticket holders to buy a home football game at Yankee Stadium.
A much better solution would be to figure out how to stage the renovations so games can still be played at home. This is how just about every other arena manages their renovations and expansions.
I assumed most of the work would be adding amenities in additions that extend beyond the current building footprint, and renovating the concourses. All of that can be done by closing off areas, while still allowing games to be played. Addition of luxury suites (depending on where they are located) and expansion of the Sec 118 area, should be able to be done in off-season, if well planned.
I haven't seen any recent plans or concepts, so I'll withhold further judgment on building changes until we see more details.
However, every attempt should be made to figure out how to keep the games at the RAC during construction. Any other location would adversely affect large portions of the season-ticket base.
Almost all season-ticket holders currently drive to attend games at the RAC. If fans have to drive to Newark or Trenton, it will be a much longer drive for those fans coming from the opposite direction. And while mass transit is an option, it is also a slower option for most, since you have to add the time to drive to/from your home station, and also waits of up to an hour for the next train after the game ends. For a significant portion of fans, this would make attending a season of weeknight games after work virtually impossible.
If it is necessary to play games elsewhere, it would also be necessary to schedule home games on weekends (and that introduces other complexities like arena availability and conflicts with youth sports). Either way, Pat Hobbs should be prepared for a season-ticket holder revolt similar to the one he saw when he forced season-ticket holders to buy a home football game at Yankee Stadium.
A much better solution would be to figure out how to stage the renovations so games can still be played at home. This is how just about every other arena manages their renovations and expansions.
There's no way they ask fans to buy season tickets in the relocated year. They may do a donation program that boosts priority points like they did during the COVID year.
Rutgers has been very fair to the fans and has continually looked to improve the fan experience, one of the biggest this year being the removal of the priority point cutoffs for football and making new STH wait until all existing STH made parking selections to cut out the bandwagon fans.
Think people here are whining for the sake of whining.
You think duke, Carolina, Michigan state, Kansas or any other reputable program is doing this?
Who else besides Northwestern would be doing something like this?
It’s small time thinking to be playing at alternative venue.
We already had Covid wipe out an entire season with fans, figure the shit out in regard to construction and stop the BS about moving to these other venues.
It’s beyond ridiculous or even discussing it
For years, fans on this board: "THE RAC NEEDS A FACELIFT!"
The RAC is about to get a facelift. The fans now: "HOW DARE THEY GIVE THE RAC A FACELIFT. IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING."
The RAC is about to get a facelift. The fans now: "HOW DARE THEY GIVE THE RAC A FACELIFT. IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING."
No that’s not what’s going on in here. Discussion has been reasonable imo.
A facelift doesn’t require a year away from the RAC.
I personally am fine with a year away from the RAC. I don’t necessarily think we need so much done that would require a year away but I’m fine if they do it.
Villanova did it the year they won the national title. I think I remember some of them saying they felt better prepared for the tournament because of it. While not on the same level as Villanova, Cincinnati and Houston did it too.
Yup. People just say stuff without knowing anything at all haha.
I'm glad we can have a reasonable discussion about this. Just wait for the all the details to come out before you get all twisted up.
It's amazing that we have so many construction project managers on this board. Everyone has a firm grasp of the scope of the project, the costs, etc. and can determine the length of the project all from a state budget article on nj.com.
Nova already plays a few games / year at Wachovia.
Cincy and Houston, while two good programs, are not who I want to be associated with. They're 2nd/3rd fiddle in their own states, and will never be considered anything more
So, if we play one season away from the RAC, we can never aspire to be anything more than second fiddle, correct? You're funny.
Some are good with it, I'm not in that camp. I work in the industry, and have seen alternative ways to do it. There's 2 ways to go about it:
1. MSG - do it over time
2. Louisville football - still played in Papa Johns while stadium under construction (addition)
I'm in either camp, but if we want to be considered big time, we have to stop the small time thinking.
Taking something out of context to further one's argument
RUPete = RUStrawMan
With the renovation coming soon, with $100 million B1G payouts coming soon and luxury boxes going in (assumption)... is it time to put students on the sidelines, behind the benches ?
