Forgive my ignorance, but can someone please educate me on this? Thanks in advance. RU basketball desperately needs a new arena, but at the very least, we must get the RAC upgraded to have any hope of attracting quality recruits.
What are the current RAC upgrade/replacement plans?
- Thread starter RUInFlorida
- Start date
Practice facility to be constructed and ready for use in 2019.
There will be no new RAC for the for seeable future because of low attendance in a 8000 seat arena.There might be some upgrades to the exterior of the facility and there has been new locker rooms constructed for the mens and womens teams.
We don't need a new arena. Fix the RAC.
The RAC is not an issue with recruits. The lack of a practice facility was, by far, the biggest need for RU Basketball. Players spend 95% of their time in the practice center. It will have custom, state of the art locker rooms, dedicated practice courts for men's basketball, players lounge, 24 hr training table, weight room, training facilities, offices, study lounges, team meeting rooms, etc.
Really? I would think it's very hard for Rutgers to compete with, say, Maryland, which has an absolutely beautiful on campus arena.
The RAC can be such a home court advantage when the team is playing well. The building has character and that would be lost in the newer building. I think the program would be best served with upgrades to the current building and allow the fan base to grow with the team.
The RAC isn't going to change significantly any time soon...
The practice facility being built right next to it sort of cements that notion.
The locker room is now state of the art, thanks to the Suydam family, and the playing surface is due to be swapped out prior to the season. Maybe some cosmetic changes coming, but minor at best.
When the practice facility is complete, that is where the team will spend the vast majority of its time. Very little motivation to complete any major renovation to the LBAC
The practice facility being built right next to it sort of cements that notion.
The locker room is now state of the art, thanks to the Suydam family, and the playing surface is due to be swapped out prior to the season. Maybe some cosmetic changes coming, but minor at best.
When the practice facility is complete, that is where the team will spend the vast majority of its time. Very little motivation to complete any major renovation to the LBAC
BK - wasn't the entire floor replaced within past 5 years? Is it being ripped up or will there be another portable court placed on top of current floor for games?
I appreciate the detailed answer very much. The only part I don't understand is the very last sentence. Why wouldn't everyone want a better facility for the actual games?
It's been refinished and repainted several times. Playing surfaces evolve quickly...And our current floor has aged prematurely with all of the "action" it sees. It's definitely in need of replacement.
Think it's safe to say many feel the same way about the current football field as well.
Everyone wants the newest and the best here...
The price tag for significant change to the RAC is just too steep given how far behind we are the other BIG schools from a total athletics standpoint to warrant.
Maybe in 8-10 years....Just my opinion
My personal opinion, but because--when the RAC rocks (and I hope it really will again soon)--there is no better place to be.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the floor that was installed several years ago the first new floor (wall to wall) since the late 70's?
If so, it seems like it was a waste for that state of the art suspension floor to be put in and junked several years later.
A portable game day court - as was used at entrance into the BigEast until the above mentioned install - would seem to make more sense if they're worried about the wear and tear on the game court..
IIRC, the idea of that install was to eliminate a portable court and be as forgiving on the joints as a portable court.
It's also going to be a parking deck since we got 25 million in tax credits for just that reason. Not a quick build by any means.
It's sad that the further and further we get from winning seasons, the less people know how great of an arena the RAC is when it's loud and jumping.
The RAC is a great place to watch a game .Its not a great arena for rest rooms,food concession stands,walking space in main concourse or a promenade entrance that even small schools like Monmouth and Stony Brook have.At Rutgers it always comes down to available financial resources and making choices.As to the RAC impact on recruiting it really depends on the recruit.Some want to play in a bigger arena with all the amenities while others are just interested in winning and playing time.
I agree but there is absolutely no reason that we can't build a structure around the RAC that would create a modern concourse with bathrooms and kiosks to take care of that problem. Heck, it doesn't even need to have sight lines to the court, just a structure up agains the RAC that would keep the sound in place to maximize our home court advantage.
It was easy to justify the need for the practice facility but not so easy for the RAC upgrade. We just don't have the attendance, however, once RU BB becomes a hot ticket, then and only then will we hear about RAC upgrade. In the meantime, I love the RAC and really see in no rush to replace it.
The one thing that the RAC does not have is luxury boxes.
Once we make that practice facility and all the offices move out of the RAC, do you think they can make them into luxury sweets? I have never been up there I don't even know what the view is.
Once we make that practice facility and all the offices move out of the RAC, do you think they can make them into luxury sweets? I have never been up there I don't even know what the view is.
Huhhhhhh jump into 2016 & 2017. Once the demand is there and the RAC is re-done to pop in 2-3K more seats that arena will be awesome. I was not a RAC guy but now I am we do not need a new arena just need to re-do both ends on the court and that place will be rocking. Leave the NBA style arenas in the NBA college is about character and the RAC 100% has that just needs to be updated
You do not need luxury boxes for college hoops don't buy into the NBA hype where they try to rape you for every penny you have
I'm a little more optimistic than BK I'm hoping 4-5yrs. I think 8-10 is pretty solid but can be moved up based on what Pike and team bring to the table in the coming years. They go dancing a few times and get the hoops momentum full blast I think that can move up a bit. Don't want to lose the RAC. Update the facade, lobbly and pop in 2-3K seats and you have an incrediible facility
Ridiculous that they do not fix up the RAC which can be one of the great home courts in college basketball. They want the fans to invest but RU does nothing to the RAC. There is certainly more than enough space to build a B1G concourse out in front. The idea that a new practice facility is the be end and end all is just silly.
RUnit if you do not build the practice facility you do not bring the better players in....if you do not build the practice facility you do not clear out the offices and locker rooms in the RAC to allow for a future upgrade. They already have all the drawings in place but they need to staRT with practice facilities. It's the start of everything
Great to say it. Great to want it. You gonna pay for it?
The practice facility, and the other steps now underway are monumental changes for RU. One step at a time, unless you've got another 100 mil stashed somewhere!
Some of things talked about in this thread and similar threads are not (or should not) be a money issue for RU now or ever. General up keep should be part of a regular operating budget.
The "big" and shiny stuff I get costs some bucks but making sure it looks clean and tidy on the inside and out should not....light-bulbs inside and the parking lot, toilet paper/paper towels, clean garbage cans inside and out, regular landscaping and cleaning outside. That kind of thing should never happen.
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Almost tragic. Folks better recognize. The RAC is to be feared.
I agree that they really let the RAC and it's outside area go in the crapper. However, I think the parking lot is better now and I like the foot bridges that lead from the lots to the stadium. However, I agree the simple upkeep needs to be more of a priority.
The simple fact that the balloon is out of the rafters was a huge step forward, IMO.
I don't know. They built a movie theatre next door. They built a diner next door. In the grand scheme of things can't imagine a new concourse would be all the expensive. And basic landscaping would be nice.
Its easy to identify upgrades to the RAC which would make the arena a more appealing venue.The problem always is the lack of financial resources and setting priorities on the laundry list when improvements can happen.The faculty at Rutgers certainly aren't supporter of big time athletics as shown by a Friday vote expressing displeasure with athletic budget deficits. By now fans should realize that it isn't easy to get things done at Rutgers which has a lot to do with the culture in New Jersey.
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