What makes the RAC a difficult arena to play in?

[ScarletStateofNJ]

Granted I graduated in 2008 so I only experienced one good season at the RAC and I don’t really go to basketball games outside of MSG—— but what make the RAC so tough to plan in as an opponent relative to other places?

It can’t just be the fans. There are bigger arenas that sell out with rabid fans out there. Is it the layout of the stands and the building. Acoustics?

Or is it just something trite that color commentators say “Boy this place can really rock if the team is good”?

 

[RU to the Core]

It gets loud. You sit really close to the court. It’s not some “bowl” that gradually fans out like big arenas. The seats just climb and you are like on top of the action. And like I said. It gets loud!

 

[Upstream]

I think it is a combination of the layout of the stands and the building architecture which put fans close to the court and focuses the noise back to the court. Bigger arenas have more fans, but they're also cavernous and spread out, so the noise there scatters.

 

[RW90]

Not sure what it is about the acoustics. While some here have speculated it is the roof, I suspect it's more due to the steepness of the sideline seating that locates the majority of fans in such close proximity to the court. That as opposed to the endline and corner seating that you find in other arenas.

 

[RU82]

Not sure what it is about the acoustics. While some here have speculated it is the roof, I suspect it's more due to the steepness of the sideline seating that locates the majority of fans in such close proximity to the court. That as opposed to the endline and corner seating that you find in other arenas.

This ^^^^

There’s less room for the sound to dissipate.

 

[RUfinal4]

NJ fans are just insane and loud :)

 

[S_Janowski]

The arena is a large part of it but don’t discount the Rutgers fanbase who is starving for a winner and can get up for games even against mediocre teams.

I was watching Texas vs. #6 Kansas last week...Texas was leading well into the game and the place was dead to the point of the announcer commenting on how it was such a big game and the fans needed to get into it more.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Combination of things: the slope, the ceiling, and the fans. I still remember the stunned look on the faces of the Arizona State fans in the upper deck, as our seats were mixed in with theirs, when our team came out of the tunnel prior to the game. They couldn’t believe how loud we were!!!

 

[e5fdny]

Slope, pitch and lung capacity.

 

[Eagleton96]

This ^^^^

There’s less room for the sound to dissipate.

And the fans are physically closer to the court. Literally right on top looking down at the players.

 

[soundcrib]

Starved Maniacs from New Jersey.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Slope, pitch and lung capacity.

^This. It's physics and basic biology, tinged with lunatic psychology. Lung capacity expands with each prior losing season, and when the valve is opened after decades of torment, every prior year's accrual of additional pulmonary capacity intensifies the escaping sound waves that then blast off the roof, slope back down, and makes it loud. Really, really loud.

 

[NickRU714]

Isn't the design of the RAC technically not allowed anymore?

 

[bwrlaw]

Isn't the design of the RAC technically not allowed anymore?

Yes, the angle of the 200 and then 300 sections would never be allowed. Much the same way the old Giants Stadium had the mezz. and upper decks brought forward to be over the lower bowls.

The RAC has a unique combination of things that causes the sound to radiate down to the Court. Someone mentioned removing the doors to the side corridors and then to the upper sections. The sound would escape if the doors were not there.

While no one will ever be able to say with certainty, to me, the tin roof is the answer.

 

[198hamilton]

Any renovation of the RAC should only be done after a team of acoustic engineers certifies that it won't impact the sound in the building!

 

[OJRutgers]

I feel the RAC could get even louder if they pulled the student section to were it used to go. Which was a few feet from the base of the basket.
Also, they should restore the bleachers at opposite end of the court from the students, watched RU beat Missouri in those seats, it was crazy.

 

[Russ Wood]

The arena is a large part of it but don’t discount the Rutgers fanbase who is starving for a winner and can get up for games even against mediocre teams.

I was watching Texas vs. #6 Kansas last week...Texas was leading well into the game and the place was dead to the point of the announcer commenting on how it was such a big game and the fans needed to get into it more.

Texas fans have seen that "Texas leads Kansas" tease a few times. They know how that movie ends.

 

[DHajekRC84]

I thought this was settled the other day ...its the big A$$ metal doors at the exits :Wink:

 

[RocktheRac]

Combination of things: the slope, the ceiling, and the fans. I still remember the stunned look on the faces of the Arizona State fans in the upper deck, as our seats were mixed in with theirs, when our team came out of the tunnel prior to the game. They couldn’t believe how loud we were!!!

What game are u talking about?

 

[LBusDoor90]

Same exact combination of reasons as our football stadium: sound wave trapping high rise sides plus a desperate mix of Giants, Jets and Eagles fans that know when maniacal noise is beneficial for the good guys.
Go to 6:22 of my video here...

 

[AreYouNUTS]

What game are u talking about?

Insight Bowl...I was upper tier, midfield, pretty much 50/50 in my section with plenty of ASU fans who were stunned (you went there, right?)...and lots of cute blondes!!

 

[rubigtimenow]

All well stated above. One thing I will add is even in the lower level, check out how little space they have outside the court on the sidelines before there are fans. It is tight to the court everywhere!

 

[AreYouNUTS]

All well stated above. One thing I will add is even in the lower level, check out how little space they have outside the court on the sidelines before there are fans. It is tight to the court everywhere!

Uhm, you might wanna take a look at the HUGE gap between the baseline and students, it’s a problem lol!!

 

[DHajekRC84]

Uhm, you might wanna take a look at the HUGE gap between the baseline and students, it’s a problem lol!!

Not to mention a completely castrated 118 end court.

 

[ScarletteK80]

Back in the day when we would play a UCONN I used to feel as if the 200, and 300 section crazed crowds would eventually come falling down on the folks in the 100's. Sitting 4 rows up you could also hear very clearly what players and coaches were saying.

 

[RutCorRx]

Gotta throw a bone to the fans as well. Even at FB games when we first joined the B1G, fans from Michigan and the other big bowl stadium were shocked how loud we could get.

 

[e5fdny]

Gotta throw a bone to the fans as well. Even at FB games when we first joined the B1G, fans from Michigan and the other big bowl stadium were shocked how loud we could get.

At the Dragon game a little old lady Michigan fan asked in kind of scared voice, "Is it always this loud?"

 

[BKIn118]

I love talking to guys that have played here and having them tell me stories of how incredible it was being on the floor and have it literally rumble beneath their feet during games due to the noise.

While the recent resurgence is awesome, we haven't even scratched the surface of what the RAC can be. We can dial it up even more!

 

[e5fdny]

I love talking to guys that have played here and having them tell me stories of how incredible it was being on the floor and have it literally rumble beneath their feet during games due to the noise.

While the recent resurgence is awesome, we haven't even scratched the surface of what the RAC can be. We can dial it up even more!

I was waiting for this exact comment/post.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

I love talking to guys that have played here and having them tell me stories of how incredible it was being on the floor and have it literally rumble beneath their feet during games due to the noise.

While the recent resurgence is awesome, we haven't even scratched the surface of what the RAC can be. We can dial it up even more!

At least the paint chips don't fall on you like at the Barn.

 

[e5fdny]

At least the paint chips don't fall on you like at the Barn.

But they could if Volleyball gets it going too.:pimp:

The B1G WVolleyball folks won't know what hit them if that happens (resurgence and a NJ crowd).

 

[ScarletStateofNJ]

Same exact combination of reasons as our football stadium: sound wave trapping high rise sides plus a desperate mix of Giants, Jets and Eagles fans that know when maniacal noise is beneficial for the good guys.
Go to 6:22 of my video here...

View embedded media

At some point, we have to move on from 2006. It’s been almost a generation

 

[fg7321]

Same exact combination of reasons as our football stadium: sound wave trapping high rise sides plus a desperate mix of Giants, Jets and Eagles fans that know when maniacal noise is beneficial for the good guys.
Go to 6:22 of my video here...

View embedded media

Love watching this video never gets old!

 

[Doteman]

What makes the RAC a difficult place to play? The Rutgers players

 

[LBusDoor90]

At some point, we have to move on from 2006. It’s been almost a generation

I referenced it for the trapped sound example. I made the video in 2007 and posted it in 2010, a decade ago.
You and your arrogance might want to take yourself less seriously.

 

[RU MAN]

Same exact combination of reasons as our football stadium: sound wave trapping high rise sides plus a desperate mix of Giants, Jets and Eagles fans that know when maniacal noise is beneficial for the good guys.
Go to 6:22 of my video here...

View embedded media

Never gets old. Never.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

At least the paint chips don't fall on you like at the Barn.

What's wrong with paint chips?

 

[ruman]

The arena is a large part of it but don’t discount the Rutgers fanbase who is starving for a winner and can get up for games even against mediocre teams.

I was watching Texas vs. #6 Kansas last week...Texas was leading well into the game and the place was dead to the point of the announcer commenting on how it was such a big game and the fans needed to get into it more.

It’s the building. Loudest I ever heard it was West Va in 1982. We were coming to the end of the Tom Young era, and we were good for many years at that point. It’s a great place to watch a game.

 

[ruman]

Any renovation of the RAC should only be done after a team of acoustic engineers certifies that it won't impact the sound in the building!

Crank it up higher. Add seats to the open end matching the student section - that would add a bunch of decibels

 

[ecojew]

What game are u talking about?

This was my question as I could never recall having a home game with ASU. I do recall seeing the Indiana State fans looking up incredulously at the crazed RAC during the NIT game that ended up being junior Larry Bird's second to last loss as a collegian.

I see the person was referring to the Insight Bowl at the Bob. We were definitely loud and it was an exciting game from start to finish but it was an entirely different kind of arena.

At Sunday's game, when Geo came in with 1 second left on the shot clock and nailed a miracle three, the explosion of sound was definitely the loudest of the day, and quite possibly, of the past 10 seasons.