Gampel vs ?

[vtcwbuff]

Not having visited many WCBB venues outside of Gampel and Providence I'm curious how it stacks up against some of the other top school arenas. Seating capacity and cost aside, how does Gampel fare in comfort, amenities, access, parking etc. when compared to schools like UTenn, Duke, ND, Baylor, Stanford.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I've been to all but Baylor - although I drove past on the outside of that too.

It has been some years since I was to Gampel, but the sightlines and the sheer whiteness of the dome made it a very attractive venue - at the time I didn't think the amenities were great.

The traffic around TBA was incredible the one year - we took a shuttle from the hotel to the RU / Tenn game. I think we were able to park in a visitor lot the other time. Main "interest" was the really serious player intro's and the antics of Smokey.

Duke was way cool, but certainly not comfortable. Then again, the non-RU game I attended we were in the Cameron Crazies bleachers (no crazies on hand) and the other we were in an obscure 2nd deck corner with "visitor" tickets.

Don't remember anything outstanding about Stanford, ND.

Actually the wife and I have been to numerous arenas over the years. Some were impressive, some not so much. You could find something to complain about almost anywhere (RAC included). Some of the newer, smaller venues - Temple and ODU come to mind - are quite attractive, incidently.

 

[Ruffian75]

Ones I have been to rated 1 to 11 with highlights

1) RBC Raleigh...Tennessee/NCST and UConn/UNC doubleheader
2) Temple...Maya hits 3000 and we go to the FF
3) Harbor Yard...Babs sends Georgia home with3 second trey.
4) MSG...Ray's game winner v Georgetown
5) Old MSG....cigar smoke in the fourth balcony/Wilt/Trotters
6) Thompson Boling...never there for a UConn game
7) Nassau Colisseum....Dr. J's Nets v the great Denver ABA team
8) XL...DT's 60 footer CP3's dunk
9) Trenton....Tiff's great game in the regional semi final
10) UConn field House...seeing Coach cousey, Jimmy walker, dave Bing, and unknown then Jim Boheim
11) Gampel...seeing TASS's last home game with DT leading the cheers after their standing O at the end

 

[Scotter]

Notre Dame just spent nearly 25 million dollars renovating their basketball venue in the last couple of years. They lost about 1600 seats in the process, down to a capacity of 9,800. It's a pretty nice facility now and very likely a reason that Notre Dame has been able to retain many of the people who took new or renewed interest when Notre Dame was able to bring in its local star in Diggins. A significant portion of the fanbase also wears the same booster club?/season ticket-holder? t-shirt to the UConn-Notre Dame games I have attended. I thought that also helped build the shared experience feeling that attracts people to attend events in person.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

A significant portion of the fanbase also wears the same booster club?/season ticket-holder? t-shirt to the UConn-Notre Dame games I have attended. I thought that also helped build the shared experience feeling that attracts people to attend events in person.

A few years back, the powers that be decided to "remake" the RU WBB fan club (Cager's Club) into more of a fund raising and "spirit" club than it had been. The leaders of the club were directed to get in touch with folks at Notre Dame for recommendations and suggestions for the "spirit" side of it. Interesting that you noticed that type of thing.

 

[Ruffian75]

A few years back, the powers that be decided to "remake" the RU WBB fan club (Cager's Club) into more of a fund raising and "spirit" club than it had been. The leaders of the club were directed to get in touch with folks at Notre Dame for recommendations and suggestions for the "spirit" side of it. Interesting that you noticed that type of thing.

No offense KB, but it doesn't seem to have worked at Rutgers

 

[rington]

Ones I have been to rated 1 to 11 with highlights

1) RBC Raleigh...Tennessee/NCST and UConn/UNC doubleheader
2) Temple...Maya hits 3000 and we go to the FF
3) Harbor Yard...Babs sends Georgia home with3 second trey.
4) MSG...Ray's game winner v Georgetown
5) Old MSG....cigar smoke in the fourth balcony/Wilt/Trotters
6) Thompson Boling...never there for a UConn game
7) Nassau Colisseum....Dr. J's Nets v the great Denver ABA team
8) XL...DT's 60 footer CP3's dunk
9) Trenton....Tiff's great game in the regional semi final
10) UConn field House...seeing Coach cousey, Jimmy walker, dave Bing, and unknown then Jim Boheim
11) Gampel...seeing TASS's last home game with DT leading the cheers after their standing O at the end

Temple and Trenton seemed nice

 

[Phil]

It's a great question, and and one deserving some in-depth thought, but I'll react OTTOMH

1 Maryland I was there when it was very new, but it was very nice
Fresno - not sure I can put my finger on it, but I liked this arena - it certainly wasn't the game result

2 NC State - I'm probably over-rating this a bit, I had courside seats, which lead to a great game experience

3 Prudential Center - nothing jumps out at me, but it seemed nice

4 Carrier Dome - worth a trip for the experience, but other than size, nothing special

5 Palestra (Philadelphia) - lots of points for history and close to action feel, but lets face it, the corner seating is odd.

6 Chase Family Arena - better now that they upgraded seating

7 Madison Square Garden - points for famousisity, but hard to get in and out, confusing traffic patterns, and a feeling it has seen better days. Decent food options I think, but I don't pay a lot of attention to that, as I try to avoid over-priced arena food

8 XL center

9 Gampel

10 Walsh Gymnasium To their credit, they don't even pretend it is an arena. Great place to be close to the action, you don't have much of a choice

11 Palestra (Italy) Only arena I've seen where the toilet was literally a hole in the floor.

 

[vtcwbuff]

It's a great question, and and one deserving some in-depth thought, but I'll react OTTOMH

1 Maryland I was there when it was very new, but it was very nice
Fresno - not sure I can put my finger on it, but I liked this arena - it certainly wasn't the game result

2 NC State - I'm probably over-rating this a bit, I had courside seats, which lead to a great game experience

3 Prudential Center - nothing jumps out at me, but it seemed nice

4 Carrier Dome - worth a trip for the experience, but other than size, nothing special

5 Palestra (Philadelphia) - lots of points for history and close to action feel, but lets face it, the corner seating is odd.

6 Chase Family Arena - better now that they upgraded seating

7 Madison Square Garden - points for famousisity, but hard to get in and out, confusing traffic patterns, and a feeling it has seen better days. Decent food options I think, but I don't pay a lot of attention to that, as I try to avoid over-priced arena food

8 XL center

9 Gampel

10 Walsh Gymnasium To their credit, they don't even pretend it is an arena. Great place to be close to the action, you don't have much of a choice

11 Palestra (Italy) Only arena I've seen where the toilet was literally a hole in the floor.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Thanks Phil - The kind of response I was looking for - I'm mostly curious to see how Gampel stacks up agianst their competition considering all the griping about Gampel (including me) on the board.

For me a trip to MSG means Amtrak and Penn Station. As for holes in the floor, not all that unusual in parts of Europe although not as common as they were years ago. Did you run into any "single square" in an envelope bathrooms while you were there? Try that when Mussilini is having his revenge.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

No offense KB, but it doesn't seem to have worked at Rutgers

No offense taken.

The club definitely changed the last few years we were there and did some different things. Some of the ideas needed RU's help to implement, but that help wasn't really forthcoming. Additionally, there are just not the number of season ticketholders / fans to make some of the ideas practical.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

As to Phil's list, yes, Maryland arena was very nice - it was also fairly new when RU played there and the result was miserable and the fans worse.

New facilities in general always seem nice, they (usually) have better food choices, better seating and all the other "nice to have" features. Kohl? Center in Wisconsin was nice, that was quite a while ago. The Value City Arena at Ohio State is another one that is not too old.

Had a wonderful time at Chase Family Arena some years ago, sitting in the floor seating on the sideline. Sometimes it is the seating that sells the experience.

 

[Ruffian75]

6 Chase Family Arena - better now that they upgraded seating

I forgot that one. Went to see Michigan State's Dehaan a couple years ago. I would call it a gymnasium rather than an arena. Has about 500 seats on the side of the team benches and bleachers everywhere else.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I am not sure I ever really pay much attention to comfort, amenities, access, parking , and the like. General admission at the Polo Grounds had to be the absolute worst place to watch a baseball game. The seats were tight and the pigeons pitched more strikes than Roger Craig, Al Jackson, Carlton Willey, or Galen Cisco. But, I had some great times there as a kid. My favorite basketball venues, in order, from the standpoint of memorable experiences:
1. St. John's Alumni Hall(now Carnesecca Arena) - For the last four years of the 60's, that was where you could find me on Saturday nights when the, then, Redmen, were home; Back when there was always a doubleheader with the freshman team. It gets the top nod for one thing and one thing only. They served the absolutely best hot dogs I have ever had at a sprting event. What was even better was that they were only a quarter. Their cokes, from the fountain, were delicious; Not at all watered down.
2. Fordhams' Rose Hill Gymnasium - Talk about a memorable experience. Fordham rarely enjoyed an incredible success on the court, but they battled for 40 minutes and they had the best fans I have ever seen anywhere, bar none. and when they brought the ram out prior to the game, fuhgeddaboudit!
3. Villanova Field House - a bandbox of a gym. The fans are right on top of the court and they were absolutely rabid. Over 40 years later and I can still hear the student section chanting " V for Villanova, V for Victory...!"
4. Maryland's Cole Field House in College Park, MD. - I do not know if this building still exists, but it was a great place to watch a basketball game. It holds especially fond memories for me because this was where the Texas Western-Kentucky game was played in 1966.
5. Island Garden, West Hempstead, NY. To hear others describe it, it was a dump. For me, trips to Island Garden meant fun time; The circus, the Globetrotters, early ABA games. And if you were in there a day or two after a concert, for whatever reason I was always hungry and in a great mood.
6. The old Charlotte Coliseum downtown on Rt 74. A fun place to watch some great college basketball.
7. The old Madison Sqaure Garden - as descrbed by a previous poster.
8. The new Madison Square Garden - The Knicks were just coming into their era of greatness when it opened. However, the first event I ever saw here was an indoor track meet.
9. Cameron Indoor Stadium - a great shooter's gym.
10. Cadet Field House at the Air Force Academy - Just a beautiful multi-venue facilty.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Thanks Phil - The kind of response I was looking for - I'm mostly curious to see how Gampel stacks up agianst their competition considering all the griping about Gampel (including me) on the board.

For me a trip to MSG means Amtrak and Penn Station. As for holes in the floor, not all that unusual in parts of Europe although not as common as they were years ago. Did you run into any "single square" in an envelope bathrooms while you were there? Try that when Mussilini is having his revenge.

Must be rough when there is no square to spare.

 

[Phil]

6 Chase Family Arena - better now that they upgraded seating

I forgot that one. Went to see Michigan State's Dehaan a couple years ago. I would call it a gymnasium rather than an arena. Has about 500 seats on the side of the team benches and bleachers everywhere else.

No that's what I'm talking about - they removed the benches across from the teams and replaced with proper seats. I do agree, it's a stretch to call it an arena

 

[Phil]

I can't believe I didn't add Cameron - I still can't believe how bad my seats were, very possibly the worst seats I've ever had (and Italy had bare concrete seats). But as an arena, it has something special.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I remember Cole Field House at Maryland - one maybe 2 games there. It was a great place to watch a game, but the climb to get out . . .

Went to my first Final Four as a fan at the Charlotte Colliseum. Last time (or next to last time) that tix could be bought straight up - no lottery.

 

[triaddukefan]

I can't believe I didn't add Cameron - I still can't believe how bad my seats were, very possibly the worst seats I've ever had (and Italy had bare concrete seats). But as an arena, it has something special.

Im planning on taking a co-worker to her first WCBB games next month. The first one will be Duke vs Wake Forest over in Winston Salem... and then the next one would be either Duke vs Maryland.. or maybe Duke vs UCONN. I was trying to explain Cameron to her.. and told her that basically if she wanted a comfortable seat.. then we would have to get reserved seats so we could sit on a cushioned bleacher instead of an individual seat. She is about 5'11... and would not like the cramped seats in the upper deck. But I also tried to explain the allure of it.... and how its one of the more unique college arenas in the country. I was telling her that the Maryland game would be a good game to attend because you would be able to feel the utter hate in the building, a feeling that wouldnt be present at the UCONN game. Also.. not sure if I would want to subject her to what could possibly be another beatdown at the hands of the Huskies.

One good thing about the Duke games. Parking is free... and getting out isnt that bad.... the parking lot where I park is about 2 blocks from an expressway... so its really convenient. My only complaint I have is the way the will call tickets are handled... at least for a big game. I went to the senior day game vs UNC... sold out crowd. It took me 45 minutes to drive to the parking lot from my house... but it took another 45 minutes before I even could get to the will call window. And it was a 80 degree March day in the South Luckily i got in, and into my seat before the pregame senior ceremonies started.

Went to my first Final Four as a fan at the Charlotte Colliseum. Last time (or next to last time) that tix could be bought straight up - no lottery.

R.I.P. to the old Hive. Despite its size... 24,000 seats.. it was a great place to watch basketball. Especially in the days of the original Charlotte Hornets. Its a shame..... the building didnt even reach its 19th birthday before it was demolished. Dag... I loved that place Especially going to and leaving after a big game. It was on the outskirts of Charlotte.. and they made the road leading to it with the reversible lane system. It was a cool thing back then.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I remember Cole Field House at Maryland - one maybe 2 games there. It was a great place to watch a game, but the climb to get out . . .

Went to my first Final Four as a fan at the Charlotte Colliseum. Last time (or next to last time) that tix could be bought straight up - no lottery.

I remember Cole Field House at Maryland - one maybe 2 games there. It was a great place to watch a game, but the climb to get out . . .

Went to my first Final Four as a fan at the Charlotte Colliseum. Last time (or next to last time) that tix could be bought straight up - no lottery.

What year? I was there in 1973 for the Eastern Regional Final; Maryland, Providence, Syracuse, University of Pennsylvania; Was comped.