Bradley Center Question

[Tugg Speedman]

I don't have a problem with the BC ... close enough to campus, large and new enough that it's not worn out.

My problem is with the configuration of the seats on the ice near the court  I hate the open spots behind the baskets and they are too set back from the court.

Now that Marotta is the chairman of the BC, I assume he is a sympathetic ear.

It would not cost much to reconfigure the seating on the ice to move them closer to the court, make it look better on TV (more seats in the view).  I think many here know what I mean.

Question - Is this a possibility?  Is it being discussed? 

[GGGG]

I don't have a problem with the BC ... close enough to campus, large and new enough that it's not worn out.

My problem is with the configuration of the seats on the ice near the court  I hate the open spots behind the baskets and they are too set back from the court.

Now that Marotta is the chairman of the BC, I assume he is a sympathetic ear.

It would not cost much to reconfigure the seating on the ice to move them closer to the court, make it look better on TV (more seats in the view).  I think many here know what I mean.

Question - Is this a possibility?  Is it being discussed? 

I don't know what you mean by "it won't cost much."  It most certainly would cost much, especially without a significant return on the revenue side.

[TallTitan34]

Now that Marotta is the chairman of the BC, I assume he is a sympathetic ear.

Wasn't Ulice Payne the previous chairman?

[Tugg Speedman]

I don't know what you mean by "it won't cost much."  It most certainly would cost much, especially without a significant return on the revenue side.

To reconfigure temporary seats on the ice around the court?  How much could that cost?  A few million at most.

The idea of reconfiguring also means more seats and more revenue.

[jaygall31]

it has been and always will be a hockey arena.

[GGGG]

To reconfigure temporary seats on the ice around the court?  How much could that cost?  A few million at most.

The idea of reconfiguring also means more seats and more revenue.

But most of the seats are set in the concrete base.  Yeah, you maybe able to get new temporary basketball seats, but that's not going to address the primary problem...it's a hockey arena.  The BC was built about ten years too early - the Kohl Center addresses this issue much better with its seating arrangement.

[MDMU04]

But most of the seats are set in the concrete base.  Yeah, you maybe able to get new temporary basketball seats, but that's not going to address the primary problem...it's a hockey arena.  The BC was built about ten years too early - the Kohl Center addresses this issue much better with its seating arrangement.

I think AnotherMU84 is specifically addressing the temporary basketball seats.  I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about the permanent seats in the actual lower bowl area.

And there are plenty of teams even in our own conference that play in multi-purpose facilities.  Most arenas are built precisely that way to maximize potential revenue sources on dates when there aren't basketball games scheduled.  Unless someone wants to shell out the cash to build MU it's own basketball only arena that's big enough to hold the crowds for men's basketball, we're going to be playing at the Bradley Center.

[GGGG]

I think AnotherMU84 is specifically addressing the temporary basketball seats.  I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about the permanent seats in the actual lower bowl area.

And there are plenty of teams even in our own conference that play in multi-purpose facilities.  Most arenas are built precisely that way to maximize potential revenue sources on dates when there aren't basketball games scheduled.  Unless someone wants to shell out the cash to build MU it's own basketball only arena that's big enough to hold the crowds for men's basketball, we're going to be playing at the Bradley Center.

You haven't heard anyone complain about the permanent seats?  I will.  They suck.  The seats that are beyond the edge of the court face toward more fans.

The Kohl Center has an ice surface bigger than the BC's...their lower level basketball seats don't have the same problem.

[MDMU04]

You haven't heard anyone complain about the permanent seats?  I will.  They suck.  The seats that are beyond the edge of the court face toward more fans.

The Kohl Center has an ice surface bigger than the BC's...their lower level basketball seats don't have the same problem.

I had season tickets in one of those exact fan facing sections (Sect. 217) for four seasons.  I never had a problem with them.

I guess you can't please everyone.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

The Kohl Center has an ice surface bigger than the BC's

Correct...about 15 feet wider, the length is the same at 200 feet.

[Dawson Rental]

To reconfigure temporary seats on the ice around the court?  How much could that cost?  A few million at most.

The idea of reconfiguring also means more seats and more revenue.

Let me introduce a financial concept here, payback period.

Payback Period is a financial metric that answer the question: How long does it take for an investment to pay for itself? Or, how long does it take for incoming returns to cover costs? Or, put still another way: How long does it take for the investment to break even?

OK, how many more seats are we getting here?  How much are we going to charge for them, for how many events a year?
Just give me that information, and I can easily tell you how many years (or more likely decades) it will take to reach that "few million".
Of course, to do it right we would have to add to the the "few million" an amount yearly to represent the earnings that that large a sum of money would be expected to to generate as an investment return for each year.

[BrewCity83]

I'm sure Ulice Payne and his team have taken a good look at this already.  But I would love to get those temporary seats in the end zones and corners reconfigured to get more density somehow.

[deep vacuum]

A couple of old articles talk about this issue.  I would not expect anything to happen in the near future.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1683&dat=20030316&id=kLQaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gUMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6712,5391424

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1683&dat=20040317&id=cLUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d0UEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5906,6016156

http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2006/03/20/story2.html