DePaul won't move to United Center

[Goatherder]

You have to keep in mind that in terms of getting around, Chicago is nothing at all like Milwaukee.  Distance is almost irrelevant.  In Milwaukee, you could travel the distance from the DePaul campus to the Allstate Arena in about a half hour, tops.  In Chicago, it might take three times that.  The United Center is much closer to DePaul, but it is also in the middle of the ghetto.  Not a terrible place to travel to when the Bulls or Blackhawks are playing, there are big crowds, and there are cops everywhere, but not a place you want to be on a week night when there are maybe 8000 fans present.  And it is not easily accessible by public transportation. 

McCormick place may be further away, but it is much easier to get to.  If someone is driving, it is probably about twenty minutes down Lakeshore Drive, which is usually not backed up for miles, to get there.  If there are El stops built nearby, it is a quick and easy half hour ride from campus. 

There is no doubt that DePaul would like to be relevant in basketball again, but they are still getting along well without it.  It has some great programs.  It has an excellent music program, for instance.  I know a fair number of students there, but it is hard to give them grief about their basketball team, because unless they play in the pep band, (which kills ours, btw) they just do not care. 

[Marqevans]

There has to be some value to recruits in playing in the house that "Jordan" built!

[🏀]

The McCormick Place is the way to go for DePaul. If you are on an El stop with a max of one transfer, they will come.

DePaul might be used to sell this, but what Rahm sees it as is a downtown arena for the city. UC is booked every year, only huge acts get in there (U2, SHM, Ringling Brothers) other entertainment gets shipped to Rosement or the UIC Pavilion.

[Mufflers]

Loop campus has at least their undergrad business program. Maybe a few others. And there are some undergrads living downtown, though not as many as in Lincoln Park.

Also, McCormick place will be on the red and/or green line (I believe Rahm wants to build a new station just for the McCormick campus and new arena). Much more accessible from Lincoln Park than the United Center. Its a half hour train ride, with campus and the stadium mere steps from their respective L stations. Not bad at all. Also right by McCormick place metra stop.

This is the right move.

Supporter of all McCormicks.

[MUsoxfan]

There's no way the Horizon, sorry, Allstate Arena isn't the program's biggest hindrance to success. It's one of the worst venues in the country for anything, period.   Bad parking, bad concourses, bad concessions, bad acoustics, bad lighting, bad video board, and a general "blah" feel. Add that it can be up to 2 hours from campus at rush hour and its a true recipe for disaster.

I live in the Chicago area and I've vowed to never return to that arena for any reason ever again.

I truly believe top level CPS players would love to stay home and play in front of their family and friends, but not only to their family and friends.

A McCormick arena might be only slightly better. A university with a 2400 N. address won't get students to go 48 blocks south.

[GGGG]

It isn't just the arena.  They need a coach that can get the ball rolling.  I thought Purnell might be that guy, but a guy who thinks defense is optional can really only go so far.  Pat Kennedy had the right idea...get a couple CPS guys in the door and build around them.  But in the end, he was Pat Kennedy and that didn't work out so well.

[Coleman]

You have to keep in mind that in terms of getting around, Chicago is nothing at all like Milwaukee....  And it [United Center] is not easily accessible by public transportation.  

... If there are El stops built nearby, it is a quick and easy half hour ride from campus.  

These are the key points. Its about accessibility. Not distance.

A McCormick arena might be only slightly better. A university with a 2400 N. address won't get students to go 48 blocks south.

See above. You are missing the point.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

There's no way the Horizon, sorry, Allstate Arena isn't the program's biggest hindrance to success. It's one of the worst venues in the country for anything, period.   Bad parking, bad concourses, bad concessions, bad acoustics, bad lighting, bad video board, and a general "blah" feel. Add that it can be up to 2 hours from campus at rush hour and its a true recipe for disaster.

I live in the Chicago area and I've vowed to never return to that arena for any reason ever again.

I truly believe top level CPS players would love to stay home and play in front of their family and friends, but not only to their family and friends.

A McCormick arena might be only slightly better. A university with a 2400 N. address won't get students to go 48 blocks south.

DePaul is a poor program because they are bad at basketball, not because it takes spectators 25min. to go to the bathroom and get a beer. (although, I do love that they sell shots in the concourse. Awesome bro.)

A new building can help, but let's not buy into the "newer is better" thing that politicians and pro sports owners are constantly selling us.

DePaul needs the right people in the right places (Pres., AD, HC, Asst. coach) and then it will happen. That takes good planning, vision, $, and quite frankly, a little luck.

Get the right people in the right places and they could do some damage.

[Benny B]

That's a bad move because if they do get good again a 10,000 seat arena isn't going to fit a >25,000 student school + alumni and local fans

Never build a church for the Easter Sunday crowd.