wonder what this will be....

[We R Final Four]

More importantly the old fridge is our leverage to scare the sheet out of these NYC bullies!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

More importantly the old fridge is our leverage to scare the sheet out of these NYC bullies!

To scare the sheet out of? No. To give us an option if the price gets out of control? Yes.

You can laugh, but I can promise you that the option has been discussed.

[We R Final Four]

That option has been discussed with whom?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

That option has been discussed with whom?

I am positive that Marquette's strategy going into negotiations with the Bucks won't "Well we're going to pay them whatever they want because we aren't going to go anywhere else."

[We R Final Four]

With whom did MU discuss the option of going back to the old fridge in the basement?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

With whom did MU discuss the option of going back to the old fridge in the basement?

I didn't say they discussed it with anybody. I said I'm sure it was discussed. Again, do you think Marquette's negotiation strategy was pay them whatever they want because we're not going anywhere else?

[We R Final Four]

You can laugh, but I can promise you that the option has been discussed.

I can promise you that your option was not seriously discussed.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I can promise you that your option was not seriously discussed.

I don't think you can. Again, your advice to Marquette is pay them whatever they want because we're not going anywhere else?

You may not like the idea of going to the old fridge in the garage but the reality is that there is a number out there that is too high for Marquette to pay. I have no idea what it is or if we came close to it during this last round of negotiations but its there. I'm also confident that the Bucks ownership would have and will try to push Marquette as close to that number as possible. Which they should do as businessmen. I'm not sure why the idea of Marquette doing its due diligence and researching other options is so absurd to you.

[We R Final Four]

Part of the reason that Marquette was in a tough position this season was because there were no other options. We couldn't fund-raise and build a stadium by 2018-2019. We couldn't go play in UW Milwaukee Arena. We couldn't play in the Al. Only option was the Bradley Center so the Bucks could put the screws to us.

You were right the first time, there were no other options.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You were right the first time, there were no other options.

Yes, that is what was determined. Which is why this conversation has been about the next round of negotiations that will happen sometime between now and the expiration of this lease. I would hope that Marquette uses that time to do its due diligence and put itself in a better position next time. Because as much as you try to ignore it, there is a magic number at which point it would be better for Marquette to play at the Mecca, or build its own stadium than it would be to play at the Silk Center. I have no idea what the number is but it is there.

[We R Final Four]

So when you said it has been discussed you meant it will be discussed at some point in the the next seven years.

As much as you won't accept it, MU is never going back to the fridge in the basement. It's not leverage. It's not an option. It's not going to happen. We are tenants in a brand new building next year, just as we will be in years eight and beyond. We aren't going back.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So when you said it has been discussed you meant it will be discussed at some point in the the next seven years.

As much as you won't accept it, MU is never going back to the fridge in the basement. It's not leverage. It's not an option. It's not going to happen. We are tenants in a brand new building next year, just as we will be in years eight and beyond. We aren't going back.

No I said I'm sure it had been discussed for this round and am sure it will be discussed for the next. I'm sure with it currently being UWM Arena it was a non-starter. Given that the lease at the Mecca will be ending and there's more time to arrange things it will be a more viable option in the future.

I agree that we will never go back to the Fridge. Because Marquette will do its research, figure out what the magic number is where it would be better for the institution to go to the Mecca than the new stadium and make sure negotiations never get past that number. I don't even know if the Fridge is the best second option, it might be building an on campus arena, I have no idea.

We are mostly debating semantics but Marquette is not an unlimited pool of money. The idea that Marquette will pay to be in the new stadium no matter what the cost is absurd. Where do you want the money to come out of? Charge more for season tickets? Up tuition? Cut the recruiting budget? Cut financial aid and scholarships?

[We R Final Four]

You agree that we will never go back to the fridge. If we are never going back to the fridge, then we are never going back to the fridge. As you said......never.
If that is the case, it is NOT a tool of leverage. It does not give us any sort of negotiating power. We are not going back and everyone at the negotiating table knows that.

[MuMark]

And as has been noted the cost of a new facility is so prohibitive that even a rent that is higher than MU wants to pay will still be the more  attractive option.

You are right MU doesn't have an unlimited source of money.....which is another reason an on campus facility isn't happening.

[GGGG]

And as someone said, this is a real estate development deal at its heart.  All the land immediately around the Real Chili arena is already spoken for.  Restaurants, condos, hotel rooms, etc. etc.  The old arena is just far enough away and just useful enough as the city's second tier facility to actually be a pretty darn good fit.  I like your basement refrigerator analogy.

Old basement refrigerators are actually relatively expensive to operate.

[barfolomew]

Old basement refrigerators are actually relatively expensive to operate.

But really good to have in a pinch.
Our kitchen freezer went out on Tuesday. Thank goodness for the ol' basement fridge.

Of course, if I were to suggest to the wife (fanbase), that we use the basement freezer exclusively for the next couple of years, she (they) would bitch up a storm.
That would not be in my (MU's) best interest.

[wadesworld]

Respect the process. 8 years is a long time. And MUFNY has told us that the Bucks won't even be around in that amount of time, with multiple major professional sports teams owners as his source. So the new building will soon be the MU Arena anyway.

[4everwarriors]

Old basement refrigerators are actually relatively expensive to operate.

Knot if its a SubZero, ai na?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You agree that we will never go back to the fridge. If we are never going back to the fridge, then we are never going back to the fridge. As you said......never.
If that is the case, it is NOT a tool of leverage. It does not give us any sort of negotiating power. We are not going back and everyone at the negotiating table knows that.

We are never going back because we are going to do our due diligence and the bucks won't let us go back because they also need us.  But they also won't be able to charge us beyond whatever the magic number is where it is better for Marquette to go to the fridge. We absolutely would go back to the fridge (or some other option)  if the Bucks decided to up the rent to a level Marquette couldn't afford. Unless you believe that Marquette has an unlimited source of money.

[We R Final Four]

TAMU--You can't have it both ways. You can't say we will never go back, and in the same sentence say but we just might go back if the conditions present themselves.I'll say it one last time.....we are not going back to the fridge in the basement. Regardless how much a negotiating tool that you think that it is, we aren't going back. Period.

[4everwarriors]

Folks I no stash der old fridge in da garage, doe, hey?

[wadesworld]

The ceiling is the roof.

[Herman Cain]

Respect the process. 8 years is a long time. And MUFNY has told us that the Bucks won't even be around in that amount of time, with multiple major professional sports teams owners as his source. So the new building will soon be the MU Arena anyway.

I agree with this analysis.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU--You can't have it both ways. You can't say we will never go back, and in the same sentence say but we just might go back if the conditions present themselves.I'll say it one last time.....we are not going back to the fridge in the basement. Regardless how much a negotiating tool that you think that it is, we aren't going back. Period.

I'm not trying to have it both ways, you just aren't reading. If the Bucks decide to set the price at a point Marquette can't afford, we aren't ending up there. Period. Fortunately, there are other options such as the Mecca and building on campus arena that they could look at. If the Bucks set a price that is so high that it would actually more beneficial to the university to build an on campus arena or go the Mecca than Marquette can tell them to lower the price or they walk. Because the Bucks also need us (and I think the need us more than they need to squeeze every dollar of us) I believe they would then lower the price, which is why I said we would never end up there.

[Marcus92]

A good lease, like any business contract, should benefit both parties.

The arena needs Marquette. Hosting 20 MU home games represents a lot of revenue — revenue that simply can't be replaced by more concerts, ice shows and monster truck rallies. (Non-basketball events currently fill maybe 1/4 of the calendar annually.)

And Marquette needs the arena. Playing games in a state-of-the-art NBA facility helps the program maximize ticket sales and national exposure. No other existing basketball arena in Milwaukee is comparable. Maintaining a relationship with the Bucks organization is beneficial, as well.

I expect that mutual need formed the basis for a fair agreement.