Why are we playing at Fiserv and not the Al?

[MUtopper34]

I see article after article about financial woes for MU, layoffs, enrollment concerns, etc. Why is Marquette not saving money by playing all these games with zero fans in the Al McGuire center instead of Fiserv forum? Villanova for example, is playing zero games in the Wells Fargo center and has moved all games to their smaller on-campus gym.

I'm guessing the contract with Fiserv must not allow us to do so? I can't imaging playing in an empty Fiserv forum is meaningfully better than playing in an empty Al McGuire center, perhaps even worse.

Interested to hear your thoughts. Apologies if this has been discussed already. Thanks

[🏀]

Contracts and people that want their money.

[Not A Serious Person]

I'm surprised that schools/teams, both professional and collegiate, are not thinking creatively about venues. 

If you have to play in front of no fans, then make it memorable, and playing in an empty Fiserv is not memorable (they will be there next year with fans).  Spruce up the old Gym and play the games there!  (I assume the old Gym still exists?). How about MU High?  It would not take much to get these venues ready and it would be an interesting gimmick instead of a completely empty arena.

So, why aren't pro teams thinking this way?  Sedentary thinking?

Why don't the Bucks play in high school gyms, or the Mecca or Auditorium?  Ditto the football badgers and the Packers. 

ADDED

Examples of outside the box thinking ....

* When the Lakers play in Cleveland, play the game in Akron at St. Patrick HS (LeBron's school).

* When the Heat play the Bucks, play it at the AL (Jimmy Butler tie-in)

* The Bulls can play at Simeon HS

* The Cincy Bengals can play at Moeller HS

* The Bears can play at Mount Carmel HS

Etc


What is wrong with this outside of the box thinking?

[Holy hell all time]

I'm surprised that schools/teams, both professional and collegiate, are not thinking creatively about venues. 

If you have to play in front of no fans, then make it memorable, and playing in an empty Fiserv is not memorable (they will be there next year with fans).  Spruce up the old Gym and play the games there!  (I assume the old Gym still exists?). How about MU High?  It would not take much to get these venues ready and it would be an interesting gimmick instead of a completely empty arena.

So, why aren't pro teams thinking this way?  Sedentary thinking?
Why don't the Bucks play in high school gyms, or the Mecca or Auditorium?  Ditto the football badgers and the Packers. 

What is wrong with this outside of the box thinking?

Well, the main reason is that the court isn't the same size so that's a bit of an issue...

But yeah otherwise we could play in a beautiful, state of the art facility with giant, awesome locker rooms. Or we could play at a high school. Good call.

[Viper]

Well, the main reason is that the court isn't the same size so that's a bit of an issue...

But yeah otherwise we could play in a beautiful, state of the art facility with giant, awesome locker rooms. Or we could play at a high school. Good call.

why make the guy feel like a tool? We are all supporters of Marquette basketball, yes?

[Not A Serious Person]

Well, the main reason is that the court isn't the same size so that's a bit of an issue...

But yeah otherwise we could play in a beautiful, state of the art facility with giant, awesome locker rooms. Or we could play at a high school. Good call.

What advantage does that state of the art facility give you when no one is in the stands?  (You know the answer is none).

That is, other than costing a ton of money with no gate revenue?

[jesmu84]

I assume there would be costs associated with making those places camera/tv ready

[Not A Serious Person]

Well, the main reason is that the court isn't the same size so that's a bit of an issue...

How hard is it to fix this?  (Answer is not hard at all if you really want to do it)

[Holy hell all time]

What advantage does that state of the art facility give you when no one is in the stands?  (You know the answer is none).

That is, other than costing a ton of money with no gate revenue?

It's pretty obvious they couldn't get out of their agreement with the Bucks. And the advantage of playing at Fiserv instead of Marquette High is you have a regulation sized basketball court and you have beautiful facilities for the team to enjoy.

[Not A Serious Person]

I assume there would be costs associated with making those places camera/tv ready

More than firing up a nearly $1 billion Fiserv to play a game with no gate?

[Holy hell all time]

How hard is it to fix this?  (Answer is not hard at all if you really want to do it)

Well if you want them playing at Marquette High they'd need to knock down the gym walls and extend them in both directions. So I'd imagine it's more difficult than you're trying to make it out to be.

[panda]

It's pretty obvious they couldn't get out of their agreement with the Bucks. And the advantage of playing at Fiserv instead of Marquette High is you have a regulation sized basketball court and you have beautiful facilities for the team to enjoy.

[Not A Serious Person]

It's pretty obvious they couldn't get out of their agreement with the Bucks. And the advantage of playing at Fiserv instead of Marquette High is you have a regulation-sized basketball court and you have beautiful facilities for the team to enjoy.

Ok so MUHS is out. Tons of other places to pick from if one can think creatively.

Every year MLB plays a game in Williamsport in front of three thousand little leaguers.  The facilities are no better than a typical HS.  The pros love it, teams are asking to play this game every year. 

Ditto the former Hall of Fame football game in Caton.

If you think creatively and pick an iconic HS or local stadium/area, I'm sure the excitement will be equal to playing in an empty Fiserv, if not more.

[rocky_warrior]

Well, if you promised recruits they'd play in the FF - and the contract says you have to pay FF, then, the answer is simple.

[Not A Serious Person]

Well, if you promised recruits they'd play in the FF - and the contract says you have to pay FF, then, the answer is simple.

You also promised recruits they would play in front of fans too.

Seems like sports fans here cannot make lemonade out of the pandemic lemons.

All you have this year is TV, no gate.  So, you need a gimmick to get people to watch (all sports ratings are down across the board).  Tell me if MU were to play in the old Gym, or an iconic HS, or another venue, it would not garner attention and get curiosity up and people to tune-in?

[rocky_warrior]

Tell me if MU were to play in the old Gym, or an iconic HS, or another venue, it would not garner attention and get curiosity up and people to tune-in?

It would not.  And players wouldn't like it as much.  And you'd still be paying for the FF.

[panda]

You also promised recruits they would play in front of fans too.

Seems like sports fans here cannot make lemonade out of the pandemic lemons.

All you have this year is TV, no gate.  So, you need a gimmick to get people to watch (all sports ratings are down across the board).  Tell me if MU were to play in the old Gym, or an iconic HS, or another venue, it would not garner attention and get curiosity up and people to tune-in?

The only gimmick that would increase MU viewership would be playing some defense

[Not A Serious Person]

It would not.  And players wouldn't like it as much.  And you'd still be paying for the FF.

How do you know the players would not like it?  Have you asked them? 

I seem to remember a lot of disappointment a few years ago when we had a game canceled on the deck of an aircraft carrier because of condensation making it too slippery.

Or are you assuming they are pampered spoiled children that cannot think beyond their immediate needs?

[GooooMarquette]

More people will watch if we win, fewer if we lose. I honestly don't see playing in random gyms changing that very much.

The best reason to me though is home court advantage. Teams are losing enough of that already without fans in the stands; the last thing they want to do is lose it altogether. Because of that, the only plausible option I could see for Marquette would be the Al. I think that would be a great idea if not for contractual obligations binding them to the Fiserv.

[Not A Serious Person]

why make the guy feel like a tool? We are all supporters of Marquette basketball, yes?

You must be new here ... its troll first, think later on this board.

[Dr. Blackheart]

More people will watch if we win, fewer if we lose. I honestly don't see playing in random gyms changing that very much.

The best reason to me though is home court advantage. Teams are losing enough of that already without fans in the stands; the last thing they want to do is lose it altogether. Because of that, the only plausible option I could see for Marquette would be the Al. I think that would be a great idea if not for contractual obligations binding them to the Fiserv.

I think the FF may be easier to control the contagion versus a cramped gym and facility where people and teams are coming in and out of (Athletics staff, multiple teams lifting weights, volleyball and WBB teams cycling in and out of).  Yeah, the FF has the NBA but there are extra locker rooms for college teams and the Bucks practice facility is across the street.

[Not A Serious Person]

I assume there would be costs associated with making those places camera/tv ready

The Maui Invitational is played in a HS gym.  So was the Great Alaska Shootout.  The Atlantis Trounrmenet is played in a casino's arena.

If you want to do it, it can be done.

[Not A Serious Person]

I think the FF may be easier to control the contagion versus a cramped gym and facility where people and teams are coming in and out of (Athletics staff, multiple teams lifting weights, volleyball and WBB teams cycling in and out of).  Yeah, the FF has the NBA but there are extra locker rooms for college teams and the Bucks practice facility is across the street.

Good point.

[Holy hell all time]

You must be new here ... its troll first, think later on this board.

Says the guy claiming we could gain TV viewers by playing at Marquette High.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I think the FF may be easier to control the contagion versus a cramped gym and facility where people and teams are coming in and out of (Athletics staff, multiple teams lifting weights, volleyball and WBB teams cycling in and out of).  Yeah, the FF has the NBA but there are extra locker rooms for college teams and the Bucks practice facility is across the street.

Also I cannot imagine any TV partner is excited to outfit some new location.