Mcfeeley article: bigtime bball opponents

[NDSUguy]

In today's McFeeley article he writes about last Saturdays game. He had several reason to try to continue to bring big opponents to the BSA (or to Fargo in general). Some names were tossed out by Gene Taylor

Gonzaga. USC. Creighton.

While those names would be fantastic (hell I think that I might even drive back to Fargo from MSP for the Gonzaga game), he mentions the cost of getting a 2-1. The price tag was put at 50-80k.

Is that worth it? Would our program be hurt by paying that kind of money in the hopes of gaining more support in Fargo and in North Dakota for the team? If a team like Gonzaga or USC came to town would it be best to move the game to the FargoDome (good for extra ticket sales but it's sterile basketball environment makes the game less fun)?

What are your thoughts??? I started a new thread because the other thread was getting long and in my opinion full of non-related info (i.e. basically a few jabbing back and forth about officiating and other kstate related stuff).... :) :) :)

[roadwarrior]

To clarify, I think the cost of 50-80K was to bring in a team without having to play a 2 for 1 road deal. A one time game with a guarantee. The real cost of the 2 for 1 deals, like the Kansas State deal was, is having to play on the road for 2 years before you get the one at home.

[IowaBisonToo]

Fun article to read. Wish I could have been there to see in person the man, the myth, the Huggins. :D

Somehow, though, I think Gene will get more teams in here like this. To bad he couldn't have worked out a 2-for-1 with Bobby. You could jack up ticket prices to $25 ea and still sell it out - easily!

[NDSUguy]

To clarify, I think the cost of 50-80K was to bring in a team without having to play a 2 for 1 road deal. *A one time game with a guarantee. *The real cost of the 2 for 1 deals, like the Kansas State deal was, is having to play on the road for 2 years before you get the one at home.

That makes more sense... So what is the cost to our program of having to do the 2 for 1 deals? Lost home games? Many losses against bigtime opponents - does that hurt our chances at post season tournaments?

Would it be better to play teams at the BSA that we can beat or better to get an occassional game against a bigtime team at the BSA (likely lose the game) and have to play many road games due to the 2 for 1 scheduling?

[IowaBisonToo]

To clarify, I think the cost of 50-80K was to bring in a team without having to play a 2 for 1 road deal. *A one time game with a guarantee. *The real cost of the 2 for 1 deals, like the Kansas State deal was, is having to play on the road for 2 years before you get the one at home.

That makes more sense... *So what is the cost to our program of having to do the 2 for 1 deals? *Lost home games? *Many losses against bigtime opponents - does that hurt our chances at post season tournaments?

Would it be better to play teams at the BSA that we can beat or better to get an occassional game against a bigtime team at the BSA (likely lose the game) and have to play many road games due to the 2 for 1 scheduling?
In a conference like the Mid-Con, I don't think you're going to see more than one team in the tourney at the end of the year anyway so, not playing home games and possibly losing games on the road are the things in jeopardy. *Who's to say, though, that if you play big-name opponents, win a bunch of them, and finish 2nd in the conference you wouldn't get an invite to the tourney. *Personally, I think I'd rather see the better competition by scheduling the 2-for-1s. Isn't that what NDSU is known for - playing challenging competition instead of scheduling cupcakes (a la a certain team to the north) to make sure we get an easy win?

[NDSUguy]

To clarify, I think the cost of 50-80K was to bring in a team without having to play a 2 for 1 road deal. *A one time game with a guarantee. *The real cost of the 2 for 1 deals, like the Kansas State deal was, is having to play on the road for 2 years before you get the one at home.

That makes more sense... *So what is the cost to our program of having to do the 2 for 1 deals? *Lost home games? *Many losses against bigtime opponents - does that hurt our chances at post season tournaments?

Would it be better to play teams at the BSA that we can beat or better to get an occassional game against a bigtime team at the BSA (likely lose the game) and have to play many road games due to the 2 for 1 scheduling?
In a conference like the Mid-Con, I don't think you're going to see more than one team in the tourney at the end of the year anyway so, not playing home games and possibly losing games on the road are the things in jeopardy. *Who's to say though that if you play big-name opponents, win a bunch of them, and finish 2nd in the conference you wouldn't get an invite to the tourney. *Personally, I think I'd rather see the better competition by scheduling the 2-for-1s.

Yes, you are right. Only one team will make it to the NCAA Tournament but what about the other tournament. Since it is reasonable to assume that we won't win the Mid-Con every year wouldn't it be our goal to make some kind of post season tournament? Even if it's the NIT. At least it's something that the fans/team can play for and get excited about.

[stpaulbison]

Somehow, though, I think Gene will get more teams in here like this. *To bad he couldn't have worked out a 2-for-1 with Bobby. *You could jack up ticket prices to $25 ea and still sell it out - easily!

I think that as big as basketball seems to be getting in Fargo that they should raise all ticket prices, not just for the big games. *Gopher games down here are 20-25 bucks a piece every game and they suck, but people still go watch them. *There isn't any reason why someone would stick there nose up to a $15 ticket to watch an awesome Bison team play. *Weren't ticket prices for the K-State game like 14 bucks or something like that? *If you raise ticket prices you have more capital to work with to bring in the big names that require a hefty price to play.

[lakesbison]

FargoDome (good for extra ticket sales but it's sterile basketball environment makes the game less fun)

You put those 6100 fans last saturday, mix in 3000-4000 more from SDSU football game and have them in Fargodome it WILL NOT BE STERILE!!!

I walked by fargodome after the game and was like, how the HELL isnt that game at the Fargodome??

I really think alot of you UNDERESTIMATE NDSU fans, and casual fans that "WANT SOMETHING TO DO IN FARGO!!"

p.s. $14 was a freakin STEAL for that game sat, $20-25 is more like it.

Hell, 500-1000 Fargoans drive to Minneapolis for Vikings games and pay $50-75/ticket.

[NDSUguy]

FargoDome (good for extra ticket sales but it's sterile basketball environment makes the game less fun)

You put those 6100 fans last saturday, mix in 3000-4000 more from SDSU football game and have them in Fargodome it WILL NOT BE STERILE!!!

I walked by fargodome after the game and was like, how the HELL isnt that game at the Fargodome??

I really think alot of you UNDERESTIMATE NDSU fans, and casual fans that "WANT SOMETHING TO DO IN FARGO!!"

p.s. $14 was a freakin STEAL for that game sat, *$20-25 is more like it.

Hell, 500-1000 Fargoans drive to Minneapolis for Vikings games and pay $50-75/ticket.

The FFD is great but NOT great for basketball... In the basketball setup the emptyness behind the bleachers sucks and the whole dome looks empty. Also, the loud atmosphere/hostile crowds would be greatly reduced with half of the dome empty. Who's been to football games in the dome with less than 9,000 fans???? I have. Even those crowds don't make the dome loud.

I love the quote from Huggy Bear regarding our crowd.

“It was a great atmosphere,” Huggins said after the game, his Erupt-O-Meter turned off for the evening. “We’ve been in places where there’s 20,000 people and it’s not any different, it’s just bigger. It’s not any louder, it’s just bigger.”

That quote sums up my whole point.... Yea, we can make it bigger but that doesn't necessarily make it louder or more hostile. Stick to the BSA (for now) and let's not play in the FFD.

[WYOBISONMAN]

I think McFeely is on target. One big name non-con game a year will make those season tickets a coveted item. Also, if ORU keeps winning, that will be a huge conference game.

[roadwarrior]

Tickets were $14 for Kansas State. The other games are all $10. Season tickets for the men's games only are a steal at $100.

When we get into a new arena, more than likely that is when we will see a bump up in ticket prices. How many fans show up for the not so big games?

[heymch86]

FargoDome (good for extra ticket sales but it's sterile basketball environment makes the game less fun)

You put those 6100 fans last saturday, mix in 3000-4000 more from SDSU football game and have them in Fargodome it WILL NOT BE STERILE!!!

I walked by fargodome after the game and was like, how the HELL isnt that game at the Fargodome??

I really think alot of you UNDERESTIMATE NDSU fans, and casual fans that "WANT SOMETHING TO DO IN FARGO!!"

p.s. $14 was a freakin STEAL for that game sat, $20-25 is more like it.

Hell, 500-1000 Fargoans drive to Minneapolis for Vikings games and pay $50-75/ticket.


The Fargodome is terrible to play basketball in. Removes the whole atomoshpere. The biggest sporting draw in the state, the State Class B Boys Basketball tournament, even sucks when its in the Fargodome. Smaller venues like the Bismarck Civic Center is much better.

[lakesbison]

oh geez.. think small be small guys.

point is, with the CRAZY fans, the DOME wouldve got 10K for that K State game and it wouldve been loud as hell!!

dont kid yourself.

there are LOTS of people *i recruited about 15 people to k state game* that JUST want something like the on a cold winter night in FARGO...

[NDSUFREAK10]

I love the BSA for the sheer loudness that it can hold. I just dont like the ceiling.

[NDSUguy]

oh geez.. think small be small guys.

point is, with the CRAZY fans, the DOME wouldve got 10K for that K State game and it wouldve been loud as hell!!

dont kid yourself.

there are LOTS of people *i recruited about 15 people to k state game* that JUST want something like the on a cold winter night in FARGO...


Let me remind you that outside of the student section the crowd wasn't particularly crazy. Sure there were people who got excited on good plays but it was far from hostile (outside of the students). If you move that game to the dome and you have more people but the environment is still sterile. It's not about thinking small. It's about acoustics and the sheer size of the dome.

[Trimmy]

It's also about WINNING, and the BSA contributes more to winning than the Fargodome can.

[Hammerhead]

I attended the first ever F-M fever game in the Fargodome and it was rockin. Of course, that was mostly due to the newness of the arena and the team. That being said, the newness of playing some bigtime opponents could still generate some noise.

Is there any kind of curtain that can be hung behind the movable bleachers to help make the basketball setup in the dome a little more cozy?

[Hammersmith]

I attended the first ever F-M fever game in the Fargodome and it was rockin. *Of course, that was mostly due to the newness of the arena and the team. *That being said, the newness of playing some bigtime opponents could still generate some noise.

Is there any kind of curtain that can be hung behind the movable bleachers to help make the basketball setup in the dome a little more cozy?
There should be. I remember the heavy curtain that's used for NDSU's graduation. I've never been in the dome when it's been set up for basketball. Is the back end of the movable bleachers beyond the midfield line?

[NDSUguy]

I attended the first ever F-M fever game in the Fargodome and it was rockin. Of course, that was mostly due to the newness of the arena and the team. That being said, the newness of playing some bigtime opponents could still generate some noise.

Is there any kind of curtain that can be hung behind the movable bleachers to help make the basketball setup in the dome a little more cozy?
There should be. I remember the heavy curtain that's used for NDSU's graduation. I've never been in the dome when it's been set up for basketball. Is the back end of the movable bleachers beyond the midfield line?

Yes, basically they move the metal end zone bleachers almost all the way across the fargodome. I would say that they would move it to about the 20 or 30 yard line on the other side of the field.

If there was a curtain (and a very huge one at that) it might make it look a little more cozy. Withouth the curtain, basketball in the dome seems a little empty.

[IowaBisonToo]

Maybe for big-time games it could be a good atmosphere but then you lose you home-court advantage. The way the guys/gals see the hoop (background) changes, the lighting changes, etc., etc. I've never been to an event when the 'Dome was set up for basketball or hockey where the noise level was up there. Somehow, I would think the height of the roof would allow sound to travel up and disipate easily. Heaven help the team if there weren't many people that showed up. I was to one of those indoor football games some years back. It was terrible - the look of the stands (maybe 20% filled), the noise level (not much at all), general impressions were just bad. I would still prefer to never see a game there unless it's hosting a Mid-Con tournament.

[BisonCardinal]

Holy Cow, you'd almost think Mike McF. is actually starting to get into this DI move, what with a complimentary article on the SDSU football game and now this. It is truly the Holiday season!!! :) :) :)

The FUN HAS JUST BEGUN 8-)

[IowaBison]

I attended the first ever F-M fever game in the Fargodome and it was rockin. Of course, that was mostly due to the newness of the arena and the team. That being said, the newness of playing some bigtime opponents could still generate some noise.

Is there any kind of curtain that can be hung behind the movable bleachers to help make the basketball setup in the dome a little more cozy?
There should be. I remember the heavy curtain that's used for NDSU's graduation. I've never been in the dome when it's been set up for basketball. Is the back end of the movable bleachers beyond the midfield line?


I've always wondered what 15 million dollars worth of work on improving the FargoDome atmosphere would yield..............

[bisonpride2k]

oh geez.. think small be small guys.

point is, with the CRAZY fans, the DOME wouldve got 10K for that K State game and it wouldve been loud as hell!!

dont kid yourself.

there are LOTS of people *i recruited about 15 people to k state game* that JUST want something like the on a cold winter night in FARGO...



The problem with basketball in the dome is the setup. The moveable bleachers are at least 50-60 feet behind the benches. The baseline seating is extremely flat and far away as well. The north side seating is about 60 feet from the floor as well. If the setup was different seating wise i think it could possibly work for larger games but the way it is you lose all home court advantage that you have in the BSA which for a big time opponent is needed. Even if you sold it out the atmoshpere for basketball there is terrible. We need that 8,000 seat arena next to the dome (basketball only- NO hockey) ASAP!

[IowaBison]

and those concerns couldn't be addressed with $15 million?

I don't buy it.