Increasing the seating capacity of Timmons Arena

[MNORM]

If this season's excitement for basketball can maintain the same level of enthusiasm and fundraising for 10 years I can certainly understand building a new arena.

However for now I feel like a $5-7 million injection in Timmons would be able to accomodate most of the needs of this basketball arena. If one were to scrap the existing bleacher layout and redesign the arena for basketball only it could easily accommodate 4,000+ people

How much resistance would the university administration put up against this sort of idea? Does Furman bring in enough revenue to justify having Timmons be "multi-purpose"? Are there not other venues on campus that are sufficient for events that are currently held at Timmons? When I was at Furman in the mid 90's (pre-Timmons) there were a decent amount of concerts held at McAlister Auditorium, which holds just under 2000. Is Furman really attracting so many "acts" to campus that we need a 5000 seat multi-purpose building instead of a top-notch mid-major arena?

[fufanatic]

If this season's excitement for basketball can maintain the same level of enthusiasm and fundraising for 10 years I can certainly understand building a new arena.

However for now I feel like a $5-7 million injection in Timmons would be able to accomodate most of the needs of this basketball arena. If one were to scrap the existing bleacher layout and redesign the arena for basketball only it could easily accommodate 4,000+ people

How much resistance would the university administration put up against this sort of idea? Does Furman bring in enough revenue to justify having Timmons be "multi-purpose"? Are there not other venues on campus that are sufficient for events that are currently held at Timmons? When I was at Furman in the mid 90's (pre-Timmons) there were a decent amount of concerts held at McAlister Auditorium, which holds just under 2000. Is Furman really attracting so many "acts" to campus that we need a 5000 seat multi-purpose building instead of a top-notch mid-major arena?

You can also hold concerts in a venue that's more designed for hoops or volleyball. Literally (maybe) every arena in the world does it. I don't think the only two options are keep the current setup and have concerts or change the setup and have no concerts. You take up the court, put in a stage in one end zone and have fans on the floor and around the arena.

[apaladin]

Deleted.

[fufanatic]

The problem with a 10 year plan is that a lot of us won't be here to see it.

Not with that attitude!

[gman]

If this season's excitement for basketball can maintain the same level of enthusiasm and fundraising for 10 years I can certainly understand building a new arena.

However for now I feel like a $5-7 million injection in Timmons would be able to accomodate most of the needs of this basketball arena. If one were to scrap the existing bleacher layout and redesign the arena for basketball only it could easily accommodate 4,000+ people

How much resistance would the university administration put up against this sort of idea? Does Furman bring in enough revenue to justify having Timmons be "multi-purpose"? Are there not other venues on campus that are sufficient for events that are currently held at Timmons? When I was at Furman in the mid 90's (pre-Timmons) there were a decent amount of concerts held at McAlister Auditorium, which holds just under 2000. Is Furman really attracting so many "acts" to campus that we need a 5000 seat multi-purpose building instead of a top-notch mid-major arena?

You can also hold concerts in a venue that's more designed for hoops or volleyball. Literally (maybe) every arena in the world does it. I don't think the only two options are keep the current setup and have concerts or change the setup and have no concerts. You take up the court, put in a stage in one end zone and have fans on the floor and around the arena.

But, block out the arena for basketball only purposes from November through March. There was at least 3 crucial times this past year in which our team had to go off campus to practice. That should never happen.

[Affirm]

In the meantime, we can also raise ticket prices by $10, and we can put the extra money toward our 10 year plan. If we have those sellouts (5, as has been suggested), (and maybe a couple more), we can be well on our way. Just so we can know, how many of those new seats will be dedicated to students? I suspect demand for student seats will also rise with the success that this plan assumes. Raising ticket prices will be justified due to the increased demand from the Greenville community and local alums. I'll donate the first dollar, and I'll renew my season tickets at the higher price. Note sarcasm. [This item has been posted in jest.]




So as I was saying you're being sarcastic?

[Affirm]

In the meantime, we can also raise ticket prices by $10, and we can put the extra money toward our 10 year plan. If we have those sellouts (5, as has been suggested), (and maybe a couple more), we can be well on our way. Just so we can know, how many of those new seats will be dedicated to students? I suspect demand for student seats will also rise with the success that this plan assumes. Raising ticket prices will be justified due to the increased demand from the Greenville community and local alums. I'll donate the first dollar, and I'll renew my season tickets at the higher price. Note sarcasm. [This item has been posted in jest.]

So as I was saying you're being sarcastic?

A few on the board seem to possibly be OK with the way things are. Some do not wish to dream big or even dream forward, but instead are OK to be just fine and supportive with the way things are.
Having thought about and written about (on another thread, yesterday, "NCAA PAYOUTS MEN'S BB - GROWING", "ASK WHEN FU WILL GET THERE, BUT AVOID DEVALUING ANY GAME WE WIN REGARDLESS", I have realized that this may be the future of Furman athletics - not dreaming big, and being OK with whatever happens. That may be how it has to be.
1. Just try to hang on to where we are in the SoCon. If we continue our 39 year string of no basketball championships, then so be it. Getting in the NCAA tournament is "not all that" anyway. Just win as much as we can.
2. Alternatively, maybe we would at some point realize that dreaming big in athletics is not reasonable for Furman due to costs.
We can consider other options: (A) Drop down to NCAA Division III for all sports.
There are a couple of D-III conferences that we might get into, such as Southern Athletic Association and Old Dominion Athletic Association. (B) Drop down to NCAA Division II for all sports.
There 2 or 3 conferences that we might get into, such as South Atlantic Conference, Gulf South Conference, and Peach Belt (in Peach Belt, we would need to be Independent for football, as UNC Pembroke is).
I am saying that we need to dream big or else do something different - don't worry about being "good" or make plans to be "good" at a lower level that we can afford.
Hopefully, people will decide to dream big, but I can live with it either way.

[tim]

No.

[fufanatic]

In the meantime, we can also raise ticket prices by $10, and we can put the extra money toward our 10 year plan. If we have those sellouts (5, as has been suggested), (and maybe a couple more), we can be well on our way. Just so we can know, how many of those new seats will be dedicated to students? I suspect demand for student seats will also rise with the success that this plan assumes. Raising ticket prices will be justified due to the increased demand from the Greenville community and local alums. I'll donate the first dollar, and I'll renew my season tickets at the higher price. Note sarcasm. [This item has been posted in jest.]

So as I was saying you're being sarcastic?

A few on the board seem to possibly be OK with the way things are. Some do not wish to dream big or even dream forward, but instead are OK to be just fine and supportive with the way things are.
Having thought about and written about (on another thread, yesterday, "NCAA PAYOUTS MEN'S BB - GROWING", "ASK WHEN FU WILL GET THERE, BUT AVOID DEVALUING ANY GAME WE WIN REGARDLESS", I have realized that this may be the future of Furman athletics - not dreaming big, and being OK with whatever happens. That may be how it has to be.
1. Just try to hang on to where we are in the SoCon. If we continue our 39 year string of no basketball championships, then so be it. Getting in the NCAA tournament is "not all that" anyway. Just win as much as we can.
2. Alternatively, maybe we would at some point realize that dreaming big in athletics is not reasonable for Furman due to costs.
We can consider other options: (A) Drop down to NCAA Division III for all sports.
There are a couple of D-III conferences that we might get into, such as Southern Athletic Association and Old Dominion Athletic Association. (B) Drop down to NCAA Division II for all sports.
There 2 or 3 conferences that we might get into, such as South Atlantic Conference, Gulf South Conference, and Peach Belt (in Peach Belt, we would need to be Independent for football, as UNC Pembroke is).
I am saying that we need to dream big or else do something different - don't worry about being "good" or make plans to be "good" at a lower level that we can afford.
Hopefully, people will decide to dream big, but I can live with it either way.

Stop it.

[fufanatic]

If this season's excitement for basketball can maintain the same level of enthusiasm and fundraising for 10 years I can certainly understand building a new arena.

However for now I feel like a $5-7 million injection in Timmons would be able to accomodate most of the needs of this basketball arena. If one were to scrap the existing bleacher layout and redesign the arena for basketball only it could easily accommodate 4,000+ people

How much resistance would the university administration put up against this sort of idea? Does Furman bring in enough revenue to justify having Timmons be "multi-purpose"? Are there not other venues on campus that are sufficient for events that are currently held at Timmons? When I was at Furman in the mid 90's (pre-Timmons) there were a decent amount of concerts held at McAlister Auditorium, which holds just under 2000. Is Furman really attracting so many "acts" to campus that we need a 5000 seat multi-purpose building instead of a top-notch mid-major arena?

You can also hold concerts in a venue that's more designed for hoops or volleyball. Literally (maybe) every arena in the world does it. I don't think the only two options are keep the current setup and have concerts or change the setup and have no concerts. You take up the court, put in a stage in one end zone and have fans on the floor and around the arena.

But, block out the arena for basketball only purposes from November through March. There was at least 3 crucial times this past year in which our team had to go off campus to practice. That should never happen.

Can definitely get on board with this! If it's unavoidable, can the team not get first priority at the rec center gym so they don't have to go off campus?

[apaladin]

The problem with a 10 year plan is that a lot of us won't be here to see it.

Not with that attitude!

Good point, I take it back.

[Affirm]

In the meantime, we can also raise ticket prices by $10, and we can put the extra money toward our 10 year plan. If we have those sellouts (5, as has been suggested), (and maybe a couple more), we can be well on our way. Just so we can know, how many of those new seats will be dedicated to students? I suspect demand for student seats will also rise with the success that this plan assumes. Raising ticket prices will be justified due to the increased demand from the Greenville community and local alums. I'll donate the first dollar, and I'll renew my season tickets at the higher price. Note sarcasm. [This item has been posted in jest.]

So as I was saying you're being sarcastic?

A few on the board seem to possibly be OK with the way things are. Some do not wish to dream big or even dream forward, but instead are OK to be just fine and supportive with the way things are.
Having thought about and written about (on another thread, yesterday, "NCAA PAYOUTS MEN'S BB - GROWING", "ASK WHEN FU WILL GET THERE, BUT AVOID DEVALUING ANY GAME WE WIN REGARDLESS", I have realized that this may be the future of Furman athletics - not dreaming big, and being OK with whatever happens. That may be how it has to be.
1. Just try to hang on to where we are in the SoCon. If we continue our 39 year string of no basketball championships, then so be it. Getting in the NCAA tournament is "not all that" anyway. Just win as much as we can.
2. Alternatively, maybe we would at some point realize that dreaming big in athletics is not reasonable for Furman due to costs.
We can consider other options: (A) Drop down to NCAA Division III for all sports.
There are a couple of D-III conferences that we might get into, such as Southern Athletic Association and Old Dominion Athletic Association. (B) Drop down to NCAA Division II for all sports.
There 2 or 3 conferences that we might get into, such as South Atlantic Conference, Gulf South Conference, and Peach Belt (in Peach Belt, we would need to be Independent for football, as UNC Pembroke is).
I am saying that we need to dream big or else do something different - don't worry about being "good" or make plans to be "good" at a lower level that we can afford.
Hopefully, people will decide to dream big, but I can live with it either way.

Stop it.

OK.
I’m at this point, and forward, accepting the level that Furman athletics is and will be.
No more goading from me to be the best, or to improve.
I’ll continue supporting to the extent appropriate, minus my goading and prodding.
I’m done.
Request granted.