As the pandemic has pretty much ended and as things are almost fully opening up. Is it time for our beloved St John’s Redmen to stop playing any games at antiquated, dilapidated Alumni Hall aka Carnesseca Arena. Providence and Seton Hall respectively play none of their home games including the early season games versus lower tier D-I schools at there on campus facilities anymore. Alumni Hall still is a disaster, the modest upgrade a decade back didn’t do much. granted it is a fun home court but couldn’t that same energy be transferred to the UBS arena a few miles down the road? With a split with the higher profile games at MSG? Would this be sustainable? Profitable for the school ? Additionally MSG and it’s midtown environs are becoming less safe, crime and shootings are on the rise in Manhattan. Could it be a wise move to make the UBS arena our new home court for all home games ? Or continue with MSG as a part time home court ? Or do we continue to play all our lower lever games at our outdated gym ??? Since it is the off-season would love everyone to weigh in on this.
Should we stop playing all men’s games at CA?
- Thread starter 19854ever
- Start date
If I had my choice
All cupcakes at Carnesecca
All non-cupcakes including lower interest Big East at USB (only if we can exceed CA capacity in a considerable way...)
All marquee OOC and big draw BE games at MSG
All depends on our ability to win and what the go forward breakeven attendance needs to be for both USB & MSG.
And anything at either USB or MSG needs to have a legit St. John's floor. Sick of the Knicks blue paint with the low end SJU decals on baseline and a few other small ones.
All cupcakes at Carnesecca
All non-cupcakes including lower interest Big East at USB (only if we can exceed CA capacity in a considerable way...)
All marquee OOC and big draw BE games at MSG
All depends on our ability to win and what the go forward breakeven attendance needs to be for both USB & MSG.
And anything at either USB or MSG needs to have a legit St. John's floor. Sick of the Knicks blue paint with the low end SJU decals on baseline and a few other small ones.
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prjohnnies
Member
I think we should still play games at CA. For the lack of amenities, I still enjoy watching games there when we have a packed house and it is buzzing. I think we have a legit home court advantage there, especially against other BE schools. Of course we want and need MSG for recruiting and other reasons, but I like playing the Midwest schools at CA (and even Providence, because it drives Cooley insane).
Hall doesn't play games at Walsh because that facility is a joke. Carnesecca is MSG compared to Walsh. If Hall had an on campus option like CA trust me they'd play games there.
Hall doesn't play games at Walsh because that facility is a joke. Carnesecca is MSG compared to Walsh. If Hall had an on campus option like CA trust me they'd play games there.
I hate CA probably the most on this site or at least too 3. That being said as far as covid there is a current study going on that has shown that sitting in CA in the past has stimulated antibody production and has shown to provide a degree of immunity to Covid . Also financially with attendance for OOC games there is no way any other venue would be more profitable to the school. Heck I heard from a very good source that some in the school have been looking into potential alcohol sales at games ( not joking )
CA is a slight upgrade over Walsh. But CA is a joke IMHO since I went to SJU in the mid 90’s there was talk to “fix/upgrade rebuild or revamp Alumni Hall”. During the Norm era Chris Monasch AD did a slight upgrade while more money was spent on a new soccer , baseball facilities and Taffner Hal.Alumni Hall was put on the back burner. Really would love to a have a beer with Mike Cragg and get his opinion on this ..
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Its been posted many times here by others in the know, that it's all about $, donations & support.
drastically improved practice facility could be $10-30M, and modern arena that would make fans forget MSG likely $75M-100M+.
who is paying?? Can't just be the same few alumni, Red/white club and superfans who donate already.
Shanley & Cragg seem like real smart guys. If they can get the huge corporate donor to sponsor long term, then maybe, but until then use what you have available which is now 3 facilities (CA,USB, MSG)
drastically improved practice facility could be $10-30M, and modern arena that would make fans forget MSG likely $75M-100M+.
who is paying?? Can't just be the same few alumni, Red/white club and superfans who donate already.
Shanley & Cragg seem like real smart guys. If they can get the huge corporate donor to sponsor long term, then maybe, but until then use what you have available which is now 3 facilities (CA,USB, MSG)
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boo haarvey
Active member
19854ever post=436321 said:
jerseyshorejohnny
Well-known member
19854ever post=436327 said:
beast of the east
Active member
At present, the conventional thinking of the athletic department leadership is that there are many other higher priority needs in terms of capital improvements that must be addressed before considering a new arena. In has been pointed out to me that Cameron indoor is a total dumped that may be addressed now that coach K is retiring. It is also been pointed out with the new arena at Belmont the Barclay center And MSG in close proximity, we really don't need a new arena as much as other universities might. The bottom line is likely winning. If we sold out CA continually for entire seasons , you may be able to make a better case for an investment on campus of that magnitude.
Personally my greater dissatisfaction is the early game for Fox Sports which makes it a bear to get to Saint John's in rush hour
Personally my greater dissatisfaction is the early game for Fox Sports which makes it a bear to get to Saint John's in rush hour
Playing teams like NJIT and FDU at a major arena like MSG or Belmont would make SJU the laughing stock of college basketball. If the team continues to improve perhaps all big east games could be played in those arenas but the majority of OOC games will always be played at CA.
Do you expect students who can walk across a quad and get in for free at CA and don’t attend to pay for public transportation, take the time to travel and pay to get in to go to Belmont? In addition the general public will never take to a SJU NJIT game.
The program is on the upgrade but let’s get more than 3500 people to attend an OOC game, triple the season ticket holders before we do something ridiculous. Thank God we have a great AD who understands these things and I am sure he will make the intelligent choices.
Do you expect students who can walk across a quad and get in for free at CA and don’t attend to pay for public transportation, take the time to travel and pay to get in to go to Belmont? In addition the general public will never take to a SJU NJIT game.
The program is on the upgrade but let’s get more than 3500 people to attend an OOC game, triple the season ticket holders before we do something ridiculous. Thank God we have a great AD who understands these things and I am sure he will make the intelligent choices.
mjmaherjr post=436332 said:
Think it’s more of a campus by campus thing. Carrier dome on cuses campus serves beer. I mean how could they not. You’re going out in Syracuse.
Please understand that StJohn’s rents, or otherwise guarantees MSG a sum to play games at MSG. MSG is not free. A few years ago someone associated with StJohn’s who would know, told me the sum that StJohn’s had to guaranty for each game played at the Garden. I don’t recall the exact sum, but I recall it was several hundred thousands of dollars per game which was why StJohn’s reduced the number of games played at the Garden because it was not hitting the mark for ticket sales.
I doubt that playing at Barclays or UBS would be without substantial expense. So yeah, in a perfect world StJohn’s would play more game off campus in plush arenas but the ticket sale must support the move.
I am confident that President Shanley and AD Cregg will find the best balance between renovation of Carnesecca, construction of a new facility, and playing off campus…… no easy- attractive choice.
I doubt that playing at Barclays or UBS would be without substantial expense. So yeah, in a perfect world StJohn’s would play more game off campus in plush arenas but the ticket sale must support the move.
I am confident that President Shanley and AD Cregg will find the best balance between renovation of Carnesecca, construction of a new facility, and playing off campus…… no easy- attractive choice.
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beast of the east
Active member
I guess I'm in the minority but i love coming to campus, as much as i did every day i was a student and an employee. Being back for a game is like hallowed ground for me. It's also familiar in good way, like your grandma's house was. Not to mention that when 5500 fans roar, it sounds like 55000. You never really have the same home court advantage playing anywhere else.
It was once said that the CeltucsCeltic players in the old Boston Garden knew every dead spot on the old parquet floor and would steer opponents to dribble there, where they would swipe the ball. Not sure we have that, but perhaps opponents hate the heat as much as mjmaher does.
It was once said that the CeltucsCeltic players in the old Boston Garden knew every dead spot on the old parquet floor and would steer opponents to dribble there, where they would swipe the ball. Not sure we have that, but perhaps opponents hate the heat as much as mjmaher does.
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L J S A
Well-known member
Play all top opponents at MSG. Play lower BE foes (and always UConn) at Belmont/on campus. Never play cupcakes at home -- go to their place. Rowdy environment will help our newer kids adjust to college ball more quickly.
I assume Belmont rent would be cheaper, possibly substantially so, and they'd probably love to have the biggest local college name playing there.
I assume Belmont rent would be cheaper, possibly substantially so, and they'd probably love to have the biggest local college name playing there.
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prjohnnies
Member
I've never been to Walsh, But I have a number of Seton Hall fans in my life, friends and family, who have also been to CA many times. They don't describe CA as being a "slight upgrade". For all its flaws, they think CA is far superior to Walsh. They are embarrassed when they have to play at Walsh, and apparently it is a major problem for Willard too. Also, on practice facilities, they tell me St. John's basketball one is very good (again, I haven't seen). They describe our basketball practice facility as "first class" -- I'm not talking about the weight room or locker rooms -- just the actual practice facility. Apparently the Hall's practice facility is piss poor and they are desperately trying to get funding to build a new one.19854ever post=436327 said: