Should we stop playing all men’s games at CA?

[beast of the east]

We haven’t drawn well for years wherever we played. Stay at Canesecca until we draw and continue to hope that three cheerleaders don’t get wiped each time somebody dives out of bounds for a loose ball.

In Mullin's last season as coach we had our best attendance overall since 1992.   I believe the attendance average at MSG was over 16,000 and over 5,000 at Carnesecca.  

I don't know any of the business metrics at UBS, but it may be a great arena to player lesser Big East games where we could easily draw 7000-10000 fans.    Of course Carnesecca at capacity has lower overall costs, but you can be sure games at UBS would have a higher ticket price.     Capacity at USB is listed at 18,500, 17,000 for hockey.    May not be feasible unless based on what they would charge us.

 

[Knight]

Doubleheaders at Belmont with locals sounds good.

 

[thetux1]

I will only go to games at Belmont.  I’m retired from taking the subway and I’m not gonna sit like a sardine and break my back in those ridiculous seats in the sweat box named after Louie.  I will however gladly drive to Belmont for any games they play there 

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

jack fro had a great point to make about Non-Alumni, NYC BB fans loving to see the Johnnies at the "old" Garden, and the logistics of it sitting atop the LIRR and NJT, and about 8 subway lines.

Convenience up the wazuu.

And a stone's throw from some of the best bars and restaurants in the world. CA has none of that so don't move bigger games to CA.

I don't know anything about USB /media/kunena/emoticons/dizzy.png arena, but from passing Belmont on the Cross Island, it doesn't seem like it is remotely as convenient to walkable amenities as the Garden.

Growing up in Brooklyn the identity of college BB in NYC was wrapped up in the fantastic St. John's Men's BB program and tradition (top 5 winning program of All Time, etc.), and because if you were a college BB fan, but did not attend SJU you generally rooted for them anyway, because they were NYC's team, and back in the day battled, the Kansas and Kentuckys of the world evenly.

95% of the people I have attended SJU games at the Mecca, over the years, did not go to SJU. Bklyn College, Hunter College, SUNY, Queens college, the list goes on and on. These were college BB fans who were starved for good college ball. They loved the idea that the college game had different rules than the Pros, and that the games were being played for the love of the game for the most part, not by whiny millionaires playing for whiny billionaires like the NBA.

Once we get back to that winning tradition, the "subway" alumni (a la ND) will come back in droves.

Some games at CA, most games at MSG, let's get NYC back into college BB and with the guys in charge now that will happen.

The inevitable fallout of BB success is going to translate to overall success including academics, and admissions, let's re-establish the status of St. John's University, the country's premier Vincentian university. No better way than keeping games at the Garden in the middle of the world's pre-eminent media market. 

 

 

[fuchsia]

To some of us the old Garden was at 8th Ave. between 49th and 50th.

 

[redken]

      in addition all roads(trains subways) lead to MSG and don't underestimate the number of non alumni fans who live in the city and NJ who come to MSG. All it will take to fill the Garden again is wining and putting a good product on the floor. With this coach and staff we are about to do that. NYC is our identity and always will be if we are to continue to be a big time program.

Spot on.  I am a non-alumni, NJ resident.  As a kid in the 80's I was a college basketball junkie and for obvious reasons fell in love with the Johnnies.  When it came to choosing a college, St. John's was not a fit for me but I have remained a rabid fan.  I will travel anywhere to see the team but will never miss a game at MSG because of the easy commute.  There are plenty of fans like myself (although more of the fair weather, bandwagon type).

As I've expressed many times, I'm not thrilled with CA and would like to see it totally overhauled (or razed and rebuilt), but prefer it to having the team play at  UBC (or whatever the initials are): in addition to getting students involved (as has been pointed out), it's a true home court with a true home-court advantage, whereas UBC is nothing special. A lot of out-of-state kids (as well as some locals) are attracted to the idea of playing at the Garden, the World's Most Famous Arena, with its unparalleled history and renown, and I can't see selling SJU to some kid from, say, Iowa because if he comes here he'll get to play at UBC, with its zero history, identity, and legacy. Looks like a nice facility, but let's leave it to Hofstra, and Post, and Stony Brook. We are New York's team, not Long Island's.
Edit: If we do need to play in another venue at times, I'd opt for the Barclay Center, given the school's Brooklyn roots and it's access to both subway and LIRR.

 

[redken]

N/M

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

We absolutely should still play 8 or so games at MSG, but play other BE and significant games at Belmont. Use CA only for the early season local team games. At least until we spend the $60-$70 million or so to build a state-of-the art on campus arena and facilities for  team.

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

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) 

 

Pay for it the same way we are paying for the new Health Sciences building. Raise 10% or so from donors, tap the endowment, and take loans for the rest.

 

[RedStormNC]

Fyi...NY State Higher Ed matching grant program is chipping in $5M toward the est. $78M total for the new science building

 

[mjmaherjr]

When I joined this site I think I was 29 now I'm 51 and God Willing if I'm around at 76 we will still be having the same debate about CA

 

[L J S A]

I don't know anything about USB /media/kunena/emoticons/dizzy.png arena, but from passing Belmont on the Cross Island, it doesn't seem like it is remotely as convenient to walkable amenities as the Garden.
 

As an Elmont native, I'm hoping the area builds up around the arena. I've haven't been off the freeway over there in two decades, but it was pretty seedy. Not sure if still is that way. Great pizza at Hempstead Turnpike and Meacham Ave. for those who will be driving, though.

 

[beast of the east]

Maybe we should start promoting how hot CA gets as a way to get in the heads of opposing players, the way opposing football players dread playing in Lambeau.   

We could start selling tropical drinks, have beach nights, and rename the team The Heat.

On a different note, St. Al's was be coming obsolete for training new clinicians.    As part of the new building we are adding a nursing school and possibly other health professions, boosting our academic profile for certain. 

 

[beast of the east]

Bottom line is that when we win, fans come to CA.    When we don't fans won't show up even with a new arena.     If we did ever build a 10,000 seat arena, the ROI would be poor on the additional 5k seat revenue, considering a cost that could approach $100 million.    At most we would play 12 home games on campus, and even if you sold out every game, gross revenue from those 5k seats would maybe be $250k per game if average ticket prices were $50.   Only winning and significant donations will drive a new arena.

 

[RedStormNC]

Yikes... with that math, it would take 30+ years to break even!!!!

unofficial thread locking material....lol 
 

 

[MarkRedman]

Bottom line is that when we win, fans come to CA.    When we don't fans won't show up even with a new arena.     If we did ever build a 10,000 seat arena, the ROI would be poor on the additional 5k seat revenue, considering a cost that could approach $100 million.    At most we would play 12 home games on campus, and even if you sold out every game, gross revenue from those 5k seats would maybe be $250k per game if average ticket prices were $50.   Only winning and significant donations will drive a new arena.


Well said Beast. It just doesn't make financial sense to increase the seating capacity at CA. Especially because we now have 3 local professional arenas in which we can play games that will draw large crowds (MSG, Barclay and UBS).  The only thing that makes sense is to pump some money to fix the HVAC system at CA and make a few other minor renovations. I know that it's like putting lipstick on a pig but it's the only option that seems fiscally prudent right now.


 

 

[Knight]

I don't know anything about USB /media/kunena/emoticons/dizzy.png arena, but from passing Belmont on the Cross Island, it doesn't seem like it is remotely as convenient to walkable amenities as the Garden.

 

As an Elmont native, I'm hoping the area builds up around the arena. I've haven't been off the freeway over there in two decades, but it was pretty seedy. Not sure if still is that way. Great pizza at Hempstead Turnpike and Meacham Ave. for those who will be driving, though.

King Umberto-Good food, too.

 

[panther2]

I don't know anything about USB /media/kunena/emoticons/dizzy.png arena, but from passing Belmont on the Cross Island, it doesn't seem like it is remotely as convenient to walkable amenities as the Garden.

 

As an Elmont native, I'm hoping the area builds up around the arena. I've haven't been off the freeway over there in two decades, but it was pretty seedy. Not sure if still is that way. Great pizza at Hempstead Turnpike and Meacham Ave. for those who will be driving, though.
 

You are talking about King Umbertos, I take the family there somtimes for dinner. Service and food are very good very good.

 

[MCNPA]

I don't know anything about USB /media/kunena/emoticons/dizzy.png arena, but from passing Belmont on the Cross Island, it doesn't seem like it is remotely as convenient to walkable amenities as the Garden.


 

As an Elmont native, I'm hoping the area builds up around the arena. I've haven't been off the freeway over there in two decades, but it was pretty seedy. Not sure if still is that way. Great pizza at Hempstead Turnpike and Meacham Ave. for those who will be driving, though.

 

You are talking about King Umbertos, I take the family there somtimes for dinner. Service and food are very good very good.

Excellent clams Oreganata back in the day, and grab a Cannoli Italian ice at Sapienza across the way.

 

[austour]

Cannoli Italian Ice?  God that sounds good.