SJU considering playing fewer games at MSG

[quote="Moose" post=380159]Am I imagining or didn't Cragg say the goal was MORE games at MSG early this year?[/quote]
Yes, he talked about MSG in an interview last summer. MSG was going to be the focus of the Johnnies program. Heck MSG is probably a big reason Anderson took the job. He coached at the modern Bud Walton Arena. It seats 19,368 and often sells out. The environment is a big part of the Razorbacks success.

Now, Cragg wants to give up after one season. It takes time and patience to rebuild the fan base. Especially for a program that's been in decline for 20 years.

Winning creates excitement and puts asses in seats. They could be drawing 15k or more at MSG. Three times what Carnesecca can hold.
 
Last edited:
Would be a bad move IMO. We should play more at the garden. Carnesecca arena is a glorified high school gym.
 
Villanova is the school most similar to SJU I think. How many do they play on campus vs. Wells Fargo?

Hall I think plays 1-2 games on campus.
Gtown used to and I don't think they do anymore.
Prov is all at the Dunk
DePaul might play a game or 2 on campus if I recall.
Creighton all in their big arena
Butler all in Hinkle
Xavier is all Cintas I think
Marquette I'm not sure off top of my head

For the future what is UConn split between Gampel and Hartford?
 
Starbucks and brew,
woop dee damn doo!
Back to mom and pop mentality.
All for more games on campus if at the very least you renovate Carnesecca Dump!
 
This would seem to undercut this years plan to make people pay a “donation” to keep their MSG location. Unless they change that policy to the CA seats as well many of us are not going to pay a lot of money for a better spot if it’s only a handful of games.
 
Before Cragg deserts MSG he might want to check out the topic " games fans remember" . Ninety five per cent of those gams were played at MSG.
 
The only good thing about CA in my opinion is it's a tougher place for opponents to play. For starters you rarely ever get opposing teams fans in there, like you do at MSG.
 
[quote="Enright" post=380170]Before Cragg deserts MSG he might want to check out the topic " games fans remember" . Ninety five per cent of those gams were played at MSG.[/quote]

I’m sure we can start a games to remember thread about CA. Unfortunately it would be remembering in the wrong way.
 
Random thoughts
This sounds like a Board decision not Cragg
Beer at Carnesecca means many wet and sticky laps
Belmont will never equal MSG
Losing will NEVER fill stands
Stick with this coach for the long term but give him a reason to stay and something to recruit with (MSG)
Nothing replaces the roar of a filled MSG when your team is winning
MSG helps season ticket holders justify the price of season tickets
 
[quote="Moose" post=380166]Villanova is the school most similar to SJU I think. How many do they play on campus vs. Wells Fargo?

Hall I think plays 1-2 games on campus.
Gtown used to and I don't think they do anymore.
Prov is all at the Dunk
DePaul might play a game or 2 on campus if I recall.
Creighton all in their big arena
Butler all in Hinkle
Xavier is all Cintas I think
Marquette I'm not sure off top of my head

For the future what is UConn split between Gampel and Hartford?[/quote]

This year I believe it was slightly more than half in Hartford.
But the difference between Gampel and the Civic Center is much smaller than the difference between MSG and CA.
 
Last edited:
When will the Belmont area be completed?
 
[quote="Moon Mullen" post=380178]Random thoughts
This sounds like a Board decision not Cragg
Beer at Carnesecca means many wet and sticky laps
Belmont will never equal MSG
Losing will NEVER fill stands
Stick with this coach for the long term but give him a reason to stay and something to recruit with (MSG)
Nothing replaces the roar of a filled MSG when your team is winning
MSG helps season ticket holders justify the price of season tickets[/quote]

Well said!
 
Last edited:
[quote="Moon Mullen" post=380178]
Belmont will never equal MSG
[/quote]

But it doesn't have to. It just needs to be a better option than CA. If we played 12 games at Belmont and 8 at MSG that would be a solid mix. And if we are a top half of the league team each year (which I believe we will be with Coach Anderson) then our attendance figures would be much higher.
 
[quote="Knight" post=380181]When will the Belmont area be completed?[/quote]

Good question. I'm not sure of the exact timeline they are projecting but the Islanders are playing their home games at the Coliseum next year ('20-'21) and expect to be playing at Belmont the season after that ('21-'22).
 
Belts have been tightened in all department at St. John’s.

The decision to play more games at Carnesecca is financial.
 
In my opinion , if you want to think of fewer games at MSG , AD Cragg might want to get Applications to join the MAAC League ! For one , telling possible BE Recruits they will be playing in a 85 degree 1959 Gym that seats 5000 fans is likely to get a , look that says NO Thanks ! And , who could blame them ? A local kid as many have done during the Willard era , is more likely to want to play in a full Roc in Newark than a full CA . The Nova - SH game the other night was a significant example . The Place was rocking and 2 good teams battling down to the final whistle before 12-15 000 is what we should be aspiring to be ! AGAIN ! As we once were . St John’s has $ 750 million in Endowment Funds . The school shouldn’t be in Financial difficulty and if it is , why? The Schools Academics have dropped substantially over the last 20 years , just as our BB fortunes have done . If you want better attendance , put a contending BE team on the floor ! Not 1 that you hope gets to a 9-9 BE record and finish mid pack . I do know the school is working hard to improve the Academic Standing but , so many years of neglect by the prior Administration takes a while . It would make more sense to ditch CA for all but 2-3 Early season games against cupcakes and split the BE games between MSG and the new Belmont Arena . I get many Alums wax nostalgic about CA but , harsh reality is that it’s beneath a BE School .
 
Less games for me, then. CA is a pain for me to get to and it's not a fun experience. I'm fine with putting DePaul there, but we should find a middle ground between last year and this year.

To think, a year ago we were talking about playing ALL our BE games at MSG. I hope at the very least we play as many MSG games as we did last year. Nova, UConn, Hall, Georgetown, 1-2 OOC. Can't go less than 4/5 otherwise it's not even a home court.

Attendance this year has been down due to the increased ticket prices and our mediocre record. Did our school not properly forecast for this? Were they expecting a repeat of last year or something, when we had Ponds and a projected Tournament team?
 
Last edited:
[quote="SJUFAN2" post=380227][quote="Moon Mullen" post=380178]
Belmont will never equal MSG
[/quote]

But it doesn't have to. It just needs to be a better option than CA. If we played 12 games at Belmont and 8 at MSG that would be a solid mix. And if we are a top half of the league team each year (which I believe we will be with Coach Anderson) then our attendance figures would be much higher.

I would sign up for that
Just don’t see the think small admin would do that
 
[quote="James Ray Lamb" post=380154]They're thinking about serving alcohol on campus at a traditional Catholic school? Really?

I enjoy a cold brew. I wouldn't expect one at a religious school's facilities.

Do the Johnnies practice at Taffner Field House or Carnesecca? Which court do they actually use day to day?[/quote]

No offense James but before the drinking age was raised to 21 SJU was known for its Rathskeller. Beer on Fridays were 10 cents a glass. On campus. I mean they weren’t serving it in the chapel. St. John’s only went dry when most students could no longer legally imbibe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top