UNCG and the coliseum
It comes as no surprise that UNCG would at some point replace tiny Fleming Gym as its home basketball court with the Greensboro Coliseum.
It is surprising that the Triad’s largest university plans to do it so soon. As in next season.
New Chancellor Linda Brady has made no secret of her desire to partner with the coliseum as a means to elevate the profile of the Spartan hoops program.
Athletics in turn can help market the up-and-coming institution.
And basketball is a much more practical — and less expensive — means to do that than, say, UNC-Charlotte’s ambitions to build a football team, from the turf up.
But I figured they’d take a more measured approach, with a few games at the coliseum, increasing each season until the entire home schedule moved there.
I’d thought that because the coliseum is a big place that can swallow a small crowd, even with the upper-deck curtain drawn.
UNCG might do very well if and when it can schedule ACC teams there -- especially Duke and Carolina.
But the rest of the games could be a struggle. And nothing sucks the atmosphere out of a game as effectively as a teeny crowd in a humongous arena.
Even No. 1 Carolina’s nationally televised game Wednesday night against Michigan State lacked electricity because it was played in a football stadium, Detroit’s Ford Field.
The crowd of more than 25,000 would have packed the Dean Dome. But in Ford Field, the vast sea of unfilled seats made the place look empty and desolate.
That said, you’ve got to admire UNCG’s vision and ambition.
P.S: While they’re at it, UNCG ought to revive its annual backyard rivalry with N.C. A&T at the coliseum.
Comments (11)
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I do not mean to be a cranky old women. But new Chancellor Brady needs to learn that Matt Brown sells snake oil to snake salesmen at times. My advice is sit tight, personally watch North Carolina collegiate basketball, then maybe contract with Matt. Learn before suffering defeat. The ACC is outstanding and A& T, Charotte, Greensboro, Central, Western East Carolina, Fayetteville and more are excellent. Learn the market before contracting pipe dreams. Hearing about something but seeing it makes a big difference in leadership. Christine
Posted on December 4, 2008 2:52 PM
But remember, Chancellor Brady once worked at N.C. State. So she knows Tobacco Road hoops.
Posted on December 4, 2008 3:04 PM
Allan Thanks for the reprimand. I just got caugth up in the "up and coming" bit. I see Chancellor Brady's university as a leading academic institution that it always was and will be. I still miss the golf course bulldozed for the baseball or whatnot..The league that UNC-G plays in will never get enough ticket sales to warrant a full time 23,000 seat arena offering $ten dollar parking. UNC-G can't fill Fleming on a good night. A bigger tent does not draw in more camels if there are no more camels. Christine
Posted on December 4, 2008 4:09 PM
Who said anything about Campbell?
I seriously doubt The G is looking at 23,000. I would imagine they are looking more at the lower arena seating. App and Davidson may draw bigger crowds than you suspect. Not big mind you but big-er.
$10 parking and a $5-$8 dollar seat would indeed knock my son and I (occassional attendees) out of the box.
Somehow I just knew Matt Brown would get blamed for something here.
Posted on December 5, 2008 8:28 AM
We have an editorial planned on the UNCG/coliseum issue for Saturday.
In the meantime, the Spartans drew 1,127 fans in last night's loss in Fleming Gym to The Citadel.
Had that game been played in the coliseum, there would have been more than 20,000 empty seats.
I admire UNCG's ambition. But they've got a steep hill to climb.
Posted on December 5, 2008 9:20 AM
Allen - neither the Coliseum nor UNCG have immediate expectatations of 20,000+ crowds. This is a long-term, mutually benefiical relationship that both parties are confident will help take UNCG's program to "the next level" and help attendace grow. At today's press conference we unveiled a set up with a capacity of 7,613 (this includes 2,000 tickets that will be made available to UNCG students). That capacity could be increased for potential ACC opponent games as needed.
Posted on December 5, 2008 5:55 PM
I think that's a good approach, Andrew.
I'm also glad the A&T rivalry is renewed.
The idea is a good one. One key is energizing more students to turn out.
Posted on December 5, 2008 5:59 PM
Wrong again on several points, huh Allen. This blog is truly well named.
Posted on December 7, 2008 8:05 AM
Mick:
I wrote the original post based on the information we knew at the time.
The curtain configuration was announced at the news conference on Friday afternoon.
Posted on December 7, 2008 4:37 PM
And again, on the issue of UNCG's ambitions, I applaud the school, and its extremely bright new chancellor, for daring to dream.
Still, this won't be easy. Greensboro, which is my hometown and which I love dearly, has never been all that great a sports town.
And UNCG drew 1,385 fans to its game against College of Charleston Saturday night, thousands short of even the cordoned-off, 7,000-seat configuration.
That said, the Davidson game in February ought to be a good indicator of the potential of the coliseum as a home court.
And Matt Brown and his people definitely know how to put on a show, as they continue to prove with the ACC men's and women's tournaments.
Posted on December 7, 2008 4:57 PM
Allen:
Filling up the ~7,600 seasts at the coliseum will still be based on wins and losses. If UNCG were 4-1 (instead of 1-4) when they played CofC, the attendance numbers would have been greater than 1,385. I'm afraid the UNCG-Davidson game will not serve as a good indicator either. Hopefully, UNCG can field quality teams moving forward. That will be the main factor in whether this move works.
Posted on December 16, 2008 11:30 AM