Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

[DapperDan]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Correct. But those were in the 70s and I referred to when they did one class in the 90s. Pretty sure that was during El-Amin's time at Minneapolis North.

[Purple Mav Man]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

It was still two classes but they combined to have all 16 in the same state tournament. One champion only.

[DapperDan]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Wish they still did that.

[MStateMaverick]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Correct. But those were in the 70s and I referred to when they did one class in the 90s. Pretty sure that was during El-Amin's time at Minneapolis North.

Right. It was in the 90's that they had the classic game of Mpls North vs. Staples-Motley. Staples-Motley had Blaine Joerger, later a star for MSU. North had El-Amin.

[laker]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Back when Kory Kettner was playing for the Mavs in the early to mid 90s, MSU played their last two regular season games against UNC and UNO downtown where the hockey team plays. Beat the Bears, lost the chance to be NCC champs blowing a huge lead to the Red Mavs on Sat. Also had the Tipoff Classic down there. I hated it. Court was too far from the fans, students didn't seem to show up, generally lacked excitement. I was glad that they went back to Otto Arena until they built the Taylor Center. I like being on campus.

[DapperDan]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Back when Kory Kettner was playing for the Mavs in the early to mid 90s, MSU played their last two regular season games against UNC and UNO downtown where the hockey team plays. Beat the Bears, lost the chance to be NCC champs blowing a huge lead to the Red Mavs on Sat. Also had the Tipoff Classic down there. I hated it. Court was too far from the fans, students didn't seem to show up, generally lacked excitement. I was glad that they went back to Otto Arena until they built the Taylor Center. I like being on campus.

Lot of complaints about having to travel to Minot and Bismarck. Greeley Colorado is 800 miles from Mankato.

[Purple Mav Man]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Lot of complaints about having to travel to Minot and Bismarck. Greeley Colorado is 800 miles from Mankato.

Those complaints aren't coming from MSU fans though.

[wscsuperfan]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

Other Augie fans and regular attendees can correct me if they feel differently, but, personally, it seems that the majority of the people who prefer the Elmen to the Arena are either opposing fans who don't attend a ton of games at either venue or stubborn Augie fans who never really attended games at the Elmen in the first place and then saw the move to the Arena as an excuse to say, "See, now that it's not on campus, I'm not going to these games." (But, as mentioned, they weren't going when it was at the Elmen anyway.) The bottom line is that our attendance certainly hasn't dipped any since making the move. I haven't done the comparisons, but I know for sure attendance has at least stayed very similar, and it's possible it has increased.

I typically come on here and defend the move to the Arena because I personally like it more, and most people I talk to who are regular attendees also seem to like it more. It feels less like you're going to watch a Class A SD high school match-up and more like you're going to watch a high-quality D2 game (or even a low-major D1 game) when you're in the Arena.

Also, while the long-running joke is that the Augie fans are primarily older folks, there is a decent amount of reality to that fact, and the bottom line is that older folks enjoy sitting in seats that have backs to them. I'm only in my 30s and my back is usually starting to wear out by the end of a men's game on the bleachers at the Elmen, and I'm not even one of the die-hards who attends the women's games too. If I'm 66 years old and I'm sitting for roughly 4 straight hours of basketball, having something to lean back against (without having to carry in my own personal bleacher chair/seat thing) makes a big difference.

On top of that, Coach Billeter has said in a number of interviews that recruits are really drawn to the experience at the Arena and like the "big-time" atmosphere of the games. If that helps make a difference on a kid trying to decide between a school like Northern (with a nice venue and great fan attendance) and Augie, let's make sure we're offering something that recruit is excited about.



This is another big thing. The video boards are great, and from the moment you walk in, everything is decked out in Augie decorations (photos on the wall, logos everywhere, etc.). It doesn't feel like the Vikes are "renting" the Arena, it feels like the Arena is their home court venue.

Like I said, I will continue defending the move to the Arena because I struggle to see why people (particularly consistent Augie fans) still advocate for the Elmen Center. If the main reason is, "Well, it's a nice enough facility and it's on-campus," I think the benefits of the Arena strongly trump the benefits of the Elmen.

I've been to several games at both facilities. Elmen just seemed more intimate for a game, and I liked the setup. The Arena, though nice, almost seems too big for the games being played in there.

[MrAugustana]

Re: Best D2 Basketball Stadiums

I've been to several games at both facilities. Elmen just seemed more intimate for a game, and I liked the setup. The Arena, though nice, almost seems too big for the games being played in there.

Fair enough. I appreciate you having experienced both more than once. Most non-Augie people I talk to have formed their opinions based on much less anecdotal experience.