People Sitting at the VCA

[Sky]

One can only wonder how the football program got to where it is today without the University ever having reserved all the front row seats along the 50-yard line in Ohio Stadium for students. Then again, if I were still a student, I'd probably be more open to the argument that it's in everyone's best interests that primo seats be reserved for me.

Have you ever seen a game at Cameron-Indoor? How about Assembly Hall? The Smith Center? Rupp Arena? Gampel Pavilion? There is a difference.

And are you really comparing football and basketball. Our football team has been around since the 1800s and the stadium vs. arena atmosphere argument is unfair

 

[Sky]

Buckeye supporters contributed over $21 million dollars to the program, enabling the University to build the finest intercollegiate sports and entertainment facility in the world.

That is a bunch of crap. Its a basketball/hockey/Disney on Ice/Monster Truck/WWF/Concert arena that is as much for the university as it is for the public. Finest facility my ass.

And how about you give the whole story Scripty???? Here is the rest of that article:

The program consists of three levels:

1. The Endowment Club - 150 seats on the floor

2. The Center Court Club - 1,100 seats endline to endline; opposite the team benches in the 100 level

3. The Arena Circle - 3,350 seats circle the Arena in the 200 level, just below the luxury suites.

Hmm, so only have 1100 seats in the lower bowl? I guess we couldn't put the students behind the team benches, could we? That wouldn't provide any kind of home court advantage.

The point is yes, we have some seats obligated. Beyond that, the university is greedy. Of course they would rather sell a seat for $118 to a donor than $18 to a student. But that doesn't make it right.

 

[Padraig]

If Tubby Smith gets fired I would be realy afraid of losing him.

Yes, Kentucky is considered one of the great, historic Basketball Programs in the country, but given their recent / immediate history vs. tOSU's (currently ranked #1, and positioned to contend for years to come) I would highly doubt Thad would leave OSU, the Program he has built in such a short time, the recruits he has coming in, and a very fine compensation package for himself to go to UK.

I'd say the University has created a pretty decent work environment for tOSU's Basketball Coach...even though we will always be considered a Football School first, and even if they "dropped the ball" so to speak by not having the students down on the floor at b-ball games.

 

[OH10]

All told, Buckeye supporters contributed over $21 million dollars to the program, enabling the University to build the finest intercollegiate sports and entertainment facility in the world.

Thanks PSL holders for this money-draining arena that closes out the students.

 

[zincfinger]

Have you ever seen a game at Cameron-Indoor? How about Assembly Hall? The Smith Center? Rupp Arena? Gampel Pavilion? There is a difference.

And are you really comparing football and basketball. Our football team has been around since the 1800s and the stadium vs. arena atmosphere argument is unfair

The first part of your comment - that other basketball arenas have a more intense atmosphere than VCA - doesn't really address my point. But the second part does - sort of. The fact is, football, as a general rule, excites more passion in OSU fans than basketball does. That has nothing to do with arenas vs. stadiums, or the game of football vs. the game of basketball. And it certainly has nothing to do with where students are seated in VCA or the Shoe. It is merely a consequence of where the average OSU sports fan lends the greatest part of his focus - at this point in time. That can change over time, and probably will if the hoops squad continues its success. But putting students behind the players' benches is neither a requirement nor a panacea. And as others have pointed out, it's not legally possible. All that's required is a continuation of the escalating excitement about the program.

Finest facility my ass.

The quality of VCA as a sports venue is mere opinion, and moreover, it's irrelevant. The fact is that the construction of VCA was expensive, and it was underwritten by a lot of non-students in exchange for great seats. That can't be changed.

 

[Sky]

The first part of your comment - that other basketball arenas have a more intense atmosphere than VCA - doesn't really address my point. But the second part does - sort of. The fact is, football, as a general rule, excites more passion in OSU fans that basketball does. That has nothing to do with arenas vs. stadiums, or the game of football vs. the game of basketball. And it certainly has nothing to do with where students are seated in VCA or the Shoe. It is merely a consequence of where the average OSU sports fan lends the greatest part of his focus - at this point in time. That can change over time, and probably will if the hoops squad continues its success. But putting students behind the players' benches is neither a requirement nor a panacea. And as others have pointed out, it's not legally possible. All that's required is a continuation of the escalating excitement about the program.The quality of VCA as a sports venue is mere opinion, and moreover, it's irrelevant. The fact is that the construction of VCA was expensive, and it was underwritten by a lot of non-students in exchange for great seats. That can't be changed.

tOSU's football program has been good for a long long time. Yes we have our ups and downs but on the majority we have been competitive. tOSU's basketball team has not seen any type of success similar to what the football team has. As noted in many of the recent articles this is our first #1 ranking since the 1960's. Sure we were decent with Jimmy Jackson and again in O'Briens first years but there were many many low periods in there. To say Ohio is a football state and not a basketball state w/o exploring the facts behind it is unfair. If we had any type of consistent program maybe things would shift. But to flatly say all Ohio fans like football better is fairly elementary.

I'll go ahead and assume you read the other posts regarding the availability of lower level seats. Yes the PSL took up some seats but for anyone to try and validate the lack of lower bowl students seats with that is flat out wrong.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Wow, someone has a little bit of a vendetta...

IMO I couldnt be more happy with they way things are going with VCA. Yeah you have your PSL's that don't stand the whole game, but if students, fans, players, coaches, etc. can thank them for building this place. IMO it would be great to get students on the sides, but really there isnt a lot of choices where to put them.

Also while the crowd is not electric the entire game when playing against teams that arent very highly rated, that will will come when we continue to win. The crowd will continue to evolve as a better crowd...But the thing is we are selling this place out night in and night out...There were never any tickets made available for the big ten to the public...

Also I think that we are starting to develop a home court advantage, just look at Matta's record, and we havent lost at home since our loss last year in double OT to MSU.

Also the crowd against Wisky was one of the greatest sports scences that I have ever seen, and it seems like the PA announcer and sound guy with the bell and music was a little more involved, now we just need the cheerleaders to get involved and the band to play some songs that will involve the crowd...

 

[Sky]

Yeah but even with that how loud was our crowd during the PSU game or the Purdue game. Look at UNC this year. They lost a couple "easy" games and are now on the verge of losing their #1 seed. I think you have to have a STRONG home court advantage game in and game out. Showing up for the big games is easy. Likewise, it isn't any great stretch to expect those games to be sold out. However, this program won't really turn the corner (IMO) until it gets more students on the floor and makes a hostile environment for every game.

 

[Thump]

However, this program won't really turn the corner (IMO) until it gets more students on the floor and makes a hostile environment for every game.

Players win games, not crowds.

 

[OH10]

IMO I couldnt be more happy with they way things are going with VCA. Yeah you have your PSL's that don't stand the whole game, but if students, fans, players, coaches, etc. can thank them for building this place.

Well, I think that the building doesn't serve the purpose for which it was intended. As far as I know, Ohio State has and is continuing to lose money on the Schott.

I personally don't like it. It's more like an NBA arena than a college venue.

 

[bkochmc]

Rupp Arena is a pretty formidable place to play and I don't see the students on the sidelines there...

OSU is making headway by putting the students behind the baskets... a good move. This year we are starting to see the culture of Ohio State basketball change a bit and it has nothing to do with putting students on the sidelines.

 

[zincfinger]

tOSU's football program has been good for a long long time. Yes we have our ups and downs but on the majority we have been competitive. tOSU's basketball team has not seen any type of success similar to what the football team has. As noted in many of the recent articles this is our first #1 ranking since the 1960's. Sure we were decent with Jimmy Jackson and again in O'Briens first years but there were many many low periods in there. To say Ohio is a football state and not a basketball state w/o exploring the facts behind it is unfair. If we had any type of consistent program maybe things would shift. But to flatly say all Ohio fans like football better is fairly elementary.

Aside from the fact that no one ever did "flatly say all Ohio fans like football better [than basketball]", you realize you're essentially agreeing with me here, right?

Yes the PSL took up some seats but for anyone to try and validate the lack of lower bowl students seats with that is flat out wrong.

This isn't an issue of "validation", it is merely an observation of fact. But since the factual nature of the claim is apparently in dispute, explain how the awarding of front row tickets at courtside to high-end donors (just as happens in football) does not preclude the awarding of those same seats to college students.

And I note that you've never really addressed the point, made by several, that reserving all the best seats for students is not a prerequisite for having a good atmosphere. In fact, I'm not sure what the evidence is that it makes much difference, except to the students who would be the beneficiaries of those great seats at way below market value.

 

[bkochmc]

While I'm posting pictures, the Dean Smith Center doesn't have students on the sidelines either, just under one basket (OSU is behind both baskets):

 

[OH10]

In fact, I'm not sure what the evidence is that it makes much difference, except to the students who are the beneficiaries of those great seats at way below market value.

And aren't we, as fans, getting the entertainment of these unpaid scholarship players at well below market value?

That's my problem with the "money" argument. People keep saying that it is big business, and I get that the Ohio State athletic program generates a lot of money. But it is still amatuer athletics. These are still, in theory, student-athletes, not professionals.

My other problem with the "money" argument is that the Schott doesn't generate money. It's a drain. It hasn't been as profitable as first imagined, because Nationwide has picked up most of the entertainment acts that come into town. So why again should I be thanking the PSL holders?

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Yeah but even with that how loud was our crowd during the PSU game or the Purdue game. Look at UNC this year. They lost a couple "easy" games and are now on the verge of losing their #1 seed. I think you have to have a STRONG home court advantage game in and game out. Showing up for the big games is easy. Likewise, it isn't any great stretch to expect those games to be sold out. However, this program won't really turn the corner (IMO) until it gets more students on the floor and makes a hostile environment for every game.

There's some flawed logic there. UNC has a great homecourt advantage andhas lost two home games. We have a mediocre (at best) homecourt advantage and haven't lost any. I'm not sure what UNC's home losses have to do with the price of tea in China.

And where were the students during the PSU and Purdue games? It's not like they are showing up in full force either. I won't argue that the people sititing in the lower bowl make a lot of noise during those games, but the students aren't much better.