Practice Facility- Spring '27

[OnMcleod9]

Thanks AC!

Great insight. I'll be interested to see what the naming rights situation looks like.

We're also a year away from being able to sell new rights to the McLeod Center which I hope is on the department's radar. It's long past forgotten history now on how Clark McLeod made his money but I'll be glad when his name is off the building. Even if we don't find a rights buyer right away, it needs to be changed to Eldon Miller Arena in the interim.

I didn’t contemplate that I will have to update my username if they change the name. LOL

It seems as though every arena in our league is named after a credit union these days. So are we the Veridian Arena, GreenState Garden or Dupaco Coliseum?

[FOTY]

Thanks AC!It's long past forgotten history now on how Clark McLeod made his money but I'll be glad when his name is off the building.

Thank you for the insight, AC! That provides some clarity on a few things.

Awe, yes, McLeodUSA, correct? I seem to recall being in a meeting discussing concern about if the pledge was going to happen as McLeod stock went from an actual investment to a penny stock in a very short window (was a personal contribution not tied to the company, we were good). IIRC, it was the same meeting Hartzell was being challenged for making the McLeod smaller than the original plans (he made a great call, hindsight being 20/20).

[Newsbreaker]

Thank you for the insight, AC! That provides some clarity on a few things.

Awe, yes, McLeodUSA, correct? I seem to recall being in a meeting discussing concern about if the pledge was going to happen as McLeod stock went from an actual investment to a penny stock in a very short window (was a personal contribution not tied to the company, we were good). IIRC, it was the same meeting Hartzell was being challenged for making the McLeod smaller than the original plans (he made a great call, hindsight being 20/20).

As you know, I've been wrong about a lot of things, but the sizing of the arena is near the top of the list. In our defense, we were drawing HUGE crowds in the dome at the time, which turned out to be a blip in time.

IIRC, the university had to be very clear it was the "(Clark) McLeod" center with no connection to his company. For those interested in the history: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...-bdd2197ad3b0/

But great news on the facility, and on Jake (and crew) getting it done.

[BCPanther]

Those Dome crowds were so big because Hartzell was papering the building and he knew it.

I thought 8000 was the right number but that's why Rick's a legend and a I'm a guy with a keyboard.

[06panther10]

Those Dome crowds were so big because Hartzell was papering the building and he knew it.

I thought 8000 was the right number but that's why Rick's a legend and a I'm a guy with a keyboard.

Also, in the era that McLeod was being built was one of the all-time heydays for the Valley. We were getting multiple bids every year, and the crowds were huge everywhere. Creighton, SIU, Wichita, Bradley, Missouri State, UNI in the Dome, etc. These places routinely had 10K+ fans. It was very easy to have thought we needed a 10k+ seat arena, because that was the norm. Thank God we went with what we did.

What a wild time.

[Wxcpanther]

Since we are discussing the Dome, I had a conversation with Scott Peace last night, and I did plant an idea. I mentioned that, once the Dome is renovated properly, having one game a year in the Dome as a throwback would be a pretty cool deal. Bring out the throwback uniforms that were wore in 2020, and just have fun with it. He mentioned that certainly could be something to consider, especially as we head towards the 150th anniversary of the Dome.

[BCPanther]

Since we are discussing the Dome, I had a conversation with Scott Peace last night, and I did plant an idea. I mentioned that, once the Dome is renovated properly, having one game a year in the Dome as a throwback would be a pretty cool deal. Bring out the throwback uniforms that were wore in 2020, and just have fun with it. He mentioned that certainly could be something to consider, especially as we head towards the 150th anniversary of the Dome.

No. It's a ****ty basketball building that needs to be left in the past.

Remember when we played Iowa State in there in '06 and were instantly reminded of how awful it was? I don't need to be a mile away from the floor when we've got the perfect basketball building 50 feet away.

[UNIpanther99]

No. It's a ****ty basketball building that needs to be left in the past.

Remember when we played Iowa State in there in '06 and were instantly reminded of how awful it was? I don't need to be a mile away from the floor when we've got the perfect basketball building 50 feet away.

That game was particularly rough because they put the floor in the center and used both sides of the Dome. And unlike the record-setting games in the early 90's, they didn't raise the floor.

When it was cozy to one side with the bleachers (long sold/scrapped) up against the other three sides, it wasn't that bad. The problem is with the reduction in seating capacity in the Dome you couldn't get more than about 6500 for that kind of set up now anyway, and you might as we just pack the McLeod for that.

I'm very nostalgic about basketball in the UNI-Dome, and volleyball/WBB in the West Gym... But, as you said, let it be a good memory and move on.

[nadf.]

That dome had to have been an absolute menace for opposing teams to come and try to get a W in. Idk how you could ever get comfortable shooting the basketball in a place like that when you aren't used to playing there. It would be really interesting to go back and look at opposing shooting percentages at the dome in comparison to their other road games. Same for UNI honestly, I'm curious what the percentages looked like for home vs away.

[BCPanther]

That dome had to have been an absolute menace for opposing teams to come and try to get a W in. Idk how you could ever get comfortable shooting the basketball in a place like that when you aren't used to playing there. It would be really interesting to go back and look at opposing shooting percentages at the dome in comparison to their other road games. Same for UNI honestly, I'm curious what the percentages looked like for home vs away.

Based on our records for the 80s and most of the 90s, visiting teams seemed to adjust just fine...

['70 Grad]

Also, in the era that McLeod was being built was one of the all-time heydays for the Valley. We were getting multiple bids every year, and the crowds were huge everywhere. Creighton, SIU, Wichita, Bradley, Missouri State, UNI in the Dome, etc. These places routinely had 10K+ fans. It was very easy to have thought we needed a 10k+ seat arena, because that was the norm. Thank God we went with what we did.

What a wild time.

And the TV situation was different.... You couldn't stay home and watch us on ESPN+ or have your choice of a hundred other games on TV.

[skydog0784]

Why can’t we connect the new practice facility with the McCleod Center via an above ground, enclosed walkway?

It seems silly to have to have the team walk outside even for a short distance. There must be a reason - perhaps fire regulations?

[06panther10]

Why can’t we connect the new practice facility with the McCleod Center via an above ground, enclosed walkway?

It seems silly to have to have the team walk outside even for a short distance. There must be a reason - perhaps fire regulations?

Given the location of where its being built, where would it make sense for there to be a walkway? Thru the front ticket office? They still would have to walk all the way thru McLeod and all the way up the arena steps. That would be silly. Underground? Impossible because there is no ground level exit on the South side of Mcleod.

Lots of schools practice facilities are not near their arenas and some are even off campus. This will be fine.

[achrist70]

I know that this could be a big cost but could they run a tunnel from the locker rooms to the practice facility? Like east of the McLeod?

[skydog0784]

Given the location of where its being built, where would it make sense for there to be a walkway? Thru the front ticket office? They still would have to walk all the way thru McLeod and all the way up the arena steps. That would be silly. Underground? Impossible because there is no ground level exit on the South side of Mcleod.

Lots of schools practice facilities are not near their arenas and some are even off campus. This will be fine.

I understand underground isn’t a viable option per an earlier post in the thread and why I specifically asked about an above ground enclosed walkway.

I also understand they still need to walk all the way through McCleod but they have to do that regardless given the fixed practice facility location & locker room constraint.

It’s unfortunate the two won't be connected per current plans somehow given the very close proximity, relatively easy solution and low cost IMO.

Still is a major win for the program either way; no doubt.