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  • #91
    Hey guys - SDSU just opened their new wrestling facility yesterday. Wanna guess how much it cost?

    https://twitter.com/GoJacksWrestle/s...OJAfzB7TIf0mfA





    Answer - $4 million was the budget.

    You can only find that kind of money in world financial hubs like Brookings, SD.

    Comment


    • #92
      Originally posted by DomeIsHome View Post

      This is actually an interesting point. Even Penn State doesn't wrestle its home duals in its basketball arena, with one-ish exception every season. It would be interesting to see how many schools don't wrestle in their main basketball arena. (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Nebraska, off the top of my head from the Big 10, do not. Missouri, NIU, UVU, UNC, Oklahoma, from other conferences do not)
      Some of which are former basketball arenas.

      So, other than none (guessing), how many of these arenas hold 2,000 or less?

      Keep in mind: free tickets have gone with UNI rasslin turf for as long as I've followed it, so that's just "built into things."



      Comment


      • #93
        Originally posted by clenz View Post
        Hey guys - SDSU just opened their new wrestling facility yesterday. Wanna guess how much it cost?

        https://twitter.com/GoJacksWrestle/s...OJAfzB7TIf0mfA





        Answer - $4 million was the budget.

        You can only find that kind of money in world financial hubs like Brookings, SD.
        This must be the 47,009th time I've posted something about this on here, but, obviously, people don't read it.

        As it turns out, it's not such a mystery in SD where the money comes from. We don't have this in Iowa, plus their money is split only between two DI schools, whereas we have four.

        Comment


        • #94
          Originally posted by DomeIsHome View Post

          This is actually an interesting point. Even Penn State doesn't wrestle its home duals in its basketball arena, with one-ish exception every season. It would be interesting to see how many schools don't wrestle in their main basketball arena. (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Nebraska, off the top of my head from the Big 10, do not. Missouri, NIU, UVU, UNC, Oklahoma, from other conferences do not)

          While you are correct in that anytime UNI can get over 2000 in McLeod, its more of a win financially. But as I've said, unless they're bringing in at least 4k (more than half capacity anyway) I do not think its worth it to move the dual out of the West Gym. In a borderline dual like the Wyoming one, where there were (presumably) many free tickets given away, the financial compensation lies in concession/merch sales.

          I don't really want to, but I probably should go back and pull the numbers from duals from the last three-four years (probably excluding 2020-21). I don't think there have been THAT many sellouts in West Gym since 2017 to rationalize making the jump to McLeod (I'm completely disregarding the "structural improvements" that the university says are needed in the West Gym).

          We're never going to agree on this, and I'm probably not going to let it go for a while. The idea that there "...is a timeframe, as far as, being able to train in here [West Gym]," and NOBODY has announced ANYTHING about that in over a year is absurd and borderline negligent. The optics of, well we can't have people in here anymore because its unsafe, but classes, dance team, heck even the wrestling squad, etc. get to use the building still is hypocritical at best and again, negligent at worst. The athletic department and university should be ashamed of how they have treated the wrestling program, especially because Schwab CHOSE UNI over a much bigger job just a year and a half ago.

          There are some very basic things that could be done to McLeod to make it better for wrestling (and all the other sports played there). It's been two YEARS, and seemingly nothing has been done. I am baffled.

          Side note: next year, when Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State all don't come to Cedar Falls....yikes.
          Add Maryland to this list too.

          Comment


          • #95
            Originally posted by DomeIsHome View Post

            Add Maryland to this list too.
            Wisconsin also wrestles in a smaller venue

            Comment


            • #96
              Originally posted by Wxcpanther View Post

              Wisconsin also wrestles in a smaller venue
              Wisconsin was on my original list GO BACK AND LOOK!!!

              Lol j/k, sorry for yelling

              Wisconsin's venue is actually really cool, especially since they've reopened the upper deck. It's kind of like the West Gym but on steroids.

              Comment


              • #97
                Wisconsin's, like SO many other venues, is deceptive though. It WAS, as was Minnesota's, etc, etc, etc, etc, their basketball arena, until the corporatization of college sports went berserk and everyone had to have multi-million dollar arenas, named after some company, or defunct company, in the case of UNI.

                So, yeah, those old basketball/current rasslin facilities are all MUCH larger than the West Gym. Again, you'll be hard pressed to find a venue as small as the West Gym.

                Comment


                • #98
                  Originally posted by A Fan In Lean Years View Post
                  Wisconsin's, like SO many other venues, is deceptive though. It WAS, as was Minnesota's, etc, etc, etc, etc, their basketball arena, until the corporatization of college sports went berserk and everyone had to have multi-million dollar arenas, named after some company, or defunct company, in the case of UNI.

                  So, yeah, those old basketball/current rasslin facilities are all MUCH larger than the West Gym. Again, you'll be hard pressed to find a venue as small as the West Gym.
                  Naming-rights aside, if you want me to actually look up who wrestles in smaller venues than the West Gym, I could. NIU, Air Force, and UVU are three that come to mind right away. I'm sure there are others.

                  Also, the thing about all the "SO many other venues," is that they've been maintained and updated throughout the years. Wisconsin's Field House, Minnesota's, etc. etc. etc. are still in use because their universities are like...hey...wait a minute, maybe we should care about where our programs are housed.

                  Comment


                  • #99
                    Originally posted by DomeIsHome View Post

                    Naming-rights aside, if you want me to actually look up who wrestles in smaller venues than the West Gym, I could. NIU, Air Force, and UVU are three that come to mind right away. I'm sure there are others.

                    Also, the thing about all the "SO many other venues," is that they've been maintained and updated throughout the years. Wisconsin's Field House, Minnesota's, etc. etc. etc. are still in use because their universities are like...hey...wait a minute, maybe we should care about where our programs are housed.
                    I'll bet there aren't many more that are smaller than 2,000. I'd even wonder if the ones you list hold fewer than 2,000.

                    Yeah, iniversities DO INDEED realize the importance of where their programs are housed! That's why Harris secured the funds to renovate the Dome. However, he ISN'T the magician that people expect of him. Code violations are beyond his determination, even though he tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat for yis!

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Wxcpanther View Post

                      Wisconsin also wrestles in a smaller venue
                      I should have said this the first time around. Baloney.

                      Not compared to the West Gym, which has been my pernt all along.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by A Fan In Lean Years View Post

                        I should have said this the first time around. Baloney.

                        Not compared to the West Gym, which has been my pernt all along.
                        Pretty sure they just meant smaller than their basketball arena

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by A Fan In Lean Years View Post

                          I'll bet there aren't many more that are smaller than 2,000. I'd even wonder if the ones you list hold fewer than 2,000.

                          Yeah, iniversities DO INDEED realize the importance of where their programs are housed! That's why Harris secured the funds to renovate the Dome. However, he ISN'T the magician that people expect of him. Code violations are beyond his determination, even though he tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat for yis!
                          The wrestling squad has been kicked out of the West Gym. They do not know where they are going to practice next season. Period. You can say that there's a plan in place, that Harris and co. will find a practice space all you want, but the fact is that as of right now, on February 2nd, 2023, the head coach of the wrestling squad at UNI does not know where his team will practice at come November when the 2023-24 season officially starts.

                          There is no excuse for how the information of the closing of the West Gym was handled and communicated to both the general public and the wrestling squad. You can say all you want that Harris is doing a good job fundraising and in other aspects, but the idea that these issues were just discovered a few weeks before competition was scheduled to start is laughable at best and unbelievable at worst. The ONLY factor that the UNI athletic department has talked about in closing the West Gym was the railings on the upper deck. That's it.

                          The Dome renovation has nothing to do with the wrestling program.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by DomeIsHome View Post

                            The wrestling squad has been kicked out of the West Gym. They do not know where they are going to practice next season. Period. You can say that there's a plan in place, that Harris and co. will find a practice space all you want, but the fact is that as of right now, on February 2nd, 2023, the head coach of the wrestling squad at UNI does not know where his team will practice at come November when the 2023-24 season officially starts.

                            There is no excuse for how the information of the closing of the West Gym was handled and communicated to both the general public and the wrestling squad. You can say all you want that Harris is doing a good job fundraising and in other aspects, but the idea that these issues were just discovered a few weeks before competition was scheduled to start is laughable at best and unbelievable at worst. The ONLY factor that the UNI athletic department has talked about in closing the West Gym was the railings on the upper deck. That's it.

                            The Dome renovation has nothing to do with the wrestling program.
                            They'll figure out what to do about a practice facility. I've been in this game long enough to not find that alarming at all. It'll all get ironed out.

                            Code violations are code violations and not the fault of the AD. If people want to keep the West Gym, then, good, find the cash for the renovation, which is a huge amount. It ain't coming from the State legislature, and if funds are tough to come by for the Dome, imagine how tough it'll be for a sport that doesn't draw a huge fan base.

                            I'm all ears; what solutions do any of you future or past AD's of a DI program have to offer? If nothing, then stay in your lanes and don't try to play DI AD on the internet or in the classroom.
                            Last edited by BCPanther; 02-02-2023, 09:54 AM. Reason: Removed political references.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by A Fan In Lean Years View Post

                              I'll bet there aren't many more that are smaller than 2,000. I'd even wonder if the ones you list hold fewer than 2,000.

                              Yeah, iniversities DO INDEED realize the importance of where their programs are housed! That's why Harris secured the funds to renovate the Dome. However, he ISN'T the magician that people expect of him. Code violations are beyond his determination, even though he tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat for yis!
                              It was my understanding David hasnt had much to do with any of the fundraising for the dome and even had it removed from the athletic department. Its also has been stated numerous times that all of the recent athletic projects have been done so with all the heavy lifting done by the coahes themselves. Instead of being a David apologist how about you state some facts about what david did specifically, not just the ususal blathering rhetoric.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by A Fan In Lean Years View Post

                                I'll bet there aren't many more that are smaller than 2,000. I'd even wonder if the ones you list hold fewer than 2,000.

                                Yeah, iniversities DO INDEED realize the importance of where their programs are housed! That's why Harris secured the funds to renovate the Dome. However, he ISN'T the magician that people expect of him. Code violations are beyond his determination, even though he tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat for yis!
                                NIU - Victor E. Court: 800 seats.
                                UVU - Lockhart Arena: "Nearly 2,000" seats.
                                Air Force - Clune Arena: 5,843 seats. I was wrong about this one, this is Air Force's main basketball arena. For some reason I remember AFA and UNI wrestling in a very small facility a few years ago, it might have even been their wrestling room. Side note, apparently it is difficult to report on attendance figures for all of their home duals. The only one they list in their recaps was the attendance against Wyoming, which was a whopping 327.

                                Other schools just for fun:
                                Smaller:
                                Wyoming - UniWyo Federal Credit Union Sports Complex: 1200 seats.
                                Cal Baptist - Van Dyne Gym: 987 seats.

                                Stanford - Burnham Pavilion: 1,421 seats.
                                Rider - Alumni Gymnasium: 1,650 seats.
                                Bucknell - Davis Gym, 1,100 seats.
                                Princeton - Dillon Gymnasium: 1,500 seats.
                                George Mason - Recreation Athletic Complex: 1,550.
                                Bloomsburg - Nelson Field House: Doesn't look like much more than an Iowa HS gym, can't find a number.
                                Cornell - Friedman Wrestling Center: 900.
                                Harvard - Doesn't sell tickets to home wrestling events? Malkin Athletic Center has 1,000 seats.
                                Lock Haven - Thomas Fieldhouse: 1,497. - Biggest number I could find.
                                Michigan - Cliff Keen Arena: 1,800.
                                Maryland - XFinity Center Pavilion: 1,500.
                                VMI - Cormack Hall: 750.
                                ​​

                                3,000 or under:
                                Rutgers - College Ave Gym: 2,500.
                                Brown - Pizzitola Sports Center: 2,800.
                                Columbia - Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium: 2,700
                                Drexel - Daskalakis Athletic Center: 2,509.
                                American - Bender Arena: 2,900.
                                Indiana - Wilkinson Hall: 3,000.
                                Purdue - Holloway Gymnasium: 2,288.
                                Gardner-Webb - Paul Porter Arena: 3,000.

                                This is all I have time for right now. That's 16 that are officially smaller than the West Gym, and eight that are comparable (in my opinion). I don't know what your definition of "many more" is, but that's 21% of wrestling facilities in the country.

                                And I'm not sure what your point is in red there.
                                Last edited by DomeIsHome; 02-03-2023, 09:47 AM.

                                Comment

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