New Look for UNI

[MoValley John]

While I would like the majority of our arenas over 9-10k in capacity, for some schools, it just wouldn't make much sense.

Northern Iowa had their best season in their school's history last year. I'm curious to know how many sellouts they had? I also would think season ticket totals would be higher this year thanks to last year's success. Also, I'd expect the average attendance to rise a bit from last year.

If UNI can't draw 7,000 a game in a season they had like last year's, then they never will IMO.

And that is the saddest part of this whole thing. For two years the UNI basketball team has been anything but midmajor. Their fans never figured it out, they still see themselves as midmajor. They are happy with midmajor. And Cedar Falls isn't as rural as one might think, there are over 200,000 people living within 60 miles of the McLoed Center to market to, but it's tough to market a program as bigtime when your true, dyed in the wool fans are happy with midmajor.

Had anyone at UNI had any vision five years ago, they would have built bigger, marketed bigger and sold more seats. Instead, they dreamed midmajor and never tried to sell the people that the program was going to win back to back Valley titles, make a Sweet 16, knock off one of the biggest names in college basketball history, get a cover story in Sports Illustrated and win an ESPY. They freaking let McDermott put an Iowa State billboard in their back yard, and just like a happy go lucky midmajor, when McDermott left Iowa State for Creighton, they let him take their prized recruit as well.

It takes a little longer for the bandwagon to leave the station when a team is worthy of a Sports Illustrated cover but they build an arena and market the program like they would just be happy with a few column inches in Midmajority. This is just one of the reasons that Wichita State fans want out of the Valley. And they're right.

[unipanther99]

MVJ, I know this has turned into you being you. However, a couple of points. We haven't been building off of 2 years of success as you said, it's been a steady climb for nearly a decade. Attendance has probably increased by about 250%, if not more.

What fundraising strategy would you have used to build a bigger arena? What marketing strategy would you have used to fill it?

Honest questions.

[valleychamp]

Where was Gonzaga's vision, MVJ? What were they thinking? I guess they just saw themselves as mid major too.

Its too bad they built such a small crap arena. They surely will never make anything of themselves with an arena like that.

You are WAY over analyzing this...

[WSUbballer]

While I would like the majority of our arenas over 9-10k in capacity, for some schools, it just wouldn't make much sense.

Northern Iowa had their best season in their school's history last year. I'm curious to know how many sellouts they had? I also would think season ticket totals would be higher this year thanks to last year's success. Also, I'd expect the average attendance to rise a bit from last year.

If UNI can't draw 7,000 a game in a season they had like last year's, then they never will IMO.

And that is the saddest part of this whole thing. For two years the UNI basketball team has been anything but midmajor. Their fans never figured it out, they still see themselves as midmajor. They are happy with midmajor. And Cedar Falls isn't as rural as one might think, there are over 200,000 people living within 60 miles of the McLoed Center to market to, but it's tough to market a program as bigtime when your true, dyed in the wool fans are happy with midmajor.

Had anyone at UNI had any vision five years ago, they would have built bigger, marketed bigger and sold more seats. Instead, they dreamed midmajor and never tried to sell the people that the program was going to win back to back Valley titles, make a Sweet 16, knock off one of the biggest names in college basketball history, get a cover story in Sports Illustrated and win an ESPY. They freaking let McDermott put an Iowa State billboard in their back yard, and just like a happy go lucky midmajor, when McDermott left Iowa State for Creighton, they let him take their prized recruit as well.

It takes a little longer for the bandwagon to leave the station when a team is worthy of a Sports Illustrated cover but they build an arena and market the program like they would just be happy with a few column inches in Midmajority. This is just one of the reasons that Wichita State fans want out of the Valley. And they're right.

I don't think I can disagree with anything you've said. It is kinda sad if you think about it.

[Duan]

I couldn't agree more! However, UNI fans on here seem more than satisfied so I guess we don't need to break their rose colored glasses.

[unipanther99]

I couldn't agree more! However, UNI fans on here seem more than satisfied so I guess we don't need to break their rose colored glasses.

Happy, proud of how far we have come. But satisfied implies that we don't want more, which isn't the case.

However, I don't waste time worrying if others view us as "major" or whatever.

[MoValley John]

MVJ, I know this has turned into you being you. However, a couple of points. We haven't been building off of 2 years of success as you said, it's been a steady climb for nearly a decade. Attendance has probably increased by about 250%, if not more.

What fundraising strategy would you have used to build a bigger arena? What marketing strategy would you have used to fill it?

Honest questions.

This wasn't me turning this into anything. This is a true frustration of mine. And when VC tries to sugar coat the fact that you guys built a crackerbox by trying to explain away size by stating that the bleachers weren't out, well that is ridiculous.

Here is what I think and it isn't directed only to UNI and I know it will anger a lot of people. So be it. The Valley could be such a better league. The Valley could be a perrenial top six or seven league. It isn't. In fact, this year the Valley isn't even projected to be in the top 10. Bigger arenas isn't the only answer, it's one, but not the only. Bigger budgets, tougher schedules, better and higher paid coaching staffs is the answer. If you want to compete with the big boys, you need to act like a big boy. Otherwise, you may have some years of success, but in reality, you will spend more time wishing you were good. If you want to become a millionare, you don't act like the clown that works at 7-11, you act and behave like a millionare. Same goes with building a powerhouse program, to get there you have to act like one. Having enough seats to actually "buy" lesser teams and to make the big boys at least think about a two for one, is one avenue to thinking like a big boy.

Doug Elgin built this league up with the 150 rule, it employed a scheduling philosiphy that would have demanded Valley schools act bigger. The schools whined and it was dropped. Now we are in a backslide.

[WuDrWu]

When you said new look for UNI I thought you meant this.

Where is ValleyTalk when you need it........'99, you know this needs additional comments.

[unipanther99]

When you said new look for UNI I thought you meant this.

Where is ValleyTalk when you need it........'99, you know this needs additional comments.

I freely admit, that photo was a very bad idea. It was done in conjunction with a story in the Register titled "Rebel with a Cause."

[snoopj]

Snoopj-

The Men's BB team did play a few home games in the West Gym in 1998 when the roof was being replaced. Most games were held in Young Arena in Waterloo (home of Blackhawks Hockey) that year.

When the roof collapsed back in 1994, a significant number of games were moved to Cedar Rapids' US Cellular Center (5 Seasons Center at the time). I remember watching UNI play Nebraska at the "5."

That's what it was. I remember catching a game against Tennessee State at Young Arena that year. That's why I was thinking it was the same year for the West Gym, but I couldn't find any official information about games being moved around that year.