Richmond Coliseum - Virginia (VA) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

540_804 · 02-09-2011, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUMAN

Whatever Richmond decides to do, it should partner with VCU. VCU is a big enough school to have a facility larger than the Siegel Center.

Yes and No.

Theoretically, yes. As the number 1 or 2 largest university in Virginia, VCU should be able to handle a much larger facility.

However, the attendance numbers don't really support this idea. Right now (and for the past few years) attendance has averaged just above 6000. Surprisingly student attendance has average ~1100 during those same years. That's less than 5% of the student population. About 3.5% With FREE TICKETS!!!!

Unless the athletic department can lure more students to the games then it will be really hard to justify a larger venue anytime soon. Imagine if they could get 10% of the student body to attend games. Over 3000 students at a game! I must admit, I'm part of the problem. lol. I'm a senior now and have only been to a handful of games.

Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot of incentive for them to lure more students to games. Students pay whether they attend or not in the form of the athletic/activity fee.

In fact, the athletic department might even prefer students not show up en masse; they're just non-paying visitors taking up seats for paying spectators.

ZUMAN · 02-10-2011, 06:37 AM

^ I was thinking along the lines that if VCU played in a bigger facility that included better parking options, that more non-students, including myself, would attend games. It could help VCU become more of "big time" program.

Skratch · 02-10-2011, 09:44 AM

VCU basketball can only get but so big its a mid major program in the CAA & the biggest school in the CAA, but the CAA has no talent (every once in a while yeah) but theres no 5 star or 4 star prospects playing in in that conference, is it really worth builiding around VCU facilities? even though i think the siegel center is trash compared to the ted constant center (odu) but is it worth it

Viper952 · 02-10-2011, 10:17 AM

No talent? The CAA is a good mid major conferece

ZUMAN · 02-10-2011, 01:48 PM

Don't bash me for asking, but has UNC, KY, MD or Duke (just 4 examples of bigger programs) ever come to Richmond to play VCU? I'm thinking that if VCU could get these schools on their schedule (not all of them every year of course) they would attract larger crowds to a larger arena. I know there a large number of UNC fans living the Richmond area. Just throwing my thoughts out about this. I really want Richmond to build a nice arena that will get lots of use.

Skratch · 02-10-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUMAN

Don't bash me for asking, but has UNC, KY, MD or Duke (just 4 examples of bigger programs) ever come to Richmond to play VCU? I'm thinking that if VCU could get these schools on their schedule (not all of them every year of course) they would attract larger crowds to a larger arena. I know there a large number of UNC fans living the Richmond area. Just throwing my thoughts out about this. I really want Richmond to build a nice arena that will get lots of use.

Virginia Commonwealth Rams Basketball 2010-11 Schedule - Rams Home and Away - ESPN

during the regular season no, but they been getting oklahoma to come here (last year) but thats jeff capels team anyway so hes connected with vcu, its going to be impossible to schedule unc to come to sigel center, its a better chance of vcu going to chapel hill then here

540_804 · 02-10-2011, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUMAN

Don't bash me for asking, but has UNC, KY, MD or Duke (just 4 examples of bigger programs) ever come to Richmond to play VCU? I'm thinking that if VCU could get these schools on their schedule (not all of them every year of course) they would attract larger crowds to a larger arena. I know there a large number of UNC fans living the Richmond area. Just throwing my thoughts out about this. I really want Richmond to build a nice arena that will get lots of use.

To be honest (and this will probably sound a bit strange) but most of those teams would be (and are) afraid to play VCU at home. Its just too much of a risk.

VCU Baskebtall's recent history offers several examples of the underdog Rams upsetting some highly favored (and highly ranked) teams. Duke knows this all too well.

If a higher ranked team came to "The Stu" (as some are calling it) and lost it could really adversely affect their rankings. On the other hand, if they were to win, it wouldn't really benefit them very much at all.

The risk-return measure is simply skewed too far in VCU's favor. It would be great for VCU...but not so great for the other team.

jlawrence01 · 02-10-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUMAN

Don't bash me for asking, but has UNC, KY, MD or Duke (just 4 examples of bigger programs) ever come to Richmond to play VCU? I'm thinking that if VCU could get these schools on their schedule (not all of them every year of course) they would attract larger crowds to a larger arena. I know there a large number of UNC fans living the Richmond area. Just throwing my thoughts out about this. I really want Richmond to build a nice arena that will get lots of use.

Does any Top 10 team go to Spokane to play at Gonzaga?
Or want to play Xavier at home?

Not as long as there is a Coppin State or Radford or UNC-Greenboro around to play.

At its prime, the Richmond Coliseum was pretty drab and non-descript.