Behind the scenes

[wh]

An interesting Mark Lazerus article in today's Post Trib about what the our Athletic Dept. and HL officials are doing to "ready" the ARC for the upcoming HL Tournament:

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/10668461-556/lazerus-valparaiso-ready-willing-and-able.html

[covufan]

Hopefully, it will be a yearly custom to be preparing for the HL tournament on Valentine's Day!

[valpopal]

Hopefully, it will be a yearly custom to be preparing for the HL tournament on Valentine's Day!

Hopefully, it will be a lesson on why the athletic facilities need renovation or replacement. 

[valpotx]

Let's get to the NCAA championship game, and get the extra $1 Billion that Butler says those runs were worth to the university (over time of course).  That would make it a lot easier ;-)

[covufan]

Hopefully, it will be a yearly custom to be preparing for the HL tournament on Valentine's Day!

Hopefully, it will be a lesson on why the athletic facilities need renovation or replacement. 

I was thinking the same thing.  If VU is moving to 6000 students, all facilities will be at a premium.  The needs of the HL tournament would be a good start (practice floor, etc.).  The needs of all VU sports teams will need to be looked at, and also from hosting the HL tournament for each sport.

[chairback]

I just hope the PA system is fixed before potentially hosting.  It's a problem that has been discussed for years and ML never responds to it.

Also, years back when we played Purdue at home when Ali lost the ball at the end, they brought in a much bigger portable stands unit behind the basket.  Hopefully they will do the same.

Getting tickets at the front entrance for big attendance games has been a nightmare in the past.  Hopefully they will have a plan in place.  Even if you have tickets it was difficult to get past the crowds waiting in line.

Valpo has the chance to shine with the possibility of hosting the tourney.  They really need to do it right.  ML has gotten us into the Horizon league, now he needs to step it up a little more.

[valporun]

chairback, in terms of the ticket issues, getting in the arena, it will definitely require some strong community involvement to help get fans in before tip-off. Fast moving volunteers who can rip ticket stubs will help. Another nice helper could be opening up the back doors for fans who already have their tickets, as this would alleviate crowd control as well.

In terms of the ticket sales, hopefully the fans of teams going to the second and further rounds will get tickets in advance, not 10 minutes before tip. I'm sure that Cindy will take advantage of using some people from around the Athletics department with ticket sales, like the Intramurals full-time staff, any athletes that could stick around from volleyball, football, and respective coaches, if they aren't out recruiting.
The portable stands will probably be there, just have to rent out from wherever Valpo or the League can get them? I mean this isn't short notice to get them rented now. We just can't wait until a week from Saturday to get a phone call in about renting them.

[agibson]

Getting tickets at the front entrance for big attendance games has been a nightmare in the past.  Hopefully they will have a plan in place.  Even if you have tickets it was difficult to get past the crowds waiting in line.

They talk about the size of the facility, etc.  Do we really think we'll fill the place?

Will we get 5k+ for both semis?  I guess it'll help if they sell the tickets as one package.

Will we get 5k+ for a Tuesday night championship game, with the students on spring break?  We might, but it doesn't seem like a complete slam dunk...  Butler travels a bit.  Does Cleveland State?  Detroit? 

[agibson]

An interesting Mark Lazerus article in today's Post Trib about what the our Athletic Dept. and HL officials are doing to "ready" the ARC for the upcoming HL Tournament:

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/10668461-556/lazerus-valparaiso-ready-willing-and-able.html

A nice piece.  I see that game times are set (e.g. by the TV schedule).

I don't think we've heard anything about ticket pre-orders yet, this year?

[crusaderjoe]

Hopefully, it will be a yearly custom to be preparing for the HL tournament on Valentine's Day!

Hopefully, it will be a lesson on why the athletic facilities need renovation or replacement. 

+15,000, but sadly, nothing will happen.

If they are bringing in larger portables in the end zones, I hope traveling fans will be able to purchase tickets behind a basket.  The situation is pretty bush league right now to have to stand on a walking track in order to be in a better position to see plays break out, motion offense and defensive set ups.

[vu72]

As far as students go, with them being on break they can't complain about needing to study etc.  Even though we draw from all over the country and internationally, still, about 1/3 are from Indiana/Illinois.  Given the importance of the game is it beyond the possibility that 4-500 kids would be around?  hard to say. 

Mr. LaBarbera did say this in the article:  "Not all our students will go to Florida for spring break," LaBarbera said. "We're spending time talking about how we can encourage our students to stay here.

[swiftmutiny]

I'm hoping they keep the dorms open a few more days for students wanting to stay for the games, as that's probably the only way I would be able to attend.

[agibson]

When are they scheduled to close?  Keeping them open through e.g. Sunday noon for the semi-final instead of e.g. Saturday noon seems like it might be doable.

Wednesday seems harder.

[vuweathernerd]

reslife has been notoriously resistant to the idea of keeping the dorms open past noon saturday after classes end. don't know why, but that's always been the mentality. but with the athletic dept giving enough pushback, that mentality has been bent in recent years. this year could be the year that that idea finally gets kicked out the door.

[agibson]

I don't know what they consider minimum acceptable staffing.  One RA on duty for the building?  One on each shift, so three?  Obviously it's harder to keep _all_ the dorms open than to keep just one or two open, as over the breaks.  Some students may want to stay, but it's another thing to _force_ a certain number of RA's, RLC's, etc. to stay.  Not sure if there are also arguments re utilities.

[vuweathernerd]

I don't know what they consider minimum acceptable staffing.  One RA on duty for the building?  One on each shift, so three?  Obviously it's harder to keep _all_ the dorms open than to keep just one or two open, as over the breaks.  Some students may want to stay, but it's another thing to _force_ a certain number of RA's, RLC's, etc. to stay.  Not sure if there are also arguments re utilities.

on a given night when school is in session, there are two ras on duty in each building. over holiday breaks, it drops down to one. on top of that, there is always an rlc on call who cannot go more than like 25 miles from campus. breaks allow ras to voluntarily stay, and to make more money on top of their stipend, generally while dealing with less crap than on a typical night. and the rlcs all live in their assigned res halls anyway, so as long as they don't get forced to stay, per se.

[MattCarter]

I think the ARC is a great place when its full.  It HAS to be better than thousands of empty seats.

The only thing I think we lack is the PA System. I too have emailed to ML and gotten back that they "know about the problem and are working on it".

VU can and will be a much better facility in the not so distant future.  Plans of a field house I have heard rumor of with the addition of the hospital property.  That would allow for upgrade of the ARC in capacity as the other building occupants can be moved.  I like that idea, personally.