Why didn't the Big 4 Classic work?

They also play in football domes.
Football domes? haha. When they build arenas its not just for football. They are built to accommodate many things. Concerts, football, basketball, trade shows, etc. They dont build those places just for football. My point is if it is not good for basketball games why would the NCAA put one of the biggest stages of their sports in the Well?
 
  • Agree
Reactions: capitalcityguy
Football domes? haha. When they build arenas its not just for football. They are built to accommodate many things. Concerts, football, basketball, trade shows, etc. They dont build those places just for football. My point is if it is not good for basketball games why would the NCAA put one of the biggest stages of their sports in the Well?

Because Jamie Pollard is a freakin wizard.
 
Try again. Iowa State the first time and knocked it out of the park.

Pollard is the man but it is naive at so many levels to think the AD of the host school can possibly pull this off if the arena isn't to the NCAA standards.

The problem most have with WF is that their main experiences watching BB live is in college arenas (i.e....Hilton) vs professional arenas. Yes it is different, but it like that everywhere.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: UNI1ISU2
Football domes? haha. When they build arenas its not just for football. They are built to accommodate many things. Concerts, football, basketball, trade shows, etc. They dont build those places just for football. My point is if it is not good for basketball games why would the NCAA put one of the biggest stages of their sports in the Well?
Regardless of what a venue was built for, doesn’t mean its a good viewing experience for everything being played there. Unless you are sitting between the baselines in the lower level, WFA sucks for watching basketball. Don’t get me started on acoustics of the building either. The same can be said for pretty much any multi-purpose arena. The NCAA tourney doesn’t come to DM because of WFA, they come because of DM. Sight lines at venues are near the bottom of their priority list, otherwise they would never be played on football fields.
 
Pollard is the man but it is naive at so many levels to think the AD of the host school can possibly pull this off if the arena isn't to the NCAA standards.

The problem most have with WF is that their main experiences watching BB live is in college arenas (i.e....Hilton) vs professional arenas. Yes it is different, but it like that everywhere.

Wells Fargo Arena is one of the smallest venues the NCAA tournament has had in the rotation... They aren't coming in here because of the arena. I don't get why people get so bent out of shape when it is pointed out that there are a lot of really crappy seats/views in WF arena.
 
Wells Fargo Arena is one of the smallest venues the NCAA tournament has had in the rotation... They aren't coming in here because of the arena. I don't get why people get so bent out of shape when it is pointed out that there are a lot of really crappy seats/views in WF arena.

...because when people say that, it suggests to many of us that you haven't been to many arenas outside of Hilton...

note: also, the size would only suggest the there would be fewer bad seats than larger arenas....which one would know and understand...if they've been to several arenas in their lifetime.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm being an ass, but that is how it comes off when someone complains about WF....i.e.. feels they've pretty much only seen BB games in Hilton and maybe a few other college arenas. It scream ignorance of the realities modern day arenas.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: UNI1ISU2
Can someone explain what makes it not a great bball venue (other than not having 15k fans on the same team at the game?) I'm not disagreeing - I don't know enough about these things to have any opinion on it.
 
...because when people say that, it suggests to many of us that you haven't been to many arenas outside of Hilton...

note: also, the size would only suggest the there would be fewer bad seats than larger arenas....which one would know and understand...if they've been to several arenas in their lifetime.
I’ve been to the United Center many times and my complaints are the same there. Except the UC has better acoustics. Ever sit in the 3rd deck or behind the baskets there? Bring binoculars.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: capitalcityguy
Can someone explain what makes it not a great bball venue (other than not having 15k fans on the same team at the game?) I'm not disagreeing - I don't know enough about these things to have any opinion on it.

IMO, it means the arena gives the feel that the fans are "on top of the court". It happens in smaller venues and those designed only for BB (normally older arenas). Hilton has that feel.

I could be wrong, but I doubt you're going to find that in any multi-purpose arena built after 1990. You're not going to find it with any NBA arena (if one is using Hilton as their guidepost).
 
Can someone explain what makes it not a great bball venue (other than not having 15k fans on the same team at the game?) I'm not disagreeing - I don't know enough about these things to have any opinion on it.

It's all about the design. If you sit on the sides you are fine but both lower and upper deck seats in the corners and behind the baselines are a long ways off the court. They built the arena with fixed seating designed around the hockey rink so there is a huge chunk of dead space between the baseline and where the seats start. The Sprint Center design blows the Well out of the water.
 
It's all about the design. If you sit on the sides you are fine but both lower and upper deck seats in the corners and behind the baselines are a long ways off the court. They built the arena with fixed seating designed around the hockey rink so there is a huge chunk of dead space between the baseline and where the seats start. The Sprint Center design blows the Well out of the water.

I agree the Sprint Ctr blows WF away in many ways (especially the concourse area). I disagree the sight-lines are any better from similar placed seats in each.
 
It's all about the design. If you sit on the sides you are fine but both lower and upper deck seats in the corners and behind the baselines are a long ways off the court. They built the arena with fixed seating designed around the hockey rink so there is a huge chunk of dead space between the baseline and where the seats start. The Sprint Center design blows the Well out of the water.
The arc of the dead space is up higher at Sprint and they bring in bleachers for that arc area while still being able to host a small contingent of band members. At the Well its just a gigantic area.
 
  • Winner
Reactions: BillBrasky4Cy
Wells Fargo Arena is one of the smallest venues the NCAA tournament has had in the rotation... They aren't coming in here because of the arena. I don't get why people get so bent out of shape when it is pointed out that there are a lot of really crappy seats/views in WF arena.
I challenge you to go look at attendance numbers from last year's tourny for first and second round and tell me that WF being one of the smallest matters. I worked the tourny last year and was right down with the teams and coaches. I heard MULTIPLE TIMES from coaches how des moines was one of the tournament locations and best experiences they have had. They raved about the ease of traffic and location and also the ease of the arena and getting to and from the floor from the locker rooms and training rooms. I will argue this all day because ive seen it and heard it from coaches and teams in person.
 
Can someone explain what makes it not a great bball venue (other than not having 15k fans on the same team at the game?) I'm not disagreeing - I don't know enough about these things to have any opinion on it.

Both of these venues can host hockey....

635940139345190317-Indiana4.jpg


2315abb2-66e6-4087-a776-05be1ba092fe-Sprint-Center-Big-12-1280x640.jpg
 
I challenge you to go look at attendance numbers from last year's tourny for first and second round and tell me that WF being one of the smallest matters. I worked the tourny last year and was right down with the teams and coaches. I heard MULTIPLE TIMES from coaches how des moines was one of the tournament locations and best experiences they have had. They raved about the ease of traffic and location and also the ease of the arena and getting to and from the floor from the locker rooms and training rooms. I will argue this all day because ive seen it and heard it from coaches and teams in person.

Jesus, none of that has anything to do with Well's Fargo Arena being a sucky b-ball venue...
 
The arc of the dead space is up higher at Sprint and they bring in bleachers for that arc area while still being able to host a small contingent of band members. At the Well its just a gigantic area.

Sprint Center has a steep pitch so the upper deck still feels like it's close to the court. I've sat in the upper deck behind the basket in both arenas and the viewing experiences aren't even comparable.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: Urbandale2013

Help Support Us

Become a patron