Facilities and Arena discussion

[jessej]

Specific example of a tangible (and should be obtainable) improvement that could be made: Men's Volleyball is playing #3 UC Irvine tonight at 6pm - wouldn't it be awesome to have a viewing area in the hospitality rooms to watch before tip-off, and maybe catch ending at half time?

and if legal, in game highlights or live action shown on big scoreboard

 

[jessej]

seem like our problems aren't as big as others - especially Georgetown

MSN

 

[DRK331]

New center will better support Mason’s student-athletes

Mason Athletics has announced plans to expand the Recreation Athletic Complex on the Fairfax Campus to provide a modernized academic support venue for Mason’s 500 student-athletes and to improve resources for the men’s and women’s basketball programs.

www.gmu.edu

A new article about the Mens and Womens Basketball center just posted yesterday

 

[tblack33]

and if legal, in game highlights or live action shown on big scoreboard

Do it even if illegal. Every other arena I’ve been to besides Mason will play relays of key plays and missed calls to fire up the crowd during dead balls. Not sure why we aren’t doing this.

 

[mkaufman1]

Do it even if illegal. Every other arena I’ve been to besides Mason will play relays of key plays and missed calls to fire up the crowd during dead balls. Not sure why we aren’t doing this.

Have they stopped doing that this season? I know last season they were doing it, although I think I heard that was a request of Kim's.

 

[GMUgemini]

Have they stopped doing that this season? I know last season they were doing it, although I think I heard that was a request of Kim's.

The bigger question is why the coach has to request this feature to be utilized?

 

[mkaufman1]

The bigger question is why the coach has to request this feature to be utilized?

No idea. Is it some A10 rule? Completely guessing.

Maybe its just a Mason being Mason thing, lol

 

[MasonSAE4]

Have they stopped doing that this season? I know last season they were doing it, although I think I heard that was a request of Kim's.

Yeah they stopped. They didn't show the goaltend that was reviewed the other night, despite having a long stoppage in play to do so.

 

[EXpatriot13]

New center will better support Mason’s student-athletes

Mason Athletics has announced plans to expand the Recreation Athletic Complex on the Fairfax Campus to provide a modernized academic support venue for Mason’s 500 student-athletes and to improve resources for the men’s and women’s basketball programs.

www.gmu.edu

A new article about the Mens and Womens Basketball center just posted yesterday

Lol the rendering in that article isn't correct. That's for a completely different project.

Anyways, it's great to see an official announcement go out about the Practice Facility addition (finally). ETA of Summer 2026 kinda sucks but is what it is since Marvin is starting from square one on the fundraising. The quote below makes me believe we have the right guy at the helm of Athletics, he gets it:

“We are 10 years behind and so there is a sense of urgency for me to make sure that [men’s basketball coach] Tony Skinn and [women’s basketball coach] Vanessa Blair-Lewis have the tools and facilities to work in,” Lewis said. “All of those [A10] programs are looking to elevate what they currently have and we are just playing catch-up. It is critical that we get this done quickly.”

 

[Verdad]

No idea. Is it some A10 rule? Completely guessing.

Maybe its just a Mason being Mason thing, lol

Usually, the simplest explanation is the correct explanation

 

[MasonSAE4]

Lol the rendering in that article isn't correct. That's for a completely different project.

Anyways, it's great to see an official announcement go out about the Practice Facility addition (finally). ETA of Summer 2026 kinda sucks but is what it is since Marvin is starting from square one on the fundraising. The quote below makes me believe we have the right guy at the helm of Athletics, he gets it:

“We are 10 years behind and so there is a sense of urgency for me to make sure that [men’s basketball coach] Tony Skinn and [women’s basketball coach] Vanessa Blair-Lewis have the tools and facilities to work in,” Lewis said. “All of those [A10] programs are looking to elevate what they currently have and we are just playing catch-up. It is critical that we get this done quickly.”

"Summer 2026"

 

[mkaufman1]

Lol the rendering in that article isn't correct. That's for a completely different project.

Anyways, it's great to see an official announcement go out about the Practice Facility addition (finally). ETA of Summer 2026 kinda sucks but is what it is since Marvin is starting from square one on the fundraising. The quote below makes me believe we have the right guy at the helm of Athletics, he gets it:

“We are 20 years behind and so there is a sense of urgency for me to make sure that [men’s basketball coach] Tony Skinn and [women’s basketball coach] Vanessa Blair-Lewis have the tools and facilities to work in,” Lewis said. “All of those [A10] programs are looking to elevate what they currently have and we are just playing catch-up. It is critical that we get this done quickly.”

FTFY

Jokes aside- if ETA is Summer 2026 and within the next few months we see a website dedicated to the project with updates and things of that nature, that would be awesome. It is something we've asked for, for years. Hopefully that is something that will be done.

"Summer 2036"

FTFY

 

[undertherock]

seem like our problems aren't as big as others - especially Georgetown

Speaking of Georgetown, does anyone know why we never play them in the OOC schedule considering how close we are in proximity?

 

[ProfessorCFK]

Speaking of Georgetown, does anyone know why we never play them in the OOC schedule considering how close we are in proximity?

They are afraid to lose.

 

[mkaufman1]

Speaking of Georgetown, does anyone know why we never play them in the OOC schedule considering how close we are in proximity?

They are afraid to lose.

Yes they are afraid to lose.

But in reality, and we have discussed this a bunch, they feel they don't have anything to gain from playing Mason or GW. They would rather schedule a low major who is less of a threat to them (American, UMES, etc). Granted they suck but they see programs like GW and Mason as a risk to them.

They barely play Maryland although that has happened a few times.

 

[Pablo]

Interestingly, In the only meeting of the programs, Georgetown won at Mason in the Patriot Center's inaugural season (1985-86). Mason finished the season 20-12, and played in the NIT.

 

[Verdad]

Speaking of Georgetown, does anyone know why we never play them in the OOC schedule considering how close we are in proximity?

They play local teams, just not any that are above #200 or so:

2023: AU/Mt St Mary/Coppin St
2022: Coppin St (won in OT) / Loyola Marymount (loss) / AU (loss) / UMBC
2021: AU/Longwood/ UMBC / Howard
2020: Navy (loss), Coppin St
2019: Mount St Mary / UMBC / AU
2018: UMES / Richmond (actually did a home and home ) / Liberty / Howard

I remember they played ODU few years ago and lost at McDonaugh. They clearly have their go to's for what they hope are easy home wins, but they schedule other mid atlantic teams that are similar to what we have been post 2011, so I don't see any reason why they wouldn't schedule us and I would hope we would be willing to go there for a buy game.

I believe they have a decades old beef with Maryland about someone owing the other a return game.

 

[gmubrian]

They are afraid to lose.

They should be really used to it by now.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I still dream of the day when we host a pre-Thanksgiving tournament (The DMV Classic) at EBA which includes Maryland, Georgetown, and UVA. I know it will never happen but hey, I'm dreaming here. We may need to start off with American, Howard, and Towson for the local flavor. I didn't include GW or vcu because we play them in conference.

 

[mkaufman1]

I still dream of the day when we host a pre-Thanksgiving tournament (The DMV Classic) at EBA which includes Maryland, Georgetown, and UVA. I know it will never happen but hey, I'm dreaming here. We may need to start off with American, Howard, and Towson for the local flavor. I didn't include GW or vcu because we play them in conference.

I’m with you. For now we settle for the blind sisters of the Chesapeake invitational.