Facilities and Arena discussion

[EXpatriot13]

Saving the Giving Day thread from my complaints...

I find it shocking that the Giving page lists "Basketball Facility Renovation Fund" on it.

How can they solicit donations for a project nobody knows about? It's been 6 years since any public mention of it. Rumor is that funding is already in place for this. If it's not, how short are they? What is the timetable to get it done once funding is in place? In general, what the hell does this project entail?

This is such common sense stuff. They wonder why athletics donations are lackluster across the board....they provide little detail, never communicate anything, and just cause unnecessary confusion. Marvin Lewis has so much work to do, hope he's up for the task.

 

[HoopsAdmin]

A valid point - an update is needed and deserved.

 

[MasonFanatic]

I really can't disagree with any of this, but the generic "Basketball Facility Renovation Fund" category has been used on and off for years, and I take it to be a more generic category than just the practice facility.

I really hope Marvin Lewis can hit us with some concrete facilities plans .and milestones once he officially gets started on July 1.

 

[mkaufman1]

Responding to the above and pretty much anyone else who is wondering the same thing.

I have asked the same question, but the plans are still in the works. I suspect they won't be formalized until Marvin Lewis comes in and looks at them as well.

I wish I had a better answer (and I'm sure the folks we interact with in the AD wish they had a better answer).

 

[EXpatriot13]

I really can't disagree with any of this, but the generic "Basketball Facility Renovation Fund" category has been used on and off for years, and I take it to be a more generic category than just the practice facility.

I really hope Marvin Lewis can hit us with some concrete facilities plans .and milestones once he officially gets started on July 1.

It shouldn’t be up for interpretation! You’re asking people to give their hard earned money. Why would someone give to a “Basketball Facility Renovation Fund” that may or may not be actually tied to anything basketball facility related? Do we not realize how insanely incompetent that is?!

I pray Marvin Lewis sees things like this and cleans it up, because it’s remarkable that the people who are in the AD now allow things like this to be out there.

 

[bravesfan]

It shouldn’t be up for interpretation! You’re asking people to give their hard earned money. Why would someone give to a “Basketball Facility Renovation Fund” that may or may not be actually tied to anything basketball facility related? Do we not realize how insanely incompetent that is?!

I pray Marvin Lewis sees things like this and cleans it up, because it’s remarkable that the people who are in the AD now allow things like this to be out there.

And they still don't ask for t-shirt sizes.

I want one that says, "I donated to the Basketball Facility Renovation Fund and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"

 

[MasonSAE4]

It shouldn’t be up for interpretation! You’re asking people to give their hard earned money. Why would someone give to a “Basketball Facility Renovation Fund” that may or may not be actually tied to anything basketball facility related? Do we not realize how insanely incompetent that is?!

I pray Marvin Lewis sees things like this and cleans it up, because it’s remarkable that the people who are in the AD now allow things like this to be out there.

Exactly. I'm not donating to an infrastructure project absent any sort of renderings, timelines, or specifics. A few half a** pictures from seven years ago doesn't do it. Have to assume things change in that time frame.

 

[GMUSSTN]

I feel like priority #1 should be donating to things we can use to make the team better. Winning cures all...put a winner on the court and it'll be easier to rake in the scratch to improve facilities. I remember what the Patriot Center felt like in the 2011 season when we went on that huge streak and were top 30...my guess is our fundraising was a lot easier back in that era too.

 

[EXpatriot13]

I feel like priority #1 should be donating to things we can use to make the team better. Winning cures all...put a winner on the court and it'll be easier to rake in the scratch to improve facilities. I remember what the Patriot Center felt like in the 2011 season when we went on that huge streak and were top 30...my guess is our fundraising was a lot easier back in that era too.

I wish someone in the AD would recognize the need to be more descriptive on Giving Day comms and websites so people feel encouraged to donate and have a general sense of what their money is going towards. Not just a blanket “It’s Giving Day! Time to donate your money to support athletics!”

It could be as generic as “Donating to Friends of Men’s Basketball allows us to support the team in areas of need that we’re focusing on such as recruiting, travel, tech upgrades, coaching tools, etc.”.

A lot of us here have been around the program for years and understand how it works, but I’m sure there are many recent alumni/gen pop who don’t know and are hesitant to give their money.

It’s already hard to solicit donations, they shouldn’t be making it harder. There’s a “we’ve always done it this way, hope it works” attitude in the AD, instead of “we did XYZ last year and these are the learnings, let’s optimize and implement ABC this year to exceed our goals”.

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

link - whether or not the Yankees would sue us for creatively borrowing "their thing" is an open question.

1. Jim Larranaga
2. George Evans
3. Kenny Sanders
4. Carlos Yates
5. The 2006 Team
6. Andre Smith's 3 point record
7. Alan Merten
8. Mike Morrison
9. Doc and the Green Machine
10. Natalie Butler


Some may agree or disagree. Those would be my innaugural 10 with room for future greats.
It's the concept of an outdoor thing/honoring our Mason greats outdoors near the arena with plaque monuments.

I'm hopeful one of the more eloquent posters with connections like Mr. Met maybe can float this idea to some of the heavy hitters or to Athletics.

 

[FreeGunston12]

link - whether or not the Yankees would sue us for creatively borrowing "their thing" is an open question.

1. Jim Larranaga
2. George Evans
3. Kenny Sanders
4. Carlos Yates
5. The 2006 Team
6. Andre Smith's 3 point record
7. Alan Merten
8. Mike Morrison
9. Doc and the Green Machine
10. Natalie Butler


Some may agree or disagree. Those would be my innaugural 10 with room for future greats.
It's the concept of an outdoor thing/honoring our Mason greats outdoors near the arena with plaque monuments.

I'm hopeful one of the more eloquent posters with connections like Mr. Met maybe can float this idea to some of the heavy hitters or to Athletics.

Morrison, but no Pearson? Morrison was a fan favorite for sure, but Pearson was a conference player of the year.

 

[GMU79]

Morrison, but no Pearson? Morrison was a fan favorite for sure, but Pearson was a conference player of the year.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

Mike Morrison gave us the signature moment of the dunk on Villanova. That is our most impressive POST 2006 moment to date for the Men's team.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[mkaufman1]

Mike Morrison gave us the signature moment of the dunk on Villanova. That is our most impressive POST 2006 moment to date for the Men's team.

I get that, but a hall of fame should be celebrating careers and not just moments. Pearson has to get the nod ahead of Morrison at this juncture because of his stats and overall ability.

That said if we are celebrating moments as well, thats probably a whole other top 10 list (Sherrod Wright's buzzer beaters, Luke's 3, Dre Smith's 10/10, Tony's 3 against Wichita State).

Many of the moments I mentioned are in that top 50 plays of the decade youtube that Mason athletics put out a few years ago.

 

[EXpatriot13]

100% agree that we need some sort of established hall of fame/area that celebrates our best players and moments. This could make sense in the new basketball facility (if it ever gets built), as I’ve seen a lot of schools who showcase their history by dedicating an area within their facility.

Don’t see them ever doing something permanent at EBA because of the constant debate around what the long term plan is for the arena.

 

[GMUgemini]

If you’re going to include a women’s player in the first class Mason’s most successful women’s player is probably Jennifer Derevjanik who played all four years for Mason, had over 1,600 points and 475 assists. She led Mason to two NITs (2001 and 2004) and played 5 seasons in the WNBA.

But yes. A hall of fame/tradition and a team store (with authentic Adidas gear) would be nice.

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

100% agree that we need some sort of established hall of fame/area that celebrates our best players and moments. This could make sense in the new basketball facility (if it ever gets built), as I’ve seen a lot of schools who showcase their history by dedicating an area within their facility.

Don’t see them ever doing something permanent at EBA because of the constant debate around what the long term plan is for the arena.

I don't think a new arena is in the cards financially.

Directory of college arena projects

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

(i know that link is slightly dated but it gives ranges/ballpark figures)

vcu spent 25 million on a practice facility. We did some cosmetic patchwork job of the RAC/volleyball gym. Their administration wants to win big. Does ours?

People kevetch on here how Mason is cheap and how Mason plays it safe and yet people want a balls to the wall sexy new bold arena? it's not going to happen. They weren't willing to compete with Providence to keep Kim here.

 

[EXpatriot13]

I don't think a new arena is in the cards financially.

Directory of college arena projects

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

(i know that link is slightly dated but it gives ranges/ballpark figures)

vcu spent 25 million on a practice facility. We did some cosmetic patchwork job of the RAC/volleyball gym. Their administration wants to win big. Does ours?

People kevetch on here how Mason is cheap and how Mason plays it safe and yet people want a balls to the wall sexy new bold arena? it's not going to happen. They weren't willing to compete with Providence to keep Kim here.

We’re supposedly finalizing a plan to build a basketball facility that will immediately put us on par with vcu in that regard, it’s just a matter of “when” at this point. We’re all frustrated that it’s taken as long as it has.

I never said Mason was going to build a new arena? Just that they’ll never build some permanent hall of fame situation there. They will do the bare minimum with EBA until someone has the balls to do a full reno or rebuild (not in our lifetime).

 

[gmujim92]

I don't think a new arena is in the cards financially.

Directory of college arena projects

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

(i know that link is slightly dated but it gives ranges/ballpark figures)

vcu spent 25 million on a practice facility. We did some cosmetic patchwork job of the RAC/volleyball gym. Their administration wants to win big. Does ours?

People kevetch on here how Mason is cheap and how Mason plays it safe and yet people want a balls to the wall sexy new bold arena? it's not going to happen. They weren't willing to compete with Providence to keep Kim here.

This is bullshit. Providence paid KE $4M per. There’s not a single A-10 team with the financial wherewithal to match that offer and frankly I don’t think we should have even if we could afford to — it was an outlandish amount of money for a coach who has proven absolutely nothing.

That situation was not handled well, mostly because of the lack of a permanent AD, but it’s not fair to say because Mason didn’t match a crazy offer it is not committed to the basketball program.

 

[tblack33]

If JMU can build a new basketball arena, Mason can find a way if they really wanted to.