MBB vs William Peace, Monday 6:30

[bigdaddyg]

Just curious. What is the absolute seating capacity in Holmes? Other than the UNC and maybe the Davidson games mentioned has it ever been half full for a game? Would we have been better served to build more of a field house type facility with maybe 5,000 seats? I really don’t have any idea what the thought process was but even if we had a great program wouldn’t we still struggle to fill seats during the week? On average how many fans attend games during the week after traveling over 50 miles away? I don’t get the lack of students. Seems like back in the mid 80’s Varsity always had a big crowd no matter what. Like someone mentioned it was an easy walk from the BI after a delicious pregame meal (lol) but Holmes isn’t that much of a haul from campus dorms. Hate seeing the students behind the basket. Put them on the sides for crying out loud. At least on one side.

[AppOrange]

All I got on this one is "you want a piece, go to Saint, you want a Saint, go to Peace". I guess these are the Saints.

As a follow up, that was when both Saint Mary's and Peace were both women's colleges. Now Saint Mary's is a girls private High School so you don't hear this much anymore . . .

[ArmantiWaterSafety]

According to ESPN, 9,313. We'd definitely still struggle to fill it even if we were amazing, but such is the price we pay for playing a multi-use facility.

I don't remember when they changed the student seats to behind the basket as I know they were on the side when I went there 09-14, but House United said something on Twitter that made sense that was essentially the student seats are already paid for, might as well sell the best seats to those who will be buying them.

The fans are coming back, albeit slowly. We've been terrible for years and everyone lost interest. Winning the Sunbelt last year obviously helped and students are starting to come back to the games. Last nights game against a D3 opponent on a Monday at 6:30pm is about the worst scenario for attendance you can have, and the 1400 that were there would have been considered a stellar turnout for at least the last 9 years.

[appgrouch]

Definitely is a sad excuse. But I believe that it is a real factor. Weeknight games at a football university with mediocre teams is only going to draw attendance by hardcore basketball fans. Fortunately if you're walking right past the entrance way to the basketball arena and you pop in there for a little while and or meet there with friends and have dinner together that possibly creates more fans and a habit of activity. Holmes is a great venue but I think a little bit of old school basketball comradery was lost when games were moved out of varsity.

It’s more that our athletic department has not done a good job selling Appalachian basketball to students and locals in decades. It’s football football FOOTBALL. It’s going to take a grass roots campaign to build interest.

Regarding varsity vs Holmes, you could say the opposite - that only hardcore locals would drive through campus and stop on a whim. Create a product people “can’t miss” and they’ll come.

That's a fair point. Although if varsity had been renovated parking in the parking garage and walking across The skywalk directly over is pretty easy access. The life of me I don't understand why varsity gym is so underutilized. Using the building only for wrestling and also storage seems like a waste. Seems like the upstairs area could be divided into a cool dedicated home court for volleyball and the dedicated wrestling.

Except the 6-8 hours a day that it is used for classes. And the daily use for track practice. And the use by club sports. And the use by ROTC. And the use by Theater and Dance.

No Varsity is not used at all.

[ASU3432Mi]

What's the word on Almonacy?

[appgrad2010]

Definitely not enough room in the upstairs for a volleyball home court? Not sure what area of it you think would fit those dimensions and all.

Interest existed from 2007-2010 and unfortunately the replacement to follow with a successful group of young men returning dropped App MBB into a 10 year funk!

[APPdiesel]

Definitely is a sad excuse. But I believe that it is a real factor. Weeknight games at a football university with mediocre teams is only going to draw attendance by hardcore basketball fans. Fortunately if you're walking right past the entrance way to the basketball arena and you pop in there for a little while and or meet there with friends and have dinner together that possibly creates more fans and a habit of activity. Holmes is a great venue but I think a little bit of old school basketball comradery was lost when games were moved out of varsity.

It’s more that our athletic department has not done a good job selling Appalachian basketball to students and locals in decades. It’s football football FOOTBALL. It’s going to take a grass roots campaign to build interest.

Regarding varsity vs Holmes, you could say the opposite - that only hardcore locals would drive through campus and stop on a whim. Create a product people “can’t miss” and they’ll come.

That's a fair point. Although if varsity had been renovated parking in the parking garage and walking across The skywalk directly over is pretty easy access. The life of me I don't understand why varsity gym is so underutilized. Using the building only for wrestling and also storage seems like a waste. Seems like the upstairs area could be divided into a cool dedicated home court for volleyball and the dedicated wrestling.

As Premium as land is on campus I’m surprised it hasn’t been demolished and repurposed. It would obviously be a shame but progress is what it is.

[appgrouch]

Definitely is a sad excuse. But I believe that it is a real factor. Weeknight games at a football university with mediocre teams is only going to draw attendance by hardcore basketball fans. Fortunately if you're walking right past the entrance way to the basketball arena and you pop in there for a little while and or meet there with friends and have dinner together that possibly creates more fans and a habit of activity. Holmes is a great venue but I think a little bit of old school basketball comradery was lost when games were moved out of varsity.

It’s more that our athletic department has not done a good job selling Appalachian basketball to students and locals in decades. It’s football football FOOTBALL. It’s going to take a grass roots campaign to build interest.

Regarding varsity vs Holmes, you could say the opposite - that only hardcore locals would drive through campus and stop on a whim. Create a product people “can’t miss” and they’ll come.

That's a fair point. Although if varsity had been renovated parking in the parking garage and walking across The skywalk directly over is pretty easy access. The life of me I don't understand why varsity gym is so underutilized. Using the building only for wrestling and also storage seems like a waste. Seems like the upstairs area could be divided into a cool dedicated home court for volleyball and the dedicated wrestling.

As Premium as land is on campus I’m surprised it hasn’t been demolished and repurposed. It would obviously be a shame but progress is what it is.

It can't be due to the flooding issues. If it was torn down, you might get a building half that size.

[huskie3]

Y’all either don’t know or keep forgetting the campus attitude at the time, Holmes was never built for basketball- bb was an afterthought. How long did it take to move bb offices there?

[appgrad2010]

Holmes was given funding to be a convocation center, which is multi-purpose hence why health, leisure, exercise science classrooms and offices surround the side closest to the park and campus. Fairly certain as soon as it opened, coaches office for MBB and WBB were moved as they have a space at the entrance closest to the back parking lot and small parking lot. On the other side of that hallway is for ticket office and those who operate the Holmes CC.

[appgrouch]

Y’all either don’t know or keep forgetting the campus attitude at the time, Holmes was never built for basketball- bb was an afterthought. How long did it take to move bb offices there?

As soon as they were ready. In December of the same year as the first game.
The class space was opened after the BBall offices were moved. Volleyball didn't move over at first.

[APPdiesel]

It can't be due to the flooding issues. If it was torn down, you might get a building half that size.

Is it a flood plain? Yes. But have you ever seen how they build houses at the beach?

[appgrouch]

It can't be due to the flooding issues. If it was torn down, you might get a building half that size.

Is it a flood plain? Yes. But have you ever seen how they build houses at the beach?

There are about 4-5 sump pumps that run constantly to keep water out of the building.
Floods at least once a year.
Public Building vs Private Building.
Also they would do more "daylighting" of the creek, which would shrink the possible footprint even more.

[HighlandsApp]

I wonder if Varsity is full of asbestos and that's why no renovation? Asbestos abatement isn't that expensive. I think that golf also uses the building and has simulator in bowls???

[APPdiesel]

Well then tear it down and make it green space / flood plain

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I wonder if Varsity is full of asbestos and that's why no renovation? Asbestos abatement isn't that expensive. I think that golf also uses the building and has simulator in bowls???

I thought the ceiling was asbestos covered.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Peace must not think highly of us as they counted our game as an exhibition. There one lose is to Washington and Lee.

[appgrouch]

I wonder if Varsity is full of asbestos and that's why no renovation? Asbestos abatement isn't that expensive. I think that golf also uses the building and has simulator in bowls???

I thought the ceiling was asbestos covered.

The main gym ceiling was asbestos but that was redone in the 90's?
There is still some in some tiles in the old navel space but as long as it is in one piece it is not an issue.

Golf does have some rooms in the old racquet ball courts. They were down because of flooding for about 18 months before Covid,

[beav910]

Just curious. What is the absolute seating capacity in Holmes? Other than the UNC and maybe the Davidson games mentioned has it ever been half full for a game? Would we have been better served to build more of a field house type facility with maybe 5,000 seats? I really don’t have any idea what the thought process was but even if we had a great program wouldn’t we still struggle to fill seats during the week? On average how many fans attend games during the week after traveling over 50 miles away? I don’t get the lack of students. Seems like back in the mid 80’s Varsity always had a big crowd no matter what. Like someone mentioned it was an easy walk from the BI after a delicious pregame meal (lol) but Holmes isn’t that much of a haul from campus dorms. Hate seeing the students behind the basket. Put them on the sides for crying out loud. At least on one side.

Definitely agree with this sentiment. A 3000 seat field house would be much better. I understand the school needed an event center but 2 sellouts in all its life is rough.