Question - Does anyone really care about Jersey Mike's being our sponsor except our athletic department? It's really not that much money that we would be getting rid of if they aren't our sponsor.
RAC renovation
- Thread starter RU72
- Start date
I personally don’t. Speculating that a renovation was being planned regardless and it’s a throwaway clause for RU. If it doesn’t happen work with JM or work on another sponsor if JM walks. My guess renovation was always being planned
Wouldn’t be surprised if Hobbs wanted it in the deal, not Jersey Mikes, as a way to apply pressure if needed to get funding from private or state sources.
I don't see this being done anytime soon, it is behind the football upgrades, which are not close to being started or paid for. This could leak all the way out to 2027, for all we know.
I can’t imagine Jersey mikes wants to give up a whole season either. They are paying for the naming rights and Rutgers Basketball has been on an upwards trajectory since they signed that deal. Why would they want to have the building be empty for a year and lose out on the publicity they get every time to there is a game played there.
FWIW, the current RU $550 per seat gift premium is $50 more than Michigan St. charges for their center court seats. And, last time I checked they do have a slightly better history as a program.
That’s why Rutgers needs premium club seating where they can get corporate dollars. That’s where the big money is.
I thought there was state bond money earmarked for the RAC that must be used. Am I misremembering that?
Everyone is okay with upgrading the RAC. Many of us are worried about changes possibly hurting what makes it the RAC. The idea of playing an entire season with no home games is very unsettling. Start work mid March of whatever season and do whatever it takes to be finished by January. Play the non conference on the road if needed, and/or around Jersey/NYC. But you cannot give up a full year of HOME games unless there is no other option.
I would mind it less if it was put off for at least two years
We are on the verge of bringing in three 5 star basketball players who have been sold on playing at the RAC
This is a place and a point in time that we cannot let pass by
we may never have this setup again
Do it in the offseason
Start the day after the season, ask the B1G for help scheduling conference opponents next year to later in the year if possible (if things look meh during Central CT state, who cares)
It's not difficult. More costly, yes. But it can, and needs to be done, this way. End of story
Start the day after the season, ask the B1G for help scheduling conference opponents next year to later in the year if possible (if things look meh during Central CT state, who cares)
It's not difficult. More costly, yes. But it can, and needs to be done, this way. End of story
Yes, $100M for basketball arena upgrades and indoor football facility. Very good start
I thought it said most of the money ($75 million) goes to the RAC.
Yeah I mean I've even seen complaints on here about letting football recruits go to basketball games and sit in the student section. Literally every big-time school in the country does that. Just like those schools renovate or replace archaic arenas/stadiums and play elsewhere while it's being done if necessary. This is routine for schools that want to compete in big-time athletics.
Are you expecting recruiting to fall off after 2024?
I would imagine HC Pike has us in contention for elite recruits every year going forward.
Just rip the band Aid off and get it down now.
Then use a renovated RAC to entice future recruits.
And most have generic arenas while Rutgers, a team that hadn’t been to the tournament in thirty years in a few short years has built one of the best home court advantages in the country. Many of those same teams, OSU, PSU, long for their old home court arenas and what they lost.
So then never renovate at all?
HCA in college basketball isn't nearly as valuable as other sports.
Entire playoffs (conference tournament and NCAA tournament) are away from home.
We could go undefeated and the RAC advantage is zero in the playoffs.
A great HCA could be viewed as a crutch (see our prior seasons and great home/terrible away).
Elite teams (which we are just about at now) need to win on their own merit at all locations and not rely on HCA.
Luckily, this years team has proven they don't "need" HCA as much with our road wins.
I would hope this is the case going forward.
There is not a single coach in the history of college basketball that would view a good HCA as a “crutch.” That’s why you see them jumping up and down and waving at the crowds like lunatics to get everyone amped.
I think recruiting is going to continue to be solid but if Dylan Harper commits we’ll have 2 of the top 10 kids in the 2024 class and Dellquan Warren who is ranked 91st. It’s hard to imagine we pull that level of recruiting off consistently. It’s not going to be every year that one of the top 10 players in the country has a brother that played here. Things are potentially lining up for Rutgers in 2024 in a way that just doesn't happen very often.
Of course you renovate.
But what you DON’T do is build a new pro style arena that’s cavernous, like OSU and PSU did.
And while renovating, you try like hell to make the structural changes that DON’T negatively impact the noise level.
We have a unique home court advantage, and the renovations need to be done in a way that maintains or enhances that.
This.
...And furthermore the 2024 class is lining up to be the hard evidence of what we all know we can become with extremely high level recruits. Beyond the 24-25 season itself, the potential success then will be leveraged to continue to be able to recruit at that level and continue to receive extremely high level of booster support.
Possible the support is high enough to totally avoid having to play away from RAC (by being able to finance the more expensive construction approach).
The upward trajectory is not done with this class we will be flying up the hockey stick though.
Without the RAC all that momentum is in jeopardy.
Exactly, and once that class signs and plays here, then you have something more to sell future recruits. If we announce a season away from the RAC and it costs us any of the 2024 players, that's a HUGE impact that could ripple for years.
Then you will never get anywhere. Modern architectural firms would NEVER develop a new arena resembling the RAC, there is a defined industry grade for arena construction.
The modern template for arena construction will absolutely be used whether we like it or not. The forum will ***** and moan for a while but Hobbs, Jersey Mikes, state leaders, etc will be thinking much bigger and will want to offer a semi-pro level experience for fans, donors, and corporate sponsors. This is so much bigger than “we want a loud arena plz”.
They are also thinking 10, 20, 30 years down the line. High level leaders aren’t going to delay a project of this magnitude because a couple highly ranked players verbally committed to the program.
Of course I want the RAC to stay (with improvements) and not losing a home season but you also have to be real here. The decision makers aren’t rivals forum members.
Really? Okay, PROVE IT TO ME!!! Actually, prove to ALL OF US, that "literally every big time school in the country" uses 250+ seats for football recruits, in the lower level of their student section, multiple times per hoops season.
We'll all be waiting (88th moniker???)!!!!
Who said anything about a new arena?
We’re NOT building a new arena. We’re renovating the RAC, and it should not be too difficult architecturally to build the amenities (larger concourse, larger lobby) and add 1,500 seats without losing the essence of RACness.
You really trust RU? 118 half empty half the time. Airport Bar. Duke doesn’t miss with Cameron, Kansas doesn’t mess with Phog, Butler doesn’t mess with the Hinkle.
Minnesota not messing with the Barn? You’re going have an open air concourse where the press boxes are and it’s not going to effect ambiance or sound? Call me very skeptical. Tearing down the Brick Press Box under 118 isn’t going to effect sound? Call me more skeptical. Trust RU to do the wrong thing.
Making all this money from the B1G and going to change the one cool and unique thing we have. NW fans didn’t like their renovations. SMH.
Not much money? since when can RU turn down almost $2 million a year? Oh yeah, it's gonna be made up by our giving donors.
Silly post.
Are you saying it violates building codes or something? Because otherwise I imagine they’d design whatever the hell we pay them to.
Of course.
Their is a different between elite team with a great HCA and elite team because of a great HCA.
Prior years we were more of a good team because of a great HCA.
Not so much anymore.
We beat the #1 team in the conference on the road and it wasn't exactly a huge upset.
We don't need the RAC to win big games. Of course it helps but it's not necessary anymore.
Do people really think if we are displaced for a year we all of sudden only win 10 games?
Or a renovated RAC afterwards and we can't win at home anymore?
We're not that team anymore.
Ohio State's arena is my nightmare. What a soulless place, especially when they have St. John's Arena sitting right on campus.
Give me this:
Over This:
Any day of the week.
I have often been told that yes, the RAC does in fact violate modern building codes. Too steep.
The RAC isn’t actually worth that much in terms of points. It’s worth a lot for the experience.
Some of those boosters may want some luxury boxes so they can entertain their clients in a first class environment, and don’t care much about losing a year at the RAC.
Same fans who so take away from the atmosphere like the often half empty 118. Penny wise, pound foolish.
Respectfully disagree about doing it now as opposed to doing it nearer the Jersey Mikes 2027 deadline
If you think we will always be in contention, and land five star players, I will disagree with you
You don't take chances with this current group of players and you don't screw it up
I do believe Pike can keep future four star players interested in us, but that is not the issue. Lock up these three we are close to getting
I wish we had started the RAC renovation/replacement job this year. There has been little to no home court advantage since the team can't score and most fans understandably get bored by halftime.
When the renovations do start, I hope we will build extra comfortable seats reserved for football recruits at the bottom of the student section. We need to catch up with the other B1G schools that take care of their future athletes.
When the renovations do start, I hope we will build extra comfortable seats reserved for football recruits at the bottom of the student section. We need to catch up with the other B1G schools that take care of their future athletes.
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I hope you are banned from the updated RAC just like you've been banned 100+ times from this board lol