Sitting courtside at Allstate Arena

[lou v]

I'm on the baseline for DePaul v. Northwestern, sitting next to the estimable Larry Watts. I haven't been in this building in more than 20 years. I don't think we're going to have much of a crowd today -- but DePaul never draws many fans. JVZ is still wearing the boot today. I saw Vic Law shooting one-handed three-pointers in warmups. Doug Collins, of course, is courtside.

We'll see how NU does today, coming off of three straight laughers.

 

[lou v]

I'm on the baseline for DePaul v. Northwestern, sitting next to the estimable Larry Watts. I haven't been in this building in more than 20 years. I don't think we're going to have much of a crowd today -- but DePaul never draws many fans. JVZ is still wearing the boot today. I saw Vic Law shooting one-handed three-pointers in warmups. Doug Collins, of course, is courtside.

We'll see how NU does today, coming off of three straight laughers.

Forgot to mention that former NU president Henry Bienen is sitting in the front row, too.

 

[lou v]

I'm on the baseline for DePaul v. Northwestern, sitting next to the estimable Larry Watts. I haven't been in this building in more than 20 years. I don't think we're going to have much of a crowd today -- but DePaul never draws many fans. JVZ is still wearing the boot today. I saw Vic Law shooting one-handed three-pointers in warmups. Doug Collins, of course, is courtside.

We'll see how NU does today, coming off of three straight laughers.

I lied -- I have been to Allstate several times over the last couple decades, just not for basketball. I've been to concerts, a circus or two and a couple Chicago Wolves games.

 

[NJCat83588]

Forgot to mention that former NU president Henry Bienen is sitting in the front row, too.

No Spike Lee or Jason Day?

 

[lou v]

No Spike Lee or Jason Day?

Nope. Not even a Drake sighting.

 

[NURoseBowl]

I've only been there a few times myself, Lou. As I recall, the sightlines aren't very good from a lot of the seats (not that it'd be a problem where you're sitting). Bring home a winner.

 

[mikewebb68]

Does anyone know the history as to why DePaul plays in the Rosemont Horizon? As pointed out on the broadcast today, it is slightly closer to Northwestern's campus than DePaul's....

 

[Jeffrey Cat]

Does anyone know the history as to why DePaul plays in the Rosemont Horizon? As pointed out on the broadcast today, it is slightly closer to Northwestern's campus than DePaul's....

Mike, DePaul moved to the Horizon or Allstate Center about 25 years ago or maybe longer. They always played on campus in Alumni Hall, which held about 6,000 and was a great place to watch a game. At the time, the glory years for the Blue Demons they were selling out every game on campus and needed more seats and the Horizon was the best alternative.
I believe the university decided shortly thereafter, with space problems on campus to demolish Alumni Hall and build a new classroom building at the site. At the the same time they built the student union and activities center on the east side of Sheffield adjoining the L tracks. The basketball facility there holds about 3,000 and is used for the women's team and men's practices. Over the years the university has acquired more ground and has built a number of other buildings, but still has space problems, but so does NU.
Next year DePaul moves to their new facility down by McCormick Place which will be a great improvement. This is in all probability the last time the two teams will play at the Horizon or AllState center as they call it now.

 

[Medill90]

Mike, DePaul moved to the Horizon or Allstate Center about 25 years ago or maybe longer.

Your correct, Jeffrey, on the reasons for the move. I'd add that Rosemont sold DePaul very hard and made a lot of promises that weren't kept, like having a paved parking lot.

But it was more 35 years ago. Aguirre played his freshman year on campus and then played at the Horizon his sophomore year (79-80) on.

 

[Catreporter]

Your correct, Jeffrey, on the reasons for the move. I'd add that Rosemont sold DePaul very hard and made a lot of promises that weren't kept, like having a paved parking lot.

But it was more 35 years ago. Aguirre played his freshman year on campus and then played at the Horizon his sophomore year (79-80) on.

I believe they were required by the league they joined around that time in to move into a larger arena, plus their success was generating large crowds at that time. They were the big game in town for a while (pre-Jordan era for the Bulls) with games on WGN Superstation and a lovable old coach.. All that ran its course, Ray retired, Joey succeeded for awhile, then got undermined by Bill Bradshaw, and the team got really bad, driving away the big crowds. .

 

[its_the_sauce]

Stunning how far interest has fallen. I was at the NU/DePaul NIT game in 83. Not an empty seat in the house.

Chicago should be a hot bed for college basketball. I don't get how Loyola and UIC can be so irrelevant for so long (not that we really have a right to say anything)

 

[Catreporter]

Stunning how far interest has fallen. I was at the NU/DePaul NIT game in 83. Not an empty seat in the house.

Chicago should be a hot bed for college basketball. I don't get how Loyola and UIC can be so irrelevant for so long (not that we really have a right to say anything)

And this is why a lot of the better players are leaving. Even the Illini can't get the top guys. Hopefully, if we can get the NCAA-never monkey off our back and DePaul thrives in their new arena, we can get college basketball back to prominence in Chicago. I like the idea of an Illini-NU sponsored doubleheader at the United Center. With the Bulls firmly established, it's probably never going to be like it was in the days of the Chicago Stadium doubleheaders (where NU once beat Jerry West and West Virginia and Wes Unseld and Louisville) or even like it was for DePaul in the late 70s and early 80s, but with the base of talent in this city, college basketball certainly can carve out a bigger niche here.

 

[its_the_sauce]

And this is why a lot of the better players are leaving. Even the Illini can't get the top guys. Hopefully, if we can get the NCAA-never monkey off our back and DePaul thrives in their new arena, we can get college basketball back to prominence in Chicago. I like the idea of an Illini-NU sponsored doubleheader at the United Center. With the Bulls firmly established, it's probably never going to be like it was in the days of the Chicago Stadium doubleheaders (where NU once beat Jerry West and West Virginia and Wes Unseld and Louisville) or even like it was for DePaul in the late 70s and early 80s, but with the base of talent in this city, college basketball certainly can carve out a bigger niche here.

The Illini's refusal to schedule DePaul has always been a head scratcher to me. That would do a lot more to increase their visability in Chicago (one of their apparent goals) than a coach's caravan stop at a bar in Evanston. An Illini/DePaul rivalry would have a lot of parallels to the existing Wisconsin/Marquette rivalry up north. That rivalry has been a boon to both those schools over the last 10-15 years.

Anything that increases Chicago interest in college basketball is a major plus for us as well.

 

[mikewebb68]

Thanks guys! Interesting history and perspective.

 

[NUCat320]

And this is why a lot of the better players are leaving. Even the Illini can't get the top guys. Hopefully, if we can get the NCAA-never monkey off our back and DePaul thrives in their new arena, we can get college basketball back to prominence in Chicago. I like the idea of an Illini-NU sponsored doubleheader at the United Center. With the Bulls firmly established, it's probably never going to be like it was in the days of the Chicago Stadium doubleheaders (where NU once beat Jerry West and West Virginia and Wes Unseld and Louisville) or even like it was for DePaul in the late 70s and early 80s, but with the base of talent in this city, college basketball certainly can carve out a bigger niche here.

The idea of a doubleheader at the UC is exciting, but totally infeasible given the current states of the programs.

I was at a DePaul-Indiana game at the UC, probably 20 years ago. I was able to flag down a neighbor from the second deck. Not well-attended.

For what it's worth, a Crain's Chicago Business article from 3 years ago mentioned that the UC made a big play for DePaul - offering ten years rent-free - before the McCormick Place facility was announced.