Grading IBA

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

I liked the overall experience.

I was up in 224 and my friend and I felt we had a great view of the game. Would have preferred to be more mid court but overall sight was not a problem.

Didnt concession it up as its way to expensive. As a right of passage I did order a beer. still too expensive but it was something that had to be done.

The people in our row were nice as hell. I dont remember them being lively but were extremely courteous when you tried to get by. They kept messing with us saying that there was a beer surcharge for letting us pass. I commented that we have no moved pass the "pass the popcorn" in the chuck to give me a beer at IBA. haha.

Note to whomever controls the music both in the arenas (iba and cka) and the band director. I think you do a horrible job. Your music selection timing is horrible. that is all.

Was upset with the wifi thing as well. I wanted to listen to Mike so I made sure to bring my Ipod but could not connect to the Free Wi-Fi. I called IBA yesterday morning to ask them about that and the lady (Tenille) that I spoke only said "Ill have to check with my IT guy" and then she hung up.
I could not send a picture message on my cell phone or get on to ESPN for stats. (VZW Customer) But had no problem connecting to facebook.

I was pleasantly surprised at the replay reaction time on the scoreboard. There did not seem to be a lag at all like at CKA. They could have done better with the scoreboard overall but with the way it is made somebody needs to have stat graphic. They could put them up on the larger screens during time outs and such.

Went to Wasabi before the game. You cannot beat half price sushi. After the game we headed back up to Emerson's. They were slammed and did not have the back bar open. Being as your boy ASM is a rather rad dude who happens to know people my party was taken care of right away. But my friend and I noted how freaking awesome it was to see that place packed with people who had just left the game. Such a good look for the economy downtown.

[NCAABound]

I, unfortunately, could not attend last night. But it sounds like they tried to build IBA on the cheap. Poor scoreboard, no wireless access, inadequate media facilities (based on Lutz column), and a crazy suite configuration.

One of the big reasons a lot of people wanted the arena was for NCAA tournament games, and it looks like they totally missed the boat on some crucial items that are needed for that.

[SubGod22]

My seat was much better than at CKA. I sit in row 24 at CKA and was in row J at IBA. I have no idea how that happened. I had less leg room than I do at CKA so that was a little disappointing. It definitely wasn't near as loud as CKA but there was a good atmosphere. I enjoyed being able to sit so close to the Shocker bench and seeing 3G and his lovely wife in action.

If I could be guaranteed a seat like this everytime I'm ok with a game there being on the package. But odds are, that won't happen and I'd rather be able to choose where I sit. I was expecting to be sitting up top since I've only been a season ticket holder for 3 years.

Parking was free and only two blocks away. So I have no complaints there. IBA does not replace CKA as an overall basketball experience.

[WstateU]

Considering this was the inaugural NCAA basketball game in IBA, I have zero complaints and give everyone involved an A+ for their effort. In fact the evening far exceeded my expectations. Sure, there are improvements that need to be made for future games; however this was a ‘trial run’ (test) and it passed with flying colors. I’m very thankful we finally have a downtown arena.

Oh, I hope next years game is played on a Saturday afternoon or evening where we can enjoy Old Town even more.

:good: :good:

[mvc champs]

Personally, I loved it. I upgraded my tickets for $40 and bought floor seats, across from Tulsa's bench, just inside the foul line. It was amazing being that close. Everything was loud and electric. The only problem I had with it is that because we were on the floor, you couldn't stand up. No standing until they scored, no standing to pump up the team, you know the stuff I usually do. I still stood up most of the time though

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Considering this was the inaugural NCAA basketball game in IBA, I have zero complaints and give everyone involved an A+ for their effort. In fact the evening far exceeded my expectations. Sure, there are improvements that need to be made for future games; however this was a ‘trial run’ (test) and it passed with flying colors. I’m very thankful we finally have a downtown arena.

Oh, I hope next years game is played on a Saturday afternoon or evening where we can enjoy Old Town even more.

:good: :good:

indeed. :good:

With everything wasnt as good there is room for improvement. My friend who I attended with Dj's at Rock Island on Wednesday night and I commented to him that if the game was on a Wednesday how awesome that would have been.

But seriously a game downtown on a weekend is an epic win

[ShockerEngr]

Overall I enjoyed it. I guess I was in the minority, as I had decent cell coverage....well at least enough to pull up the stats that were available.

Definitely need stats on the scoreboard...

Biggest problem we ran into was getting into the arena. Paid extra to have the tickets sent to my phone...which gets you a 2D barcode that the scanners couldn't scan. after much confusion we were able to hand jam the ticket numbers into the scanner and get in, but it took almost 20 minutes. grr.

[im4wsu]

Hearing complaints on the radio about non-season ticket holders have better tickets than some actual season ticket holders. Keep in mind, there is the ticket market place where some members put their tickets up for sale and non- season ticket holders purchase them. :goshocks:

The tickets for this game were anot available on THE TICKET MARKETPLACE because they printed thorugh a different source.

[engrshock]

My seats as a season ticket holder were OK. The game was great. The sound was muffled. At Koch I cannot talk during the low brass cheer. At IBC the band and crowd was quiet and I was easily able to mention this to my daughter who was with me. Only when at about 10:00 minutes left in the second half did the crowd get somewhat loud was the crowd noisy. At Koch it would have been deafening.

Maybe the sound is better more to the center or at the end where the band and students are located.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

I thought the sound was pretty good compared to CKA.

Im usually like while listening in there.

[im4wsu]

Seats were twice as high than at CKA, but I was at center court instead of the baseline. Grade B

Scorboard was pretty but not very informative and the operator must be unfamiliar with the keyboard because it was so slow. Grade D

Concessions - I only had a beer, and it was better than Diet Pepsi and cold.
Grade A because it had beer.

Restroom: Clean and roomy, but layout was piss-poor for people traffic,particularly for first-time visitors who are unfamiliar with the layout. I pressed the button for soap, felt nothing and assumed it was out of product, looked down as the soap was falling to the floor. Like the scoreboard operator, too slow for normal human beings. Grade C

Given the choice of a game at CKA or a game at IBA at the same cost/contribution level/parking lot, it's a no brainer...geet home at 11:00 pm or get home at 12:30 pm. LET'S KEEP THE GAMES AT CKA!

Ingress - getting into IBA was no problem. Grade B

Egress - getting out of the building was implorable. The escalator from the upper level let out right into the line of people from the middle level waiting to get on the lower escalator. The backup caused the upper escalators to STOP. I can't imagine how bad this would be after a concert with people high on beer and drugs! As it was with a mild and happy basketball crowd, it was a hazard, if not dangerous. I'd shoot the architect. Grade F

Parking Location: Easy to find, but distance 50 times farther than my spot at CKA. If I parked there regularly, I'd have to wear a coat, making the seats less roomy. Grade C

Parking Egress: Horrific, unless you like sitting in a parking lot for 30-40 minutes watching other cars watch other cars. Grade F

Overall Grade for the experience. Shocker win, view of game, cold beer, delay getting home of over an hour and a quater. Grade C+

[Ricardo del Rio]

One more comment.

My wife is always hot. (No, not that kind.) The temperature kind.

Sometime during the game, outside air was pumped into the arena. It was cold air. My sweet wife complained more than once. She never removed her heavy coat.

I did not think the inside temperature justified outside air for cooling.

[WuDrWu]

I love reading these comments. Everybody has their hot buttons, what is important to them, and their are a variety of opinions on the same thing.


RDR, my wife too was squealing like a stuck pig about the cold draft. I however thought the temperature was fan-flippingtastic.

[WuDrWu]

I liked the overall experience.

I was up in 224 and my friend and I felt we had a great view of the game. Would have preferred to be more mid court but overall sight was not a problem.

Didnt concession it up as its way to expensive. As a right of passage I did order a beer. still too expensive but it was something that had to be done.

The people in our row were nice as hell. I dont remember them being lively but were extremely courteous when you tried to get by. They kept messing with us saying that there was a beer surcharge for letting us pass. I commented that we have no moved pass the "pass the popcorn" in the chuck to give me a beer at IBA. haha.

Note to whomever controls the music both in the arenas (iba and cka) and the band director. I think you do a horrible job. Your music selection timing is horrible. that is all.

Was upset with the wifi thing as well. I wanted to listen to Mike so I made sure to bring my Ipod but could not connect to the Free Wi-Fi. I called IBA yesterday morning to ask them about that and the lady (Tenille) that I spoke only said "Ill have to check with my IT guy" and then she hung up.
I could not send a picture message on my cell phone or get on to ESPN for stats. (VZW Customer) But had no problem connecting to facebook.

I was pleasantly surprised at the replay reaction time on the scoreboard. There did not seem to be a lag at all like at CKA. They could have done better with the scoreboard overall but with the way it is made somebody needs to have stat graphic. They could put them up on the larger screens during time outs and such.

Went to Wasabi before the game. You cannot beat half price sushi. After the game we headed back up to Emerson's. They were slammed and did not have the back bar open. Being as your boy ASM is a rather rad dude who happens to know people my party was taken care of right away. But my friend and I noted how freaking awesome it was to see that place packed with people who had just left the game. Such a good look for the economy downtown.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I will never tire of your style.

Personally, if Tenille would have been that unhelpful, I would have gone right to the Captain and straightened that shat out.


"Being as your boy ASM is a rather rad dude..."

[Ksedg]

I Love IBA - have been to at least a half dozen events there to date!
Sure the concessions are expensive - but not nearly as bad as at any big venue in most big cities.
It was fun to have a game there - and I would be all for having 1 or 2 there every year - but imo the atomosphere was not nearly as great as at Koch - We were in the lower level baseline accross from the Shocker Bench - and we could not hear the band AT ALL! Also could not hear the whistle - and we were considerably closer to the floor than we are at Koch.
:wsu_posters: