IBA - New Home or Glad It's Over

[Maggie]

Bigger is not necessarily better. For what it is worth, and I have obviously never been to a basketball game at IBA (or inside for that matter), I just have a hard time believing the atmosphere could possibly compare to Koch. NBA type arenas (which I gather is similar to IBA), for example, can get loud but it is not the same.

I have been to many basketball venues and Koch is fairly unique in terms of intimacy and noise. It ranks up there with the best. If I were a player or coach at WSU, I would never want to give that up.

[The Mad Hatter]

Bigger is not necessarily better. For what it is worth, and I have obviously never been to a basketball game at IBA (or inside for that matter), I just have a hard time believing the atmosphere could possibly compare to Koch. NBA type arenas (which I gather is similar to IBA), for example, can get loud but it is not the same.

I have been to many basketball venues and Koch is fairly unique in terms of intimacy and noise. It ranks up there with the best. If I were a player or coach at WSU, I would never want to give that up.

IBA is louder than some similar arenas, but this post is spot-on. When IBA is quiet, it is quiet. When Koch is quiet, it is loud. When IBA is loud, it is loud. When Koch is loud, it is deafening.

[1972Shocker]

There are a few reasons we will continue to play 1 or 2 games a year at IBA and that will based in 3G's assessment.

1. Will playing in IBA allow us to improve our scheduling profile.

2. If 1 happens will those higher profile opponents at IBA result in national TV coverage.

3. If 1 and 2 above happen will that help 3G's recruiting efforts.

At this point he seems very motivated to give this a shot. Hopefully, Shocker fans will continue to support 3G and the team whereever they are playing.

[WSU Shocker]

Why the hell are people trying to compare this arena and environment to that of Koch's? That is just stupid and you'll always set yourself up for disappointment.

As for the whiny Debbie Downers, don't go the next time the Shocks play downtown. You're the ones who probably sat on your hands and kept the environment down to a minimum.

If you can't support WSU basketball 1 or 2 times out of the year out of your "comfort zone", then forget about it. Maybe, WSU basketball isn't as much of a passion as you like to portray it out to be.

It was a great experience and a chance to do something new for once. The environment at IBA was arguably the best environment we've put on this year. What does that tell ya?

Koch is our home. But once or twice a year at IBA would be fun. And as stated, we need to act like "big time" too. And big time require some neutral court, larger venue appearances.

:good:

[Zardoz]

One or two games at IBA would be alright given the right opponents, ones that are afraid to play at Koch. Tulsa was a good starting point as a renewing of a long time rivalry. The next game better offer us a better opponent and no Valley games or the interest will die quickly.

[SubGod22]

There are a few reasons we will continue to play 1 or 2 games a year at IBA and that will based in 3G's assessment.

1. Will playing in IBA allow us to improve our scheduling profile.
I hope so, but even 3G seems to doubt it.

2. If 1 happens will those higher profile opponents at IBA result in national TV coverage.
I wouldn't doubt it at all. Would probably be a requirement for the game

3. If 1 and 2 above happen will that help 3G's recruiting efforts.
Definitely

At this point he seems very motivated to give this a shot. Hopefully, Shocker fans will continue to support 3G and the team whereever they are playing.
Shocker fans will continue to support 3G and company. However, I'm not sure IBA is going to generate the games that we or 3G would really like to see.

[kcshocker]

I think it was great at IBA for myself and the extra 4,000 fans who don't get to attend at Koch. I've been to Sprint for the WSU games and IBA is better.

[SHOXAAC]

One or two games at IBA would be alright given the right opponents, ones that are afraid to play at Koch. Tulsa was a good starting point as a renewing of a long time rivalry. The next game better offer us a better opponent and no Valley games or the interest will die quickly.

I don't believe for a STL 1.9 second that a school would be so affraid to play us at CKA, but play us at IBA. The same 10,400 fans at CKA will be at IBA + about 4,000. Playing in Wichita is playing in Wichita when you don't live in Wichita, whether it's at CKA, IBA, AARP, TLC, FUBAR (with very few exceptions).

[MadDog]

Part of what made this big time was the entire experience. Face it, as much as we all love CKA, I would be 95% drive straight to the game, then straight home. IBA offers potential to make the event so much more than just the game. Going to Old Town and experiencing all the people dressed up in Shocker gear was really cool. Move the game to Saturday and it would be even better. Shoot, maybe we can even start tailgaiting!

[fuball7]

Shockerfever has this right. If WSU had the schedule to keep 13k fans at each game I would happily go to every game at IBA. The atmosphere was great - the players and coaches verified it in their post game comments. I love Koch, but at the end of the day the more the merrier.

the atmoshpere was not the same as koch arena. if you argue that your crazy.

[fastbow]

I don't believe for a STL 1.9 second that a school would be so affraid to play us at CKA, but play us at IBA. The same 10,400 fans at CKA will be at IBA + about 4,000. Playing in Wichita is playing in Wichita when you don't live in Wichita, whether it's at CKA, IBA, AARP, TLC, FUBAR (with very few exceptions).

Except that, from reading this board, it seems at least a quarter of that 10,400 won't be coming back because they're upset about their tickets.

Still, we shouldn't lend that group's arguments too much weight. They're just upset that we didn't schedule Tulsa at The Forum, where they feel it ought to be, not that new, fancy-schmancy place downtown that their hip doctor goes to concerts at.

[pinstripers]

I'll go back, but I'll "opt out" as far as making it part of my season ticket package. I'll be able to buy seats of my chosing that way. Pretty good compromise, I think, but I'm not paying to watch a basketball game from those particular seats again, cause it's too tough to tell Stutz from Ragland from up there. I am thinking there are probably 8-9,000 good seats at Koch, but certainly not that many good seats at Intrust.

[SB Shock]

Part of what made this big time was the entire experience. Face it, as much as we all love CKA, I would be 95% drive straight to the game, then straight home. IBA offers potential to make the event so much more than just the game. Going to Old Town and experiencing all the people dressed up in Shocker gear was really cool. Move the game to Saturday and it would be even better. Shoot, maybe we can even start tailgaiting!

My family likes to do that for any game. But it is kind of hard do that when almost all the games are on weekdays.

[Overtime]

Great for WSU Basketball, great for the Arena, great for the City....People sure like to gripe

[bhuber]

I don't appreciate having crappy seats forced on me as part of my Shocker package. I never agreed to that. That being said, if this becomes a seperate ticket, I probably would not buy one. I absolutely would not pay money for the seats I had last night.

Exactly......I would never buy the seats I got stuck with either.