IBA - New Home or Glad It's Over

[WuDrWu]

After attending, what are your feelings towards playing more games there?

[shocker22]

I had a blast at the game and can't wait for the next one. After going up to my seats in 218 row U I decided to find better accomodations. OFund a nice pair of seats in row J on the aisle. Any future events I will make sure I am in the lower bowl...there is a huge difference!

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Lets remember, in regards to the Arena, that it wasn't built to be a basketball arena. That is what Koch is for. One of the big gripes about the arena was they wanted to make sure WSU basketball stayed at Koch and it has.

But it was a great venue for basketball. I talked at length last night to a friend that went up to Sprint Center (I haven't been there) for the WSU games against Pitt and Iowa, as well as for a KU game with his wife (she is a KU alum). I know some others have been to both, and would love to hear your comparisons, but he felt Intrust felt much more like our home court than the Sprint Center felt like a KU home court. That was the big thing. The design allowed the atmosphere to become electric, where the Sprint Center was always kind of flat, even with large portion of crowd excited.

[shockar25]

I thought it was a nice change of pace. There were drawbacks and strengths to the arena, and nothing can top CKA as far as college basketball is concerned, but all things considered it was fun.

[tropicalshox]

I'm not voting since my view is from Shockervision. But it pretty clear from comments already on the board that having one or two games a year at IBA will win out. That's good because it's also obvious that's what WSU wants to do.

[tgcshock]

Had a good time. Don't mind going there one time a year, especially if it helps us draw better opponents. Nonetheless, nothing beat CKA.

[ShockTalk]

OK. I know why they needed to have a game IBA and the potential for a WSU team playing / "hosting" a first round regional game in the future. It was a win/win for IBA and WSU. IBA also offers WSU some scheduling flexibility. Although, I could now see any BCS team (as Texas Tech) or quality mid major program not scheduling us unless they play at IBA feeling that it'll take away at least a little home court advantage from WSU (which it might). IBA is an all-purpose arena. CKA is a college basketball venue and a d*m* good one. If you end up with 3-4,000 empty seats, what will the atmosphere at IBA be like?

However, my question is "What will it cost WSU in the future to hold games there?" They already have a place to play and bills to pay whether they play at CKA or not. In going to IBA, it must cost or reduce revenue to WSU. In that light, will WSU make games at IBA NOT part of the season ticket package? How would that be received by season ticket holders and all levels of SASO?

I hope WSU only schedules high quality, high profile games, that we could not get otherwise, at IBA. That means, if UNLV comes here because of the MVC/MWC deal or a quality opponent from the BB, hold those games at CKA.

[tropicalshox]

I put my money down now on Utah State being the game at IBA next year.

[ShockTalk]

I put my money down now on Utah State being the game at IBA next year.

How does this benefit WSU? Not a potential large draw of the casual fan and they're committed to having to play us at CKA.

[Steeleshocker]

I doubt Utah State would be the game next year. USU is obligated to come play us as a result of the BB matchup. In my opinion, we should use CKA for all games where the opponent has to be there (conference, BB, MVC/MWC challenge).

I agree we should play once a year at IBA, but it needs to be against someone who is going to sell it out (a true sell-out, without there being any empty seats). Any Big XII opponent would qualify (proximity interest). We could try to get a high profile mid-major (Butler, Gonzaga, Xavier, Memphis, etc.).

That is what we need to be shooting for in IBA opponents.

I also like the way we scheduled Tulsa for this, it forces them to come to CKA at least once, and could be used as a template for drawing some other teams (i.e. "we'll only let you play in IBA if it's home-home-neutral-neutral")

[WuDrWu]

I put my money down now on Utah State being the game at IBA next year.

I think I'll put my money on SDSU who may be coming off a 35+ win and Elite 8 season, or better.

[Steeleshocker]

I put my money down now on Utah State being the game at IBA next year.

I think I'll put my money on SDSU who may be coming off a 35+ win and Elite 8 season, or better.

Disagree, why give up the crazy atmosphere of Koch when it would help the most. Use IBA to get the teams who wouldn't come otherwise.

[fuball7]

i think im in the minority that didnt really enjoy the game being at iba. yes the game was enjoyable but imagine that same game at koch arena. the roof would have come off that place. Instead it was a mild mannered crowd the whole night. plus not to mention i spend a whole lot of money to have seats at koch and then i get stuck up in the rafters and cant hardly see at iba. if its not a huge opponent and the games on tv i will probably be at home watching from now on with games at iba.

[ShockTalk]

I put my money down now on Utah State being the game at IBA next year.

I think I'll put my money on SDSU who may be coming off a 35+ win and Elite 8 season, or better.

Disagree, why give up the crazy atmosphere of Koch when it would help the most. Use IBA to get the teams who wouldn't come otherwise.

Absolutely!!! :good:

[tropicalshox]

I think we will try very hard to get somebody to play us at IBA. Once again teams will be scared of us. We will have to fall back on Utah State for our IBA game. It would be SDSU
if we get that draw but I don't think it will happen.