Welcome to the end of the year Cincinnati Bearcats basketball roundtable. This is a collaboration with Chris Bains from Cincy on the Prowl and Matt Opper from Down the Drive. The three of us cover a myriad of topics surrounding the basketball program, from things this season, to things in the future, from how UC can boost attendance to where UC should play basketball in the future.
Tuesday, we focused on a macro look at the 2013-14 basketball season.
Yesterday, we focused on the individual players.
Today we talk about expanding the program.
Do you have any preference where Cincinnati plays basketball?
Matt: Wherever they can make the most money. Fifth Third Arena is not long for the world and if the rumors of a casino group backed renovation and transformation of US Bank Arena are true its an obvious move. The way that Fifth Third was built makes renovating it into a first class facility a more expensive proposition than even the new addition to Nippert will be. If everything I have heard about the US Bank project turns out to be true it is a no brainer decision.
Scott: I don’t really. I just want one of the options to be developed and developed quickly. I love the Shoe as much as the next guy, but that place hasn’t been great since it was the Shoe. That was not recent. US Bank is as good an option as any. I’m on team “hurry up and put money into one already.” It’s a long team name. We do our best.
Chris: It’s a tough call and one of the reason why I’m sitting here and not in Mike Bohn’s chair right now but I’d have to say US Bank Arena. Fifth Third has been a great home to UC basketball for the past two decades but bringing it into the 21st century is just too much for the university at this time to handle. I have to believe that once you brought it up to code, flipped the direction of the court, installed permanent chair back seating, carved out sections for luxury boxes, and improved the concourses, we’re talking about a price tag North of $100 million. After tapping the donor base for $86 million to renovate Nippert Stadium, I’m not sure asking for them to help fit a nine-figure bill would be realistic. Additionally, if UC went ahead with Fifth Third, I have no idea how long it would take to raise enough money to begin construction but I would bet at least 5 years. Then you have to consider another year or two to complete the renovation and we’re looking at a refurbished Fifth Third Arena sometime after 2020? Yikes.
On the other hand you have US Bank Arena just sitting there waiting to be renovated. If the standards are the same as Fifth Third, you can probably assume the cost is the same, $100 million. The difference is that UC, as a likely revenue sharing tenant, would only have to pay for at most 30-40% of that, a much more realistic price tag. Plus the Bearcats could draw in more casual fans who are turned off by the idea of Clifton. In general, I just think the ability to assimilate with the city of Cincinnati by being downtown gives the basketball program more room to grow long term.
What could UC do to spike attendance next season with a guaranteed sellout out of play?
Matt: Keep winning. In the Queen City the Bearcats fan base is very wide, but it is not very deep. They don’t go to games because it is a deeply ingrained tradition, they go when this team gives them a reason to do so by competing for championships and making weekly appearances in the polls. It will be interesting to see how this past season effects attendance for next year. This was a year where no one expected anything, and the Bearcats ripped off a 15 game winning streak that brought home a conference title. Expecting things from next years team, even though it will be very young should be encouraged.
Scott: UC should do anything and everything. Out of the conference games, only 2 had lower than 10,000 fans in the stands. None of the non-conference games were close to a sellout. Not even NC State, although that could be to odd TV scheduling. Something has to be done with the non-conference. People just aren’t going to show up for uninteresting opponents in November and December. UC doesn’t have to schedule the enitre ACC to get people in, start scheduling some of the bigger names of these smaller leagues and even that could work. I think people would travel if UC played Western Kentucky instead of Middle Tennessee. Play teams not from the WAC or a HBC. A little spice would go a long way. If people don’t feel like the experience is worth their money and time, they clearly won’t go. UC has to make it worth it, on the court and off.
Chris: UC needs to make basketball games more of an event. Sure giving out a couple of boxes of Donatos pizza before the game to the students is a nice gesture and the dance team at halftime is something to look at. But how about incorporating Greek Week into the games? The fraternity that brings the most people to Fifth Third gets like 10 points, the second most gets 7 points, and so on. There’s a simple solution to draw interest. UC could also do more social media giveaways at the games. You know how those dang kids just love their smart phones! How about a hashtag battle between both student sections (#Red v. #Black)? Winning section gets $5 off coupons to the concession stands. Or a scavenger hunt/trivia contest type game during media timeouts (Who’s Cincinnati’s number 3 all time leading scorer?). There’s three quick ideas off the top of my head but the bottom line is UC needs to build Bearcats basketball games into something that gets people more involved at Fifth Third Arena, not just to watch the team play.
What will it take for Cincinnati to make consistent deep runs in the NCAA Tournament?
Matt: A good draw. It borders on a cliche, but that doesn’t make it any less true. In a tournament setting the draw is everything, look at the AAC tournament where winning the #1 seed resulted in a semi final match up with a UConn team that was a horrible match up for the Bearcats or a Memphis team playing at home instead of a cushy match up with Houston.
Or look at this years World Cup. This is the best and most talented US side in the modern era. There are probably 10 or 15 guys who would have made the roster if not started on any of the teams from the 90’s who will not even come close to getting on the plane to Brazil. And yet this prodigiously talented group was drawn into the group of death and will have to be nearly flawless to get out of the group in second place. The draw is life, and death.
Scott: The right matchups. It’s as simple as that. That’s how anyone makes consistent deep runs in the tournament.
Chris: I think Cincinnati has what it takes on defense to shut down any team it faces. They can grind it out with just about anyone on a nightly basis. But they can’t score and most importantly score consistently over the course of a game. What this team has lacked for the last couple of years is a dominant low post threat the likes of Yancy Gates. I think most people claim Cincinnati needs a point guard and they could sure use one. Hopefully Troy Caupain becomes that player beginning next season. However, in my opinion, a power forward who can own the paint and keep the defense condensed around the basket will help Cincinnati avoid long scoring droughts. They don’t need much. They don’t need a guy who averages a double-double but instead someone who can play 25-30 min per game and average like 8 points and 7 rebounds per game. But this team hasn’t had that player since Gates. It’s really hurt UC the last couple of years late when late in the season opponents figured out that if they keep their heels on the three point line, Cincinnati probably wasn’t going to score. If Moore, DeBerry, or Strickland fill that role for the Bearcats, I fully believe this team can make the Sweet 16 on an annual basis.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
