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Post by njbonnie08 on Sept 11, 2014 15:09:04 GMT -5
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Post by Bona84 on Sept 11, 2014 15:21:51 GMT -5
I respectfully disagree with Mr. Pezzimenti. While I think it would be preferable to have a marquee non-conference game in Rochester, I believe it is a good move for Bona basketball and the University to play the Mason game in Rochester. I wouldn't do it if classes were in session though. Sure, it is not the friendly confines of the Reilly Center, but the BC Arena can be a solid "home away from home" court for the Bonnies. I think that the crowd in Rochester will be decidedly pro-Bona. Branching out and further "selling" the Bona basketball and University brands to Rochester and Buffalo should have many positives for both.
Go Bonnies!
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Post by Pinnum on Sept 11, 2014 15:29:10 GMT -5
I disagree with the blog as well.
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Post by njbonnie08 on Sept 11, 2014 15:30:56 GMT -5
84,
Yeah I'm torn on this one. You'd like to keep all home games in the RC where our winning percentage is very high (I want to say close to 70%). On the other hand the students are away, the crowd at BC Arena will likely be better than the RC, and it does help brand the team in western NY. Ultimately, I think the move is good for business and bad for basketball from the perspective of what is the chance we win that game.
Like Vinny said, I'd like to see us use BC Arena for a major non-conference game like we have in that past.
It is a bit hard to swallow that Niagara has come to play us since 2011. Doesn't sit well with me.
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Post by Bona84 on Sept 11, 2014 16:41:17 GMT -5
I'm with you on the Niagara thing. Not having them come to the RC for all this time is hard to swallow. Having said that, I understand the move to play them in Buffalo. It has benefits, as well. Playing them in Rochester may not have been such a great idea. But, at least it was a win. As for Mason in Rochester, I just don't think it will really be bad for basketball. I think we'll still have a home court advantage, just not to the extent at the RC, even though the RC advantage would be somewhat diminished with the students away.
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Post by jh on Sept 11, 2014 19:25:04 GMT -5
Keep an eye on what is going on with recruiting in Toronto. Any games moved out of the RC should consider how it may help strengthen that pipeline up there.
We may be sitting in living rooms with parents of Toronto targets very soon - and how much might it help the effort if we could claim we play games in Buffalo or in Toronto to close the deals?
The top prep academy in all of North America is up there right now - do what you can to tap into it. If you are able to do so - many many things fall into place both academically and financially for the school.
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Post by ceharv on Sept 11, 2014 19:52:37 GMT -5
Great idea Vinny - play a game in Roch, but without losing a game at the RC? How does that work? One year we go to your place, then you guys come to the RC, then you come to Rochester and we'll meet you there and call it even? We might be able to pull that off if we were a top 10 program, but not at this level. No one we're scheduling will buy into that deal. I know it's a blog, but be real - that's a pipe dream
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Post by bonaman2013 on Sept 11, 2014 20:44:20 GMT -5
I am all for moving the George Mason game to Rochester. Even though I would've liked to see us move the Dayton game to BCA, the George Mason game should draw a decent crowd.
In my opinion, there's nothing worse than watching a Bonnies game in the RC when students are on break. The atmosphere is terrible, and crowds are usually sparse. We probably won't draw more than 5,000, but it will still be a MUCH better home court advantage than the RC on break. The crowds in Rochester, although not too big, seem to be very loud and into the games.
With all the Bona students from the Rochester area still on Christmas break, there should be a good crowd for the game.
I am not sure why it took us this long to do this, but when we have any big A10 opponent coming into the RC on Christmas or Spring break, it should be moved to Blue Cross. Having a game against Saint Joe's or VCU in the Reilly over break gives us no home court advantage whatsoever.
I understand season ticket holders and regulars from the Bona area might be disappointed in this, but with the 18-game schedule you still have the same amount of home games as years past, and maybe they can arrange for some kind of discount for fans from the Olean area to make the trip to Rochester not as costly.
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Post by BonaFan on Sept 11, 2014 20:50:59 GMT -5
The reality is in the last 10 years or so SBU has played non-conference games in Rochester against Charlotte, Saint Louis, Syracuse, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and NC State. At the time of those games, those opponents would not having been willing to play in the RC.
What has changed that SBU is now resorting to playing Niagara and an A-10 opponent in these Rochester games?
The Rochester venue can and should be used as way to strengthen the schedule and build home and home series with strong non-conference opponents. That's the way it used to be. It is realistic.
I'm thinking of programs like Temple, Xavier, Providence, St. John's, Creighton, Villanova etc. that will generate a little buzz, sell tickets and present a challenge to the basketball team.
If the game in Rochester is against one of these type opponents, I'm okay with a losing a game at the RC.
There's little to gained from taking an A-10 game against a bad opponent in the middle of the week, in the middle of January, and moving it to Rochester. I'd be surprised if the game drew more than 5,000 fans.
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Post by Hermit on Sept 11, 2014 23:59:14 GMT -5
I am all for moving the George Mason game to Rochester. Even though I would've liked to see us move the Dayton game to BCA, the George Mason game should draw a decent crowd. In my opinion, there's nothing worse than watching a Bonnies game in the RC when students are on break. The atmosphere is terrible, and crowds are usually sparse. We probably won't draw more than 5,000, but it will still be a MUCH better home court advantage than the RC on break. The crowds in Rochester, although not too big, seem to be very loud and into the games. With all the Bona students from the Rochester area still on Christmas break, there should be a good crowd for the game. I am not sure why it took us this long to do this, but when we have any big A10 opponent coming into the RC on Christmas or Spring break, it should be moved to Blue Cross. Having a game against Saint Joe's or VCU in the Reilly over break gives us no home court advantage whatsoever. I understand season ticket holders and regulars from the Bona area might be disappointed in this, but with the 18-game schedule you still have the same amount of home games as years past, and maybe they can arrange for some kind of discount for fans from the Olean area to make the trip to Rochester not as costly. I take exception to that......crowds, surprisingly, are not bad......and can get into the game.... |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 3:47:28 GMT -5
Vinny Have you ever talked to the coaches about this? They try every year to get somebody to play in Rochester or Buffalo. Teams just won't do it. Every team you listed has been contacted by SBU in the last five years. What is gained by playing in Rochester is exposure and more money! Ticket prices will be higher and we will get more people, JH I would even support moving a game to Buffalo during break. It is a good idea.
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Post by jh on Sept 12, 2014 5:33:16 GMT -5
The reality is in the last 10 years or so SBU has played non-conference games in Rochester against Charlotte, Saint Louis, Syracuse, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and NC State. At the time of those games, those opponents would not having been willing to play in the RC. What has changed that SBU is now resorting to playing Niagara and an A-10 opponent in these Rochester games? The Niagara game may become simply an annual game played in Buffalo - we dont play in the Gallagher center and they don't play in the RC |
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Post by Bona84 on Sept 12, 2014 7:12:21 GMT -5
The reality is in the last 10 years or so SBU has played non-conference games in Rochester against Charlotte, Saint Louis, Syracuse, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and NC State. At the time of those games, those opponents would not having been willing to play in the RC. What has changed that SBU is now resorting to playing Niagara and an A-10 opponent in these Rochester games? The Rochester venue can and should be used as way to strengthen the schedule and build home and home series with strong non-conference opponents. That's the way it used to be. It is realistic. I'm thinking of programs like Temple, Xavier, Providence, St. John's, Creighton, Villanova etc. that will generate a little buzz, sell tickets and present a challenge to the basketball team. If the game in Rochester is against one of these type opponents, I'm okay with a losing a game at the RC. There's little to gained from taking an A-10 game against a bad opponent in the middle of the week, in the middle of January, and moving it to Rochester. I'd be surprised if the game drew more than 5,000 fans. I agree with your first 5 sentences. However, your last point about there being little to be gained by moving the game to Rochester seems shortsighted. |
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Post by 5and23 on Sept 12, 2014 7:35:25 GMT -5
I don't live anywhere near Rochester, but plenty of our alumni (and prospective students) do. Having our basketball program highly visible in that community is essential to our university's profile. Let's do this every year, ideally over break when students are elsewhere. A wise investment in keeping the Bona name prominent on people's minds in a hugely important place.
Losing one RC game a year is a tiny price to pay for the greater good.
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Post by tastylicks on Sept 12, 2014 8:07:34 GMT -5
I agree with the blog. The problem is that Mason is already obligated to play at the RC. Why take a game off campus when you don't have to. Playing in Rochester is a good idea occasionally but play teams that won't or at the very least aren't obligated to play at the RC.
I understand it's not easy to just get people to play but at the same time when you go out of your way to play teams that would otherwise play at your arena (Niagara, Mason) that's not right and hurts the overall ability to schedule teams in the long run. Try to get teams to play you in Buffalo, Rochester, but if you can't then don't. But reserve it for something special and don't dilute the brand in those cities. We are playing PITT on the road this year - say we were trying to enter an agreement where they come to Rochester/Buffalo in return. You really think recent match ups against Niagara, Canisius and now a conference game is really going to help negotiations? I imagine they would think "man they will play ANYONE there"
Lastly, and this isn't talked about, but it's got to hurt season ticket sales. Niagara is usually a good home game on the RC non-conference schedule. Not a marquee matchup but a nice rivalry game that you look at when purchasing season tickets. GONE. The Atlantic 10 is THE major selling point for season tickets. Now they are taking them away from season ticket holders too?? It seems like annually they are taking away more and more incentives for new season ticket holders and this is a big one that is getting lost.
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