It kills me to say this, but the student section (which is right on the floor and huge) at Duke home games creates an atmosphere of energy and excitement that makes Rupp Arena, on most nights, look and feel like a morgue. No wonder Duke gets better recruits than UK. Rupp Arena has more attendance, yes, but it is NOT anywhere near as tough a place to play as Cameron Indoor. Duke has an overall better basektball program than UK...and has for the last decade.
Well, their students are down at the court where they should be. UK's is up in the rafters so that the old folgies can sit close and I guess bore the opponents with stories of when they were younger. As far as student support UK's is just as good, but it's hard to get pumped to go sit in the nose bleeds.
Rupp Arena's atmosphere is really bad. It's only up for some big games here and there. Last night was the worst I've ever seen it easily. There were only 19,000 there according to the attendance numbers but I'd be shocked if it was even that. The lower arena was half empty, and of those there there are all wearing suits and just sit on their hands the whole time.
A new arena will be just what the doctor ordered if they throw those stiffs up the new luxury boxes where they belong.
Yup, agree. Kentucky pulls in quit a few fans. If only the student section was down on the floor where it belongs then not only will the atmosphere be better but could also give KY some more wins
It's about getting money from the older people at UK.
Forget it, even win the new arena is built the student body will still be in the nose bleeds even with suites. Why? Money talks. They will never let the students that close to the floor because they have to ensure that the folks with the wheelchairs and walkers and wallets get the good seats.
#1ukfan Wrote:Forget it, even win the new arena is built the student body will still be in the nose bleeds even with suites. Why? Money talks. They will never let the students that close to the floor because they have to ensure that the folks with the wheelchairs and walkers and wallets get the good seats.
Well put and it's sad.
new arena? when is this happenin
Raider_Nation09 Wrote:new arena? when is this happenin
7-10 years.
I agree completely! I hate watching a UK game just for the sole purpose of seeing all of the people who graduated back in the 1920s sitting along the court. So what if they pay money to reserve their seats or whatever. Don't students pay thousands of dollars every year to go to UK? Why not give them a courtside seat?
StrikeoutKing Wrote:I agree completely! I hate watching a UK game just for the sole purpose of seeing all of the people who graduated back in the 1920s sitting along the court. So what if they pay money to reserve their seats or whatever. Don't students pay thousands of dollars every year to go to UK? Why not give them a courtside seat?
Exactly. But the student's "thousands of dollars" do not compare to the donations these old fogies pay to get their seats. It's rediculous, and in my opinion will never change; even with a new gym.
Is this new arena going to be on campus or what? And is it going to have the same capacity as Rupp?
Amun-Ra Wrote:Is this new arena going to be on campus or what? And is it going to have the same capacity as Rupp?
Near Rupp Arena, and around 30,000 capacity.
alfus21 Wrote:Near Rupp Arena, and around 30,000 capacity.
Near Rupp??? Ok I want to know more about this. They just revamped Rupp and the Civic Center making a huge part of downtown Lex. So how is this new place goin to fit in with that? After the new place is built what happens to Rupp?
Amun-Ra Wrote:Near Rupp??? Ok I want to know more about this. They just revamped Rupp and the Civic Center making a huge part of downtown Lex. So how is this new place goin to fit in with that? After the new place is built what happens to Rupp?
Rupp will be downsized for smaller events (conferences, etc)
The new Arena being discussed would be built in the parking lots across from Rupp arena
alfus21 Wrote:Rupp will be downsized for smaller events (conferences, etc)
The new Arena being discussed would be built in the parking lots across from Rupp arena
Really? A brand new state of the art arena in d-town Lex...Sounds good. Will it be connected to the Hyatt and Civic Center like Rupp is? Are they any early renderings of this?
Amun-Ra Wrote:Really? A brand new state of the art arena in d-town Lex...Sounds good. Will it be connected to the Hyatt and Civic Center like Rupp is? Are they any early renderings of this?
They're not sure. It's still in the early stages of discussion.
Well when this gets built it should be accessible to the Hyatt and Civic Center like Rupp is. They spent all those millions redoing everything there. The new arena should be aprt of it as well.
How are they going to "downsize" Rupp?
Sometimes cameron makes rupp sound like a library.
ukfan24 Wrote:Sometimes cameron makes rupp sound like a library.
Well it should. The students line the side of the court and Cameron Indoor is about the size of a pop can...
I agree, the atmosphere at Rupp is like a morgue most nights, only awakening for a big game like UNC, Louisville, or Florida. For a game in the middle of the week against a no-name opponent, you can hear a pin drop.
I have been to games at Rupp where I have sat in the lower arena, and not in the student section. I was on my feet most of the game, yelling and cheering, and most of the old farts sitting nearby were looking at me like I had carrots growing out of my ears. It's that much of a foreign concept for some of these people to even stand up and cheer. Pitiful, and with all the money that pours into the K-Fund, I don't see any way this will change until there are luxury boxes for those guys, and even then only some of them will move.
Rupp is pathetic right now. I have had season basketball tickets my entire life, but havent been to a game in like 3 or 4 years. When UK has a good or a great team there is no better home court advantage anywhere in any sport. Hopefully we can get back to that level sometime soon....
Students should be closer to the floor at Rupp but another thing about Duke is the fact that Cameron only holds around 8000 and when you pack them in like that in a small space it makes it look even Crazier.
GodisAshlandTomcat41 Wrote:Rupp is pathetic right now. I have had season basketball tickets my entire life, but havent been to a game in like 3 or 4 years. When UK has a good or a great team there is no better home court advantage anywhere in any sport. Hopefully we can get back to that level sometime soon....
Isn't that part of the problem? People with season tickets that won't even go support their team.
GodisAshlandTomcat41 Wrote:Rupp is pathetic right now. I have had season basketball tickets my entire life, but havent been to a game in like 3 or 4 years. When UK has a good or a great team there is no better home court advantage anywhere in any sport. Hopefully we can get back to that level sometime soon....
This is what blows me up! Support your team no matter what there doing! And lord have mercy you make it seem like were the worst team in the nation! Hold on before next week we lose to the defending peewee champs! Kentucky is supposed to be a basketball state and then we got people like you who have season tickets and don't go? Good god! Sell your tickets then to some one who has the spirit and will support there cats!
GodisAshlandTomcat41 Wrote:Rupp is pathetic right now. I have had season basketball tickets my entire life, but havent been to a game in like 3 or 4 years. When UK has a good or a great team there is no better home court advantage anywhere in any sport. Hopefully we can get back to that level sometime soon....
Hopefully you get rid of your tickets somehow, either by selling them or giving them away.
alfus21 Wrote:Hopefully you get rid of your tickets somehow, either by selling them or giving them away.
Ill glady take em!