I agree 1000000%! Been an IU fan since 75 - I would have no issue with a new arena - names, etc. IU is no longer the program it was up through 92. Time for a whole new brand/identity - modern would help attract players imo.Don't be a tease, Sammy. No one will hold you responsible for mentioning specific needs. In fact, I think reading your thoughts would be quite illuminating.Personally I think Basketball needs a lot of things, things that would make people upset.
I think IU needs to get rid of Assembly Hall. I get the history and the memories (I went through this with Yankee Stadium), but the arena is just not a good venue for the modern game. While the renovations were really nice, there's not much more IU can do to add suites, better seats and other amenities that can generate revenue. ~1/2 the seats stink too and having old school bleachers around the court is no longer charming.
Give me names on the back of the uniforms (at least on some alternates) and modernize the uniform while keeping it classic.
I am also of the mindset that "IU Guy" is not a positive resume bullet. The program needs to get out the 1980s. While the Knight Era was legendary, the sport has changed (a little for the worse) and hanging on to how things ran back then has held IU back. I believe that's also why Cignetti worked because he was an outsider and blew up the "IU way of thinking" as far as football. There is no reason IU can't be modern and also honor the past.
Also, and this is nitpicking, I get why the chair throw is historical, but I would love to see other Knight moments get immortalized. If I was a Purdue Fan (gross) I would never cease to make fun of IU that arguably the best coach in CBB history's most commemorated moment was a temper tantrum in a double-digit home loss to your rival.
*Ducks*
One big thing you forgot - get rid of adidas! Go Nike/Jordan brand.
@jj_mcclure Actually it's not window dressing. In this world of college athletics schools need to generate revenue and Assembly Hall is not set up to maximize that. Every one talks about getting better coaches and players blah, blah, blah. That doesn't happen with out money these days. Assembly Hall was 2/3 full (and that's generous) last night it an important Big Ten game. It ALL matters.
Part of the reason why there is a disconnect between the fans and this particular team is that all of them were new. It's really hard to be emotionally invested in guys you don't know or spend the first dozen games learning who each one is. Every little detail matters.
Sure, some of it is not happening anytime soon, especially since they dumped $30 million into renovations. But that doesn't mean I can't think or say it.
Agree the new arena does matter. Before NIL it was all about facilities. I was a donator to ND football as well as IU for years. The thing they harped on all the time was facilities. How can we outshine Alabama , OSU etc. if you've ever taken tours of some of these facilities with all the amenities they have or provide these players today you'd be amazed at the amount of pampering some of these schools provide. Even Cig mentioned it on 60 minutes.
then there is what the facilities do to draw fans ... yes winning does that but today you need a payroll to win , in order to make payroll you need revenue .. the more the better so making the game day experience for that fan more pleasurable and offering more services etc you make more money. Oodles of it. I think they have 10 years left , depreciation wise on AH if they even owe a thing wasn't a lot of it paid for by SS? .. but they could refinance that debt and bond out for more to accomplish what they need to in building a new one. It could be done. , now's the time while football is on a roll. Take advantage of the tide we are on