As Gophers Struggle, Push To Tear Down Williams Arena Begins (Gaard and Shelman chime in, and agree)

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Bemusing to read all of the comments regarding comfort. I'm 6'5" and am totally comfortable at the games.

If your #1 priority is comfort level, then a new arena with plush seating isn't going to change that. Nothing will ever beat your recliner at home in that regard.
 

It isn't like Cameron Indoor Stadium is the greatest arena in the world, but Duke is always good and that is part of the charm and what makes is a can't miss place to watch basketball. If the Gophers were a better program the parts of Williams Arena you don't like would be what makes it charming.
 

For fun I put this quick study together to see what happens when you rotate the floor 90 degrees. While it works, it is still tight, and would definitely result in another quirky arena. It would likely need a good chunk of the pavillion, if not all of it. Note that there are many assumptions, unknowns, and guesses involved. I think I got the dimensions somewhat accurate, but I'm not sure. Since something like this would probably mean replacing the pavillion, perhaps it would be better to re-purpose Williams, and build new nearby. Maybe put in a dirt floor and practice football?Williams arena sections 2.jpg
 

71GopherFan said:
Since something like this would probably mean replacing the pavillion, perhaps it would be better to re-purpose Williams, and build new nearby. Maybe put in a dirt floor and practice football?
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Thanks for the quick sketch. Williams could be re-purposed for volleyball.
 


Lady Gopher said:
Funny I haven’t heard that Duke is getting a new arena. The Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs do well in old stadiums. Win and it just won’t matter how comfortable fans are!
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There are exceptions to every rule. Duke has the past success that makes it not a big deal. The chances of the Gophers turning into a blue blood anytime soon is extremely low.
 

Veritas said:
So these are free? Cause right now the place is fine for watching a basketball game, which is all I do there.
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Ok geezer. Revenue college sports are nothing more than part of a larger landscape of businesses that provide entertainment. If the experience provided is not up to snuff compared to other similar options (of which there are many in this market, unlike say, Iowa City) then the experience of attending and the overall value of the product suffers. You and the rest of the Washburn McReavy crowd might think it fine to watch a game in a YMCA gym, but today, most people want a better experience for their entertainment dollar. Of course you might be concerned more people would be standing up, or drinking beer....

FWIW, I don't want to see the Barn go. I'd rather they figure out a way to gut and renovate, kind of like they did with the Armory.
 






I will be there tonight and won't once look around and think to myself, "we really need a brand new stadium. This one just doesn't work." I will for sure be thinking about getting a new coach if things are going south though.
 

There have been plans floating around to expand concourses. John Cunningham was talking about those before he went to the AD job at Cincinnati. There will not be a penny of state money coming for anything new sports building at the U.....that's just wishful thinking as there is no sympathy there for the U. And, I'm concerned about cord cutting and how that will continue to impact the money coming in as sports revenue. But, if you've been to some of the new sterile arenas (think Kohl Center in Madison), I agree with the "don't touch my Barn" folks.

And, good luck trying to get the men's and women's basketball games at Target Center or Xcel during any major renovation during a season. They have other sports booked.
 

Ope3 said:
The Cubs did or are in the process of spending $575-million to bring Wrigley into the 21st century.
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Boston did a massive renovation to Fenway not too many years ago. Not sure about Duke though. I guess 1 out of 3 isn’t bad.
 



fanfromthevalley said:
And, good luck trying to get the men's and women's basketball games at Target Center or Xcel during any major renovation during a season. They have other sports booked.
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Target Center
November: 19 open dates
December: 22 open dates
January: 21 open dates
February: 22 open dates
March: 22 open dates

Mariucci can host as well. Depending on what the plans were, if the Pavilion was available the women could play there.
 


71GopherFan said:
Since something like this would probably mean replacing the pavillion, perhaps it would be better to re-purpose Williams, and build new nearby. Maybe put in a dirt floor and practice football?
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Would be curious to know if that would make us the only P5 school with three varsity gyms for court/dry floor sports? Nevermind that we'd have two more gyms on top of that for hockey.

You'd probably just leave Williams as is, due to historical significance. Maybe women's BB would play in there. Maybe volleyball would move some games in there. Etc.
 

MplsGopher said:
Would be curious to know if that would make us the only P5 school with three varsity gyms for court/dry floor sports? Nevermind that we'd have two more gyms on top of that for hockey.

You'd probably just leave Williams as is, due to historical significance. Maybe women's BB would play in there. Maybe volleyball would move some games in there. Etc.
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Actually, the dirt floor comment was kind of a joke - referencing the original use as a field house/multipurpose facility with a dirt floor (I believe). It would be nice if a new building, if built, could at least nod toward Historic Williams Arena, like TCF has subtle references to Historic Memorial Stadium. The fact that Williams Arena has made it this long is great, as it seems the arenas being built now seem to be so much better than those built in the '70's, 80's, and 90's.
 

71GopherFan said:
Actually, the dirt floor comment was kind of a joke - referencing the original use as a field house/multipurpose facility with a dirt floor (I believe). It would be nice if a new building, if built, could at least nod toward Historic Williams Arena, like TCF has subtle references to Historic Memorial Stadium. The fact that Williams Arena has made it this long is great, as it seems the arenas being built now seem to be so much better than those built in the '70's, 80's, and 90's.
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I knew you were joking about that. But I am being serious about having all three: the Pav, Williams, and the new arena. If we have the land. It would undoubtedly be cheaper to build new elsewhere and leave Williams as is, than tear down Williams and rebuild in its place.

The remodel route would obviously be the cheapest.
 

Ron Johnson Super Fan said:
Boston did a massive renovation to Fenway not too many years ago. Not sure about Duke though. I guess 1 out of 3 isn’t bad.
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I went to Lambeau a few years ago and was very surprised. I was expecting a Wrigley Field/Yankee Stadium type feel of a old/historic stadium. Lambeau is a "new" stadium built inside an old stadium. I don't mean this as a knock to Lambeau but I didn't get any feeling of old/historic when I was in it. The U could do something with Williams Arena without knocking it down.
 

Barreiro will be discussing it today. He asked that people attending last nights game to take an objective look at the arena and call in today.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Barreiro will be discussing it today. He asked that people attending last nights game to take an objective look at the arena and call in today.
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Oh, the voice of reason...I'm willing to bet Barreiro hasn't stepped foot in Williams since he stopped writing for the paper.

I've only been to a few opposing basketball arenas, but I have been to every B1G football stadium. The VAST majority of those are very similar to Williams. Sure, some of them have updated "premium" areas, but most have outdated concessions and bathrooms and cramped concourses. What we have in TCF is pretty rare. To expect that we'd have the same thing at every facility is a bit presumptive (and expensive).
 

Barreiro is simply looking for something to discuss on his show. He doesn't care about Gopher sports. Furthermore he would go on a rant about costs.
 

forever a gopher said:
I've only been to a few opposing basketball arenas, but I have been to every B1G football stadium. The VAST majority of those are very similar to Williams. Sure, some of them have updated "premium" areas, but most have outdated concessions and bathrooms and cramped concourses. What we have in TCF is pretty rare. To expect that we'd have the same thing at every facility is a bit presumptive (and expensive).
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Outdated concessions and bathrooms for the upper deck at Williams Arena would be a nice upgrade.
 

If they do anything, do it right. Don't make changes and think well down the road we'll make those changes. We don't need patch jobs. That typically costs more in the end.
 

Frank Grimey Grimes said:
Speak for yourself. I'm 26 and love the Barn. I'm all for doing a major renovation at some point, but tearing it down would be one of the biggest mistakes the university could possibly make imo.
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Why do you think it would be one of the biggest mistakes? It is an old building that served its purpose. It is near functionally obsolete by today's standards. Some people get attached to old sweaters with holes in them, some people view it as an article of clothing that served its purpose.

Most are remembering some great victories and the barn is attached to those warm memories. I have some nostalgia for my old rotary phone too, brings me back to a nice time. However, it is hard to compare it with voice dialing.

The barn is fine; it is what it has always has been. However, times change expectations. With rising expectations comes the need to meet or beat those expectations. There are going to be viewer and viewer people attached to the building. I was fan of it some time ago. It still has great viewing lines in the upper deck, but that is not something that can be easily replicated in a new building.
MNfootballfan said:
I went to Lambeau a few years ago and was very surprised. I was expecting a Wrigley Field/Yankee Stadium type feel of a old/historic stadium. Lambeau is a "new" stadium built inside an old stadium. I don't mean this as a knock to Lambeau but I didn't get any feeling of old/historic when I was in it. The U could do something with Williams Arena without knocking it down.
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Yes, they should knock down the outer walls, then, knock down the inner walls and call it a rebuild. That way, everyone is happy. It will still be the "barn" but everything will be new.:unsure:

On a serious note, I don't understand the attachment to a building. The metrodome had some historic events. It served its purpose and they built a better stadium to today's expectations. I don't hear too many people clamoring for the metrodome. I don't think many people like the barn, they like the old memories attached to it. Many high school gyms are nicer than the barn, it just happens to be bigger.

Do people still clamor for the rotary phone too?
 

Cost$200,000. Tear up the first 5 rows of seats and expand the floor to eliminate the raised floor concept. The floor would be at the same level as my seats. Eliminating the raised floor will save on the law suit just waiting to happen when a player gets hurt falling off the present floor.
 

benlaur said:
Do people still clamor for the rotary phone too?
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I miss dialing on the rotary phone the number that would tell you the "Time & Temp". Now all I do is put my thumb on my phone and it tells me both by default, or the temp for any city in the world. Sigh...
 


builtbadgers said:
Will be very difficult to raise money for it right now.
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Issue bonds.

Stock market ain't so great at the moment, people would eat them up. They're guaranteed ROI, just not at a super high level. Great for people close to retirement.
 

Pete smith said:
Cost$200,000. Tear up the first 5 rows of seats and expand the floor to eliminate the raised floor concept. The floor would be at the same level as my seats. Eliminating the raised floor will save on the law suit just waiting to happen when a player gets hurt falling off the present floor.
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You realize that the final four and some regional finals are played on a raised floor?
 

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