Rupp Arena to undergo a few renovations
- Thread starter Rhavicc
- Start date
Nice. But still waiting on the big renovation or new arena. Does this renovation include the new logo on the floor?
New scoreboard and ribbon boards would do wonders.
Considering what the other top programs have in regards to arenas, Kentucky will be just fine with these upgrades.
Considering what the other top programs have in regards to arenas, Kentucky will be just fine with these upgrades.
Agreed. The upgrades will be enough. It would be nice to have a new arena but it's not essential the way the upgrades were essential for our football stadium. Rupp is still a very good arena and has some legacy history behind it. As long as they keep it modern it will be fine. Replacing Big Bertha, which I still believe was designed from a Dr Seuss sketch, with a modern score board will be a huge improvement alone. The wifi and ribbon boards will be extra as far as I'm concerned.
Glad to hear this is a go. We were all discussing these same modifications as a minimum during the Eagles concert over the weekend, Rupp does need some TLC. Some paint on the red duct work would be nice too.
Allen Fieldhouse, Cameron Indoor, and Dean Dome have luxury suites?
Maybe they do and I'm just not aware of it.
Amen to painting the ductwork. Red covered in dust is not a good look.
If they spend $15 million, and the ductwork is still red, I'm gonna protest outside of Rupp.
I'm curious to see the design plans for the renovation.
Eat your caviar at home.
I think she should go into a museum.
I'm curious to see the design plans for the renovation.
Eat your caviar at home.
I think she should go into a museum.
You know what they say, great minds think alike. We were at the Eagles concert this weekend and talking about exactly the same thing Replace Big Bertha with and modern 4 sided scoreboard and, as you say, a few other TLC (including getting rid of the obnoxious red duct work, still can't believe they've had that up there for this long) items and Rupp is a fine place for a game. And, my season tickets are near the top, center court so I'm not one of those big wigs or anything.
Calm down.
Never in a million years could I afford luxury suites.
But explain to me the downside? You can't.
It brings in WAY more revenue for the program.
It gets the old blue-hairs off the court and into the suites, allowing younger and louder fans to be near the court.
It's a great recruiting tool because they're appealing and seem modern and cool.
And it keeps us up to date with pretty much every other modern arena...in the world.
Can you name me a downside??
This is solely my opinion, but I'm not so sure suites would open up very many spots in lower arena. I feel like maybe the corporations that get seats would shift to a suite. But for the most part, it seems to me the suites would displace more fans in upper arena than it would lower arena.
It takes away from seating capacity, which I would rather have.
Oops, I named a downside.
It will be nice to get a modern scoreboard to replace Big Bertha. I hope that we keep the logo that is currently at center court. I'm not a fan of the new logo that is now at the 50 yard line in Commonwealth Stadium. If we can't afford to paint the ducts blue, then maybe we can we get someone with a big swiffer to remove 40 years of dust. Those ducts might be the dustiest surface on the planet.
Whether you all like it or not, the lack of suites will be the eventually undoing of the UK-Rupp Arena partnership. UK is missing out on a ton of potential revenue as a result.
Also, Cameron, Phog and the Dean Dome are all facilities owned by those universities. That undoubtedly plays a role.
Also, Cameron, Phog and the Dean Dome are all facilities owned by those universities. That undoubtedly plays a role.
I can definitely see the revenue positives with suites and having a more modern arena.
Recruiting? No. Tennessee has one of the nicer collegiate arenas in the nation since they renovated Thompson-Boling with suites, jumbotron, and ribbon boards.
Did the renovation and having a state of the art arena enable UT to suddenly start signing 5 stars? No. Because they're Tennessee. In basketball.
Cal's recruiting hasn't suffered one bit due to facilities, including Rupp Arena. That said, suites and a modern arena would be nice. Just don't know how UK goes about having them.
Recruiting? No. Tennessee has one of the nicer collegiate arenas in the nation since they renovated Thompson-Boling with suites, jumbotron, and ribbon boards.
Did the renovation and having a state of the art arena enable UT to suddenly start signing 5 stars? No. Because they're Tennessee. In basketball.
Cal's recruiting hasn't suffered one bit due to facilities, including Rupp Arena. That said, suites and a modern arena would be nice. Just don't know how UK goes about having them.
As long as the new arena has at least 24,000 capacity after it adds it's suites, I don't really care.
Cameron is a dump and its seating capacity is barely larger than some High School gyms in Indiana. When K retires you can kiss their ability to recruit to play in that dump...right out the window.
As for this discussion.... $15-mil is a drop in the ocean. That will not get very much more than improvements to bath rooms, and a nice several million dollar video scoreboard.
As for this discussion.... $15-mil is a drop in the ocean. That will not get very much more than improvements to bath rooms, and a nice several million dollar video scoreboard.
I'd presume that UK's stance would be that being able to maximize their revenue stream in regards to basketball would allow them to consistently be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to facilities and the bells and whistles like the Craft Center that typically require major campaigns in order to fund raise for the project.
I also assume that UK likely believes that UK basketball revenue when maximized would help finance a ton of projects for other sports as well as projects for the University in general.
The first of those upgrades will be the new ribbon boards around the second tier, which will be installed in time for the upcoming season. The new center-hung scoreboard and arena-wide WiFi won’t be in until the 2016-17 season, according to the Herald-Leader. That means we’ll get one more run with Big Bertha hanging over midcourt.
http://www.kentucky.com/2015/07/27/3961854/rupp-arena-to-get-15-million-in.html
Oh goody. You can use your cell phone now.....
Oh goody. You can use your cell phone now.....
TBCat, That Big Bertha with a array of Altec Lansing "Voice of the Theater" speakers which were and still one of the best speakers ever made. Hardly a Dr. Seuss sketch. I was was one of the main assembler technicians that put it together.
WildcatfaninOhio
All-American
I'm sure that those speakers are good quality. But they still look like they are Korean War era in design with all those big horn-shaped things sticking out. And since this is 2015 there should be a four-sided LED video scoreboard over center court, not an ancient looking cluster of beige speaker cones.
You can't beat the history and tradition. I'd love to see a new Rupp Arena, but I'm afraid it would lose all the character.
Welcome to the early 2000's, Rupp Arena! jk
It's a much needed renovation and should help ease the wait while the city of Lexington & UK get their ducks in a row for the bigger renovation (which is also much needed).
It's a much needed renovation and should help ease the wait while the city of Lexington & UK get their ducks in a row for the bigger renovation (which is also much needed).
- New ribbon boards
- Replacing the existing screens with new LED screens
- Adjustments to the roof structure for newer lights and other overhead equipment,
- A new center hung scoreboard with LED screens
- And (most expensive portion) wifi-infrastructure for 24,000.
Article
You forgot the most important part. the red duct work will also be painted. It's official!
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