Roy's comments last night got me thinking

[IndyCat1995]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

 

[TheDude73]

Mostly due to the acoustics of the gyms/arenas. You put UK fans in Ass Hall and it will be just as loud, even on a "blue-hair" night against a nobody. The difference is - Rupp is a cavernous arena, while Ass Hall is a flat-ceiling, odd-shaped "theater".

 

[Pope John Wall II]

The students being relegated to an end and not surrounding the lower bowl contributes to it.

The blue hairs are the biggest factor overall, as you said, though. It's also much harder to make an arena built like Rupp boom like Assembly hall simply because it's so much bigger and fans aren't on top of the court crammed together like in Bloomington.

Evict the blue hairs, make the lower arena 40 and under and it will sound more like Allen Fieldhouse.

 

[DCFseattle]

because a portion of the fan base that sits close to the court view games as a social gathering where they're hoping to be seen by other people who're hoping to be seen by the first group, rather than a basketball game. they take their books, their knitting nonsense, their sleeping children, and their Tuesday night pills so their bowels move regularly and their piss doesn't stink too bad, and they sit there and golf clap and the next day count all the people who come up to them and say "saw you at the game last night. we sure are young and hip, aren't we? going to sporting events and being awake all the way to 10 o'clock."

 

[IndyCat1995]

And this is exhibit A as to why I think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere

 

[rick64]

Make the entire lower level at Rupp the students section, and watch that place explode.

 

[Pope John Wall II]

View embedded media

And this is exhibit A as to why I think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere

The underlying problem is that it takes one of the greatest talents Kentucky has ever seen as well as one of the most entertaining players of all time to get Rupp to respond like that.

 

[wcc31]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

BBN is not easily impressed.

UNC is wine and cheese.

 

[CATSrock]

I think crowds were better in the past anyway. Take a look at the crowd response from the Dirk to Bowie oop.

 

[RondoBaller21]

I went to the 2012 game against Carolina and it was one of the best atmospheres I can remember. When Davis got the last second block I couldn't even hear myself think.

 

[GonzoCat90]

For the same reason we have the best facilities and private planes.

 

[3 fan]

Part of the problem is who UK plays. Lets be honest, our home games in our OOC are 85% blowouts. Our marquee games every year are at neutral sites. UCLA game is an exception. Some years our ONLY big game at home is Louisville.

 

[irishcat1965]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

Assembly Hall is a morgue when they play scrubs no different than Rupp.

 

[trinity45]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

As most have stated the size of the place. Rupp is much larger in area than Assembly, why do you think Dukes place is so crazy, it is small.

 

[420grover]

Mostly due to the acoustics of the gyms/arenas. You put UK fans in Ass Hall and it will be just as loud, even on a "blue-hair" night against a nobody. The difference is - Rupp is a cavernous arena, while Ass Hall is a flat-ceiling, odd-shaped "theater".

The next renovation needs to be an acoustics specialist to design a ceiling with some type of sound reflecting panels.

 

[RMorris33]

Rupp is fine. It sucks when playing Directional School U but put Kansas, UNC or Louisville in there and there's no louder place in college ball. Let's be real the average age of the lower arena is 60 or 70. I wish we could put all the rowdies there and have every game be like the SEC tourney in Bridgestone but money talks and it won't change anytime soon

 

[Dirk2Bowie]

I think crowds were better in the past anyway. Take a look at the crowd response from the Dirk to Bowie oop.

View embedded media

Gotta say I like that play a little bit.

 

[TheDude1]

Size plays a huge role (no pun intended) in acoustics and crowd involvement, in terms of noise and in terms of allowing less-regularly-rabid fans to attend. So does seating, when you have the less rabid fans courtside.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Assembly Hall is a morgue when they play scrubs no different than Rupp.

That's what I was wondering. I doubt the UK crowd is any worse than anywhere else when playing weaker teams.

 

[drainthatub]

Maybe because half the people in there are staring at their phones?

 

[Bluegrass79]

Indiana fans are rabid right now. They been losing for sooooo long. They are overcome with desire to get back on top. You could hear it in the crowd last night when Blackmon hit that bomb of a 3 to put them up 17 or so points. Indiana fans want to put thumpings on UNC, KENTUCKY, KANSAS , or Duke. The teams that have did all the winning the last 20 years.
Jealous, spitefull, mean ass fans are those Hoosiers. Hell they started singing ''nahna nah nah hey hey goodbye '' to UNC as the last minute ticked down. Those people have 25 years of built up animosity and that's why you don't play IU on their home court if your a blue blood.
The hate is real and turns up the volume of the crowd big time. Only Duke could pull that loudness out of Kentucky fans at RUPP.

 

[qwesley]

IU has been mediocre for 30 years, that tends to build some passion when they finally have a good team.

 

[UKCatnNC]

The students being relegated to an end and not surrounding the lower bowl contributes to it.

The blue hairs are the biggest factor overall, as you said, though. It's also much harder to make an arena built like Rupp boom like Assembly hall simply because it's so much bigger and fans aren't on top of the court crammed together like in Bloomington.

Evict the blue hairs, make the lower arena 40 and under and it will sound more like Allen Fieldhouse.

Be careful what you wish for. One day you will be a "blue hair". That being said, I have always believed that students should have better seats. Go Cats!!

 

[Pope John Wall II]

Be careful what you wish for. One day you will be a "blue hair". Go Cats!!

And I still won't be able to afford season tickets

 

[Cawood86]

because a portion of the fan base that sits close to the court view games as a social gathering where they're hoping to be seen by other people who're hoping to be seen by the first group, rather than a basketball game. they take their books, their knitting nonsense, their sleeping children, and their Tuesday night pills so their bowels move regularly and their piss doesn't stink too bad, and they sit there and golf clap and the next day count all the people who come up to them and say "saw you at the game last night. we sure are young and hip, aren't we? going to sporting events and being awake all the way to 10 o'clock."

How do you really feel?

 

[Cawood86]

Don't like IU but beating KU and UNC already this year is impressive. Their loss to FW is just a head shaker but very funny.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Lets go play a game or two in memorial ........... That place was about ready to explode 8 years ago.... and that was a NIT game.

Play an Arizona state or even a conference team like A&M in there.... There are ways to make up the money lost by not having the extra ticket sales at Rupp. Market the game as a historic event in honor of our past and see what type of endorsements you can get for the one time event.

 

[UKCatnNC]

What a wonderful place Memorial was to watch a game!! Go Cats!!

 

[Bungalow Bill]

Only some UK fans think Rupp is a subdued environment. The opponents, whether duds or blue bloods are almost always blown away by playing at Rupp and complimentary of our fans. This criticism is really getting old. Just try going somewhere else for a few season and you'll see we have one of the top environments in the country at Rupp year in year out.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

Evict the blue hairs, make the lower arena 40 and under and it will sound more like Allen Fieldhouse.

40 and under? Hell, they be texting when Monk does his windmill dunk. You'd be able to hear a mouse fart.

 

[JonathanW]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

Multiple reasons.
- the bigger the arena, the worse the accoustics (usually).
- both UK and UNC have a lot of "blue hair donors" that are there to be seen, closer to the court
- and expectations are so high at UK and UNC that many games are just considered "ho-hum" by many fans

 

[jameslee32]

Part of the problem is who UK plays. Lets be honest, our home games in our OOC are 85% blowouts. Our marquee games every year are at neutral sites. UCLA game is an exception. Some years our ONLY big game at home is Louisville.

Yeah, no point in overthinking if it's staring you right in the face.

 

[Da_Bull]

Indiana fans are rabid right now. They been losing for sooooo long. They are overcome with desire to get back on top. You could hear it in the crowd last night when Blackmon hit that bomb of a 3 to put them up 17 or so points. Indiana fans want to put thumpings on UNC, KENTUCKY, KANSAS , or Duke. The teams that have did all the winning the last 20 years.
Jealous, spitefull, mean ass fans are those Hoosiers. Hell they started singing ''nahna nah nah hey hey goodbye '' to UNC as the last minute ticked down. Those people have 25 years of built up animosity and that's why you don't play IU on their home court if your a blue blood.
The hate is real and turns up the volume of the crowd big time. Only Duke could pull that loudness out of Kentucky fans at RUPP.

lol this is a funny response, predictable from a UK fan but funny. Its been this way since it opened in 1970, its the way the place was designed with steep seating rising on both sides. It only increased since 8k of the 17k are students.

 

[Macy's socks]

Let's be real the average age of the lower arena is 60 or 70. I wish we could put all the rowdies there and have every game be like the SEC tourney in Bridgestone but money talks and it won't change anytime soon

#truth

 

[UKCATSFREAK]

The underlying problem is that it takes one of the greatest talents Kentucky has ever seen as well as one of the most entertaining players of all time to get Rupp to respond like that.

Oh no, it doesn't. I've been there and seen that place explode like that many, many, many times. It can get a bit quiet but it can get crazy too.

 

[Jbapp1978]

Mostly due to the acoustics of the gyms/arenas. You put UK fans in Ass Hall and it will be just as loud, even on a "blue-hair" night against a nobody. The difference is - Rupp is a cavernous arena, while Ass Hall is a flat-ceiling, odd-shaped "theater".

Unfortunately I disagree. last nite every Indiana fan was up waving towels and different things in their hands. In Rupp Arena, there are ALOT of folks who never even clap let alone stand up and cheer.

 

[Jbapp1978]

Indiana fans are rabid right now. They been losing for sooooo long. They are overcome with desire to get back on top. You could hear it in the crowd last night when Blackmon hit that bomb of a 3 to put them up 17 or so points. Indiana fans want to put thumpings on UNC, KENTUCKY, KANSAS , or Duke. The teams that have did all the winning the last 20 years.
Jealous, spitefull, mean ass fans are those Hoosiers. Hell they started singing ''nahna nah nah hey hey goodbye '' to UNC as the last minute ticked down. Those people have 25 years of built up animosity and that's why you don't play IU on their home court if your a blue blood.
The hate is real and turns up the volume of the crowd big time. Only Duke could pull that loudness out of Kentucky fans at RUPP.

This is the winner. nailed it.

 

[UKnCincy]

For the same reason we have the best facilities and private planes.

Your point will go over most people's heads, I believe. Spot on though.

 

[westerncat]

I have only been to Rupp once it was great but I do wish they would put the students in the lower section.

 

[Bluest Member]

Why is it that Rupp and the Smith center are so subdued? Now, don't get me wrong I still think Rupp is the best big game atmosphere in the country; and we will see that Saturday. But, why can you hear a pin drop on other nights? I know the blue hairs are a part of it but what else? Is it because we have become so accustomed to winning that it is just the expectation every time we set foot on the floor?

Thoughts?

At least Kentucky has never had to pipe noise in at a game like UNC used to do