Inside Furman Athletics - Bob Richey, Jason Donnelly (March 1st 2023)

[apaladin]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

[Davemeister]

An impressive presentation as always when those three get together.

JD commented about how the availability of the Well figures into Furman's plan for how big Timmons needs to be. But the BSWA is an asset only if we utilize it. This season we played two games Downtown. IMHO that is not enough.

[Roundball]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

[FU Hoopla]

If they want to make us all happy they need to land at the very least 3,000 capacity............

[apaladin]

I, too, would like to see at least 3K, maybe 3.5K, but my guess is that when the decision was made to renovate rather than rebuild the die was cast for something in the 2.5K range. No engineer or architect, but it seems that the ceiling of Timmons is simply too low to accommodate a lower bowl, complete circuit concourse, AND upper-level seating.

The ceiling is plenty high enough. Even now on large side there is a wide walkway between the lower seats and upper seats. Remember Timmons originally had 5,500 seats. Most of those seats are still there just not used. I think there is plenty of room. If it is truly a 360 degree arena it will only need to he about 10-12 rows to seat 2,500.

[apaladin]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

[Roundball]

[quote=apaladin post_id=67519 time=1677780728 user_id=50]
[quote=Roundball post_id=67509 time=1677772667 user_id=632]
[quote=apaladin post_id=67506 time=1677772154 user_id=50]
No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?
[/quote]
The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!
[/quote]
Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.
[/quote]
I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

[FU Hoopla]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

2,100? I think you mean 2,500.

I am fairly confident they will at least make the capacity 3,000, honestly just think how tiny the 360 degree bowl will look if its any smaller than that.

[Roundball]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

2,100? I think you mean 2,500.

I am fairly confident they will at least make the capacity 3,000, honestly just think how tiny the 360 degree bowl will look if its any smaller than that.

Hoopla, I hope you are right. I would love to see capacity at 3,000 or higher. Heck, 5,000 works for me. But, JD said the seating capacity would be similar to what it is now. Seeing how our announced attendance for the sellouts have been around 2,100, that must be the capacity. Based on the renderings that we have seen, and the comments from JD, some of the present seats will be deleted to make room for box style seating. That probably means we break even on seating capacity. I have a feeling that the arena will look like it seats more than the announced capacity.

[FU Hoopla]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

2,100? I think you mean 2,500.

I am fairly confident they will at least make the capacity 3,000, honestly just think how tiny the 360 degree bowl will look if its any smaller than that.

Hoopla, I hope you are right. I would love to see capacity at 3,000 or higher. Heck, 5,000 works for me. But, JD said the seating capacity would be similar to what it is now. Seeing how our announced attendance for the sellouts have been around 2,100, that must be the capacity. Based on the renderings that we have seen, and the comments from JD, some of the present seats will be deleted to make room for box style seating. That probably means we break even on seating capacity. I have a feeling that the arena will look like it seats more than the announced capacity.

Again you're saying 2,100, but you mean 2,500
Our sellouts are 2,500

2,507
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8062

2,577
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8070

[Roundball]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

2,100? I think you mean 2,500.

I am fairly confident they will at least make the capacity 3,000, honestly just think how tiny the 360 degree bowl will look if its any smaller than that.

Hoopla, I hope you are right. I would love to see capacity at 3,000 or higher. Heck, 5,000 works for me. But, JD said the seating capacity would be similar to what it is now. Seeing how our announced attendance for the sellouts have been around 2,100, that must be the capacity. Based on the renderings that we have seen, and the comments from JD, some of the present seats will be deleted to make room for box style seating. That probably means we break even on seating capacity. I have a feeling that the arena will look like it seats more than the announced capacity.

Again you're saying 2,100, but you mean 2,500
Our sellouts are 2,500

2,507
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8062

2,577
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8070

I stand corrected. Thanks Hoopla. I was looking at the last couple of games of the year, which I thought were sellouts. So, based on those numbers, it looks like the capacity at Timmons will be around 2,500. I just hope it is no less than that.

[FU Hoopla]

No one is talking about a huge arena. Just need a little room to grow. I would be fine with the size of or close to WC making us the two smallest arenas but not have the smallest arena by 1,000 seats. We have sold out Timmons many times the last few years especially on Saturdays. Before the reconfiguration we had crowds of 3,000 plus. The trouble with playing “big” games at the well is games have to be scheduled well in advance and you can’t predict what conference games are going to be big except for WC. Obviously we can’t get any big name teams to play at the Well. To me it is short sited and will be a huge mistake just like the one 25 years ago. It will be a negative in recruting instead of a positive. How can having the smallest gym in the conference by 1,000 seats be a positive for recruiting?

The size of our arena has not been a negative so far. If a recruit is concerned about seating capacity, send him on to the next team. Seriously, on a list of 10 important items on a recruits list, I doubt you will find the words, seating capacity of teams arena. The recruit we want is more concerned about culture, the schools commitment to the future of the program and its educational value. We score high on all three of those items. That is the recruit we want at Furman, just like the ones that we have the privilege of watching play the great game of basketball this year. Go Paladins!

Then why does JD and CBR keep saying we need it for recruiting and retention and CBR said we lost a recruit to the ACC soley because of the arena. Greenville is growing by leaps and bounds, people keep moving here in droves. We need an arena large enough for potential new fans to come and visit, not one where no seats are available to them.

I am not saying we don’t need improvements to Timmons. It is a dump. I am only referring to the seating capacity. Based on what JD has said over and over, the seating capacity is going to be around 2,100, the same we have now. We might as well support that decision and look forward to the finished product. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by JD and the Furman administration on the size of the arena.

2,100? I think you mean 2,500.

I am fairly confident they will at least make the capacity 3,000, honestly just think how tiny the 360 degree bowl will look if its any smaller than that.

Hoopla, I hope you are right. I would love to see capacity at 3,000 or higher. Heck, 5,000 works for me. But, JD said the seating capacity would be similar to what it is now. Seeing how our announced attendance for the sellouts have been around 2,100, that must be the capacity. Based on the renderings that we have seen, and the comments from JD, some of the present seats will be deleted to make room for box style seating. That probably means we break even on seating capacity. I have a feeling that the arena will look like it seats more than the announced capacity.

Again you're saying 2,100, but you mean 2,500
Our sellouts are 2,500

2,507
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8062

2,577
https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/mens- ... score/8070

I stand corrected. Thanks Hoopla. I was looking at the last couple of games of the year, which I thought were sellouts. So, based on those numbers, it looks like the capacity at Timmons will be around 2,500. I just hope it is no less than that.

Belmont and ETSU at 2,100 would have been sellouts, we sold all tickets to public, but students did now show very well for those games unfortunately which is what left some seats empty.
Maybe if those games had fallen on a Saturday the students would have shown better.

[FU Hoopla]

Our smallest crowd all season was about 1,500 against High Point, so even at 3,000 seats a crowd of 1,500 would feel fine.

If you go by what JD says it seems they are still trying to figure it out, otherwise he would have given a specific number.
We need 3,000 in the bowl, with luxury style boxes above the bowl.

[Paul C]

Always leave them wanting....

[Roundball]

Our smallest crowd all season was about 1,500 against High Point, so even at 3,000 seats a crowd of 1,500 would feel fine.

If you go by what JD says it seems they are still trying to figure it out, otherwise he would have given a specific number.
We need 3,000 in the bowl, with luxury style boxes above the bowl.

That would be nice, but they would need to raise the roof level to do that, and that is not happening. It sounds like the renovations will be made within the present confines of the arena, which I assume means no walls knocked out and the roof not being raised. Otherwise, we would need to double the amount already raised.