Carver sucks

[HerkysDad]

When I was a SUI student (yes that's what it used to be), I had one of those "obstructed vision" seats behind the large building columns in the old Field House. They were on the upper level and yet we managed to attend all the games while cheering the hawks to a 14-0 Big Ten Championship and nearly a NCAA one.

To believe students do not attend due to their seating assignments indicates that maybe they do not really care.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Not this game but if you are walking up the steps in a tied up Big Ten game with 4 minutes left in the game than you should stay home. Hang some curtains around the top, keep the sound in and people in their seats. It is your choice to leave, the athletic department should make the choice to not allow you to stand at the top of the concourse.

 

[BBHawk]

Not this game but if you are walking up the steps in a tied up Big Ten game with 4 minutes left in the game than you should stay home. Hang some curtains around the top, keep the sound in and people in their seats. It is your choice to leave, the athletic department should make the choice to not allow you to stand at the top of the concourse.

I'll go one better. I believe that there are designs to put luxury boxes at the top of each side. This would force those who go up early to walk to the ends where the view is obstructed. Might not stop everyone but it could serve to cut down on some of those who watch from the top. And it could bump up revenue.

 

[Row55]

I'll go one better. I believe that there are designs to put luxury boxes at the top of each side. This would force those who go up early to walk to the ends where the view is obstructed. Might not stop everyone but it could serve to cut down on some of those who watch from the top. And it could bump up revenue.

I'm amazed this hasn't happened by now. If I were Barta, any architect that told me it wasn't possible would be looking for work elsewhere.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

The announcers were raving about Carver as a basketball atmosphere especially with the new video boards. I firmly believe that investing in the sound system and video added 10 to 15 years onto the arenas useful life. Carter gets as loud as anywhere when it is full, we just are inconsistent in filling it. Which is to be expected when you have good football and wrestling programs that also require a time commitment. This isn't Iowa State where you suck at everything besides hoops. Even so, we average right at or above Iowa State's attendance level.

 

[BBHawk]

The announcers were raving about Carver as a basketball atmosphere especially with the new video boards. I firmly believe that investing in the sound system and video added 10 to 15 years onto the arenas useful life. Carter gets as loud as anywhere when it is full, we just are inconsistent in filling it. Which is to be expected when you have good football and wrestling programs that also require a time commitment. This isn't Iowa State where you suck at everything besides hoops. Even so, we average right at or above Iowa State's attendance level.

And above in capacity. Iowa took a big jump in capacity when they went from the Field House to CHA. Shocking that we filled it from the start then tapered to where we are today. The transition to and through Alford/Lickliter years really took its toll. Not sure if it was all their fault, but the timeline is there. McC has done a good job getting paid attendance back to a respectable number and with the classes he has coming in, I think CHA will be back to more full-time rocking in a few years.

 

[hawkssox1]

1) Move the students to around the court. Get it done however you need to do it.
2) I dont know if it would be possible but they need to wall off in between sections around the concourse. This would keep in the noise and keep people from heading to the top to watch with 4 minutes and under left in the game.

Agree with moving the students closer but unfortunately will never happen.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Agree with moving the students closer but unfortunately will never happen.

Chicken or the egg, what have the students done to show they should be moved closer to the court?

 

[bhelm22]

They really should create a sitting on hands section and charge a premium for those seats. If you don't want to add to the atmosphere sit here and pay a 20% premium.

They basically did this already a few years ago, the seats are black and padded.

 

[bhelm22]

Chicken or the egg, what have the students done to show they should be moved closer to the court?

Amen, the student section has been on a steady decline, I have to believe it's close to rock bottom. Do we need to release some kind of rare pokemon at halftime to get them excited?

 

[Eternal Return]

I have never been told to sit down or not cheer at a Hawk game in over 30 years of going to games in CHA. Never seen any other Hawk fan get told that, either. I have seen mouthy fans from other teams get yelled at, though. And they deserved it.

Happened to me a few times. Happens even more at Kinnick in the "lifers" sections. I imagine those folks were standing and cheering 30 or 40 years ago. Now they need help just getting out of their seat. Amazing they still go to games. Not sure why other than nostalgia. In fact, I'm not sure some of them would remember being at the game by the Tuesday following the game.

 

[C/Seahawk]

Carver Hawkeye is one of the worst venues in college basketball. It was built as a comfortable setting to enjoy watching a basketball game and designed for the wine and cheese crowd. The student student was a second thought placed as far away from the action as possible as to not disturb the elitist few who rarely do more than offer a gentle clap of support. Carver Hawkeye is a great place to mingle and socialize and you can walk the wide top concourse and stretch your legs and grab an ice cream but it is not a college basketball venue. It is neither loud nor imposing and offers little to suggest to suggest it is a hostile environment. It is a comfortable old pair of socks and it should be replaced[/QUOTE]



This is a classic false narrative that has been perpetuated for years. The venue has, does and will produce noise, its simply a matter of the product on the court and willingness of fans to get behind the team. I attended many games in Carver from the time it was built until the early 90's and it was incredibly loud on many occasions. One game that quickly comes to mind is when Lute Olsen returned with this Arizona squad...you couldn't hear the person next to you. Certainly there are some structural elements that perhaps dampen the sound slightly, but the arena can absolutely become deafening and a tough place to play for opponents.

There isn't a bad seat in the house, they've now added the scoreboard and video screen at the center, perhaps luxury boxes will be added at top; Carver is and will continue to be a very fine venue for basketball and wrestling at the UofI. I also think the unique design has and continues to be excellent and hte fact we have office space and practice courts attached makes Carver a great asset for the university. It is perfect and/or in the top 1% of college basketball arenas nationwide today? Absolutely not, but it is well above average and a fine home for the Hawkeyes and not even close to needing to be replaced. I think in hindsight, everyone would agree that having a ground floor exit for fans would have been ideal and would allow for more students being placed behind the baskets on both sides instead of having the large open area behind one basket, but all things considering Carver is a fine building and home for the Hawkeyes. Countless visitors, announcers, coaches, etc. applaud the venue and I think its become popular to trash the arena by those that have to be upset about something at any given time.

 

[BBHawk]

Happened to me a few times. Happens even more at Kinnick in the "lifers" sections. I imagine those folks were standing and cheering 30 or 40 years ago. Now they need help just getting out of their seat. Amazing they still go to games. Not sure why other than nostalgia. In fact, I'm not sure some of them would remember being at the game by the Tuesday following the game.

I sit in a "Lifers" section, just behind the players' families. You must have bad luck where you are sitting.

 

[Eternal Return]

I sit in a "Lifers" section, just behind the players' families. You must have bad luck where you are sitting.

Yeah, it's been sporadic, usually getting tickets from a friend or purchasing from some old timer not going to the game. From what I remember (after tailgating) was that they were in the mid-to-upper range of the stands, generally between the thirty yard lines. Great views, no doubt about that, but standing is a no-no unless there's a big play. Even then there's an unspoken time limit to how long you can stand while cheering. Plus, they'll all gang up on you if you're not one of the season ticket holders. They all know each other. They're generally congenial, but rowdy they are not.

 

[BBHawk]

Yeah, it's been sporadic, usually getting tickets from a friend or purchasing from some old timer not going to the game. From what I remember (after tailgating) was that they were in the mid-to-upper range of the stands, generally between the thirty yard lines. Great views, no doubt about that, but standing is a no-no unless there's a big play. Even then there's an unspoken time limit to how long you can stand while cheering. Plus, they'll all gang up on you if you're not one of the season ticket holders. They all know each other. They're generally congenial, but rowdy they are not.

I am generally friendly to all but I draw the line when someone when they are falling down drunk.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Happened to me a few times. Happens even more at Kinnick in the "lifers" sections. I imagine those folks were standing and cheering 30 or 40 years ago. Now they need help just getting out of their seat. Amazing they still go to games. Not sure why other than nostalgia. In fact, I'm not sure some of them would remember being at the game by the Tuesday following the game.

Because he has had tickets uninterrupted for 54 years and he wants to go, that's why. He may not remember going to the game on Tuesday but he can remember Evy, Woodys hat being stolen, the cheer when Iowa clinched a rose bowl berth by running off tackle. If he wants to go he will sit in his lifer seat and go to the game. He won't yell at you to sit down and will stand and cheer as much as a guy that has one vocal chord can. The others in the section have no issues supporting the Hawks, maybe you are in the wrong lifer section or the issue is you.

 

[nagemj02]

OP, I think every college basketball fan (think "mid-major" to "high-major" program venues) has this type of experience with other fans or ushers every once in a while. I'm a Purdue fan and I remember after a non-conference game at Mackey about 9 or 10 years ago, I found chewed up gum under my seat. Apparently the young kids (presumably students, but not quite in the official student section) behind me didn't appreciate me standing up and cheering and yelling as much as I did throughout the game.

Stuff like that is not going to stop me, though. That's what I do when I go to sporting events (especially Boilers men's hoops) and if people around me don't like it, it's not my problem. Every fan is entitled to cheer for their team however they want once they buy a ticket. That's the way I look at it.

 

[hexumhawk]

Not this game but if you are walking up the steps in a tied up Big Ten game with 4 minutes left in the game than you should stay home. Hang some curtains around the top, keep the sound in and people in their seats. It is your choice to leave, the athletic department should make the choice to not allow you to stand at the top of the concourse.

Yes

This is the biggest issue after getting the students better seating and more involved. You cant tell me there isnt a way to block off the sections to stop people from going to the top of the arena. As stated it would make things a lot louder also.

 

[Eternal Return]

Because he has had tickets uninterrupted for 54 years and he wants to go, that's why. He may not remember going to the game on Tuesday but he can remember Evy, Woodys hat being stolen, the cheer when Iowa clinched a rose bowl berth by running off tackle. If he wants to go he will sit in his lifer seat and go to the game. He won't yell at you to sit down and will stand and cheer as much as a guy that has one vocal chord can. The others in the section have no issues supporting the Hawks, maybe you are in the wrong lifer section or the issue is you.

Nah, like I said, it was just on a few occasions, not even the whole game usually. They're congenial so they don't generally yell or anything. It's more just some grumbling on their part. And sometimes it's because they miss their buddies from what I can tell, like me and a few friends got a block of tickets from someone who gets four season tickets every year. I'm not deep down complaining, just telling that one guy who said he'd never experienced anyone complaining that I have. not every game, not in every section. I remember the '04 Ohio State game, the place was generally going nuts -- it was Drew Tate's breakout game so me and a couple friends (and a lot of others in the stands) were on our feet a lot cheering. The "I-O-W-A" chants went long that game. That was the one that sticks out most having to hear people behind me complaining. I kept thinking, "We're crushing Ohio State! The last time this happened was probably in the 80s! We can handle one game going nuts, right?" But when it's a boring matchup with Illinois not much reason to be up and cheering all game long anyway so no troubles those games.

 

[hooper56]

How about deleting this awful post? Don't need some jerk coming on a Hawkeye board to trash our arena. I doubt the guy gave a nickle to it's construction and subsequent renovation. For the people who support the Hawkeyes this is super offensive. It is total BS that a post like this stays up on this Hawkeye site.