CHA Atmosphere

[Valholl]

CHA will never have a good atmosphere b/c:
1) Too many week day games
2) 8 PM start for TV
3) Constructed for comfort not for sound
4) Blue hairs get the best seats
5) Iowa is a football school.
6) Attendance is down for all athletics
7) Don't compare the basketball atmosphere with the wrestling atmosphere b/c it is not the same.

Those could all be true but then the WBB team played to an electric crowd tonight. So, if the first 7 items are not true then maybe 8 is.

8) Men's wrestling and Women's basketball are more exciting than Men's basketball.

 

[CookyMonster]

If the men could just get kobe Bryant to stick around for all four years. People are front runners and like a winner big shocker.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Carver was pretty packed until the Pierre Pierce debacle.

Things have never quite been the same for the men since that time IMO.

 

[ichawk24]

The CHA atmosphere was excellent tonight!!!

 

[IllQChawk]

Carver was pretty packed until the Pierre Pierce debacle.

Things have never quite been the same for the men since that time IMO.

Yes, I remember that, it was all Fran McCaffery's fault.😡
If there's a more meaningful time for Iowa fans to come to Carver on Saturday to give this years men's basketball team a needed lift, it's this Saturday at 11am. Come on Hawk fans, don't turn your back on them now, they need your support now more then ever!

 

[eyesofhawk]

CHA will never have a good atmosphere b/c:
1) Too many week day games
2) 8 PM start for TV
3) Constructed for comfort not for sound
4) Blue hairs get the best seats
5) Iowa is a football school.
6) Attendance is down for all athletics
7) Don't compare the basketball atmosphere with the wrestling atmosphere b/c it is not the same.

Those could all be true but then the WBB team played to an electric crowd tonight. So, if the first 7 items are not true then maybe 8 is.

8) Men's wrestling and Women's basketball are more exciting than Men's basketball.

Good try but nah

 

[Hawkfan_08]

Yes, I remember that, it was all Fran McCaffery's fault.😡
If there's a more meaningful time for Iowa fans to come to Carver on Saturday to give this years men's basketball team a needed lift, it's this Saturday at 11am. Come on Hawk fans, don't turn your back on them now, they need your support now more then ever!

And last I checked tickets were $5

 

[Incredible Hawk]

The arena is far from perfect, but it's the product on the floor that puts butts in the seats.....

Inconvenient start times, blue hairs, parking, arena location, "football school" are all convenient scapegoats, but people will make an effort if the product is worth watching...

 

[Mohawkeye]

Honest question, do a lot of students come to the women’s games? What’s the demographic?

 

[ichawk24]

The womens game has lots of families and old people. Not many students.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Winning builds atmosphere. It’s never the other way around.

 

[EagleHawk]

Honest question, do a lot of students come to the women’s games? What’s the demographic?

I don’t know about the rest of the year, but I was at the K State game and the pep band was 25% of the student section. 2-3 sections nearly empty in a sold out game. But they don’t get good seats so they don’t come, I get it.

 

[squeezebox]

Carver sucks, it truly is that simple. It is the exact opposite form Kinnick, you feel miles away from the court, it's quiet, and the atmosphere sucks.

 

[Speedway1]

Carver sucks, it truly is that simple. It is the exact opposite form Kinnick, you feel miles away from the court, it's quiet, and the atmosphere sucks.

The seats suck also. Uncomfortable at best. We have womens BB season tix. Bought 4 and only use 2 just to have the room.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

Most of the things the OP mentioned were true of Carver back in the 80s and 90s, and there were 6pm/8pm tips on ESPN games back in the day also, but the place was rocking. People also like to mention the weather. News flash, Iowa winters have always been cold.

I don't buy the excuses. IMO there's just a lack of enthusiasm in the fan base.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

Carver was pretty packed until the Pierre Pierce debacle.

Things have never quite been the same for the men since that time IMO.

Maybe, but it got far worse when Lickliter was hired. I vividly remember being appalled even in Lick's first year, when I noticed in one of the early non-con games that the seats in the upper half of the arena were completely empty. Maybe attendance had been dwindling some in previous years, but it never was THAT bad until the Lickliter years. Don't think it's really ever totally recovered.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

I don’t know about the rest of the year, but I was at the K State game and the pep band was 25% of the student section. 2-3 sections nearly empty in a sold out game. But they don’t get good seats so they don’t come, I get it.

That's weak sauce by students. A generational talent an national title runner up. #4 in the country. Hitting game winning logo 3s....

I don't care where the seats are, pathetic that they can't show up.

 

[jaxhawk06]

I don’t know about the rest of the year, but I was at the K State game and the pep band was 25% of the student section. 2-3 sections nearly empty in a sold out game. But they don’t get good seats so they don’t come, I get it.

I've only been to a couple WBB games this year but last year went to most of the conference games and you couldn't even tell there's a student section. They make no noise and don't stand up at all

 

[jaxhawk06]

The seats suck also. Uncomfortable at best. We have womens BB season tix. Bought 4 and only use 2 just to have the room.

I agree, Carver has one of the most uncomfortable seats I've sat in.

 

[squeezebox]

I've only been to a couple WBB games this year but last year went to most of the conference games and you couldn't even tell there's a student section. They make no noise and don't stand up at all

football is similar, they are there through the 1st half and then poof gone they go. They should have built a new arena downtown where the gym is at. Or hell put it in that parking lot down there.

 

[CookyMonster]

Honest question, do a lot of students come to the women’s games? What’s the demographic?

People who never used to watch basketball but love Catlin Clark

 

[BrewHawk]

If the men's team was a winner (March Madness-wise), Carver would be rocking.

 

[Packer54]

Went to a men's game early this season ONLY because the tickets were cheap and it tied into a football weekend. I bought 2 seats for my son and myself. They were the first row of seats behind the first 6 or so rows...it is separated by a guardrail and unfortunately for taller folks like myself I had to sit sideways because my legs would not fit behind the metal bars. AND as other have mentioned the seats were very uncomfortable. The atmosphere blows big time for mens basketball...a bunch is the team but the arena ain't all that hot.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

If the product was worth watching, people would be filling the arena.

Whatever problems that anyone has with CHA would suddenly not be a big deal if there was any hint that the team had a chance come March.

 

[MilleGinja]

That's weak sauce by students. A generational talent an national title runner up. #4 in the country. Hitting game winning logo 3s....

I don't care where the seats are, pathetic that they can't show up.

To be fair, students are still on break, so the vast majority of them probably aren’t even around right now. Idk what it’s like for other games though.

Students still get in free for women’s bball? IIRC, I think they did when I was a student.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Caitlin is a phenomenon the likes of which will almost surely never again be seen at the U of I. No analysis needed as to why the women's team can draw a crowd. And it has zero to do with the arena.

 

[Hawkbiz]

Quit blaming the students. I attend both the men's and the women's games and the large and loud crowds at the women's games simply do not need the students. It is full without them and we "blue hairs" make plenty of noise and love the product on the floor.

 

[BioHawk]

LOL @ the idea that CHA was constructed for "comfort". CHA has the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. There isn't enough length for your legs so it feels like your knees are in your chest for anyone over 5'5" tall. Not to mention since there is only one way out of the stands you are stuck waiting for a really long time as everyone has to filter out the top of the stadium. I've often wondered what the plan is to get people out of the stands if there were ever an emergency. People near the courts are screwed. Especially since that's where all the old people are and they generally can't move very fast to begin with.

 

[iowahawkeyes1982]

Most of the things the OP mentioned were true of Carver back in the 80s and 90s, and there were 6pm/8pm tips on ESPN games back in the day also, but the place was rocking. People also like to mention the weather. News flash, Iowa winters have always been cold.

I don't buy the excuses. IMO there's just a lack of enthusiasm in the fan base.

To piggyback, Carver seems just fine for wrestling and WBB.

Could there be improvements to Carver, of course. But the venue itself is not the problem. They could build a state of the art arena and I don't think that'd do much for the atmosphere as it relates to MBB.

 

[IllQChawk]

If the product was worth watching, people would be filling the arena.

Whatever problems that anyone has with CHA would suddenly not be a big deal if there was any hint that the team had a chance come March.

Whether the team is good or bad, that's a lame excuse for not coming to a men's game, but carry on with your stupidity and weak allegiants to the Iowa Hawkeyes. You're a prefect example of a fair weather fan that probably only goes to the football games just to get drunk on Saturdays and cares very little about the product on the field.

 

[iowahawkeyes1982]

Whether the team is good or bad, that's a lame excuse for not coming to a men's game, but carry on with your stupidity and weak allegiants to the Iowa Hawkeyes. You're a prefect example of a fair weather fan that probably only goes to the football games just to get drunk on Saturdays and cares very little about the product on the field.

Eh, I'm not sure I agree. Fran fatigue is real. Between the courtside behavior, MM track record, inability to capitalize on top tier talent, lack of defense...people are tired of it.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Whether the team is good or bad, that's a lame excuse for not coming to a men's game, but carry on with your stupidity and weak allegiants to the Iowa Hawkeyes. You're a prefect example of a fair weather fan that probably only goes to the football games just to get drunk on Saturdays and cares very little about the product on the field.

You couldn't be further off the mark with your football comments.

As for my allegiance to Iowa sports, I don't give a sh!t about yours or anyone else's definition of fandom. You follow the teams in the way that you want and I'll do the same.

 

[doughuddl2]

CHA will never have a good atmosphere b/c:
1) Too many week day games
2) 8 PM start for TV
3) Constructed for comfort not for sound
4) Blue hairs get the best seats
5) Iowa is a football school.
6) Attendance is down for all athletics
7) Don't compare the basketball atmosphere with the wrestling atmosphere b/c it is not the same.

Those could all be true but then the WBB team played to an electric crowd tonight. So, if the first 7 items are not true then maybe 8 is.

8) Men's wrestling and Women's basketball are more exciting than Men's basketball.

Let's go yah punk ass!

 

[Speedway1]

LOL @ the idea that CHA was constructed for "comfort". CHA has the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. There isn't enough length for your legs so it feels like your knees are in your chest for anyone over 5'5" tall. Not to mention since there is only one way out of the stands you are stuck waiting for a really long time as everyone has to filter out the top of the stadium. I've often wondered what the plan is to get people out of the stands if there were ever an emergency. People near the courts are screwed. Especially since that's where all the old people are and they generally can't move very fast to begin with.

And they go up the tunnel to ride the elevator. Slowly!

 

[Speedway1]

football is similar, they are there through the 1st half and then poof gone they go. They should have built a new arena downtown where the gym is at. Or hell put it in that parking lot down there.

Football is another lousy seating issue. Where they cram 10lbs of shit into a 5 gallon bucket. We had season tix for 15 years gave em up and only go to a couple a year.

 

[SansAgain]

Football is another lousy seating issue. Where they cram 10lbs of shit into a 5 gallon bucket. We had season tix for 15 years gave em up and only go to a couple a year.

I admire your self-awareness.

 

[SansAgain]

Carver is just horrible for all sports. Wrestling fans make the most of it. With Kinnick opposing teams say that it feels like the fans are right on top of you. The Carver bowl, not so much. It’s time for a retro arena. A Field House, Okie St, and Assembly Hall baby. I understand there’s no money for that, I’m just saying.

 

[rufus-hawk]

That's weak sauce by students. A generational talent an national title runner up. #4 in the country. Hitting game winning logo 3s....

I don't care where the seats are, pathetic that they can't show up.

I was a student here. I showed up because college BB was my favorite sport at the time. I would‘ve sat in the last row and needed no free pizza to be there. It wasn’t the Field House, but it was loud and entertaining to me.

 

[rufus-hawk]

And last I checked tickets were $5

WBB vs Indiana starting at $133 (not including fees) on Seat Geek rn.

 

[BonzoFury]

Carver sucks, it truly is that simple. It is the exact opposite form Kinnick, you feel miles away from the court, it's quiet, and the atmosphere sucks.

Carver Hawk-aisle. Just watch a game on TV. There's so much space down low near the floor and the stands are too far back. Exactly the opposite of how is should be. 4 seats...aisle. 5 seats...aisle. 6 seats...aisle. It's ridiculous.

It was outdated the day it opened...not unlike the Metrodump in Minneapolis. I don't care how many awards it won for its unique engineering (never mind that the floor settled and cracked within a couple of years) it wasn't designed to get the fans close to the action and generate intensity.