More details released about new basketball practice facility

For fan discussion of the Vanderbilt Commodore women's basketball program, games and recruiting.

Moderators: kerrigjl, BrentVU, jfgogold, NateSY, KarenYates, Vandyman74, roanoke, VandyWhit

User avatar
AuricGoldfinger
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 16329
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:29 pm
Has thanked: 88 times
Been thanked: 223 times
Contact:

More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by AuricGoldfinger »

https://vucommodores.com/basketball-ope ... -revealed/

This is a good interview about the new facility with a representative of Populous, the firm designing the new facilities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAbdv4WF3Vk


moxiedore92
Captain
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:42 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by moxiedore92 »

I wish they would have just razed football, baseball, and basketball and started over, right-sizing the facilities and starting fresh with a better layout. Maybe an unpopular opinion. They keep trying to make these old facilities “modern” but Memorial and Dudley are too big and too old imo.
got moxie?
Go Vandy!
Rear Admiral
Posts: 2249
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2018 9:02 pm
Has thanked: 312 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by Go Vandy! »

I'm guessing Dudley is being/will be replaced section by section. But- as poor of a decision as just-about-everything was in Memorial's original incarnation- there's NO WAY you can destroy that tradition & built in home court advantage.
moxiedore92
Captain
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:42 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by moxiedore92 »

Go Vandy! wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 11:37 pm I'm guessing Dudley is being/will be replaced section by section. But- as poor of a decision as just-about-everything was in Memorial's original incarnation- there's NO WAY you can destroy that tradition & built in home court advantage.
I used to think that, but no more. I've seen too many great, newer, smaller venues at this point, with fans actually near the action and not only are they more engaged in the action (there's a reason the Belle Meade fans just sit there watching) they're actually visible during televised games. Currently all you see is the court itself. Not to mention the need for improved concessions, restrooms, lighting, scoreboards, and sound. When Vanderbilt draws 7,000 fans that's now considered a decent crowd - and it probably should be, except the gym is only half full and the fans are all too far removed from the court and on television you can hardly tell people are there. Both basketball (nowadays) and football suffer from the same problem: when they draw big crowds, it's because the opponents are packing the stadium/arena. VU should create some scarcity, so that their own fans pack the places. We should have a Cameron-sized arena (9-10,000) IMO. Even Alabama - ALABAMA - has plans to build a brand new 10,000-seat arena. https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/20 ... posal.html

See how lovely?

Like I said, I know it's probably an unpopular opinion with many, but I do think most people over estimate the home court advantage Memorial provides. It's unique, sure. But it is not a great basketball venue and we cling to it like it's better than it is. Fans may have great memories there. Ok.
Last edited by moxiedore92 on Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
got moxie?
HuskyT
Ensign
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:12 pm

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by HuskyT »

The greatest home court advantage is 10,000 screaming fans feeling the impact they are having on the game. Vandy will never provide that with the current configuration. Shea has remarked several times that she feels isolated from the team and her assistants during the game. The advantages of the unique floor are overcome by the players once the game starts. Increased game day revenue will pay for the changes to the court. I say rip it up and the sooner the better.
moxiedore92
Captain
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:42 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by moxiedore92 »

HuskyT wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:32 am The greatest home court advantage is 10,000 screaming fans feeling the impact they are having on the game. Vandy will never provide that with the current configuration. Shea has remarked several times that she feels isolated from the team and her assistants during the game. The advantages of the unique floor are overcome by the players once the game starts. Increased game day revenue will pay for the changes to the court. I say rip it up and the sooner the better.
Couldn't agree more. :!: The coaching experience is as poor as it gets. Maybe tearing it all down is still an option under the proposed plans. TBH I haven't looked closely enough at the master plan to see if this new basketball operations center is largely stand-alone or if it relies on Memorial and Dudley being in their current configurations. I got an alumni survey about the different new seating/amenity options at the football stadium and it was so long and detailed and over-thought.
got moxie?
moxiedore92
Captain
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:42 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by moxiedore92 »

moxiedore92 wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:41 am
HuskyT wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:32 am The greatest home court advantage is 10,000 screaming fans feeling the impact they are having on the game. Vandy will never provide that with the current configuration. Shea has remarked several times that she feels isolated from the team and her assistants during the game. The advantages of the unique floor are overcome by the players once the game starts. Increased game day revenue will pay for the changes to the court. I say rip it up and the sooner the better.
Couldn't agree more. :!: The coaching experience is as poor as it gets. Maybe tearing it all down is still an option under the proposed plans. TBH I haven't looked closely enough at the master plan to see if this new basketball operations center is largely stand-alone or if it relies on Memorial and Dudley being in their current configurations. I got an alumni survey about the different new seating/amenity options at the football stadium and it was so long and detailed and over-thought.
“Much work remains before the newest Commodores take the court, but we are excited to see volleyball create its own magic in Memorial Gymnasium.”

:(

Edit to add: FWIW, it would seem that the new basketball facilities are not physically connected to Memorial in any way. I hope they'll reconsider where things are headed with Memorial, but am not holding my breath.
got moxie?
User avatar
AuricGoldfinger
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 16329
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:29 pm
Has thanked: 88 times
Been thanked: 223 times
Contact:

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by AuricGoldfinger »

moxiedore92 wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:36 am
Edit to add: FWIW, it would seem that the new basketball facilities are not physically connected to Memorial in any way. I hope they'll reconsider where things are headed with Memorial, but am not holding my breath.
FWIW I think there will be a skywalk connecting the two.
moxiedore92
Captain
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:42 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: More details released about new basketball practice facility

Post by moxiedore92 »

AuricGoldfinger wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 12:06 pm
moxiedore92 wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:36 am
Edit to add: FWIW, it would seem that the new basketball facilities are not physically connected to Memorial in any way. I hope they'll reconsider where things are headed with Memorial, but am not holding my breath.
FWIW I think there will be a skywalk connecting the two.
A skywalk sounds reasonable, and also easy to modify when they decide to move on from that masonry monstrosity. ;)
got moxie?
Locked Previous topicNext topic