Jason Karp at Stadium Journey did a nice ranking of the basketball arenas of the Big Sky Conference, one that is worth a read. Here is how he ranked the arenas:
1. Weber State - Dee Events Center
2. Montana - Dahlberg Arena
3. North Dakota - Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
4. Northern Arizona - Walkup Skydome
5. Sacramento State - The Nest at Colberg Court
6. Montana State - Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
7. Southern Utah - Centrum Arena
8. Eastern Washington - Reese Court
9. Portland State - Stott Center
10. Northern Colorado - Butler-Hancock Hall
11. Idaho State - Holt Arena
I have only been to two of the arenas so I am afraid my opinion on this subject isn't worth anything. For everyone else, what are your thoughts on the rankings?
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I've been to all but two (UND and UNC). Sorry, but these ranking are a complete joke. The simple fact that he ranked Sacramento State's at 5th and Portland State's at 9th more than proves it. For giggles, here's my ranking:
ReplyDelete1. Weber State (nice arena and nice history)
2. Montana
3. Southern Utah (you are seriously going to tell me this is the 7th best arena, BEHIND Sac's?)
http://image.cdnllnwnl.xosnetwork.com/pics32/800/JY/JYOGGLNCBBXPKCU.20130116002348.jpg
4. EWU (when it's full, it's a nice environment)
http://web.ewu.edu/groups/athletics/facilities/ReeseAngle04.jpg
5. North Dakota (based what I have seen online)
6. Northern Colorado (see #5)
TIE
7. Montana State
7. Northern Arizona
7. Idaho State
Basically, each of these consists of a nice portable floor put in the middle of a larger space -- MSU in a rodeo "dome," and ISU's and NAU's in a football "dome." I get the same feel in all 3.
10. Portland State (it's a high school gym, but it was pretty full the time I was there).
11. Sacramento State (it's a high school gym, and I rarely see it packed to even provide much of a home court advantage).
I'd also put Idaho's Cowan Spectrum in the 7th (tie) spot. They put a curtain around, so it feels a little more intimate, but it's still in the middle of a football field (dome).
ReplyDeletehttp://image.cdnllnwnl.xosnetwork.com/pics32/800/YB/YBCSNDCZCVVKEEH.20110414172127.jpg
I've only been to games in three arenas/gyms (NAU, UM and MSU) and I stuck my head in PSU's on an off day. UM's is the nicest in my opinion but I've heard good things about WSU. I like my Lumberjacks but the Skydome is not a good basketball venue. Fourth is a stretch.
ReplyDelete-MTJack
I have been to every single one of the Big Sky Conference members gyms, arenas, or domes. This guy did a really bad job of research and he has definitely not be to all of these places. The list should look as followed similar to the first comment.
ReplyDelete1. Weber State - Dee Events Center
2. Montana - Dahlberg Arena
(Honestly you couldn't go wrong with either both are head and shoulders above the rest of the conference)
3. Southern Utah - Centrum Arena
4. North Dakota - Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
(SUU/UND are very similar except the Betty is newer. UND would be #1 if the Betty was anything like the Ralph - the Ralph is ridiculously nice)
5. Eastern Washington - Reese Court
(EWU at least has a gym you can call an arena that holds more than 1500 people and they have been upgrading it little by little the last several years with new scoreboards, video boards, end zone seating, replacing the current seating and what not)
6. Montana State - Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
7. Northern Colorado - Butler-Hancock Hall
(MSU/UNC are a push both have a similar feel but as a basketball person I would take either of these over a dome setting any day unless you are filling the dome with fans)
8. Northern Arizona - Walkup Skydome
9. University of Idaho - Cowan Spectrum/Memorial Gym
10. Idaho State - Holt Arena
(NAU/UI/ISU when they are in their Domes it always feels dead even thought they all have auxiliary gym which would have a better atmosphere they don't hold better than a couple 1000 fans and would put them on par with the bottom two.)
11. Portland State - Stott Center
12. Sacramento State - The Nest at Colberg Court
(PSU/CSUS both have well painted high school gyms. Hell I have been to better high school gyms (Mater Dei High School for explain) It doesn't matter how you dress it they are high school gyms at best.
Lets be real here the BSC is a low major conference and facilities is a reason why.
Great comment, thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteISU does have Reed Gym, and it holds about 3,000 (the women currently make it home). It's an okay substitute, but the problem is that when the men tried to make it a permanent home, attendance declined. Part of the reasons are that it is a "tighter" fit, has poor concessions, and it's located in the middle of campus. On Thursday night games, for example, there is little to no parking around Reed, and most people don't want to take the 5 minute walk from Holt to Reed (in freezing temps).
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Let's get real here. Reese Court at 8th? Montana, Weber State, and perhaps UND are the only schools in the conference with better basketball facilities than EWU.
ReplyDelete1. Weber
2. Montana
3. UND
4. EWU
5. MSU
6. Southern Utah
7. UNC
8. NAU
9. Idaho
10. ISU
11. PSU
12. Sac State