How big is Frost Arena

[Statebasketballfan]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

[quote author=Go_Herd link=1164989162/0#7 date=1164990916]I really don't consider SDSU a rival, not to be a prick but with the quality of your team no one is really excited about SDSU. Sure after saying that we will probably lose but still. Everyone up here is gearing up for the K-State game next Sat.

Dilusional Bison fan waiting for Big 10 invite, please stand up.

The K State game is cool, but if we are not your rival, who is? If I were a gambling man, I would bet K State shows the Bison just how far our schools have to go to be even considered decent DI teams.

How excited are the folks up in Fargo for the SMSU, Mayville St, Valley City St, and Mary games (aren't Mayville and Valley City NAIA teams)? That looks more like a USD football schedule than a DI basketball schedule. ;D ;D[/quote]

That can't be a USD football schedule, I don't see Crookston or Peru State anywhere.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

What I'm starting to wonder is . . . why are people so all-consumingly, wrapped-around-the-axle obsessed with 'rivalry?'

I'm with you filbert!

Hey, when any schedule comes out for a team, you look at it and there are games that jump out at you!

For me, the first one I circle is the NDSU game and then I look at what else is on there!

I understand what Go_Herd is saying about being jacked up about K-State coming to town! I would guess just about every SDSU fan saw USC on the women's schedule and got just as jacked up! I was way more excited about USC on the schedule than NDSU, but we play NDSU every year and they are the rivalry that I choose! Maybe it will change 7 or 8 years down the road when the UxD's are fully eligible teams and we play them every year but for now it's NDSU!

The attendance figures bear that out as well!

SUPERBUNNY

[Jacks99]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

It holds approximately 8,000. They used to be able fit nearly 10,000, but replaced bleachers with chairback seats.

Per the media guide, nearly 500 seats were removed, so the old capacity was about 8,500.

The record crowd with the old seating was just under 9,500 so I would imagine you could still cram almost 9,000 for a blockbuster game, but maybe they follow the fire codes better now.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

What I'm starting to wonder is . . . why are people so all-consumingly, wrapped-around-the-axle obsessed with 'rivalry?'

I know it was a rhetorical question, but when I was a sophmore in high school I was hands down the best amongst my "crew" (street vernacular - seems applicable since I grew up in the mean streets of Miller, SD, anyways, I digress) at the Super Ninento version of Street Fighter. Here's the thing...I spent way too much time coming up with strategies for every fighter. I had all their weak spots down and all their strengths duly catalogued in my own mental hard drive. I was unstoppable to the point where I had to take it down a notch or no-one would play me...except Buggie Ford (you know, Shawn Ford's little brother - he enlisted in the army, dontchaknow.). He didn't have one bit of strategy in his play - just the opposite. He would just start pushing buttons as fast as he could and hope for the best...and the little bastard would beat me and completely rattle me about half of the time. I hated it. He, and the rest of my "crew" (again, mean streets of Miller), would just laugh knowing that I had a weeeee bit problem with competiveness and losing. Now you talk about rivalries, that was a rivalry! I mean, I think we can all agree about that, right? It wasn't the Yankees v. Red Sox, but in Greg's basement, it was damned close. Can I get an amen from the congregation? Anyone? Alright, I guess I'll get back to pretending to work. Forget I said anything.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

oh yeah, the frost, um holds around 8500 people. Sorry for the thread creep. I just get worked up when I think about Buggie beating me in street fighter.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

sorry, again, for the thread creep, but yes I'm 31 years old, married with 2 kids and I'm talking about when I played Street Fighter in high school. There wasn't much to do in Miller back then (or now, I imagine). Don't judge me. Like it was any more exciting in Presho or Hot Springs or Minot.

[Jackson]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

That was absolutely ridiculous MJA!! Buggie Ford?? Come on

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

That was absolutely ridiculous MJA!!  Buggie Ford??  Come on

INTENSE rivalry

[Jackson]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

I think maybe your "Street Fighter Game" may have been the second or third best in Miller at the time!!

[CatchEmAll]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

[quote author=filbert link=1164989162/0#13 date=1165001662]What I'm starting to wonder is . . . why are people so all-consumingly, wrapped-around-the-axle obsessed with 'rivalry?'

I know it was a rhetorical question, but when I was a sophmore in high school I was hands down the best amongst my "crew" (street vernacular - seems applicable since I grew up in the mean streets of Miller, SD, anyways, I digress) at the Super Ninento version of Street Fighter.  Here's the thing...I spent way too much time coming up with strategies for every fighter.  I had all their weak spots down and all their strengths duly catalogued in my own mental hard drive.  I was unstoppable to the point where I had to take it down a notch or no-one would play me...except Buggie Ford (you know, Shawn Ford's little brother - he enlisted in the army, dontchaknow.).  He didn't have one bit of strategy in his play - just the opposite.  He would just start pushing buttons as fast as he could and hope for the best...and the little bastard would beat me and completely rattle me about half of the time.  I hated it.  He, and the rest of my "crew" (again, mean streets of Miller), would just laugh knowing that I had a weeeee bit problem with competiveness and losing.  Now you talk about rivalries, that was a rivalry!  I mean, I think we can all agree about that, right?  It wasn't the Yankees v. Red Sox, but in Greg's basement, it was damned close.  Can I get an amen from the congregation?  Anyone?  Alright, I guess I'll get back to pretending to work.  Forget I said anything.  
[/quote]

Yes patrons of sdsufans.com, this is a great law mind at work. You're family must be proud MJA.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

MJA,
Someone no-show for a depo today?

[West_River_Jack]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

. . . . and was all that on billable hours?

[tony]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

Serious question: Does the arena seem too big?

[West_River_Jack]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

Serious question: Does the arena seem too big?

I would suggest that sometimes it does.  Perhaps this is part of the reason that some reconfiguration has taken place and some capacity reductions have occurred.  The theory may be that the people who do attend should be more comfortable and treated with a little more importance.  I have noticed references to continued reconfiguration of the arena although I don't know if they are actually planned.  If they are actually planned or anticipated I don't know if they will have any impact on capacity.

If capacity reductions do eliminate the opportunity for some fans to attend the games we can hope that the TV deal that is in the works (posted elsewhere on this forum) will enter into play for those games and that they will be televised.  After all, if tickets are in high demand it should follow that more people would watch on TV and commercials should be easier to $ell for those game$.

[filbert]

Re: How big is Frost Arena

[quote author=tony link=1164989162/15#27 date=1165023410]Serious question: Does the arena seem too big?

I would suggest that sometimes it does. Perhaps this is part of the reason that some reconfiguration has taken place and some capacity reductions have occurred. The theory may be that the people who do attend should be more comfortable and treated with a little more importance. I have noticed references to continued reconfiguration of the arena although I don't know if they are actually planned. If they are actually planned or anticipated I don't know if they will have any impact on capacity.

If capacity reductions do eliminate the opportunity for some fans to attend the games we can hope that the TV deal that is in the works (posted elsewhere on this forum) will enter into play for those games and that they will be televised. After all, if tickets are in high demand it should follow that more people would watch on TV and commercials should be easier to $ell for those game$.
[/quote]
"Is Frost Arena too big" is really an interesting question. In general, I'd say no. The crowd that was in attendance for the USC women's game seemed to fill it up pretty well, but was actually a bit less than half the arena's listed capacity. Even with as few as 2,000 people in the building, it's reasonably cozy and the fans can make a pretty good noise (insert comment about cowbells here). 4,000 or 5,000 people in Frost would be a rockin' good time with the current configuration.

A big part of the difference is that they have the two upper end bleachers pulled back, and I'd guess that this will be the configuration all year this year, except maybe for the NDSU game. My guess is that without those bleachers, the actual capacity of the building is more like 6,000, with people packed like sardines in the upper level bleachers. There are issues with the outside upper level exit steps on the southwest side of the arena (deteriorating concrete) that may be a contributing factor in SDSU wanting to limit the upper level capacity somewhat. They've put some tent-style booths and a kid's play area on the west side of the upper level, so those bleachers are likely to stay folded up this entire year.

I know that new seating is planned for the upper level, but I don't know what the timetable is for that. I'd love for them to figure out how to make the upper deck a continuous bowl of bleacher seats, around the 3/4 of the arena where the running track is. Figuring out a way to put useable seats in the two southerly corners of Frost would increase the total capacity somewhat, but again, I don't know if that's what is planned.

I think SDSU is committed to continuing to improve Frost Arena as the home for the Jackrabbits for at least the next 20 years or so. By 2026, the building will be a bit over 50 years old, and at that time, the university will probably be thinking about building a new basketball facility.