duq81 wrote:

Coach really brushed off the Palumbo renovations as if they weren't really important. Does anyone else think that he has it in his head, that once he gets the team rolling, the increase in demand will let them play quite a few games at PPG, allowing him to sell it to recruits as "our home court"? This would be with 70% of our games still being played at Palumbo. Could also be that he doesn't like the idea of playing at the convention center, and is ok with them slowing down the process, so that they could wait until Bobby Mo is done, so that we can play at PPG while construction is underway.

 In a word "Yes."  To paraphrase the Costner classic "If you build it (the winning team), it (a brand spanking new, upgraded Palumbo Center) will come!"
 

Last edited by Tejas_Duke (4/01/2017 8:31 am)

I guess I have a different mindset.   I don't see how playing at PPG would be in the best interest of the program.   Even with the upper bowl curatained off that still is like 11k seats.  That is still too big for us to generate demand to buy tickets.

Let's be realistic.  If we were to achieve success and attract a fan base, at most, an arena of 7-8k would be in our best interest.   The size of VCU's would be prefect. 

Peterson at 12k is the perfect size for Pitt.  They can't filll a PPG on a consistent basis.   And haven't filled Peterson last 3 seasons.   

I may be whistling against the wind but I rather wait 5 years and replace APJ and have funds raised for that than spend $40m and then have replacement off the table. 

I know that isn't in the cards, but I rather see them reach the point of filling current place and then addressing the need to make it biggger.

BTW. Zeise last night called Palumbo the worst in the A10.   Obviously he has never seen Gola, Rosehill, or St Joe's arena.

Coach is brushing off the Palumbo renovations as unimportant because he's going to succeed with the hand he's been dealt & not focus on what he doesn't have & subject the fans to the litany of excuses we've heard in recent years from every previous coach not named Everhart.  Ferry inherited a "bad situation" where 3 players left the program.  Nee couldn't recruit without a bigger office.  Porter couldn't recruit because the school didn't buy his assistants SUVs, altho' I would agree that Porter was thrown into an impossible situation.  Dambrot knows that it all starts at the top & is not going to start making excuses for the team to lose, period.  That's my take on the whole renovations thing.

If you bought season tickets for next year and ask what is available, the choices are from the Palumbo.  That IS where they will be playing next year's season.