You're in charge of UT basketball for one day...

#1
lostsheep

lostsheep

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#1
and you can make one decision related to UT basketball. What decision in your opinion would have the greatest impact on the future of the program? New coach? Change the arena? New assistants?

For those of you who would immediately change the head coach, let's assume your price point for hiring a new one is within a million or so from what our current head coach makes.
 
#5
#5
Assuming you guys are referring to moving the blue hairs away from courtside and getting student section closer to the floor?
 
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#6
#6
lostsheep said:
Assuming you guys are referring to moving the blue hairs away from courtside and getting student section closer to the floor?
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Yeah.

Also, donations for football tickets count towards basketball as well. So what we've got is people buying premium seats for hoops just because they have access to the tickets at face value with no extra donation required. So you end up with empty seats or people who leave in the final 5 minutes in order to beat traffic.
 
#10
#10
BigZiti09 said:
Yeah.

Also, donations for football tickets count towards basketball as well. So what we've got is people buying premium seats for hoops just because they have access to the tickets at face value with no extra donation required. So you end up with empty seats or people who leave in the final 5 minutes in order to beat traffic.
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I'm ok with that (I'm also partial as a donor). I don't get bball tix yet (I live too far away) but I like having the option (which if I lived closer I would do).
 
#12
#12
I would hire a Bruce Pearl type to be in charge of promotion[not coach] in each and every facet of the program. Someone that would twist the media's arms and have the Vols bb team in the public light daily.
 
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#13
#13
Somehow change the fans attitude of accepting mediocrity. I know it's impossible, but that's the biggest problem with UT basketball.

Demand better results and changes will happen, and you will see a packed (for the most part) TBA
 
#15
#15
vols 30 said:
Somehow change the fans attitude of accepting mediocrity. I know it's impossible, but that's the biggest problem with UT basketball.

Demand better results and changes will happen, and you will see a packed (for the most part) TBA
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I don't think the fan voice is as strong in basketball as it is in football. Our administration doesn't blink an eye if there are 8000 or 18000 at TBA because it isn't the primary revenue-generating sport. A half-empty Neyland Stadium is much more concerning to the AD than a half-empty TBA.

So, while you may want to change fans acceptance of mediocrity, your plan will likely leave little effect on the bottom line, and thus not bring about the change you hoped for.

I think what you perceive as accepting mediocrity is merely a general support for what we have, for better or worse. We may all want better for the program in general, but there is a history of the AD accepting mediocrity. As long as that is the case, the fan voice for basketball isn't large enough to matter I'm afraid.
 
#16
#16
cncchris33 said:
I don't think the fan voice is as strong in basketball as it is in football. Our administration doesn't blink an eye if there are 8000 or 18000 at TBA because it isn't the primary revenue-generating sport. A half-empty Neyland Stadium is much more concerning to the AD than a half-empty TBA.

So, while you may want to change fans acceptance of mediocrity, your plan will likely leave little effect on the bottom line, and thus not bring about the change you hoped for.

I think what you perceive as accepting mediocrity is merely a general support for what we have, for better or worse. We may all want better for the program in general, but there is a history of the AD accepting mediocrity. As long as that is the case, the fan voice for basketball isn't large enough to matter I'm afraid.
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Plus even taking into account what you've said, we're still one of the better supported teams of the SEC. When you get down to it, outside of UK almost every school battles that because basketball isn't the biggest sport at the school, and even at UK football is way better supported than basketball is at most other SEC schools.
 
#17
#17
I would definitely change the seating to get the crowd more closer to the actions.

Use Duke as an example.
 
#22
#22
I would develop a better recruiting strategy. This isn't a knock on any coach but we gotta find a footprint. Pearl was doing it with Atlanta before he was fired and I like that Barnes is working on North Carolina but I feel the recruiting footprint and profile is way too broad. What are we selling to recruits? What kind of athlete are we looking at? Where is our main hub?
 
#24
#24
Before Barnes came, I would have said throw crazy money to get Gregg Marshall. And sometime between now and two years from now, I may probably be back to saying that. For now, I want to see what Barnes can do with the guys he has brought in this year.
 
#25
#25
TNnative said:
Before Barnes came, I would have said throw crazy money to get Gregg Marshall. And sometime between now and two years from now, I may probably be back to saying that. For now, I want to see what Barnes can do with the guys he has brought in this year.
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Marshall is the name everyone runs to, but there's a few reasons he's still at Wichita State. He basically runs that AD, he is the Nick Saban of Wichita State, and in addition to wanting full control of everything he's also just a bit of a different dude and that has turned away every AD that has inquired about him.
 
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