Crowd/Environment

[The Dog]

For now……one does not mess with Tennessee tradition. We still have an opportunity to REPENT and change our corporate naming ways of iniquity

Right, it will always be TBA to me

 

[DonDiego]

For now……one does not mess with Tennessee tradition. We still have an opportunity to REPENT and change our corporate naming ways of iniquity

TBA was built after I graduated. Dr. Boling signed my diploma, Thompson did nothing for me. I couldn't care less what they name the arena or any other structure on campus. Corporate investment in advertising their brand can fund other more important projects. Fine by me.

 

[OrangeDog]

If I donate a few million dollars, will they rename it "ORANGE DOG ARENA"?... at least for a couple of weeks?

I do love "The Summit"! she earned that.

 

[livefaith]

From watching on TV the broadcasters complimented the environment and so did Chris Beard in his post game conference.

Beard said it affected his team. Maybe coachspeak. He spent more time praising TN than talking @ the game otw.

 

[livefaith]

If I donate a few million dollars, will they rename it "ORANGE DOG ARENA"?... at least for a couple of weeks?

I do love "The Summit"! she earned that.

It should be called The Summitt more often. Great name IMO. But, since the grocery store ponied up I'm sure that won't happen.

 

[VolTull]

It should be called The Summitt more often. Great name IMO. But, since the grocery store ponied up I'm sure that won't happen.

Like Shields-Watkins Field?

 

[livefaith]

Like Shields-Watkins Field?

Well, it just sounds impressive. Just hear it in that deep epic voice ... "TN seeks to test Ole Miss' undefeated record tonight at The Suuummmiittt"!

 

[BreatheUT]

From watching on TV the broadcasters complimented the environment and so did Chris Beard in his post game conference.

Yeah I heard Dane doing the same, but now the question clad asked begs the question, were they competing the noise level or the size of the crowd?

 

[sami]

Our arena seats 22,000 people and is built for comfort, not noise. Not the fans fault.

In big games in big moments it gets rocking but it has a really low floor as far as the constant static noise in those middle and low tier games because its so big and the crowd and students are far from the floor.

I actually think sometimes that makes it a harder place to play because of the contrast. It can be quiet as a sunday service one minute and almost lull you to sleep and the next minute be really really loud if we start making some plays.

You beat me to it. I've always found that often the sound in the larger, cavernous modern arenas like TBA doesn't translate on a TV broadcast like it does in the old small bandbox places where the fans are right on top of the court.

When I was at UT we played at Stokely Athletic Center (maybe 12,000 capacity?), and big games were deafening, but many students still complained about the alumni and older fans who sat on their hands. I loved that place.

And as others have said, the fact that the students aren't back yet and it was a blowout had a lot to do with the lack of constant noise, but it was loud even on TV after Mashack's 3 and the Aidoo dunks.

 

[cardvolfan]

When I was in my 20’s and 30’s I really admired and respected fans that were “old,” at least in my eyes. It always seemed they were in their eighties, but in reality many of those were probably the sixties and seventies folks. Just the fact they got to these games and participated as actively as they could was pretty cool to me. I considered them to be the leaders, “so-to-speak,” of our pround Vol heritage. Now, they’re the butt of jokes, disrespected, and many want to toss them out because they don’t meet the criteria of a subset of self-appointed crowd nazis.

There’s enough room for everyone at TBA to support the Vols in their own way.

 

[therealitytheory]

Both sides of the issue have merit. I have bad 66 yr old knees but my lungs work and I can clap. If you sit there mute and you're not a journalist..then why are you there?

But again...too old to resemble a Dookie. I give my all for Tennessee mostly from the seat. I look toward the student section with admiration and a bit of longing.

 

[OffTackleVol]

You beat me to it. I've always found that often the sound in the larger, cavernous modern arenas like TBA doesn't translate on a TV broadcast like it does in the old small bandbox places where the fans are right on top of the court.

When I was at UT we played at Stokely Athletic Center (maybe 12,000 capacity?), and big games were deafening, but many students still complained about the alumni and older fans who sat on their hands. I loved that place.

And as others have said, the fact that the students aren't back yet and it was a blowout had a lot to do with the lack of constant noise, but it was loud even on TV after Mashack's 3 and the Aidoo dunks.

A little over 13,000 was Stokely's capacity, I think. I too, loved that place. As a student from from 1978 thru 1982, I don't think I missed a single home game. There were some unique signs as well. I remember "Go Johnny Go.........and Take Devoe!"

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

A little over 13,000 was Stokely's capacity, I think. I too, loved that place. As a student from from 1978 thru 1982, I don't think I missed a single home game. There were some unique signs as well. I remember "Go Johnny Go.........and Take Devoe!"

12,700 was ALWAYS the official count that was announced over the last several years while every ticket was being sold. I’m not sure if that was just seats or counting those without seats like cheerleaders, ushers, security, etc.

 

[sami]

A little over 13,000 was Stokely's capacity, I think. I too, loved that place. As a student from from 1978 thru 1982, I don't think I missed a single home game. There were some unique signs as well. I remember "Go Johnny Go.........and Take Devoe!"

I was there from '80-'83. I liked DeVoe. He outcoached Terry Holland two straight years in the NCAA, and only lost those games due to missed FT's.

Dale Ellis might be the best college player I ever saw. Carried two D2 level teams to the tournament.

 

[whobethis16]

Looked like substantial pockets of empties scattered throughout the upper deck around the ends and in areas of the lower bowl which the students usually fill during the school year, two seats beside and four seats behind us were empty, not sure where the "sell out" classification came from,

White Danny rejiggled the donation requirements for UT athletic events primarily to purge the non attending prime seat arena donors and the invisible long distance season ticket holders that purchased basketball seats because they could with their significant football donation, put the students on either end of the arena behind the basket to create a home crowd environment where the better seats were actually filled with interested people, it works most of the time, I thought the crowd, on a scale of 1 to 10 was about an 8 last night, Tennessee never trailed, had a 12 point lead early in the first half, did a good job mixing up the offense after the first half scoring drought, played fairly up tempo most of the game (i.e. nobody walks the ball up the court), crashed the board all night long, didn't futz around with the clock with a 25 point lead and 8 minutes to play, Barnes even called a time out late, once the momentum and offensive movement sort of bogged down with a double digit lead, thought the crowd was up to their calling Saturday night, most people don't scream, cheer and shout at the grocery store these days anyway,

The same place the classification always comes from: no tickets available to purchase from the University. All the seats were sold, hence a "sell out".

 

[OffTackleVol]

I was there from '80-'83. I liked DeVoe. He outcoached Terry Holland two straight years in the NCAA, and only lost those games due to missed FT's.

Dale Ellis might be the best college player I ever saw. Carried two D2 level teams to the tournament.

Yea, I like DeVoe as well. 3-4 point lead with 5 minutes to play and the game was ours. When you start identifying the top 5-6 players to ever wear the basketball orange and white, Dale Ellis has to be the conversation.

 

[OffTackleVol]

12,700 was ALWAYS the official count that was announced over the last several years while every ticket was being sold. I’m not sure if that was just seats or counting those without seats like cheerleaders, ushers, security, etc.

Yep, I remember the attendance number was ALWAYS the same in every box score. I just remembered it being around 13,000.

 

[Lefteye]

Did you read Beard's comments? He made no excuses--said they got their butts handed to them by a potential final four team. But he also said the FCC crowd was super impressive in number and volume.

This makes me cringe more than the thread. lol
Will always be TBA to me.

 

[Lefteye]

Right, it will always be TBA to me

You beat me to it Dog

 

[cardvolfan]

12,700 was ALWAYS the official count that was announced over the last several years while every ticket was being sold. I’m not sure if that was just seats or counting those without seats like cheerleaders, ushers, security, etc.

That was the actual number of seats…..12,700 per Haywood Harris back in the day.

 

[Sea Ray]

I was there from '80-'83. I liked DeVoe. He outcoached Terry Holland two straight years in the NCAA, and only lost those games due to missed FT's.

Dale Ellis might be the best college player I ever saw. Carried two D2 level teams to the tournament.

DeVoe outcoached Joe B Hall too. I was there when we beat UK with their twin towers, Bowie and Turpin. DeVoe was a good guy and a good gameday coach. He just couldn't recruit but maybe that was due to our facilities too

 

[OffTackleVol]

DeVoe outcoached Joe B Hall too. I was there when we beat UK with their twin towers, Bowie and Turpin. DeVoe was a good guy and a good gameday coach. He just couldn't recruit but maybe that was due to our facilities too

Was that the '81 game when Howard Wood hit a baseline jumper to propel the Vols over the Cats 49-47? I was there. When the starting lineups were announced, thousands of students held up newspapers, and the place went silent. When Tennessee' starting five were announced, Stokely went bonkers......

 

[cardvolfan]

Was that the '81 game when Howard Wood hit a baseline jumper to propel the Vols over the Cats 49-47? I was there. When the starting lineups were announced, thousands of students held up newspapers, and the place went silent. When Tennessee' starting five were announced, Stokely went bonkers......

That Daily Beacon act also happened in 1977. Personally, I thought it was a little corny, but I did participate.

 

[Sea Ray]

Was that the '81 game when Howard Wood hit a baseline jumper to propel the Vols over the Cats 49-47? I was there. When the starting lineups were announced, thousands of students held up newspapers, and the place went silent. When Tennessee' starting five were announced, Stokely went bonkers......

No, it was Feb. 27... 1984. A Monday night and we partied like it was Friday after that upset. We weren't supposed to be in it as we'd lost by nearly 20 at Rupp 3 weeks prior

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

That was the actual number of seats…..12,700 per Haywood Harris back in the day.

Even that number would vary a bit since the number of folding chairs setup behind the benches could fluctuate. I think at some point they rounded it off and stuck with it. I think in the later years they even added a courtside press row across from the benches and Haywood Harris on the PA.