US Bank Arena

[catscratchfever]

Is it just me or do we shoot the ball REALLY REALLY well when we play there?
If there is a trend there, I wonder why it is?

[jbreeds1]

Too bad the arena is god-awful.

[KY Bearcat]

Seating is better at U.S. Bank than at 5/3 Arena.

[Bp4thebest]

Too bad the arena is god-awful.

If this was facebook I would like this post!

[Antonio]

I wish every home game was played there, and not because of the shooting. It's an actual arena and worlds better than 5/3.

[UC4life]

I will not attend any games down at US Bank
UC NEVER MOVE BACK DOWNTOWN!!!!

[JDBEARCAT]

I really enjoy games at US Bank Arena. However, college games should be played on
campus. Even though the Shoe is not the best place to watch a game, I prefer it
over an off-campus arena.

[dp3113]

us bank holds more people, and the worst seats there are a lot better than about anything outside the top 5 rows of the upper deck. it would be a very loud arena if filled since it is compact.

however, would never want to move games off campus.

[ME80]

I really enjoy games at US Bank Arena. However, college games should be played on
campus. Even though the Shoe is not the best place to watch a game, I prefer it
over an off-campus arena.

If more students don't start showing up having it on campus is no real advantage.

[juckerrules]

Seating is better at U.S. Bank than at 5/3 Arena.

Couldn't agree more...but staying on campus is a must

[JDBEARCAT]

If more students don't start showing up having it on campus is no real advantage.
I understand what you are saying. But when UC moved to the arena, that's
all coaches, fans, students & critics stated was they needed an on campus arena to compete & recruit.

[ralph1950]

Neither UK or UofL play in on campus arenas. Both rent city owned/privately owned arenas. Both seem to be doing okay, but what else is there to do in Kentucky?

[JDBEARCAT]

Neither UK or UofL play in on campus arenas. Both rent city owned/privately owned arenas. Both seem to be doing okay, but what else is there to do in Kentucky?

Yes & they are they are the only game in town. They could play in a cow
pasture & 20,000 would still show up.

[gocats13]

Fifth Third may not be perfect but it is way better than US Bank. I don't know how many people noticed this but probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the seats at that place are missing their arm rests because people at cyclones games rip em off and bang em together and end up taking them home with them. Every thing in US Bank is out-dated the jumbo-tron sucks, the luxury boxes are up in the clouds, and because of the hockey rink, if you're on either end of the court you're screwed no matter what row you are in. Heres a comparison of two bad seats at each arena.

Here is a corner upper level seat at Fifth Third.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3655991562_4b5e16a33b.jpg

Here is the first row of the upper deck behind a basket at US Bank
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/81457524.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548A29FF55EF9C3A2D5 950BD16ADB96DD7C72179DE6A2A8FE79

I would take Fifth Third any day. One thing I have always loved about college basketball is seeing all of the different arenas because almost all of them are unique in some way. When you look at NBA arenas, they all have very similar lay-outs which is boring and is similar to what US Bank offers. In college you have so many different layouts, places like Cameron Indoor, The Pavillion at Nova, Fifth Third, McArthur Court at Oregon, The Barn at Minnesota. I think people are forgetting how hard it is for opposing teams to play in a packed Fifth Third. I remember after UC beat WVU their first year in the Big East, John Beilein said it was the loudest arena he has ever coached in. I was at the Cyclones game when they won the Kelly Cup last year and it was sold out but it wasn't anywhere close to how loud the Shoe is when it's sold out. Moving games to US Bank would be awful for this program.

[dp3113]

Fifth Third may not be perfect but it is way better than US Bank. I don't know how many people noticed this but probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the seats at that place are missing their arm rests because people at cyclones games rip em off and bang em together and end up taking them home with them. Every thing in US Bank is out-dated the jumbo-tron sucks, the luxury boxes are up in the clouds, and because of the hockey rink, if you're on either end of the court you're screwed no matter what row you are in. Heres a comparison of two bad seats at each arena.

Here is a corner upper level seat at Fifth Third.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3655991562_4b5e16a33b.jpg

Here is the first row of the upper deck behind a basket at US Bank
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/81457524.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548A29FF55EF9C3A2D5 950BD16ADB96DD7C72179DE6A2A8FE79

I would take Fifth Third any day. One thing I have always loved about college basketball is seeing all of the different arenas because almost all of them are unique in some way. When you look at NBA arenas, they all have very similar lay-outs which is boring and is similar to what US Bank offers. In college you have so many different layouts, places like Cameron Indoor, The Pavillion at Nova, Fifth Third, McArthur Court at Oregon, The Barn at Minnesota. I think people are forgetting how hard it is for opposing teams to play in a packed Fifth Third. I remember after UC beat WVU their first year in the Big East, John Beilein said it was the loudest arena he has ever coached in. I was at the Cyclones game when they won the Kelly Cup last year and it was sold out but it wasn't anywhere close to how loud the Shoe is when it's sold out. Moving games to US Bank would be awful for this program.

the first picture you have is the first row of the corner upperdeck at shoe...the second link isnt working for me so i cant really see your comparison.

i'll say this- i sat in row L of the upper deck at center court at US Bank Saturday, and those seats were better than my season tickets which are row 5 center court at shoemaker.

[Bearcat Cafe]

I much prefer being on campus, but US Bank is just a better place to watch basketball. The lighting is 10X better than the outdated yellow lighting at the Shoe. Go to NKU's new arena or the Cintas Center....you'll think UC plays in a dingy church undercroft.

Outside of the student seating, the sight lines are way better as well. But who cares about student seating when only 100 show up at the Shoe most nights, right? BTW, the suites at US Bank are the worst seats in the house - tough break for Wyler.

[bearcated]

Lots of wasted space at the Shoe. I sit in the first row upper deck at the Shoe. Those seats are OK, but you still seem far away. On a couple occasions I've bought additional tickets and sat further up in the upper deck. If you are in the bench area of the upper deck, you might as well stay home and watch it on TV.

USB is a dump, but the seating is better. The seats are closer to the action.

[B-Team]

If you are in the bench area of the upper deck, you might as well stay home and watch it on TV.


My season tickets are in the 3rd row of the upper bleachers near midcourt. When you consider that my season tickets were $166 and that the chairbacks just three rows in front of me are $482 along with a $2,000 minimum UCATS donation, I'm perfectly content sitting in the upper bleachers.

I don't dispute that the top row upper corners are probably pretty bad in terms of being able to see the action on the court, but to say that my midcourt 3rd row upper bleachers aren't worth it for $166 is completely untrue.

[subflea]

Is it just me or do we shoot the ball REALLY REALLY well when we play there?
If there is a trend there, I wonder why it is?

I agree with Cafe, it is the lighting. The lights in 5th 3rd are horrible.

I wish we would move downtown.

Other conference teams that play off campus:

Georgetown
Louisville
Marquette
DePaul
Providence
Seton Hall

UConn, Nova, St John's, all play games at both an on campus arena and many at an off campus arena.

[DOOGINS]

I do not have any problems with 5/3rd, it is loud when packed. I wish we would play the XU game down at US Bank every year and split the tickets even. It would be great for business downtown and it would be a civil war. There were some great games down there even when we were bad.

[BearcatAlum1]

the first picture you have is the first row of the corner upperdeck at shoe...the second link isnt working for me so i cant really see your comparison.

i'll say this- i sat in row L of the upper deck at center court at US Bank Saturday, and those seats were better than my season tickets which are row 5 center court at shoemaker.

I think you need to invite me to a game.

[Mr. Bearcat]

Lots of wasted space at the Shoe. I sit in the first row upper deck at the Shoe. Those seats are OK, but you still seem far away. On a couple occasions I've bought additional tickets and sat further up in the upper deck. If you are in the bench area of the upper deck, you might as well stay home and watch it on TV.

USB is a dump, but the seating is better. The seats are closer to the action.

When I first toured Shoemaker Center prior to its opening back in the late 80s, my first impression was that the seats seemed far away from the court. The seats go out instead of up. Therefore, I felt like I was far away, even when I was at the top of the lower seats. Then, the upper deck continues to take you further away. I agree completely with what you said. The concourse area is also horrific. To funnel the whole upper deck and lower deck back to one pretty small concession area that is very congested is just stupid. Then you have all the open space in the corners that seems wasted. Whoever designed that arena didn't do a very good job. There will be no fans visiting for the enjoyable arena experience, that's for sure. Unfortunately, we need to be highly ranked to draw fans in to put up with the arena. However, the noise level is awesome when the place is rocking, that's for sure.

[bearcats011]

I think you need to invite me to a game.

Haha im with bearcatlum!

[ralph1950]

Maybe Taco Bell could build a new arena for UC like they did for Louisville.

[Lobot]

When I first toured Shoemaker Center prior to its opening back in the late 80s, my first impression was that the seats seemed far away from the court. The seats go out instead of up. Therefore, I felt like I was far away, even when I was at the top of the lower seats. Then, the upper deck continues to take you further away. I agree completely with what you said. The concourse area is also horrific. To funnel the whole upper deck and lower deck back to one pretty small concession area that is very congested is just stupid. Then you have all the open space in the corners that seems wasted. Whoever designed that arena didn't do a very good job. There will be no fans visiting for the enjoyable arena experience, that's for sure. Unfortunately, we need to be highly ranked to draw fans in to put up with the arena. However, the noise level is awesome when the place is rocking, that's for sure.

That's just it. It wasn't designed as a basketball arena. It was designed as a multi-use sports complex. How many other schools in the BE are there with fold away seats? It's built like a high school gym would be built from a seating standpoint for better or for worse. I personally was in awe of the place when it opened while I was a student but obviously after 20 years it leaves something to be desired compared to most of our competition.

[Bearcat Otto]

I think it was built as an all purpose facility because that is the only way that the State money could be secured. When the arena was built there was a lack a facilities for the student body. The lawmakers thought they could address both the need for an arena and the need for student activity facilities by making the all purpose requirement.

Never was good for basketball and I do not think it was used much for the student body over the years.