by Kent Sterling
This is what the remodeled arena will look like when IUPUI plays there in 18-months.
IUPUI Basketball playing at the Pepsi Coliseum is the right answer to a nagging question – why is an NCAA D-1 basketball program playing in a junior high gym?
In Chicago, DePaul University plays in a place near O’Hare Airport that qualifies as a college arena in the same way Rosie O’Donnell qualifies as a lady – or a bowler qualifies as an athlete – or Kentucky Basketball qualifies as an NCAA compliant program. They can call themselves what they like, but we can tell the difference.
In Indianapolis, IUPUI has played in a 1,200 seat gym the coaches avoid while showing recruits around campus. It seats roughly 13% of what the the gym at New Castle High School does. It is woefully inadequate for the needs of a Division One program in any conference – even the Summit League.
Normally, playing in an off-campus arena is a sell-out move by a school, but in the case of IUPUI it’s a great fit. The vast majority of the 30,000 students who attend IUPUI live off-campus anyway, so it’s not like they are being robbed of an experience similar to that at IU’s Bloomington campus. If students can drive to campus, they can drive to the fairgrounds.
Starting in late 2014, the Jaguars will begin playing in the remodeled Pepsi Coliseum (no longer called the Pepsi Coliseum by officials, but like newly renamed Sears Tower in Chicago, that’s what it is). While it’s 5.7 miles from the current gym that PR folks affiliated with IUPUI insist on calling “The Jungle”, it’s an easy drive from the northside campus, and will give fans a legitimate college basketball experience.
For years, stories have circulated about coaches showing recruits everything on campus but the gym, hoping they didn’t notice the omission. Now, while the new arena isn’t across the street from a dorm, it will be a place can pull recruits into, rather than push them away from.
While it would be wonderful for IUPUI to invest in a 5,500 seat arena for basketball, concerts, and other on campus fun, this will suffice.
The other widely discussed option was Coseco Fieldhouse, but their is no way on earth, the Jaguars would ever fill the lower bowl for a game. If they can find a way to regularly entice 3,000, Pepsi Coliseum will provide another fun place to watch college hoops in Indianapolis.
It’s not often that logic plays a role in decision-making by college administrators, but congratulations to Indiana State Fairgrounds Executive Director Cindy Hoye and IUPUI Athletic Director Michael Moore for making it happen.
Bravo, great move! this could be a game changer. But, PLEASE DONT MAKE IT JUST ANOTHER ARENA WITH THE RENOVATION!
To me it’s worth mentioning the fairgrounds is chock full of history in a state that lives for its hoops heritage. As a displaced Hoosier, I’d go to an IUPUI game for the hell of it just to see a cool historic arena where the most successful ABA team played, Bill Keller and George McGinnis lived, and hosted Dr J, Artis Gilmore, and all the ABA greats. Teach some history to todays kids here, Fairgrounds board.
Learn a lesson from Boise States blue field. Break the rules, channel your inner Bill Veeck and PT Barnum. IUPUI can create its own history there. They’d warm up with ABA balls if they had any stones. Host throwback games played with ABA balls, nicknames on jerseys, shorty shorts, headbands, retro Adidas shoes, disco music, have some fun, make your opponents and their fans love coming to Indy for a cant miss game (it’s what Indy does), and draw some attention. If they start competing with Hinkle, and simply get the next level of kid from Indiana, they will be a force. The campus is outstanding.
Done right, with this move IUPUI is a Sweet 16 juggernaut in waiting, mark my word. This puts them on par with many MAC programs, and who would want to live in those towns anyway?
Yes, most students live off campus. But how about the 2,000 students that live on campus and the many more that live near campus. What about them?