College Hoops Journal
After breaking the on-campus attendance record last season against Georgetown, Syracuse is deciding whether to move Jim Boeheim Court to the center of the Carrier Dome when Duke visits. Imagine the sound of 50,000 screaming fans going crazy when Coach K and Duke step onto the floor. It would be historic, but would is it beneficial for SU to make such a move?
There are a few obvious pros to moving the court to the middle of the Dome. The game would easily break the attendance record yet again, and accommodate more fans that want to watch the game in person (last year’s Georgetown game was officially a sellout). Also, instead of having fans in obstructed views in the further sections, center court would give those fans a better sight of the game.
A one-game move to center court would make a special night on the Hill even more memorable. The court switch would probably¬†entice ESPN‚Äôs College Gameday to come for a visit. The theater of such a setup would be must-see TV and captivate the college basketball world. If SU wants to make a splash into the ACC with style, this switch will definitely do the job. Bringing in recruits to such an event would have to dazzle, and it could become an annual recruiting opportunity. Which opponent will the “center court game” be?
However, moving the court could pose some problems logistically. The digital broadcast wiring are not configured for that setup and would have to be adjusted just for one game. Next, the SU fire department would have to approve the fire code regulations for the new setup depending on how the seating charts will be arranged. Both do not seem legitimate threats to make or break a move to center court, but both have to be approved before SU has the chance to make its decision. More importantly is deciding where to seat the season ticket holders. Those fans have already bought their tickets and were not notified of a possible seat change for the Duke game. If SU did make a court location switch, Syracuse would have to take care of the season ticket holders to ensure fans who have paid for all home games are content with their new seating arrangements.
SU relies on the Orange faithful to create an intimidating environment and dominant home court advantage. Although there would be 50,000 fans going crazy, moving the court to the center would also impact the intimacy of the Dome. With the seating being more spread out instead of closer to the court, how much will SU’s roaring home-court atmosphere be altered by the switch? After all, fans would rather see a win against Duke than just breaking the attendance record.
Although the SU department is remaining quiet on the possible one-game move, the consensus is that if Syracuse gets approval to move the court, it will. And it that happens it’ll be an even more memorable day when Duke comes to the Dome.
Posted: Zephan Mayell
