Rutgers at the Rock
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
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Hahaha I guess the RAC isn’t good enough for an SEC team to visit
It's definitely seen better days, but that's one of the loudest venues I've ever seen a game at. That angled roof just throws the noise right back at you.
Wow, the RAC isn't even good enough for Mississippi State, so they need to move it to the Rock to get MSU to agree to the game? What a massive embarrassment for RU!
Oh and just FYI for when the upper bowl is open (and likely not sold out but this applies even if it is), a 1-off game for a school with 36k undergrads isn't anywhere close to the same situation as every game for a school with 6k undergrads.
Oh and just FYI for when the upper bowl is open (and likely not sold out but this applies even if it is), a 1-off game for a school with 36k undergrads isn't anywhere close to the same situation as every game for a school with 6k undergrads.
Our friends down south often criticize us for not selling out the full Rock. It will be interesting to see what a university with 6x the number of alums does.
Meanwhile they don’t even sell out their little high school gym on campus with 6x’s the alumni! Hope Mississippi State throttles them!
Rutgers sold out most of their home games last season.
But yeah it will be interesting what their draw is at The Rock vs Miss St
If you don't have the RAC sold out before the season starts that is awful. IMO it was awful when you stunk and now it would be ten times worse. It should be sold out with season tickets. And I bet it is.
I'd be very surprised if the RAC was sold out for the season. I remember back in the day when Connecticut tickets were very hard to come by, I just can't see there being that level of demand for Rutgers, even in a smallish facility.
For what it's worth, I enjoy watching games at the RAC. It was tired 20 years ago, but it's a decent venue. Not huge, obviously, but good site lines and , when Rutgers is clicking, very loud.
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The Rock is only 30 minutes or so from their campus and it will be a fun experience for their fans to watch a game an 18K seat arena. Rutgers has one of the largest enrollments in the P5 so they should have no problem filling that place up.
I wouldn't want to play an entire season there, but just for a game it's not a big deal. I'm sure half of their fans will love the big-time arena which is more on par with their peers, and the other half will prefer the smaller and more intimate experience of the RAC.
I wouldn't want to play an entire season there, but just for a game it's not a big deal. I'm sure half of their fans will love the big-time arena which is more on par with their peers, and the other half will prefer the smaller and more intimate experience of the RAC.
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The reason its at the Rock instead of the RAC is the game would be considered a neutral site instead of a home game. A win there counts more than a win at the RAC in the committee's eyes. At least it has in the past. Who knows though, as the criteria seems to change every year.
So it's just an attempt to game the NET? I feel like that's an even worse reason. I figured it was something like when we played Kentucky at MSG because they were willing to come play us, just not on our home floor. Mississippi State isn't the kind of school you accept those demands from though.
Edit to add: which leads to the further question of why the Rock and not the Garden? I thought RU was trying to position themselves as "New York's team" and "owning the Garden." I would think they'd want to maximize their games there to build that position (a position I don't think they'll ever successfully achieve, but I don't expect that to stop them from trying).
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From what I’ve read, The RAC will undergo renovations in 24-25.
Rutgers is probably testing different venues out. The Rock and the Trenton Arena next season.
CONFIRMED Rutgers Basketball Opponents so far
| DATE | OPPNENT / 2023 KENPOM | SITE |
|---|---|---|
| November 6th | vs. Princeton (91) | Cure Insurance Arena (Trenton, NJ) |
| November 12th | vs. Bryant (208) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| November 15th | vs. Georgetown (219) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| November 27th | vs. St. Peter's (308) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| December 6th | @ Wake Forest (86) | Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Winston Salem, NC) |
| December 9th | @ Seton Hall (58) | Prudential Center (Newark, NJ) |
| December 16th | vs. Long Island (363) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| December 23rd | vs. Mississippi State (53) | Prudential Center (Newark, NJ) |
| TBD. | vs. Stonehill (331) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| November TBD. | vs. Howard (218) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
| November TBD. | vs. Boston Univ. (266) | Jersey Mike's Arena (Piscataway, NJ) |
Once again not the strongest OOC schedule.
One game outside of the state of NJ.
Pikiell just doesn't learn his lesson. Seems he's more interested in his W/L percentage than preparing his team for a quality run in the Dance.
One game outside of the state of NJ.
Pikiell just doesn't learn his lesson. Seems he's more interested in his W/L percentage than preparing his team for a quality run in the Dance.
This always perplexes me. People always say that not having your own arena is a disadvantage but when all these big schools want to host a "big game" where do they go? The professional arena's
Don't get me wrong there is a huge advantage of having a sold out smaller building. As you can see with the RAC, they do get loud., but even if Seton Hall had the RAC the student body would never fill it.
The Rock with the curtain down is a great venue in my opinion. The kids get bused in and the the allum can take the train. You also have all the bars you want right next door to the place. As long as they keep winning games the crowds will come.
Don't get me wrong there is a huge advantage of having a sold out smaller building. As you can see with the RAC, they do get loud., but even if Seton Hall had the RAC the student body would never fill it.
The Rock with the curtain down is a great venue in my opinion. The kids get bused in and the the allum can take the train. You also have all the bars you want right next door to the place. As long as they keep winning games the crowds will come.
They have to. It was part of the agreement with jersey mikes. The rac had to undergo renovations by a certain date.
The Devils are also at home on that date. All that means is the RU game would be played in the afternoon.
We often play the same day as the Devils. MSG also turns the arena for basketball and hockey on the same day. It only takes a few hours.
Jersey Mikes didn’t demand it. RU used this ‘demand’ as leverage to get more $ for renovations. Smart move
Thanks for the additional info! I just remembered reading a release of some sort when the naming rights were announced that the naming rights were being sold for around $28M and that included a provision that a renovation must be done to the Rac by 2027 (could be off on year)
I don't know the specifics of securing games at MSG. But given the likely cost I don't see why Rutgers would even want to try to schedule Miss St. there.
I read that Hobbs looked at The Rock and Barclays for this game
Miss St is the most boring SEC program imo
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