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Back to 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament coverage

2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Regional tickets available

Expanded Ford Field not sold out yet

By Ryan Wood

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Tickets still remain for the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional at Ford Field in Detroit, a venue that will play host to three games this weekend.

Of course, it would take a city the size of Lawrence to sell the place out.

Ford Field is a guinea pig for the new way to maximize seats (and as a result, revenue) at big-stage NCAA Tournament games moving forward. Detroit's giant domed stadium - as well as Reliant Stadium in Houston - will have the basketball court placed in the middle of the football field and have temporary seats extend out to the court.

Capacity will be 72,818 seats this weekend. The Ford Field ticket office said Monday that about 55,000 tickets had been sold for this weekend's games so far. The trio of games includes Kansas University's Sweet 16 showdown against Villanova at 8:40 p.m. Friday.

Playing NCAA Tournament games in football domes is nothing new. But in the past, the basketball court usually has been squeezed into a corner of the football field, and a large chunk of seats had remained vacant and even curtained off on the other side of the venue.

Now, plenty of seats will be available.

"This is the first time this has ever been done," Bob Gardner, Ford Field's director of facility management, told the Associated Press.

It sounds nice, but keep in mind that many seats in the upper deck will be frighteningly far away from the action. The cost for the nosebleeds is $45 for all three games.

"We are definitely telling our fans that if they buy seats that are not in the KU contingent, that they're taking the chance that they are far away," associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said.

The KU contingent is only 1,250 seats and is sold out. Marchiony said those seats will be close to the court.

Ford Field is going forward with the new configuration because it's the site of the 2009 Final Four and the 2010 Frozen Four hockey tournament. The NCAA's plan is to have all Final Fours - including 2010 (Indianapolis) and 2011 (Houston) - played in similar setups to maximize ticket sales.

NCAA officials estimate the increased seating capacity will generate $4 million in additional revenue.

Being innovative often means the chance to be historical. Ford Field's seating capacity puts NCAA Tournament attendance records within reach.

The record for a regional game is 42,519, which figures to be broken in Detroit. The record for any NCAA Tournament game was the 1987 championship game between Indiana and Syracuse, which drew 64,959 fans to the Superdome in New Orleans.

KU's single-game record is 64,151, set against North Carolina in the 1993 Final Four.

The record for any college basketball game, though, was set at Ford Field in 2003 in a regular-season game between Michigan State and Kentucky. That game drew 78,129 fans in a similar, though less sophisticated, setup.

This weekend's game will be played on a court 27 inches above ground, a subtle way to make it a stage-like setup and create better sight lines.

The new approach toward Final Four seating continues the evolving of one of the nation's most popular sporting events. The Final Four has been in domed stadiums since 1997. In 2003, the Division I Men's Basketball Committee set a minimum seating capacity for Final Four venues at 40,000.

Of course, KU's players face some challenges in adjusting to playing in the huge venue.

"We're excited to go," KU coach Bill Self said. "Somebody told me they were going to try to put 65,000 to 70,000 people in there which will be a unique, unique deal for anybody which I don't know I'm a fan of going in.

"I think most shooters like shooting in the confines of a smaller background of a tighter background," Self added, noting it's same for all four teams playing in the Motor City this weekend. "We will have a chance to shoot in there the day of the game and day before. I'm more concerned about Villanova than the dome."

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Comments

NH_JHawk (anonymous) says...

I know its all about the $$ but when our contingency is only 1,250 seats out of a capacity of 72,818 that's absurd. That's a total of 1.7% of the seating.

March 25, 2008 at 6:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...

I agree, NH_JHawk. I went to the 2002 Final Four here in Atlanta and was sitting in a seat that was on the opposite end of the dome from where the court was placed. Actually had to watch the overhead screen to see the action on the near side of the floor because the view was blocked by the nearside temporary bleachers. It has become all about the almighty $$$...unfortunately.

March 25, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

It's simple supply and demand, and apparently the demand is there for sitting a mile away from a basketball. I wouldn't do it, but apparently many will. The deal with the ticket allotment will change in the future. This weekend in Detroit is essetially a dry run for next year's Final Four, when the NCAA plans on giving vouchers to students of the teams playing. The vouchers will be for seating behind the end lines, in an effort to create a more "college-like" atmosphere.

March 25, 2008 at 8 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/NC...

Posted after another article, thought it fit here as well.

March 25, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

TtownHawk (anonymous) says...

i was at the 2003 Final Four in the Superdome and pretty far back. it was awesome to be there, but its almost not worth it cuz your so far back and can't see the action without the aid of binoculars. instead of setting the minimum at 40,000 for Final Fours, they should think of setting a max number of seats they can go for. like a max of 60k or so.

March 25, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

I think it'll look pretty good on my 50" in HD.

March 25, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

tashe2 (anonymous) says...

I dont care if we have to play in the Lawrence Free State' gym. I just want to beat Villanova. Once the players calm down a little bit, it won't be any different than anywhere else we played this year. We need Rush to have a big game as well as Collins. Chalmers will give us his 15 or so.

I am already saving up money to come to Lawrence, once we reach the Final Four(I live about 2 1/2 hours away) I had a dream we won it all last night. It was to surreal. This is our year. Bring on UNC!!!

Rock Chalk Jayhawks!!

2008 National Champions!!

March 25, 2008 at 9:09 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...

Yeah, I'm debating whether or not to make the trip to San Antonio. Don't currently have a ticket, but I know from past experience that there will be a number of folks trying to sell outside the arena and near team hotels for face value. It may even be worthwhile to go and risk having to sit in a local bar with fellow Jayhawkers.

March 25, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

DarthJayhawk (anonymous) says...

Thank god for HDTV, or for that matter a 13" black and white TV, a radio, or even the recap in the next days paper. Any of these options is better than sitting a mile a way from the court and having part of your view blocked. 20,000 people is about the most that can reasonably watch a basketball game, and that is pushing it.

I used to always want to go to the final four, now I don't think I ever want to go unless I win really good seats.

March 25, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

FSUJHAWK (anonymous) says...

I hope there is ample buffer area adjacent to the sidelines. Running full speed trying to save a ball and/or playing defense along the sidelines then blindly falling 27 inches into the seats and/or equipment doesn't sound like fun and could probably ruin a career/life. The NCAA should be ashamed of this inconsiderate act.

March 25, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jacobpaul81 (anonymous) says...

Another reason to watch a game on tv. Once you eclipse 20,000, basketball games lose their charm.

March 25, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

swonder44 (anonymous) says...

Folks, unless you've looked at TicketShafter or StubHub, there are plenty of seats not a mile away & not costing an arm & a leg. Search it out. Go Hawks!!

March 25, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

Amen, DarthJayhawk and Jacobpaul81. Something about watching a basketball game with binoculars just seems unappealing.

March 25, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

smitty33 (anonymous) says...

I'm glad the good ole' non-profit NCAA is doing all they can to survive. Afterall, they do have to pay athletes, let's see.... nothing.
They must love watching Michael Douglas's speach "greed is good".
Having a basketball game in a football dome is a JOKE. You couldn't pay me to sit in either the upper level OR the club level for a basketball game. I'm going to Detroit and scalping Riser seats only. Even 'lower level' seats at that dome are a mile away.
Swonder44, ticketmaster only has crappy seats left and TicketStub wants $500/seat for risers. I'm betting I can get those seats for $200 at the stadium. Ebay has a few seats and I can't trust anyone on Craigslist. I bought riser seats in St. Louis in '04 for $80/ticket

March 25, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

laray1703 (anonymous) says...

bought mine today--thank god i leave in the fine metro area!!! $161 per & at the free throw line in the lower bowl.

March 25, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

cincyHawk79 (anonymous) says...

Have tickets in Section 130 for $240 all three games if interested.

email randb1991@hotmail.com

March 25, 2008 at 7:35 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

It should be a neat atmosphere but it is a little absurd. It looks like almost everyone gets a bad seat now to serve a crowd of 70k instead of having most of the people with decent seats in a ~40K crowd. I hope the goofy background doesn't hurt our shooting too badly. Luckily we're a defensive team anyway - if we relied on shooting I'd be pretty worried.

March 25, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

smitty33 (anonymous) says...

Strikewso, you're exactly right. They're taking an arena with 25,000 good seats and putting it in an arena that holds 80,000 but only has 5,000 good seats. Retarded. Maybe if they played it outdoors at Michigan U, they could pack in 120,000 seats. The poor NCAA execs could use the $$.

Speaking of Greed, is ANYONE but me disgusted by TV timeouts every 4 minutes?? I think it terribly disrupts the flow of a game and punishes teams that are deep or in great shape. I think us fans need to start creating some noise for this to STOP!! This isn't the pro's. There are no salaries pay. MAYBE allow 1 TV timeout per half, not EIGHT per game!!

March 25, 2008 at 11:16 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUDAD (anonymous) says...

Nobody apparently remembers the 1971 Final Four played at the Houston Astrodome. The court was placed at second base, and chairs were on the floor (field) with an elevated court. Sight lines were lousy if anybody stood up. Sitting in the stadium seats was like watching kids play on a court in a city park one and a half blocks away.

This looks like a game where the inside presence will matter. I don't think shots are bothered by the lack of background when they are dunks.

March 26, 2008 at 6:46 a.m. ( | suggest removal )