Cameron Seating Update

[jimsumner]

From a Duke press release

"Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium, the crown jewel of college basketball's classic venues, has undergone a series of improvements this summer to enhance the gameday experience, while also retaining the revered qualities of the facility as it approaches its 70th year as the home of the Blue Devils.

"Immediately following last season, we encouraged the Duke Athletics staff to enhance the gameday experience within what is commonly referred to as the very best venue in college basketball," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin White. "The results of that effort are outstanding. The fresh new look of the building does not compromise any of the traditional aspects that have long made Cameron Indoor Stadium the pinnacle cathedral for college basketball within our country. Needless to say, given these upgrades, we are all extremely excited about the upcoming season."

A reconfiguration of courtside seating will enable Duke to build on the existing spirited gameday experience for the student body. Graduate students will now be able to occupy seats in both the north and south ends of Cameron. This change will place some of Duke's most creative and energetic fans behind both baskets, giving the opposition a challenging shooting background during both halves of action. Undergraduate seating will be virtually unchanged as college basketball's best student section will remain courtside in Section 17. In the new configuration, the total number of seats available to undergraduate students on a game-by-game basis will be unaffected. Additionally, Duke was able to create premium seating for sponsors, donors, alumni and prominent guests located on padded blue seats directly behind the scorer's table.

In front of the undergrads will be a new state-of-the-art press table featuring 90-feet of LED (light emitting diode) technology. The new press row will improve crowding in the first row of the student section and features two aisles that will help fans and media members in and out of their seats at halftime and after the game.

One of the most visible enhancements came in the upper bowl of Cameron where all 5,649 seats were painted Duke blue in conjunction with an extensive pressure washing of the seats, concrete, railing and tunnels. Each of the distinctive brass railings that surround the arena will be refurbished prior to the beginning of the 2009-10 basketball season.

"Cameron Indoor Stadium is already one of the treasures in college athletics," said head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "Getting the graduate students behind both baskets, while keeping our undergraduate student section courtside, will create even more of a home court advantage for the team. We are fortunate to have the best fan base in the country, so to be able to enhance the gameday atmosphere is very exciting for our program. Personally, I love the new look of the stadium and can't wait to see it full of Cameron Crazies and Duke fans throughout the 2009-10 season."

[FireOgilvie]

So are the undergrads moved back a bit from the scorers' table? Will they still be able to do this?:

http://z.about.com/d/collegebasketball/1/7/n/2/-/-/84436454.jpg

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

Lol we can only hope.

[lifelongdevil]

Lol we can only hope.
they certainly mean on the opposite side of the court.

im not sure how adding these padded blue seats on that side though will leave the number of undergrad seats unchanged. possibly eliminating the buffer and making these the sold seats?

[Kim*]

So, section 19 will be affected. I wonder how many rows of these padded seats they're going to have behind the table.

[ddsdevil]

Considering K's extremely busy day, it was an honor that he came to speak to us. He seems really passionate and excited about this upcoming season!

[Tappan Zee Devil]

Considering K's extremely busy day, it was an honor that he came to speak to us.

Yeah, because he was at the Duke-Army game. Both he and President Brodhead were at the Alumni Association affair prior to the game.
I actually got to speak to him, although it was somewhat similar to Aubrey's "Aubrey, could I trouble you for the salt?" conversation with Lord Nelson. I was headed out of the pregame affair, released that I had forgotten something, turned around and nearly ran into him and Mrs K who were right behind us. I said "Excuse me. Coach" at the same time as he was saying "Oops, please excuse, us.".
Not much, but at least I can say i have had a personal exchange with K. :D

[hurleyfor3]

No answers, only questions... for starters, I thought "north" and "south" were the undergraduate (long) sections.

Anyway, if the total number of undergrad seats really is unchanged, the only way they can fit an aisle in behind press row is to make the student benches narrower. Otherwise you'd have to get rid of a row. There's no room there.

I presume the people who used to sit next to the band will now be moved behind the scorer's table. Furthermore, it seems almost all the remaining undergrad seats on the "south/behind the team benches/non-teevee" side will be in the corners. Will there be any undergrad seats above the buffer zone behind the visitors' bench, where BOGgers used to stand?

Finally, the court-length LED board will probably be used for advertising. Why else would it be there? I miss the understated brass D.

[Duvall]

Finally, the court-length LED board will probably be used for advertising. Why else would it be there?

We could always do like Kentucky and UNC and use it to talk about how awesome we are.

[crimsonandblue]

We could always do like Kentucky and UNC and use it to talk about how awesome we are.

Something like, "Welcome to 'Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium, the crown jewel of college basketball's classic venues'"?

[SharkD]

We could always do like Kentucky and UNC and use it to talk about how awesome we are.

Brilliant! How about we invent some additional national titles, while we're at it.... we were National Champions in... um... 1849-52, 1734 and 43 B.C.

[Indoor66]

Brilliant! How about we invent some additional national titles, while we're at it.... we were National Champions in... um... 1849-52, 1734 and 43 B.C.

That's how I remember it! :D

[jimsumner]

In fairness, the 43 B.C. title is controversial. Remember Kentucky was on probation that year and thus was ineligible.

[Indoor66]

In fairness, the 43 B.C. title is controversial. Remember Kentucky was on probation that year and thus was ineligible.

That is true, but that year the Helms Foundation voted us, as well.

We got the bread vote!

[Wander]

In fairness, the 43 B.C. title is controversial. Remember Kentucky was on probation that year and thus was ineligible.

Also, our star player did bow and arrow an opponent's player in the face and so really should have been ejected before he could have hit that game winning shot in the tournament.

But to balance things out, John Wooden's teams still had an unfair advantage playing in the west. So it probably comes out about right.

[Hurley2Hill]

Something like, "Welcome to 'Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium, the crown jewel of college basketball's classic venues'"?

Yeah, I wouldn't have minded if they had gone with "A" crown jewel personally. There are many cliche-worthy venues along with Cameron. But that's their job, to aggrandize the university and the program.

[crimsonandblue]

Yeah, I wouldn't have minded if they had gone with "A" crown jewel personally. There are many cliche-worthy venues along with Cameron. But that's their job, to aggrandize the university and the program.

Yeah, I don't fault the marketing folks. I was just jabbing at the poster in the thread who was cracking on UNC and UK for self-aggrandizement. Now, please, by all means, continue cracking on UNC and UK.

[El_Diablo]

they certainly mean on the opposite side of the court.

im not sure how adding these padded blue seats on that side though will leave the number of undergrad seats unchanged. possibly eliminating the buffer and making these the sold seats?

I'm not sure why it matters that it's the "opposite side of the court"...it still sees inbound plays. Moving the students back (anywhere) will give opposing players some extra breathing room. Here is the discussion in today's Chronicle about press row, which is featured in that photo.


A new press row area will also be constructed, giving reporters and students in the first row more space.

So yeah, unless that means lateral space, "more space" seems to mean that students will be moved back from the court to make room for the extra aisle. I'm not a fan of that.

As for the number of undergrad seats not changing:


seats in the center of the section-between the two teams' benches-will be relocated to the corners of Section 17.

So undergrads will be relocated to the corners. I'm not a fan of that either.


Duke spokesman Jon Jackson wrote in an email that the last row of section 19, which spans the courtside bleachers opposite the undergraduate section, will still be open to students.

So, this new section will not just be a row or two...it will extend all the way back to the last row. It displaces a large section of student Crazies in favor of sponsors/alumni/guests. Yeah, it's cool to have the Mannings visit CIS, but will these people actually contribute to the atmosphere more than the undergrads??? If they don't, then this is not really creating a greater "home court advantage for the team" in any way whatsoever.

Chronicle link:

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/09/15/MensBasketball/Cameron.Changes.To.Impact.Student.Seating-3771941.shtml

[whereinthehellami]

So are the undergrads moved back a bit from the scorers' table? Will they still be able to do this?:

http://z.about.com/d/collegebasketball/1/7/n/2/-/-/84436454.jpg

I've always thought this was just a bad idea and just a disaster waiting to happen. With the Duke shades on, it seems cool but if you take the Duke shades off, its not cool to have players exposed to fans that can interrupt the play with physical contact.

[LetItBD08]

One change I'd like to see that will never happen for rather obvious reasons is a complete removal of the press row. Okay, maybe that's a little too harsh. Thank you Jim and Chronicle writers and a couple others for actually paying attention to the game and taking detailed notes from action that only someone in your prime vantage point would be privy to then relaying that information coherently to all of us. It's just that the vast majority of writers don't seem to take very many insightful notes at all. They keep a running tally of the score (something easily accessible with their laptops in real time anyways), and a lot of the time they have their story written on their computers before the opening tip. They just fill in the blanks later. Quite a few times I'd see "The crazies were too much for [lower conference team]..." even before we all filed into the stand. I was constantly disappointed reading the next day article of reporter who sat in front of me. He/She could have written the same thing from his/her living room. It appears as if they're just taking up close spots that could have been occupied by students.

[hurleyfor3]

One change I'd like to see that will never happen for rather obvious reasons is a complete removal of the press row.


That's the way it was before the mid-1980s. The press sat along the end lines.

[orrnot]

"and a lot of the time they have their story written on their computers before the opening tip. They just fill in the blanks later. Quite a few times I'd see "The crazies were too much for [lower conference team]..." even before we all filed into the stand. I was constantly disappointed reading the next day article of reporter who sat in front of me. He/She could have written the same thing from his/her living room."

I imagine an experienced, or perhaps jaded, reporter taking a gander at a cheer sheet might entertain similar thoughts about the placeholders behind her/him.

[LetItBD08]

I imagine an experienced, or perhaps jaded, reporter taking a gander at a cheer sheet might entertain similar thoughts about the placeholders behind her/him.

I wasn't a huge fan of the cheer sheets. I liked the fact that it gave a background on the other team and maybe an interesting obscure tidbit or two that could be easily distributed to hundreds of students easily. The attempts at directly conveying 'clever' cheers through the sheet irked me because 1. of the very situation you referred to and 2. most of the time they weren't that clever. I always liked the impromptu cheer that used information from the cheer sheet. It might sound cheesy, but it was rewarding to see students' 'research' (term used loosely) catalyze a cheer, not prepackage one.

[jimsumner]

My experience is that most of the folks on press row actually pay attention to the game.

As do most of the nice people standing behind press row, making so much noise and spilling popcorn down my back.

[loran16]

My experience is that most of the folks on press row actually pay attention to the game.

As do most of the nice people standing behind press row, making so much noise and spilling popcorn down my back.

Having stood behind either you, Al Featherston, or the guy from the South Boston paper (I don't know his name) all last year, i dispute that I or my friends ever spilled popcorn down your back! ;-)

But yes, It's clear that you guys on press-row clearly are following the game....but it'd be nicer if the front row people didn't have to be crammed standing behind guys in chairs (Some of whom take up more space than others, wink wink)

[Kim*]

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5258/camrx.png
(screencap from the new GoDuke Weekly (http://content.yudu.com/A1g1rt/GDW04/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com %2Fmail%2F%3Fui%3D2%26view%3Dbsp%26ver%3D1qygpcgur kovy))

So that's the new "premium padded seating" but I don't understand how this doesn't affect the undergraduates in Sec 19? This is clearly overtaking the majority of the section.

Oy. :confused:

[Duvall]

So that's the new "premium padded seating" but I don't understand how this doesn't affect the undergraduates in Sec 19? This is clearly overtaking the majority of the section.



It does affect the undergraduates in Sec. 19; I believe they have been moved to the spaces in Sec. 17 and 19 that were given to the graduate students several years ago. Those graduate student seats have now been moved to Sec. 18, alongside the band.

[PumpkinFunk]

I'm really happy about the move of grad students next to our section behind the basket. It might be a bit rough space-wise for us, but having fans who will be loud and help distract the other team shooting FTs is a lot better than the VIP section, which is often full of fans for the other team or people who don't much care for the game.

[ReformedAggie]

get rid of all the seats, no one should sit down during Duke BB!!!!

[-jk]

get rid of all the seats, no one should sit down during Duke BB!!!!

In defense of the upstairs folk - some of them have been coming to games since before a lot of y'all were born. Bad knees. Bad backs. Let's cut 'em some slack.

-jk

[OZZIE4DUKE]

In defense of the upstairs folk - some of them have been coming to games since before a lot of y'all were born. Bad knees. Bad backs. Let's cut 'em some slack.

-jk
On this, we agree! But don't let anyone upstairs sitting behind me ask me to sit down or be quiet, like what happened a few years ago at the Meadowlands. I've told that story here before, probably a couple of times.

[BWIV]

http://72.52.212.139/article/keep-students-behind-scorer%E2%80%99s-table

Mr. Vaisman has an excellent point of view. I fondly remember my undergrad days standing 3rd row-center for Duke-UNC. Best view in Cameron.

Also the best place to get on officials (Teddy was my Valentine), opposing players checking in, and Gary Williams. Cameron will be much less intimidating with students that much farther from the opponents.

-BWIV

[throatybeard]

So that's the new "premium padded seating" but I don't understand how this doesn't affect the undergraduates in Sec 19? This is clearly overtaking the majority of the section.

I call 'em the "cushy butt seats."

[airowe]

How much of the moving students/grad students around is attributable to the fire marshall's decalarations last year that there wasn't enough of a walkway between the media tables and the bleachers?

I remember hearing something was going to have to change after the fire marshall's report.

[Duvall]

http://72.52.212.139/article/keep-students-behind-scorer%E2%80%99s-table

Mr. Vaisman has an excellent point of view. I fondly remember my undergrad days standing 3rd row-center for Duke-UNC. Best view in Cameron.

Mr. Vaisman seems to have overlooked the fact that the undergrads haven't filled their sections regularly in years. I suspect that made the decision a lot easier for the athletic department.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Mr. Vaisman seems to have overlooked the fact that the undergrads haven't filled their sections regularly in years. I suspect that made the decision a lot easier for the athletic department.
As one who sat in the fourth row behind the visiting bench and "junior varsity football team buffer zone", we were always heard and noticed by the opposition. Three rows of sitting "dignitaries" will not stifle the craziness!:cool:

[throatybeard]

As one who sat in the fourth row behind the visiting bench and "junior varsity football team buffer zone", we were always heard and noticed by the opposition. Three rows of sitting "dignitaries" will not stifle the craziness!:cool:

I fail to see what you and your [since outlawed] airhorn have to do with the fact that the Ugrads haven't been filling their seats for years.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

As one who sat in the fourth row behind the visiting bench and "junior varsity football team buffer zone", we were always heard and noticed by the opposition. Three rows of sitting "dignitaries" will not stifle the craziness!:cool:


I fail to see what you and your [since outlawed] airhorn have to do with the fact that the Ugrads haven't been filling their seats for years.
I didn't mention the air horn. I was referring to the vociferousness of everyone around me. The air horn was fun, but it didn't lead to many wins in the 1973-1976 seasons. It did, however, give Clemson coach Tates Locke a terrific headache!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

you and your [since outlawed] airhorn
Ah, yes, Ozzie's rule!

My impact on the NCAA rule book! :cool::cool::cool::cool:

[Tom B.]

I call 'em the "cushy butt seats."


The cushy butt seats have been creeping like kudzu across the scorer's table side of Cameron for a while now.

My last year at Duke (1993-94, which wasn't that long ago), I decided I no longer needed to be on the "TV side" of Cameron and was willing to let it pass to the next generation of Crazies. I still went to almost all of the home games, but I usually sat on the scorer's table side.

At the time, the cushy butt seats occupied the first four or five rows behind Duke's bench, with the first two or three rows extending about halfway down the length of the scorer's table. I developed a regular practice of sitting in the first non-cushy row behind the Duke bench.

I was close enough to see into the huddle when Coach K was talking to the players, and I often could see the play that he was drawing up on his dry-erase clipboard. Also, on more than one occasion, I found myself sitting directly behind (and sometimes struck up conversations with) Doug Collins, Calvin Hill or Tony Lang's mom.

Sitting on the scorer's table side gave me a whole new perspective on the game and the Cameron experience, and I wished I'd done it sooner. I understand the rationale behind the current changes, especially if the students haven't been filling their alotted seats, but I still think it's too bad that the experience I had won't be available any more.