Tone the LIGHTS DOWN, Please

[captmojo]

Every arena, Houston's included, have got to find an alternative to those lighted rims, around the front of the upper seating decks. They are obviously a distraction to both the viewer and the players. I understand that it provides revenues, but somethings gotta give.

While I'm at it, the flashing ones in the front of the scorer's table have got to go too.
*prevalent during regular season*

[rthomas]

And for the tv viewing audience, I'm not very impressed with the camera shots from the floor camera running the length of the court.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

And for the tv viewing audience, I'm not very impressed with the camera shots from the floor camera running the length of the court.

I agree 100%. They should use the standard camera angle for all live action and only use the floor camera, camera under basket, etc. for replays. It is very disorienting - I feel like I'm watching a horse race. However, the floor camera could be cool for a replay if it could keep up with Justise on one of his end-to-end drives.

[TruBlu]

Every arena, Houston's included, have got to find an alternative to those lighted rims, around the front of the upper seating decks. They are obviously a distraction to both the viewer and the players. I understand that it provides revenues, but somethings gotta give.

While I'm at it, the flashing ones in the front of the scorer's table have got to go too.
*prevalent during regular season*

This has been something that I've noticed for a couple of years, but was worried that I was paranoid, since no one else had commented on it.

Some home court advantage is gained by some teams (UVA, unc, and others) in that the lights seem to flash more when the opposing team is on offense. This may be distracting to shooters. Perhaps they are encouraging "Noise" or "defense", but this seems to be something that should be prohibited . . . the same way that pep bands are prohibited from playing during live action.

[nmduke2001]

And for the tv viewing audience, I'm not very impressed with the camera shots from the floor camera running the length of the court.

For regular game action, I agree. However, it does provide cool replays on end to end action.

[DBFAN]

For regular game action, I agree. However, it does provide cool replays on end to end action.

I dunno that beautiful fast break against Robert Morris ( I think) where Cook dished to Tyus and he dished to the trailing Okafor was absolutely ruined by that camera angle. Couldn't see the whole play forming. Worst part is that there is no other replay (that I can find ) that shows from better view

[DU82]

Every arena, Houston's included, have got to find an alternative to those lighted rims, around the front of the upper seating decks. They are obviously a distraction to both the viewer and the players. I understand that it provides revenues, but somethings gotta give.

While I'm at it, the flashing ones in the front of the scorer's table have got to go too.
*prevalent during regular season*

The odd thing is that there is no advertising on the ribbon boards. It's just the NCAA logo and "NCAA Championship" words rotating. No need for it at all. (The NCAA doesn't allow in arena ads to show up. They're either blank or covered.

[Henderson]

Several times this weekend I thought, "Just get us out of this arena into a more normal basketball environment." It seemed to me that NRG was an unpredictable wild card in the games, which seemed a shame (and a dangerous one at that). Not that it favored one team or another, but it just seemed like an uncontrollable variable. I was worried that it would be a factor, though it seemed not to be in the end.

It wasn't just lights and sight lines, but the elevated floor and dunce stool setup. K has said several times that he didn't like the arrangement, because he likes to mostly sit during games with his assistants around him so they could talk without.

I'm also not sure the point of having the game played in such an enormous arena if so many seats are screened off by curtains. But I guess that's true of so many of these arenas, including one in our conference. But surely there are better locales from which the NCAA might choose.

So anyway, I'm glad we're out of NRG and moving on to Indy, where the arena is big but not quite so odd as NRG.

[rifraf]

And for the tv viewing audience, I'm not very impressed with the camera shots from the floor camera running the length of the court.

Ugh yes. I don't understand why broadcasts keep trying to experiment with angles from halfcourt, running along the side, etc. 1 angle for the whole game, replays with the others, just like soccer. That's all we need. I'd even argue that it's the best way to show the action.

[NancyCarol]

Ugh yes. I don't understand why broadcasts keep trying to experiment with angles from halfcourt, running along the side, etc. 1 angle for the whole game, replays with the others, just like soccer. That's all we need. I'd even argue that it's the best way to show the action.

Just wait for it......coming soon....body cams.

[Tom B.]

And for the tv viewing audience, I'm not very impressed with the camera shots from the floor camera running the length of the court.


There was one possession in one of the Friday games that consisted mostly of a view of the official's derriere. Since then, my wife and I have referred to that angle as the Ref Butt Cam.

[Henderson]

body cams.


Ref Butt Cam.

Hmm. Yeah, maybe new ideas are not always improvements.

[DU82]

I'm also not sure the point of having the game played in such an enormous arena if so many seats are screened off by curtains. But I guess that's true of so many of these arenas, including one in our conference. But surely there are better locales from which the NCAA might choose.

So anyway, I'm glad we're out of NRG and moving on to Indy, where the arena is big but not quite so odd as NRG.

It was a dry run for the 2016 Final Four. (They had the 2016 trophy in the concourse, and were taking names for a raffle for two tickets for next year.)

A FF site typically hosts a regional the year before. Don't recall if Indy had a regional last year, but they had one in 2013 as we all remember. Plus Lucas Oil Stadium is the permanent back-up site for Final Fours when they are played elsewhere. (Part of the agreement the City had with the NCAA when they paid them to relocate to Indy from KC. This was done while the Hoosier Dome was still standing.)

[Henderson]

It was a dry run for the 2016 Final Four. (They had the 2016 trophy in the concourse, and were taking names for a raffle for two tickets for next year.)

A FF site typically hosts a regional the year before. Don't recall if Indy had a regional last year, but they had one in 2013 as we all remember. Plus Lucas Oil Stadium is the permanent back-up site for Final Fours when they are played elsewhere. (Part of the agreement the City had with the NCAA when they paid them to relocate to Indy from KC. This was done while the Hoosier Dome was still standing.)

Interesting. Thanks.

How hard would it be for them to elevate both the court and the teams' benches to the same level? They've got a whole football stadium of space. Shouldn't be that hard. I hope they get that straightened out before 2016.

[jjasper0729]

Interesting. Thanks.

How hard would it be for them to elevate both the court and the teams' benches to the same level? They've got a whole football stadium of space. Shouldn't be that hard. I hope they get that straightened out before 2016.

My question would be, why can't they lower the court just a bit and raise the benches up so that it's all on the same level. Or why even have the floor elevated at all? If it's sight lines, then having worked at Vanderbilt for a year, the people in front (even though they're almost in another zip code) don't have much of one. Lower the court so everything is on the same level, coaches can continue what they're used to by sitting on the bench with the assistants and people in front can watch at a better angle.

[Newton_14]

Just wait for it......coming soon....body cams.

@NCAA- please play College Basketball tournament games in Basketball Arena's! It's not fair to the players to play these games in oversized warehouses with temporary grandstands and curtains. I mean I don't think any NFL player wants to play a playoff game inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

@CBS- Can you please lose the ridiculous camera angles? We don't need to see what the game looks like from an ant's perspective. We missed several great plays in our 4 games thus far due to stupid camera angles. Just keep it on the midcourt camera that shows the normal view.

[Henderson]

@NCAA- please play College Basketball tournament games in Basketball Arena's! It's not fair to the players to play these games in oversized warehouses with temporary grandstands and curtains. I mean I don't think any NFL player wants to play a playoff game inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.


A-wanking-men.

1. NRG stadium has a capacity of 71,054.

2. For the NCAA tourney, they cut that down to 34,500 with curtains etc.

3. On Friday when all 4 teams' fans were still there, the attendance was 21,168.

That's close enough to basketball arena size for me when the quality of the game is at stake.

But there are two other considerations on the other side:

1. For big NCAA events, the promoters need to have room for lots of extra press, including production trucks and press spaces.

2. If the point is to do a practice run for the 2016 Final Four, the attendance and press needs will be much expanded. So maybe they needed a dry run.

But from the point of a college basketball fan, I was not impressed by NRG as a basketball arena. And if they pull back the curtains to allow more fans, that'll just make it worse.