MBB: Duke @ Wake Forest (Tue, Jan 8, 7pm ET, ESPN) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I can't remember exactly when we started the neutral site thing, but K was definitely spooked when Nan replaced HKH as Prez that the school might pivot away from major sports and he was determined to "endow" his program's scholarships. Since then, the man has been a fundraising fiend. It would be interesting for someone to do an article on how the program, with such a small stadium where so many tickets are free, manages to be so flush. These sponsored neutral site games are a big part of it.

I also think that if the tournament committee wanted everyone to schedule true road games, they'd build it more prominently into the formula and I bet we'd comply. We don't because it doesn't help us at all. Would it be fun? Sure. Would it make scribes happy? Sure. Does it hurt us...meh. John Gasaway wrote an ESPN+ article saying as much today.

I actually like that we are the very last D1 team to play a true roadie. Everyone can pound sand.

Couple thoughts to buttress your points:
Pound sand indeed. Hopefully we'll be the last team to cut down nets too. F(redacted) em.

Yeah, the Big TV games help revenue. So does Clemson football for that matter vis a vis the conference split. Everyone in the ACC should thank whoever they pray to every night for Clemson FB and Duke BB - and for the Duke-Cheats rivalry. Sometimes I think some on DBR take that for granted. So few...so very few teams...get to be part of a rivalry that everyone nationwide acknowledges. It's a huge PR and revenue boost for the entire league.

[budwom]

^ keep in mind that Duke manages the scarcity of tickets in Cameron rather well. What many (I'd say the vast majority) pay for tickets is considerably (emphasis) less (as expensive as they are) than the annual Iron Dukes contribution required to purchase said tickets. OK, just looked it up, this summer they (Iron Dukes) anticipated it would take an $8000 (annual) contribution to enable one to buy two season tickets for this season.

I'm too lazy to count home games, but if we had 20, that would amount to a surcharge of $200 per ticket, on top of the actual ticket price...which is why building a larger stadium and screwing up this demand dynamic makes no sense.

[hallcity]

I agree, and two more points. First, the ACC is the strongest conference, and Duke has nine ACC road games. Isn't that enough, with VT, FSU, UVa and UNC on the away schedule. Second, it's in part economics -- Cameron's small size make other non-conference marquee teams less willing to do home-and-home series with Duke. As a result, we tend to play high-profile opponents on neutral sites.

I wonder whether the advent of the ACC Network puts Duke will be under some special pressure next season to play a major non-conference game in Cameron in November. The ACC wants to give those on the fence about subscribing to the ACC Network lots of incentive to do so and to do so early. That’s why the first FB game on the Network is a Clemson game that might otherwise be on ESPN and that’s why there are reports that all the ACC schools other than Duke will be playing a conference game in November. A high exposure Duke non-conference game in November on the ACC Network would probably be quite helpful for the network. Of course, Duke would probably have to return the favor in 2020.

[duketaylor]

It will merely change to "Duke doesn't play road games unless it is mandated by the ACC schedule". And they have a point.

ACC/Big Ten challenge, not our fault. Why would K play somewhere else anyway.

[chrishoke]

^ keep in mind that Duke manages the scarcity of tickets in Cameron rather well. What many (I'd say the vast majority) pay for tickets is considerably (emphasis) less (as expensive as they are) than the annual Iron Dukes contribution required to purchase said tickets. OK, just looked it up, this summer they (Iron Dukes) anticipated it would take an $8000 (annual) contribution to enable one to buy two season tickets for this season.

I'm too lazy to count home games, but if we had 20, that would amount to a surcharge of $200 per ticket, on top of the actual ticket price...which is why building a larger stadium and screwing up this demand dynamic makes no sense.

Don't forget, some long time season ticket holders - like me- are grandfathered in at a much, much lower annual Iron Duke contribution.

[-jk]

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Let's Go Duke!

-jk

[AZLA]

Okay. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Cam has a breakout game tonight.

[AZLA]

Okay. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Cam has a breakout game tonight.

Yikes. Oops. I mushed him.

[slower]

Reddish is broken. Full stop.

The problem is with his head, not his eyes.

[fuse]

Childress.

Let’s Go Duke!!!!! 🔵😈

[kAzE]

Okay. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Cam has a breakout game tonight.

So far, not so good

[MarkD83]

This game has some bad vibes already. Childress...fouls...air balls

[jipops]

Good thing this is Wake. Seems like we always start out poor in the 1st ACC road game that is now becoming the 1st actual road game.

[slower]

One of the worst things about Reddish melting down is that we're forced to rely more on Bolden, DeLaurier and AOC, who are all vastly unreliable.

Duke will probably pull away in the second half and pull out this game, but Saturday will be an entirely different kind of test.

[slower]

Reddish is broken. Full stop.

The problem is with his head, not his eyes.

He's not even CLOSE on any of these shots.

[94duke]

Was that actually over and back? It didn't look like the ball had crossed yet.

[MarkD83]

One of the worst things about Reddish melting down is that we're forced to rely more on Bolden, DeLaurier and AOC, who are all vastly unreliable.

Duke will probably pull away in the second half and pull out this game, but Saturday will be an entirely different kind of test.

The announcers did mention that Javin has made 17 field goals in a row. That is pretty consistent

[uh_no]

He's not even CLOSE on any of these shots.

glad he got that dunk. needs to realize he can do that.

[brickey]

Was that actually over and back? It didn't look like the ball had crossed yet.

It wasn’t, but Daniel Ewing fouled someone simultaneously, so it’s a wash.

[jipops]

Wake has 11 offensive boards right now. There’s the story.