Open letter to Jim Sterk re seating at Mizzou Arena

Posted on: January 18, 2018 at 08:14:46 CT

Dear Sir

Certainly the fact that the arena looks empty/sparse on the TV side during men's basketball broadcasts is noticed by you. This can make it appear that Missouri Basketball lacks interest . Prospective players can certainly witness this which may make them question matriculating at a school where the support for their sport is so visually lacking.

There are many reasons for this, including usually the seats behind the visitors bench is poorly attended. We know the way the stadium is configured, the sight lines from these seats is poor. It's hard to see over people and nearly impossible when the tall players stand.

Compounded on this, is people in suites have court seats and can't be in two places at the same time. Why occupy a seat when you can embibe with your friends away from the masses. Besides, the north side stairs are so steep, one has to be sober and in decent shape to get up them. Acess to bathrooms from the north (TV) side is cumbersome.

I know you are asking seat owners who can't attend to turn the seats back so they can be re-distributed, but is this policy working?

Other athletic directors appear to have solved this conundrum. Whether it is to let students occupy these seats, or simply allow people to move down.

The main thing I would recommend since you can't prohibit suite owners tfrom having court seats, is to reassign all suite seats to the non- tv side. Place "regular (non-suite owning) fans on the TV side. If the visitors don't occupy their alloted seats, have the teams sit on the north side. Nothing gathers a crowd like a crowd, and I hope this would facilitate that process boosting your team marketing, enthusiasm, ticket sales and revenue.

Edited by Macgrantt at 08:16:38 on 01/18/18