On The Road In The Big West

Many of us wonder what it's like for our Aggie Basketball team to go out on the road. Since most of the road games are in California, it's hard to make it out to many of them. Well, wonder no more Aggie fans. SpartAg breaks it down and ranks each and every Big West arena.

Well, the Ags are nationally ranked with a 19-1 record and we’re finally getting some much-deserved attention across the country. The last four home games at the Spectrum have had an electric atmosphere, and after winning all four, I’m sure that Aggie fans in Utah are anxious for more. The trouble is there are only two home games left in the season, and let’s be honest, pending contests against Fullerton and Riverside don’t cause the spine to tingle. I can imagine that all Utah-resident Aggies are having a difficult time coping with the looming empty calendar, especially if there isn’t a mid-March trip to Anaheim in your plans. Since five of the last seven regular season games are away from the friendly confines of the Spectrum, I’m here to help describe the experiences of following the Aggies on the road in the Big West. I hope to give you a better idea of what Stew’s crew faces when they leave the Valley. I’ll write some general comments from my own experience and then I’ll rank the arenas in our conference from best to worst.

Let me start off by saying that outside of Logan and the Wasatch Front, there is no better place to be an Aggie than Southern California, (well, for our remaining time in the Big West at least.) Attending a road game is a completely different experience than seeing the Aggies play at the Spectrum. Your chances of seeing a close game increase dramatically as opposed to the beatings often witnessed at home. You become the vocal minority and can tangibly feel the hatred and disgust of the home team’s fans. People stare at you and little kids tell you, “Hey - you’re cheering for the wrong team!” (actual quote from a young UCI fan.) You are not only despised for being an opponent, but also (and maybe especially) because you’re a fan of the conference bully. This usually makes the end result that much better. I would even argue that the silence of the opponent’s arena is just a little sweeter than the roar of the crowd in Logan after an Aggie win. You also get a strange satisfaction at seeing the faces of defeated opponents’ fans as they glare at you. (It’s always the little things that bring the most joy, isn’t it?) I would highly recommend that all of you plan one trip next year to coincide with an Aggie road swing. You won’t regret it.

Attending Aggie road games is like a social event, so much so that even Mrs. SpartAg really enjoys going to the games. Aggie fans chat and get to know each other during breaks in the action. You meet the families of a lot of our players, and you quickly realize why our players are such high-quality individuals. No Aggie fans leave right after the game, but folks will stick around and visit with each other, with players, and with coaches. I can’t think of another time when you have more access to the team. Win or lose you always leave the arena proud to be associated with Utah State University.

A few words about how we’re perceived in general … if you think that most people in Utah don’t know, care about, or recognize the names of our conference foes in California, the same is true for Utah State in California. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked what our enrollment is and how shocked people are when I tell them 22,000. “That many, huh?” is almost always the response. I thought folks would know that we play D1 football, as well, but I haven’t found any opposing fans yet who have this knowledge. (Was it so long ago that the Big West was a D1-A football conference? Feels like ages.) We might as well be located in Iceland for how alien we seem to the locals. However, even though we might be perceived to be as strange and as foreign as a Viking, everyone does seem to know that we play some good basketball and they have a lot of respect for our team.

One random thought that I need to get off my chest… does no one in California know that there is both a Utah, and a Utah State? Can this concept be so foreign to schools designated as part of the Cal State or UC systems? This is something that I just cannot understand. I have even heard families of our own players yell out, “Go Utah!” Of course on the positive side, when the oft-heard chant of “Ut-aahhh su-uucks!” comes from the home crowd’s student section, you can always smile and nod in agreement.

I’d like to mention a few general awards that I would give out if I had the chance.

The “Nebraska Cornhusker" Award to the classiest and kindest group of fans would go to supporters of Long Beach State. Maybe they could afford to be kind in the midst of a forgettable 2002-03 season, but I really enjoyed sitting and talking with a group of their season ticket holders. Great people. The “Cameron Crazies Award” for the best student-body section (outside of Logan) goes to the Gaucho Locos. An award for the best mascot would also go to UCSB’s “Fantom” whose antics become quite endearing after the first few times you see him, (first impression, however … get this guy a heavy dose of Ritalin.) All of them make the Thunderdome a fun place to watch a game. The “Rock N’ Roll Award” for loudest arena would go to Mott Gymnasium at Cal Poly. The decibel-meter reached the 110-115 range several times during one game - the highest I’ve seen, (including the Smith Spectrum.) Mott also deserves recognition for Cal Poly’s great band.

Before I start my rankings, I want to emphasize that I have enjoyed seeing games at every one of the venues that I have visited. There is something unique and enjoyable about each location. I have always been treated with respect at these schools, despite how easy I think it would be for opposing fans to despise us. Some Aggie fans have an unfortunate tendency to belittle our conference brothers and mock some of their arenas. Such behavior should always be seen as much more embarrassing than any empty arena or small gym. Hopefully we can all show more respect in the future … it takes more dedication to be a Big West school’s fan in Southern California than it does to be an Aggie fan in Logan or in Utah.

Now that I’m off my soapbox, time to analyze and rank the Big West arenas. (By the way, average home attendance is given for conference games only and is current as of February 9th…)

#1 – The Dee Glen Smith Spectrum: Utah State

Capacity: 10,270 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 8,788

For more info: http://utahstateaggies.ocsn.com/facilities/ust-spectrum.html (You wouldn’t guess that we have the best arena from the scant coverage on our web site.)

Been There: Hundreds of times due to a great father who bought me a season ticket since I can remember.

Okay, some might claim I’m biased on this one, but I don’t think anyone can objectively argue that our place is not the greatest arena in our conference. The capacity is easily the largest, average attendance is nearly double what it is for the next-best-attended team, and the Aggies’ home is obviously the greatest display of passion for college hoops in our conference. The bowl-seating configuration has fantastic sight lines and fans are right on top of the action. The scoreboard and video screens are the nicest things you’ll see in any Big West facility, and they’re among nicest boards in the country for any college basketball arena. Fans are passionate, loud, and knowledgeable. You get the feeling that the entire community is behind the team. The altitude can bother opponents as well. Aggie fans, be grateful!

One negative for the Smith Spectrum (from an outsider’s point of view) is the color scheme of the seats. We Aggies love the random pattern of the seats with the peculiar rainbow of 70’s colors, but for others it might seem unsightly. Another possible negative is that the Smith Spectrum is one of the oldest arenas (or possibly the oldest?) in the league.

#2 – The Bren Events Center: UC Irvine

Capacity: 4,984 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 2,161

For more info: http://www.bren.uci.edu

Been There: Feb 9, 2002 – Utah State 62, UC Irvine 61 (I also plan to attend this year’s game.)

I will give the Bren the nod over the Thunderdome for the number two spot because of the chair-back seating and the fact that the arena is newer. If this were a ranking of overall game-day experience, though, I think the Bren would fall a notch or two. The Bren Events Center is possibly the most advanced arena in our league as far as all-purpose use is concerned. Seating can be adjusted for any number of events, and the basketball configuration doesn’t even suffer as a result. There is a nice appearance to the place, inside and out, and the crowds are loud and rowdy, especially when the Aggies are in town.

However, attendance for UCI games isn’t as spectacular as it should be. I get the feeling that the Bren isn’t as pumped up when other teams come to town as it is for the Aggies. Average attendance is only fifth best in the league. Also, there is something about the floor that needs improving – maybe a new finish or a fresh coat of paint. The floor has about the only worn-out appearance in the place.

#3 – The Thunderdome: UC Santa Barbara

Capacity: 6,000 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 2,485

For more info: http://ucsbgauchos.ocsn.com/trads/thunder-dome.html

Been There: Jan 8, 2004 – Utah State 74 UC Santa Barbara 67. Feb 6, 2003 – UC Santa Barbara 62 Utah State 50. Jan 5, 2002 – Utah State 60 UC Santa Barbara 56

The Thunderdome (built in 1979) has a good appearance to it, and games there are enjoyable. The student section is in my opinion the best in our conference (at least in California) and it’s always interesting to watch the Fantom in action. Historically, the Thunderdome has been one of the best and loudest arenas in our conference, but I haven’t witnessed it personally. I was tempted to rank the Thunderdome higher after reading numerous impressive quotes from players, coaches, and media on their website, but in the end, I had to go with my own personal experience. Side note: I think I’ve seen more guys with permed hair at the Thunderdome than in any other location in my lifetime. (I just had to throw that in as another unique feature of seeing a game there.)

About the only glaring weakness of the Thunderdome is the lack of chair-back seating. Hardwood benches give the arena a smaller feel than it deserves.

#4 – The Alex G. Spanos Center: Pacific

Capacity: 6,150 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 3,440

For more info: http://www.pacifictigers.com/Facilities/Spanos Center.htm

Been There: I haven’t been inside the Spanos Center and I really need to go sometime. Various problems have prevented it in the past, and Valentines Day will prevent a visit this year.

The Spanos Center (finished in 1981) might need to be ranked higher. Without having been, though, I can’t in good conscience rank them above the Bren or Thunderdome. Pacific’s average attendance is second highest in the league and the Spanos Center is one of the larger arenas in the conference. It also has a fairly loud atmosphere from what I’ve heard. This is all very surprising to Aggie fans since we know that many patrons have a hard time making it to games, what with all the theater, cultural events, entertainment options, and other distractions in Stockton. (See Coach Bob Thomason and his comments after this year’s game in Logan for further details.)

#5 – The Pyramid: Long Beach State

Capacity: (nearly) 5,000 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 1,684

For more info: http://www.longbeachstate.com/local/facilities/pyramid.html

Been There: Jan 18, 2003 – Utah State 63 Long Beach State 55

The Pyramid (built in 1994) has the most unique and best appearance of all arenas from the outside. The structure towers above the surrounding area and can be seen from miles away. The Pyramid also has a newer feeling than any other arena in our league. There are a lot of nice amenities inside. I met nicer fans at the Pyramid than I have anywhere else. Since this is a ranking of the arenas first, and of game-day experiences second, I’ll put the Pyramid in the top 5.

However, the fact that the Pyramid houses so much in addition to basketball (such as conference and fitness centers,) makes the arena feel very small and almost lost in empty space. The ceiling and walls are far away from the floor and sound seems to be sucked away from the crowd giving a flat feel to the game. These are the only negatives of the building itself. The lack of student support and quiet crowds are much bigger problems for the Beach.

#6 – Cowan Spectrum (inside the Kibbie Dome): Idaho

Capacity: 7,000 Avg. Home Attendance (this year):1,977

For more info: http://www.uiathletics.com/pages/facilities.asp?Action=GetSpectrum&CatID=16

Been There: I haven’t attended a game here, but I have walked through and inspected the set up when it was empty.

The Cowan Spectrum has good lighting and a large capacity. It’s mostly due to the capacity that the Cowan Spectrum is awarded the 6th spot. A basketball setup in a football arena is a recipe for disaster, but U of I has done a decent job with it. However, you just can’t rope off space with curtains and expect a great game-day environment. I would rank the Cowan Spectrum dead last in the category of crowd intimacy. Low attendance and lots of empty space equals a very quiet atmosphere for games. The 1970’s appearance of the surrounding Kibbie Dome is even worse than the other Spectrum in the conference.

#7 – Mott Gymnasium: Cal Poly

Capacity: 3,032 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 2,979

For more info: http://www.gopoly.com/facilities/mott.html

Been There: Feb 8, 2003 – Utah State 64 Cal Poly 63, Jan 10, 2004 – Utah State 69 Cal Poly 63

If this were a ranking on just the game-day experience, I would put a game at Mott much, much higher. Average attendance this year is a very impressive 98% of capacity, the highest ratio in the league. Mott can really get rocking, and you get the feeling that the community cares about the team. There are plenty of chair-back seats and a nice appearance to the seating and floor. The band is arguably the best in the conference as well.

If only Mott were bigger! I want to give Mott a higher ranking, I really do, but capacity issues prevent me from being able to. That and the fact that the interior structure of the building looks and feels like a converted warehouse.

#8 – Student Recreation Center: UC Riverside

Capacity: 3,168 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 1,604

For more info: http://www.athletics.ucr.edu/facilities/src.html

Been There: Feb 23, 2003 – UC Riverside 72 Utah State 65, Jan 24, 2004 – Utah State 62 UC Riverside 58

The Student Rec center isn’t the smallest gym in the conference. The building looks very nice on the outside as well. The student section is just as good as most of the others in the league, and for a televised USU game a couple of years ago the place seemed to be rocking, (at least in the first half.) I have had a good experience (this year) in the Student Rec center where the fans were excited and into the game. There have also been great giveaways at the door to both games I’ve attended.

The bad news is that sight lines for the arena are the worst in the league. The seats stretch too far away from court and you can feel further away from the action on row 15 of this arena than in any other gym. Student fitness activities housed at the Center can make the game feel almost like a sideshow. Fan apathy is also a big problem. No one seemed to care when UCR upset the Aggies last year and it was as if the small crowd was just there to pass the time.

#9 – Matador Gymnasium (a.k.a. The Matadome): CS Northridge

Capacity: 1,600 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 1,280

For more info: http://www.gomatadors.com/matadome.php

Been There: March 2, 2002 – Cal State Northridge 62 Utah State 54 (Plan to attend this Thursday’s game as well.)

I’ve heard the Matadome slandered almost as much as any gym in our league, but I really liked watching a game there. There isn’t a bad seat in the house (of course, that’s because of the small capacity) and the floor, scoreboard, and chair-back seats are all new. All of the post-earthquake reconstruction gives a new, fresh feeling to the place. The small size also makes the athletes look as if they could literally jump out of the gym. It’s almost as if you’re watching a video game instead of live action.

Obviously the capacity is much too small to consider the Matadome at a higher ranking. The Matadors and the Big West both deserve a better facility.

#10 – Titan Gym: CS Fullerton

Capacity: 3,500 Avg. Home Attendance (this year): 896

For more info: I can’t find a web site for Titan Gym. That says it all, doesn’t it?

Been There: Jan 22, 2004 – Utah State 57 Cal State Fullerton 49

Titan Gym has a nice new scoreboard in use. There are chair-back seats in the lower level that are comfortable. The arena has a decent appearance on the outside. There are also memories of Leon Wood, Cedric Ceballos, and other Titan greats in the air. As you can tell, you have to dig a bit for the positives to Titan Gym. This is a great gym … for a high school. Nothing about it speaks of major college athletics and it’s no wonder that the fans stay away and no surprise that CSF has the lowest attendance in the league. Hopefully the future will include a new arena for the Titan fans.

Those are my rankings and thoughts. I love watching the Aggies on the road and in the past two years I have seen some of the most exciting and enjoyable games in my 25+ years as an Aggie fan. I sincerely hope all of you get a chance to witness at least a couple of games on the road in the Big West. Our conference is often under appreciated and a visit to see the Aggies play an opponent will give you a greater appreciation for both our team and our conference brothers. Most importantly, it shows support for one of the greatest college basketball programs in the West.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Anaheim. Go Aggies!