Sneed talks about the move of the hoops games in the Times today.

Obviously an on-campus arena would be ideal, but I feel like if they had the wherewithal and real estate to do it, they would have done it by now.

The United Center would be in the city, yes, but still several miles from campus, so that's not a perfect solution. At least it's sort of on the L (and yes, spmack, there should absolutely be a stop at Madison), as opposed to the Horizon, which for all practical purposes is inaccessible.

I'm wondering if maybe DePaul should accept that irrelevance and failure is the new normal and just play their games at the gym where the girls play. There's a NBA D-League team out in Bakersfield that actually started playing its games in its practice facility and presenting them as basically luxury-box events, with dinners included and everyone sitting either courtside or up in a mezzanine, and wound up being surprisingly successful with this approach. Now of course DePaul can't start making dinner for everyone, but maybe they could just sell the intimacy and the exclusivity of playing at a small gym in the city, creating DA ATMASPHEER that college fans love so much, and perhaps exhibit some forms of creativity that I can't come up with. Play in a gym that seats 3,000 and make sure there are 3,000 every night. Better than playing in a morgue in Rosemont.

Play in a gym that seats 3,000 and make sure there are 3,000 every night. Better than playing in a morgue in Rosemont.

Are you referring to what's now called McGrath Arena, CH? It used to be called the DePaul Athletic Center, and I remember they played a few home games a season there, thanks in large part to scheduling conflicts at Allstate Arena. It's right off the Red/Brown Line stop at Fullerton & Sheffield.

This.

I never understood why the men don't play on campus. If they schedule a marquee opponent like Duke, North Carolina, etc, then sure, schedule the game at the UC, otherwise it should just be held in the gym on campus.

Yes! I'm looking at it and yeah, it's basically a high school gym, but maybe if there's any way they could expand it just a little (maybe some annexes on the sides where you could put cafe-style luxury seating?), they could have something. The program is basically dead now, they've said they're de-emphasizing athletics (or something to that effect), so why not go small and make the most of it? Just enough room for the pep band and the most diehard fans. Could wind up being kind of cool.

Yes! I'm looking at it and yeah, it's basically a high school gym, but maybe if there's any way they could expand it just a little (maybe some annexes on the sides where you could put cafe-style luxury seating?), they could have something. The program is basically dead now, they've said they're de-emphasizing athletics (or something to that effect), so why not go small and make the most of it? Just enough room for the pep band and the most diehard fans. Could wind up being kind of cool.

Filling an on-campus stadium, regardless of size, is going to be tough with the amount of commuters DePaul has.

Well, they're not filling a suburban arena that's only accessible by car, either, so I'm not entirely sure what it is you think they should do.

Worry about becoming better at basketball so the stadium issue becomes moot...

They're no Loyola......

Worry about becoming better at basketball so the stadium issue becomes moot...

It's never going to be moot. DePaul is never going to be what people say it used to be. The Bulls are too big, the Big Ten diaspora is too big, other sports are too big. DePaul University itself has said that it's not going to be a pull-out-all-the-stops jock factory. So what's the sense in playing at an 18,000-seat arena in the suburbs as if they're big-time? All they're going to be from here on out is Loyola with a tougher schedule.

I agree. They should be in a conference with Loyola and UIC. Are they in the same conference? If not, one or the other, I guess.

I agree. They should be in a conference with Loyola and UIC. Are they in the same conference? If not, one or the other, I guess.