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That is a fair assessment. I have always viewed concerts and other similar
entertain as an easy way for an arena to earn extra money in the gaps of the primary tenant's events. It is fine if VT opts not to pursue it even though it could be extra money left on the table.
However, I was thinking more in terms of "new requirements" in the NCAA 2.0 which could force VT to renovate Cassell 2.0 so soon after construction. It could some as simple as attendance like you currently see in football or the P2/P4s agree to sponsor certain sports because the P4s, the Big East, and maybe 1 or 2 other non-football conferences formed a new DI within the NCAA 2.0. If the P4s want to limit how much money is shared with the rest of DI schools and the DII/DIII schools that compete at DI level in certain non-revenue sports, then requiring the existing P4 schools to sponsor a core group of sports could be a solution to the number of participating schools problem. If men's and women's ice hockey makes the core sports list (because it is important to the Big Ten) and VT wants to continue as a P4 school, then it has 3 options; renovate Cassell 2.0 so hockey can play there, build a hockey arena, or find an existing arena that would satisfy the requirement. The usage of an arena in Roanoke or Salem may only be a temporary solution until VT figures out whether it wants to build a new one or renovate Cassell 2.0.
One reason I picked ice hockey is because it is one of the few sports that is heavily depended upon non-P4 schools to satisfy the participation requirement. Water polo is the other sport that immediately comes to mind. Even if the P4s aren't necessarily looking to form their own division level within the NCAA, it may have gotten to a point where things aren't really that much different than how they were in 1971 when the schools formed the 3 division levels. Because of Title IX, what does that mean for the non-revenue sports? Do the P4s allow the non-P4s to compete at the new DI level in those sports, but not in the 2 revenue sports? Or are the P4s forced to make a clean break altogether? The clean break could force schools to sponsor sports they normally wouldn't consider because they want to remain a P4 school. If VT already decided its plans for Cassell 2.0 before this change occurred and it gave itself no wiggle room, then VT could have screwed itself to some degree.
Thread Replies (40)
not a very big crowd for last night's game**
-- lazarus1
Mar 04, 2026 at 12:33 PM ET
lazarus1
•
03/04/26 12:33 PM ET
Late start on a Tues night vs one of not so good teams in the league.**
-- sideline guy
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:28 AM ET
sideline guy
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03/05/26 11:28 AM ET
hokies need to play all their home games at the 20k seats Capital One Arena
-- Windows NT
Mar 05, 2026 at 12:23 AM ET
Windows NT
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03/05/26 12:23 AM ET
Well at least it wasn't in a new 15k+, $125mm+ underutilized building
-- Vippie1
Mar 04, 2026 at 04:19 PM ET
Vippie1
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03/04/26 04:19 PM ET
I brought up the Cassell renovation/replacement subject a few days ago and
-- ftsumterhokie
Mar 05, 2026 at 12:44 PM ET
ftsumterhokie
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03/05/26 12:44 PM ET
I don't think anybody is advocating for that.
-- Chris Coleman
Mar 05, 2026 at 09:59 AM ET
Chris Coleman
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03/05/26 09:59 AM ET
Given the issues VT is facing with Cassell now, it seems to me that VT
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 10:27 AM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 10:27 AM ET
I personally don't think so.
-- Chris Coleman
Mar 05, 2026 at 10:31 AM ET
Chris Coleman
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03/05/26 10:31 AM ET
That is a fair assessment. I have always viewed concerts and other similar
◄
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 10:57 AM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 10:57 AM ET
They could pursue concerts, sure.
-- Chris Coleman
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:54 AM ET
Chris Coleman
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03/05/26 11:54 AM ET
I believe the Globetrotters annually play a game at JMU, so it would be
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:58 AM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 11:58 AM ET
Pinnacle Bank Arena (PBA) can serve as a model
-- huskerHokie
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:16 AM ET
huskerHokie
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03/05/26 11:16 AM ET
I agree VT doesn't have a daily need to have arena capacity of 15,500.
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:51 AM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 11:51 AM ET
I think that kind of extra space kills atmosphere, though.**
-- Chris Coleman
Mar 05, 2026 at 12:02 PM ET
Chris Coleman
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03/05/26 12:02 PM ET
It can, but it may not be as noticeable if done right. For example, if the
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 12:24 PM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 12:24 PM ET
We don't need 15K+ capacity, but we do need a modern arena.
-- Gobbler Guru
Mar 04, 2026 at 04:58 PM ET
Gobbler Guru
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03/04/26 04:58 PM ET
There's a middle ground though (that I know you don't agree with) ...
-- I love VT!
Mar 04, 2026 at 10:59 PM ET
I love VT!
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03/04/26 10:59 PM ET
I get doing the reno but I am firmly against a new arena
-- Walkin` Willie
Mar 04, 2026 at 05:49 PM ET
Walkin` Willie
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03/04/26 05:49 PM ET
Yeah, a modern 8K or so arena would be plenty. There are so many things
-- reestuart
Mar 04, 2026 at 05:26 PM ET
reestuart
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03/04/26 05:26 PM ET
VT may not need a 15K capacity arena from an attendance standpoint.
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 04, 2026 at 05:15 PM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/04/26 05:15 PM ET
My HS played a regional BB game in Cassell in the late 60s. **
-- TomTurkey
Mar 04, 2026 at 09:06 PM ET
TomTurkey
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03/04/26 09:06 PM ET
Got beaten by 2 by Langston HS; a team I've never heard of, before or since**
-- TomTurkey
Mar 05, 2026 at 12:13 PM ET
TomTurkey
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03/05/26 12:13 PM ET
2 of 3 options UNC is looking at is a new ~17k arena. Est cost $703M-$786M
-- marcbvtgm
Mar 04, 2026 at 07:12 PM ET
marcbvtgm
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03/04/26 07:12 PM ET
With an estimated $20M yearly revenue. Not a very good ROI in my mind. No
-- 40ozDistrict
Mar 05, 2026 at 06:23 PM ET
40ozDistrict
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03/05/26 06:23 PM ET
Maybe so, but I wasn't assuming Cassell 2.0 necessarily had to have that
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 04, 2026 at 09:12 PM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/04/26 09:12 PM ET
There is no reality where VT will significantly outgrow a 7-10k arena
-- marcbvtgm
Mar 05, 2026 at 10:33 AM ET
marcbvtgm
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03/05/26 10:33 AM ET
The outgrow may not be actual attendance but satisfying new requirements
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 11:01 AM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 11:01 AM ET
You're moving goalposts now. Regardless, no chance this'll be a requirement
-- marcbvtgm
Mar 05, 2026 at 02:34 PM ET
marcbvtgm
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03/05/26 02:34 PM ET
A reason attendance could become a requirement is the same reason the
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 05, 2026 at 09:58 PM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/05/26 09:58 PM ET
You're moving goalposts again.
-- marcbvtgm
Mar 06, 2026 at 11:29 AM ET
marcbvtgm
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03/06/26 11:29 AM ET
To your point about Roanoke...
-- Gobbler Guru
Mar 04, 2026 at 06:46 PM ET
Gobbler Guru
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03/04/26 06:46 PM ET
Given that Blacksburg and Christiansburg are in close proximity to each
-- VTHokie2000
Mar 04, 2026 at 10:01 PM ET
VTHokie2000
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03/04/26 10:01 PM ET
Oh I get that. We have got to spend money .
-- Vippie1
Mar 04, 2026 at 05:06 PM ET
Vippie1
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03/04/26 05:06 PM ET
It was a GOOD crowd for 9:00 weeknight game! Student really showed!**
-- HokieHeartNSoul
Mar 04, 2026 at 04:15 PM ET
HokieHeartNSoul
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03/04/26 04:15 PM ET
Excellent student crowd. **
-- I love VT!
Mar 04, 2026 at 01:57 PM ET
I love VT!
•
03/04/26 01:57 PM ET
The students were fired up.**
-- Will Stewart
Mar 04, 2026 at 08:53 PM ET
Will Stewart
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03/04/26 08:53 PM ET
Especially when Scott (?) Nailed his half court shot at halftime**
-- GusDaMan
Mar 04, 2026 at 09:26 PM ET
GusDaMan
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03/04/26 09:26 PM ET
9 pm Tuesday will really get after ya**
-- VT Pez4Life
Mar 04, 2026 at 12:52 PM ET
VT Pez4Life
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03/04/26 12:52 PM ET
Against BC no less**
-- hoosnowahokie
Mar 04, 2026 at 01:16 PM ET
hoosnowahokie
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03/04/26 01:16 PM ET