Move the eRUPPtion Zone

By Weege

Posted January 24, 2012, 1:00 pm

7 Comments

I love Rupp Arena. I also love the eRUPPtion zone. I am all for putting your students and rowdiest fans down as close as possible to the court. However, for the life of me I cannot comprehend why the eRUPPtion zone is on the wrong end of the court! I’ve been complaining about this for the past few years and I’ve never heard anybody else mention it. Wouldn’t you rather have your fans going crazy and trying to make your opponents miss free throws AT THE END OF THE GAME instead of in the first half? Wouldn’t that make more sense?

Because of the location of the eRUPPtion zone the students go nuts during the first half, and then they sit on their hands quietly in the second half when Kentucky shoots free throws. Meanwhile, the visiting team shoots free throws into a back drop of senior citizens. That’s not the way it should be. If we’re in dog fight with a 50 game home court winning streak on the line and our opponent steps to the line for a critical one and one, I want to see a bearded lumberjack straight out of Lord of the Rings going crazy and swinging his ax handle toward the shooter. I want to see giant Fat Heads of PeeWee Herman and Alf bobbing up and down. I want to see hypnotizing spiral spinners and blue Spidermen throwing imaginary webs at the rim. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen this season. Instead, our opponents will calmly sink free throws while old season ticket holder great grandmothers sit there quietly and knit signs that say “I hope you miss it, Sonny”. Let’s start a movement! MOVE THE ERRUPTION ZONE TO THE OTHER END OF THE COURT! Who’s with me?

Comments

Slim Pickins'

Posted January 24, 2012, 8:08 pm

Yeah Buddy! I agree with ya and I am with ya!

Jeffrey Mills

Posted January 24, 2012, 8:21 pm

Great point!

SkyAntoine

Posted January 24, 2012, 8:36 pm

Changes to the student sections need to be part the Rupp renovation.

DocLeemo

Posted January 24, 2012, 9:24 pm

I agree and I say we start a petition!

Bean

Posted January 24, 2012, 9:51 pm

The entire student section needs to be changed. Instead of only one endzone they need to put some students along one sideline and then some in the other endzone. There are plenty of schools like Michigan State and UNC and yes even Dook who do it better. An improved student section would make Rupp even better. Who's drafting the petition.

SkyAntoine

Posted January 24, 2012, 10:04 pm

VIP corporate boxes will free up some seats in the high roller sections. But, I would expect both endzones to be used over the side court a la Puke crazies.