New Seating Floor Plan for Future NCAA Final Fours

FORD FIELD setup for NCAA Regionals: This is what Final Four seating will look like in the future starting in 2009

This weekend in Detroit, FORD FIELD will be utilizing the new basketball court setup for future NCAA Final Fours. Staring in 2009, the entire stadium will be used vs. end zone in years past. In the future, crowds for Final Fours will easily hit the 60-70,000 seat mark.

THE BOTTOM LINE: NCAA makes a killing again and more fans will get super crappy seats . . Hooray . . . Look at those corner seats; You will spend all game twisting your neck back to center court to watch the action.


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Seating configuration enhances Final Four experience

March 22, 2008

The NCAA Executive Committee approved a new seating configuration that will increase capacity to about 70,000 at the Men’s Final Four beginning in 2009, creating sections that will put thousands of students courtside for the national championship.

The Executive Committee authorized the purchase of temporary seating to be transported and installed at all Final Four sites. The system will be used at various regional dome sites as dress rehearsals for the following year’s Final Four.

The plan provides each of the four teams with student-body representation immediately adjoining the court at the end lines — through the use of a heavily discounted voucher system that is being developed — which officials say will enhance the collegiate atmosphere at the Final Four. The voucher will allow students to attend the games at reduced rates and eliminate the possibility of resale (since the voucher is not a ticket).

The configuration also retains the current media sideline seating.



The 2010 Final Four will be at the newly constructed Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, while the 2011 event is at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Both sites will employ the new configuration. Future Final Four sites have not been announced, but the new seating configuration will be used at subsequent sites.

Ford Field, Lucas Oil Stadium and Reliant Stadium host regionals in 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Officials estimate the configuration could generate about $4 million per year in additional revenues while creating a more student-centered event and increasing membership inclusion.

The NCAA used a similar configuration in the 1982 championship game at the Louisiana Superdome between Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. That contest attracted 61,612 fans, a record that was eclipsed five years later when 64,959 people packed the Superdome for the 1987 final between Syracuse University and Indiana University, Bloomington.

The first Final Four to be held at a dome was in 1971 at Houston’s Astrodome, but the temporary-seating configuration was not available, which resulted in spectators not having clear sightlines to the raised floor. The Astrodome also hosted a regular-season game in 1968 between the University of Houston and the University of California, Los Angeles, that drew 52,693 fans.

The Division I Men’s Basketball Committee set the minimum seating capacity for the Final Four at 40,000 in 2003. The finals have been conducted at domed stadiums since 1997.

 

we can host at Bank of America

we could get Leroy and Bubba to drape some tarps over it.

 

so, im guessing Charlotte will never get it back?

 

If the NCAA don't mind playing FINAL FOURS outdoors . . . Or better yet, have it out at LOWES MOTOR SPEEDWAY in the infield . . . We could have 100k folks watching the game!!!!