Thoughts on State B Basketball held at Alerus Center

[Genius]

I did not like the atmosphere at the Alerus Center. You are 30 ft. from the court on basketball side. Who likes watching basketball from a distance. Don't understand why the seats aren't right up to the court. Also I don't like the assigned seats. The excitement of the game is dissipated by the large arena.

[rains32]

I was at the games yesterday and was very surprised and pleased with the set up. I think the alerus center sets up great for the tournament. It's not Minot or Bismarck but its also a football facility. All and all I thought it worked out pretty good.

[Indy5]

I like it in the Alerus. I just really like that building. For being portable bleachers, they are very nice. The seats look fresh and good and it just kinda different having no balconies or breaks in the sections, but I didn't mind the setup. I guess it could have been closer but I didn't have a single problem with the seating. I really like Grand Forks too so that helps. I'm interested to see how the atmosphere is for the title tomorrow.

On a side note, the student sections have seemed pretty weak this weekend.

[jergynet]

1) Bismarck and Minot - Bismarck is the better city but you just cant beat the game atmosphere at the MSU dome

2) GF or Fargo - dont really care for them it doesnt make much sense to have the B as far away from the center of ND on the Minnesota ND line

Couldn't disagree more on the atmosphere... the Minot dome doesn't even come close to the atmosphere that the Bismarck Civic Center provides...

[jergynet]

Bismarck, Minot, Bismarck, Minot... in that order.

[winner-within]

Grand Forks, is the Home of the Sioux.......Dakota!

[thefuzz]

Hey let's be honest....worst place ever for any BB game.. They don't even let the students participate,pushing them back off the floor..not to mention You feel like your miles away from the action. Concession are not accessible easily,all the bathrooms are on the other end of the building not to mention the strip search on the way into the alersus. No wonder the place is running into a financial whole. Grand forks could learn some lessons from Minot or Bismarck on how to host a class b tournament. The NDHSAA should know better to have the B in a town that could care less about BB in general. SHAME on them...

[bisonguy]

It may or may not be the best venue given all this discussion, but, it has to be a heck of a lot better than watching on the "good 'ol NBC North Dakota Network" standard definition broadcast! I'm getting tired of looking at this fuzzy picture with little, squatty players running around in a fog. I guess I should dig out the old 19" tube to get a clearer view! I'm just saying . . .

[justplayalready]

It may or may not be the best venue given all this discussion, but, it has to be a heck of a lot better than watching on the "good 'ol NBC North Dakota Network" standard definition broadcast! I'm getting tired of looking at this fuzzy picture with little, squatty players running around in a fog. I guess I should dig out the old 19" tube to get a clearer view! I'm just saying . . .

Jon Cole needs to be in HD...

[bball15]

It may or may not be the best venue given all this discussion, but, it has to be a heck of a lot better than watching on the "good 'ol NBC North Dakota Network" standard definition broadcast! I'm getting tired of looking at this fuzzy picture with little, squatty players running around in a fog. I guess I should dig out the old 19" tube to get a clearer view! I'm just saying . . .

Really wish they could do the broadcast in HD

[bball15]

and yes Jon Cole is a LEGEND.. he is what makes the B.

[kingjames101]

I felt the alerus was very great. i really thought it would struggle. They did say that they need to move closer to the court next time. But for being the first time i thought they did very good. Bismarck and minot are hard to compare to, given everybody is always scared of change. But would you want to be in minot where you cant find any rooms to stay in with the oil field boom. Will always improve with time.

[windex]

I think one point the NDHSAA is missing is if the tourney is a central location people can drive in for a day.
The hotel situation in GF was no better than Minot or Bismarck.

[kingjames101]

I think one point the NDHSAA is missing is if the tourney is a central location people can drive in for a day.
The hotel situation in GF was no better than Minot or Bismarck.

Minot or bismarck is not center location

[bball15]

I think one point the NDHSAA is missing is if the tourney is a central location people can drive in for a day.
The hotel situation in GF was no better than Minot or Bismarck.

Minot or bismarck is not center location

Minot and Bismarck are a a lot more central than Grand Forks

[kingjames101]

I think one point the NDHSAA is missing is if the tourney is a central location people can drive in for a day.
The hotel situation in GF was no better than Minot or Bismarck.

Minot or bismarck is not center location

Minot and Bismarck are a a lot more central than Grand Forks

I wont argue that. I have never complained having to drive out to Bismarck or Minot so the west cant possibly argue this one because they have had the edge for the life of the State B. Yes they have had the better dome etc to play in I wont argue that either. This was the first year give them time to build off of it and it will get better.
I would like to thank the coaches, players and fans for supporting us in the east for the state B like we have to the west for most of the life of the State B.

[lovinbbnnd]

Considering all didnt think the Alerus was all that bad. Could be little closer to playing floor, was bad with concessions and bathrooms on one side. Untill Minot gets things straightened out with oil field and the scheduling conflict with Bismarck it will have to work. Alot better than Fargo. All in all would grade it at B- to C+. Wasnt all that bad. As for hotel situation could say they had a scheduling conflict themselves with the Sioux playing the same weekend...

[winner-within]

Few Sioux fans utilize the Hotels.......Like Minot and the Oil field GF and Fargo are Swamped with Canadians ultimately every week end during the winter months....just like during the summer along the Border so are our Golf courses and Camps Grounds.........If in fact (when it is held in GF) they were to utilize the Ralph for it..........There would be some Impressed Folks and The Kids would feel Comfortable and High on the world.....for it is The Lincoln Of Venues in ND!!!JMO

[ClassBEast]

Alerus is not a basketball venue. The seats were way too far from the floor. The facility itself is nice... the connection to the Canad Inn with its bars, etc. was nice to have right there. Also, parking was close and FREE. That was a bonus.

But in my opinion, nothing beats Minot for venue. Minot is in last place as far as hotels go, but as far as venue, Minot is the best. It just feels like a "homier" atmosphere... everyone is not so spread out. Bismarck is second for venue, but its location (in the state and in the city itself) gives it some points as well.

I hope that if Alerus hosts again, they figure out the seating. It needs to be closer. Also, the kids need to be next to the court... don't push them back to the seats. I know a lot of student sections were pretty weak this year, but Central Cass had a ton of kids there and they had a different theme every day (retro, neon, Squirrel wear) - even though they were in the consoloation bracket. Way to go Squirrel students!

[Xfactor]

I really wish they would never have the State B in the Alerus ever again. Terrible atmosphere, it just doesn't get very loud in there. The seating is too far from the floor and it just looks bad when there's that much open seating. It was pathetic that they made the student section stand that far from the court, let the fans get into the game. GF just doesn't care about basketball, the only thing they care about is Sioux hockey. I'd much rather have the tourney in Fargo, but Minot and Bismarck are by far the best.

[Allsportsfan]

I also do not believe this is a very good venue for class b basketball. I haven't missed Class B tourney for as long as I can remember and here are some legitimate complaints: 1) The audio system was not so great, the acoustics in the Alerus made the announcer difficult to understand. 2) No scoreboard over the court is enough reason to never have a basketball event held there.(and before someone jumps in and says most basketball courts don't have it, most those courts aren't a state venue but a high school gym) 3)This is for the basketball players and their high school peers. The kids with the teams playing should be allowed to stands at the end of the courts, THAT IS CLASS B ATMOSPHERE! So that being said, if they insist on grand forks...schedule to allow it at the Ralph?

[Bison-Vikes #1]

Attended every game this year, as in years past.
Likes:
1. Never left the building from Noon on Thursday until Noon on Sunday. Great setup for an old guy who watches all the games.
2. Seating was comfortable.
3. Concerning the Grand Forks Herald, they have always been pretty good about covering class b basketball throughout the entire season. No comparison to the Fargo Forum which is terrible.

Dislikes:
1. Student section entirely too far from the court. (Easily fixed)
2. Kicked out of court after Saturday's game while waiting for the team. (Easily fixed)
3. No central scoreboard. Didn't have timeouts on existing boards. (Not sure if this can be installed or not)
4. Grand Forks as a whole didn't really recognize Class B fans coming to their town.
5. Some teams had large areas for all fans, while others were spread out too far from one another.
6. Re-entry was not allowed into the Alerus at first, but did correct this.

All in all, think they could easily correct most of the problems next time around and would certainly go back. To top if off, they had a gun show going on for down time. Doesn't get any better then that.

[Sportsrube]

I am going to agree with the majority of the posters - the Alerus is not a good place for a State BB tournament. (Though I did like the free parking!) If they are going to host in the future they need to move the seats closer to the floor, get an overhead clock and have bathrooms/concessions more available. (Not just on one side.) I don't know if you can do anything about the atmosphere in a building that large - sound just seems to get swallowed up, but they could fix the PA system and make it easier to hear the announcer.
I think it says alot about GF as a BB town when they get 5,500 for the Championship night (according to the GF Herald) and over 10,000 for the UND hockey game. The B needs to be in Minot or Bismarck every year and the NDHSAA needs to make it happen. (They also need to stop letting Sylling speak at the end of tournaments - you would think he would be better at it with all of the tournaments he has been around for, but that is another topic!)

[ndlionsfan]

Only 5500 for championship night? Ouch! I bet that will get the NDHSAA thinking about holding it in GF again.

[Run4Fun2009]

Only 5500 for championship night? Ouch! I bet that will get the NDHSAA thinking about holding it in GF again.

You'd even get more than 5500 in the FargoDome...and is not the greatest venue for Basketball. I'm all for it being in Bismarck or Minot every year...even though its farther away from my location.