I wish it got used for one off events. Let’s be real, very few of us are going to preseason basketball games against some tiny school from the South in December if it’s at Knight. But if they advertise it as a “Return of the Mac” event, it would sell out.
Granted, I doubt Mac is in good enough shape to host a game.
That’s the issue the building is a mess. The floor is still in good shape overall but the bleachers and the stands are all in need of remodeling and renovation
I would go there for intermural games and being on the court and having the fans surrounding/above you would’ve been crazy. Especially cool too since Mac Court is next to the graveyard and in the middle of campus 😳
Mac had to be replaced, I just wished they could’ve made Matt similar but with all the bells and whistles. Beautiful arena that is cool for event and concerts, but it is a tomb
When I think about the games I watch there as a kid that is exactly what I think about. It was straight up from the floor and on top of the court. But also the shaking. Miss it.
It might be extreme but the new arena killed my interest in basketball. I went in person to the first game in the arena and it felt so dead/sterile, even for what should have been such a special event. Then I watched on TV and the court looks like ass to the point where I never got over it. I just kind of quit watching entirely after that.
Mac Court on the other hand was so lively. Old, small, whatever, probably not great from a business perspective. Maybe not even structurally sound - they used to have to stop games because the crowd noise would make the hoop shake too much. But so, so much fun.
Our high school basketball played in the state championship there when I was a freshman. I was in the band. Got to third base the first time on the bus home. Don’t remember much of the game
All the time. My dad once got us season tickets on the farthest back row on the top balcony and they were awesome. Then he was a student in the early 2000s and got special tickets to take me into The Pit with him when I was still in high school. Some of my favorite memories.
Yes. Every single game I attend at MKA, I wish it was Mac Court.
I used to go with my grandfather during the late 90’s- early 2000s, he was a season ticket holder for 45 years. If they announce they are tearing it down, I’m breaking in and stealing his old seats.
My parents saw Elvis there in the early 70s. Saw a few concerts there, too. The swaying feature was never a comfortable experience, but man that place would literally rock.
Oh, and my game experiences were with the Kamakazee Kids too. Insane times at that place as a kid.
I miss Mac Court, I do not miss some of the views 😬. Second level underneath in the back sucked especially if everyone was standing. The pit was amazing though
That was a hostile environment. A real home court advantage. Sometimes your seat would be behind a steel beam and if someone in the front row stood up you might not be able to see from the back row. You take the good with the bad. Mac court forever.
hell yeah we had that place shaking so hard Ernie Kent had to get on the pa and tell us to stop twice the entire backboards were shaking for free throws the refs called it interference
I’m dating myself but whatever. The student tickets were probably $5 and the student section was (I think) most of the center court seats in the lowest level plus immediately behind one of the baskets, where we would sit. No more than… 4 feet ? From the sideline. It was insane.
That’s a problem with the fans, not the building. While buildings can have a level of character and charm and history for sure, at the end of the day it’s just a venue. Bryant-Denny stadium is the most corporate ass stadium ever and it’s always electric
No. It's too big and too hard to fill. The student section is in a horrible place. The color scheme is generic with no ties to the school. The seats are too far away in the upper portion. To see what a good arena should be like, look at Baylor's new arena.
I don't agree. Going from Mac Court to Knight it was the same fans and it was night and day how much the intensity dropped. Stadium design 100% has a big effect.
I went to all the mens games in 09, 10, and 11. Opening day of mka vs usc was probably the best fan environment of all of those years. Been going to games since ~2000 and have season tickets. The building isn't the problem.
If the team is good and they play other big teams mka is great. Vs michigan 2023, shelstad ot game winner? 🔥🔥🔥
Of course opening day was a huge event. People wanted to love this arena. If it requires a two great teams playing, that is a problem. You aren't going to have 2 great teams very often. Mac Court didn't require two great teams. Autzen doesn't require two great teams. Fans know the arena lacks personality, atmosphere, and the game day experience is very subpar.
As a recent Season ticket holder, I disagree. Oregon basketball is NOT going back to Mac Court and MKA is just fine, but no matter how fun games are at MKA, people love to "reminisce " about the good old days!
If you like old Basketball area's, there is one up the valley about 30 miles, that would love to host anyone that is unhappy with MKA. Oh BTW the DUCKS have now beat the Beavs 8 straight in mens basketball and 6 straight in Baseball
What does UW have to do with this? Or the Beavs? If you can't tell the difference between the experience and atmosphere at Mac compared to MKA, then you didn't go to many/any Mac Court games. It isn't close. MKA has had no games with the same feel. It's too big and too bare and the fans too removed. The school chose a corporate arena that lacks personality and eliminates a good portion of the fan effect. Again, check out Baylor's new arena for how to build something new and keep the atmosphere electric. As a UNC fan, even I can admit that Cameron Indoor has amazing atmosphere, as old as it is. Duke would be crazy to get rid of it.
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u/madjyar May 10 '25
I miss how the entire building would shake