Crisler Arena - Minn vs. Mich

On February 19, the Michigan Wolverines clashed with the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Ann Arbor. The game was played in at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, MI. At the end of the night, Manny Harris and the Michigan Wolverines shot their way past the Gophers, crushing Minnesota, 74-62. In attendance that evening was 10,520...maybe.

As one of those reported 10,520, I was shocked to hear the attendance was that high. For one of the most important games of the season, the Wolverines failed to fill the lower bowl of Crisler and barely filled half of the upper seating bowl...and that's with free student tickets. Kind of like Minnesota going up against Beilein’s 1-3-1, I felt bamboozled by these numbers.

Crisler Arena, built in 1967 is a real life magician trick. When walking around outside the stadium, or inside the concourse, you are neither impressed nor awed. Some sports facilities are attractively dated…or retro. Crisler is not that kind of place. It’s an outdated arena, erected before people cared about luxury boxes or fan’s needs. Whereas other universities have replaced their outdated facilities, Michigan remains resolute, happy to supply a positive fan experience through smoke and mirrors. Bill Martin and Co. aren’t going to build a new basketball arena. Fine. Until the time comes for a venue worthy of the block M, the powers that be are trying to enhance the gameday experience through intangibles; canned music, cheerleaders, pep-band, halftime shows, student section, and timeout performances. These efforts are actually pretty entertaining and go a long way to improving the subpar structure housing them. That’s a compliment right?
My mom always said I should have at least one good thing to say about someone if I am going to criticize them too. In tribute to my loving mother, I present Good Crisler / Bad Crisler.

The Bad
1. Dirty – The concourse and seating areas are covered in years of grime.
2. Not noisy – If you go to a Badger basketball game at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI you will be impressed. No matter what level of sport fanaticism you celebrate, your experience will be fulfilling and electrifying, regardless of who the Badgers are playing. Not so at Crisler Arena. Crisler’s noise level and fan interest waxes and wanes with the level of opponent, only reaching respectability against the likes of Duke and Michigan State.
3. Dark – A few years back the Athletic Department sprung for new lights…but these new lights only improved lighting on the court. Fan seating areas are still dingy and strange. It’s like sitting in your parents basement.
4. A/V Club – The multi-media implements used throughout the game were pedestrian and predictable. Walk into any second-tier basketball game throughout the country and you can expect a similar Jock-Jams inspired playlist and roster introductions.
5. Seating – Newer stadiums implement modern building techniques allowing for stadium seating “bowls” to sit on top of each other, rather than grow away from the court, as is the case for Crisler. (See picture on right) Bowls sitting atop each other allow for upper-tiered seats to be closer to the action.
Needless to say, most of Crisler’s inadequacies are a result of the arena’s age and outdated structure.

The Good
1. The Maize Rage – Game after game, a stronghold of Michigan Wolverines superfans show up and cheer their maize n’ blue butts off. These guys and gals are ferociously focused and intensely witty in their unrelenting cheers. Bravo
2. The Band – From their post on the south side of the arena, this collection of brass and drums fills the stadium with high octane vibes. It’s a treat
3. The Court – Many of friends from rival universities commend the Michigan brass on keeping their playing court sleek and traditional. Whereas some colleges are content clouding up their court with obnoxious ads and “tributes”, Michigan keeps it clean.
4. Seating Access – The best part about only having ¾ of the arena full? The ease of movement throughout the concourse and to your seat. If you hate having to battle for seats, Crisler is your place to be. If you don’t like your view? Fine, move to another seat…like I have done on multiple occasions.
5. Manny Harris, CJ Lee, DeShawn Sims, Zack Novak, Stu Douglass, Jevon Shepard, Kelvin Grady, David Merritt, Laval Lucas-Perry, Zack Gibson, and John Beilein. They’re worth the price of admission and will keep you coming back. No doubt. The shooting, the dunks, the 1-3-1. Watch out. Beilein’s got this team on the right track.

In the end, my night at Crisler was very enjoyable, as most nights are when your team wins. Regardless of Crisler’s inadequacies, ultimately, wins will make the fan experience enjoyable. Go Blue!

Case Ernsting