Arizona State Basketball 2024-25

[ajcardfan]

I know this is a big thing with long time fans but I don’t think continuing to play in Packard changes things in the slightest

Big time programs would have built a new arena and a new baseball stadium on campus long ago. ASU is not a big time program.

 

[Dback Jon]

Look what having a brand new state of the art, one of the top 10 facilities in college did for ASU hockey

 

[AZCB34]

It's the idea of not having a home baseball field for games and practice.

Personally, I enjoyed watching big games at Phoenix Muni the most, but there is a time and place for everything. Mesa's Rendezvous Park also used to host big games before it was tore down.

Btw, I wonder if they changed the batter's eye in center field in Muni. IIRC, it used toread 425-430' at the base.

I once saw Ron Hassey of Arizona hit one over the top and still headed up like a rocket. It was amazing. Hardest I have ever seen a baseball hit.

Tracy Smith requested that the fences be moved in at Muni when he took over. Now it’s a hitters park which it’ is why a slight framed Kien Vu leads the team in HR

 

[AZCB34]

Big time programs would have built a new arena and a new baseball stadium on campus long ago. ASU is not a big time program.

Except ASU never planned on replacing Packard with a new stadium.

As for hockey, sure a new arena helped but so does the fact the Mullett money is such that hockey is basically self funded. They aren’t scratching and clawing at the trough for scraps.

I have my doubts a new arena changes basketball very much since Bobby is still managing to land decent recruits. He just can’t coach them.

 

[Mainstreet]

Tracy Smith requested that the fences be moved in at Muni when he took over. Now it’s a hitters park which it’ is why a slight framed Kien Vu leads the team in HR

It's kind of a shame. I like tradition. This is where Reggie Jackson and other great players played.

 

[ajcardfan]

Except ASU never planned on replacing Packard with a new stadium.

As for hockey, sure a new arena helped but so does the fact the Mullett money is such that hockey is basically self funded. They aren’t scratching and clawing at the trough for scraps.

I have my doubts a new arena changes basketball very much since Bobby is still managing to land decent recruits. He just can’t coach them.

They don't have to replace Packard. You can look across the SEC and see baseball stadiums that have all been tremendously improved and remodeled. I was in College Station for a wedding last weekend and the baseball PRACTICE facility looks better than Muni. The stadium looks MLB quality with a smaller capacity of course. It's probably not fair to compare ASU to SEC schools. But guess which conference has by far the most top baseball programs?

As for basketball, same thing. You can gut Wells Fargo and completely redo it and add a practice facility to it. Kids see bling and it does matter in where they want to play.

 

[AZCB34]

They don't have to replace Packard. You can look across the SEC and see baseball stadiums that have all been tremendously improved and remodeled. I was in College Station for a wedding last weekend and the baseball PRACTICE facility looks better than Muni. The stadium looks MLB quality with a smaller capacity of course. It's probably not fair to compare ASU to SEC schools. But guess which conference has by far the most top baseball programs?

As for basketball, same thing. You can gut Wells Fargo and completely redo it and add a practice facility to it. Kids see bling and it does matter in where they want to play.

Rossini has already come out and suggested that Muni will be undergoing upgrades. What exactly is not clear. They updated all the stadium lighting this past offseason. I suspect a new scoreboard that can provide more info to fans who are used to more info than just average, HR and RBI. Patron restrooms need a major upgrade. I am on board with them moving the fences back, maybe not all the way where they were but further back.

ASU just opened their pitching lab recently and I feel like it is paying dividends already as their pitchers are statistically considerably better year over year. I believe they also have a hitting lab and their practice facilities at Muni look to be pretty good. Cannot speak to how they compare

The reason PAC12 baseball fell as far as it did is the SEC and ACC decided to go in on baseball as I’m sure you are aware. By the time the PAC recognized the sea change, they were already way behind.

Side note on A&M: They were preseason #1 and they have been a train wreck in many ways and now they head into the murderous SEC conference play

 

[Dback Jon]

Is Packard being used for anything?

 

[ajcardfan]

Is Packard being used for anything?

Softball

 

[Dback Jon]

Softball

Softball has their own stadium - Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium

It's on Rural by the football practice fields