Let College Teams Play at College Venues

While watching the DePaul vs. Georgetown game on Wednesday night something just seemed off. No it wasn't the coverage or hearing Rick Majerus call the play by play, no something was missing. I know it's the fact that the Hoyas were hosting the Blue Demons at the Verizon Center, a professional facility. Home to the Washington Wizards and Capitals, it hosts 26,000 fans. A normal college basketball facility seats somewhere between 7 and 9 thousand. That is bout three times that amount. Playing at home, especially in the Big East is supposed to give your team a tremendous advantage. Cameron Indoor, the home of the Duke Blue Devils seats just over 9,000. Playing Duke at home is like speaking a foreign language fluently the first time you hear it. It is impossible. Why is it impossible? Because the fans are right on top of you. You can't set up offenses, you can't think while foul shooting and you certainly cannot hear what your coach is saying during a timeout. Fans are so close at Cameron, that they have often be told to back up. Georgetown you need to pay attention to this. I'm sure it's fun and exciting to play at a pro arena with all the facilities and amenities but that's not what college ball is. Iowa painted the visitors locker room at their football stadium bright pink just to get in their heads. In the Illni field house everything is orange. I mean everything. This is to psych out the opponent. Georgetown by playing at a pro venue you are not playing to this advantage. you are a rich enough school with a rich history and enough important alumni to pull together the resources for a basketball facility on campus. This will give your team a facility that teams will fear. With your rich basketball history, the prestige of Georgetown University and Washington D.C., and Michael Jordan designing your uniforms, everyone will dred a trip to the nations capital.