#SFatPauley: Morgan Center Still Full of Lies and Contradictions
by gbruin on Apr 30, 2011 6:41 AM PDT
in Pauley Restoration
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PrintDon't forget to sign the petition to get students back on the sidelines today and also join Facebook event asking UCLA students to vote to restore court-side seating.
After a month of silence on Dan Guerrero's part (but not ours), our Athletic Director finally spoke yesterday.
This week, the Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC) decided to further explore the overall student body reaction to the seating adjustment by placing a question on the upcoming election ballot. ... If ultimately, a return to the previously established student section is the desire, then that is what we will do.
I believe this statement from Guerrero is his first public comment that sort of addresses the outrage over the change in student seating when Pauley reopens in 2012. Yet, even in Guerrero's statement yesterday, there are still contradictions with earlier statements out of Morgan Center.
While the revelation that Guerrero is even aware that some people are unhappy is a somewhat welcome surprise, and I do have a glimpse of hope that this grave error might still be corrected, I still have real difficulty believing that the Morgan Center will pull its head out of the sand and seriously address this critical mistake they have made.
Why should I believe them? Let's look at the Morgan Center's track record of dishonesty since this sordid affair began.
Lie #1: Morgan Center's deceitful bait and switch move. The Morgan Center began advertising The Campaign of Champions with a seating plan that included students along the south sidelines, facing the TV cameras, (the way Duke and Michigan State and other teams with an impressive home court environment do it), only to abruptly change the seating plan after having collected many millions in donations.
Lie #2: Morgan Center's deliberate misrepresentation of data to justify the move. Further academic dishonesty appeared when Morgan twisted a single unrelated survey question into the claim that the students wanted to move off the sidelines. From the initial press release on March 30:
Over 82 percent desired a seating area that gave them unity and the ability to help give our teams the home court advantage they deserve."
We have evaluated the specifics of that question in the survey here, and here, and it is not remotely reasonable to accept that this data meant the students wanted to move from the sidelines. Desire for unity does not equal desire for banishment. And placing your best fans at the end of the arena will not help your home court advantage.
More lies after the jump...
Lie #3: Morgan Center's deliberate misrepresentation of student involvement. In the same press release on March 30, Mark Harlan would have had us believe the students were intimately involved in making this decision
We surveyed over 7,000 members of `The Den' regarding several subjects and they gave us some outstanding feedback on ways to enhance the student experience at our events," said Mark Harlan, UCLA Senior Associate Athletic Director - External Affairs
The Daily Bruin reported that about 10% of 7,800 members of Den ticket holders replied to the survey. That's 780 students, not the 7,000 that Harlan claims were surveyed. There are 38,157 graduate and undergraduate students at U.C.L.A., meaning that Harlan heard from 2% of students who could be affected by this. In the end, this new plan was discussed with only a few members of the Den, USAC, and the Spirit Squad. He'd better sit in on Pasych 42 for a bit to figure how to generate more meaningful data and better samples.
Lie #4: Disinformation propaganda coming from Morgan and its collaborators that there have been no complaints about of the move. Morgan Center denied any complaints on Facebook.. Then they hid comments complaining about the move. Then they banned Bruins who continued to complain about the move. Currently, they are simply ignoring repeated complaints. Those involved in making this wrongful decision refuse to see reality.
Den President Elan Bigknfe said he is shocked that a vote to gauge student response to the change in seating was proposed, because students have not spoken up about their disappointment.
For anyone willing to see the truth, any quick read of the Bruins Nation's Students First at Pauley campaign, or a visit to the UCLA Athletics Facebook page, or a trip into the Spring Football Game, or a look at Mexi's online petition, or hearing the voice of many of the students affected by this, or the fact that USAC has included an advisory vote on the subject on next week's ballot will tell you what reality looks like. It looks like people are overwhelmingly unhappy with the move.
Lie #5: Morgan Center's claim this is about, or not about, the money. The financial issues of why this happened have been discussed repeatedly. First, Harlan said it was about the money: (emphasis mine)
Mark Harlan, UCLA’s senior associate athletic director for external relations, said that extending the current sideline student section from floor to ceiling wasn’t a viable option financially, causing it to move behind the basket to incorporate all students.
Then other Morgan Center officials denied it was about the money. MexiBruin describes this personal encounter with one of them:
Ken Weiner, the Senior Associate Athletic Director, stopped one student and myself. ... He repeatedly reiterated the party line that the Student Body wanted this move, that USAC approved this move; but we weren’t going to have that.
And even Harlan is contradicting himself now (emphasis mine):
He said the decision to change the seating was made based on student input about their experience at sporting events, not at all for financial reasons.
Of course it's about the money. It's always about the money. But even though the Morgan folks can't keep their stories straight, Tasser demonstrated there was not a big diference in the money either way. If you're going to sell the soul of the student experience at basketball, at least do it for a hell of a lot more money than they are making with this. Or better yet., just don't do it at all.
Another quote from our Athletic Director yesterday:
I can guarantee without any reservation that we are all committed to creating the best possible memories and environment for today’s team members and their fellow students.
Forgive me, Mr Guerrero, Mr Harlan, and the rest of you at Morgan Center. I would sincerely love to believe what you say. I really really would. But I am having a very hard time believing anything that comes out of your mouths.
It's not too late to get this right. Put the students back on the south sideline.
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Ouch
The problem with Morgan Center’s lies is that they are such obvious lies, and so easily exposed. I’m embarrassed that my alma mater can’t generate liars who are better at their craft than these guys.
Maybe we really do need an influx of trogans to lead the way in lying with sincerity.
We used to generate guys like Bob Haldeman.
Now THAT was a liar.
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Students wanted it!
This is the lie that bothers me the most. Using the students against themselves and finding a few people who want to be favored by Morgan to agree with them on behalf of all of the students is such a betrayal. I would guess it’s true that some students did suggest being together. However, to say they wanted to be moved in order to be together is crazy.
Also, even had they wanted this, shouldn’t someone be thinking of building a home court advantage? That’s your job Morgan.
A couple minor disagreements. I don’t think Morgan ever said the cameras would face the students. Looking at the original chart linked in number 1 above the media and students are on the same side. I think the media wants to face the benches and since Coach and others don’t want the students behind them, can’t be done. The nice thing about the L is that cameras can still focus on the students on the end and we still have our advantage on the side.
While I agree it is a total lie that this wasn’t done for financial reasons, I don’t think Harlan ever said it was. The original move he blames on the students. The financial factor he claims is not being able to keep them together on the side, thus if they want to be together, we have to put them on the end.
Great round up. Watching these guys trying to wiggle around this thing makes me feel slimy.
Go Bruins!
Wrong
Harland has repeatedly brought up the financial viability excuse only to contradict himself later. We have also heard the financial viability excuse numerous times through other AD channels including reps. from Wooden Athletic Fund. Note number of the frontpagers are also members of Wooden Athletic Fund as well. So we read and hear things through numerous outlets. We have chronicled Harlan’s lies numerous times now on BN. Please read them again.
I think you both are right
I also read Harlan’s comments in reference to all the students being put on the sideline, but you are correct in stating that numerous sources have confirmed the money problems the morgan center is having with this project, and their need to make up the revenue they lost when they had to lower prices in response to lower demand, which is why this was done.
by silverlakebruin on Apr 30, 2011 6:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Not even competent liars
They should at least be good at that.
by silverlakebruin on Apr 30, 2011 6:39 AM PDT reply actions
my two cents
From my conversation with Ken Weiner, he expressed his deep frustration with sagging student attendance at games. I’ve heard the same thing from the students I am working with. Apparently, the Morgan Center took a look at those numbers and decided the students are never coming back. It would seem to me they took a very short sighted view of things, not taking into consideration that attendance is cyclical.
I’ve mentioned it before, but they honestly think it is USAC’s responsibiilty to build the school spirit that drives attendance in the first place. GM is the only company I can think of that has taken it’s customer base so completely for granted. And, they got bailed out. Morgan Center will recieve no corporate welfare for it’s management mistakes.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
I have an easy plan to put stiudents into the seats
You show up at Pauley. You produce your student ID. You walk in to the sideline seats, which extend from the floor to the rafters. You go to a seat. You sit down. You stand up when the game starts.
It’s not rocket science, Morgan Center. Let the students in for free. Students, by definition, are broke. I was always broke. All my friends were broke. It costs a lot to go to school at UCLA. Let the students in for free and you get (a) a full student section (every student will do something for free, (b) twice as many students buying cokes and hot dogs, © and all the other stuff to build student spirit and comaraderie which you, Morgan, have utterly failed to do.
My plan is not complex and not original. I believe it was J.D. Morgan’s plan, before the current occupants of the building which bears his name forgot their roots.
by Fox 71 on Apr 30, 2011 7:14 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yup. And a rocking student section would help the money problems.
Traffic in LA sucks. Traffic (and parking) around Westwood sucks. More and more people have huge flat-screen TVs. So given the inconvenience of going to the games and the constantly improving home experience, how are you going to fill the arena?
I think it’s by offering something people cannot get at home or in their sports bar. And what could that be? What is the one thing Pauley Pavilion can offer that no flat screen can, even in a raucous sports bar?
2,000 UCLA students stomping, clapping, cheering, shaking the arena from floor to ceiling, that’s what. I think a lot of alumni would want to relive some of their college experience in the company of students who are really making their presence seen, heard and felt. Because THAT is an EVENT. An experience. A pulse-pounding, joyful, unforgettable couple of hours.
And putting the students behind the basket is not going to create that.
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions
absolutely inspiring.
Well done Seth.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Thank you!
You’re pretty inspiring yourself.
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
You two should start a thread
just complimenting each other ;D
"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden
by OswegoBruin on Apr 30, 2011 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
+!
Wow. Someone’s needs to pitch Seth’s proposal to MC:
A Noisy, High Energy Student Section is a major attraction for UCLA alums – something we’d pay to experience again… and MC can get this major draw for a small price if they’re smart about it. Call it a loss leader!
by KnudsenRockne on Apr 30, 2011 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Money problems
Just wondering how much of the money problem would disappear with a new competent athletic director? Very possibly donations would increase as alums and the community would not feel duped and that their dollar would not be wasted or diverted.
Hate to sound like a gloomy Gus but
Money problems are going to be here for a while. The two segments the UC draws upon for revenue are not rebounding economically. (ie. the middle class and the government).
MC should ask:
“Will these penny-pinching plans alienate students and alum so when the economy does bounce back for them – and they have disposable income – they’ll be out of the habit of going to Pauley?”
by KnudsenRockne on Apr 30, 2011 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
Dan Guerrero is the Tom Hansen of UCLA athletics
Tom Hansen led the PAC 10 for a decade. He was a competent bureaucrat. In his time officiating became worse and worse but more importanly revenue fell dramatically behind that of other conferences. The officiating became a national laughing stock. And the answers were always the same: we shouldn’t expect better.
We get a new commissioner and things dramatically change almost overnight.
Leadership does matter
by silverlakebruin on Apr 30, 2011 1:14 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Sorry, make that two decades for Tom
One decade for Dan
by silverlakebruin on Apr 30, 2011 1:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Morgan Center's approach is exactly backwards.
If the students aren’t showing up, that should be a warning sign. Guerrero is acting like the doctor who retouches your x-rays of you can’t afford the operation. I’d want to know:
—Is the demand for student season tickets dropping or is it a question of no-shows.
—Is there something wrong with the pricing?
—Why NOT just let the students get into the student section with an ID? Why even BOTHER with tickets?
—If UCLA insists on charging students for their tickets, why not just let them swipe their IDs in a card reader and send them a bill later?
—Why not release seats in the student section to the general public 30 minutes before game time? They can count how many students come in. Just sell the rest of the seats as general admission seats.
There are a lot of no-shows
7000 have Den tickets. Probably a little over 1000 show up to most conference games. A couple hundred at most for many of the early season games.
by bjgreen77 on Apr 30, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Then I agree with others here.
Just let the students come in with ids. My former students aren’t even sure how to get into the Den. A lot more students would show if it didn’t seem a mystery or if they thought you had to belong to something to show up.
Go Bruins!
by uclaluv on Apr 30, 2011 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Bigknife probably doesn't want more members
That means more people to question Morgan Center’s shitty, greedy landgrab. You heard him. He’s shocked that the people who have the most stake in this decision might actually want to have their voices heard. I don’t know what MC promised him to get him to be their sockpuppet, but I hope it was worth it, because that quote makes him look like a damn fool.
by Tydides on Apr 30, 2011 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Bigknife isn't too sharp.
Or he’s not too honest.
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions
The smaller the group, the easier the control
And, the smaller the group, the easier for him and his little buddies to always make sure they have enough room for the best floor seats.
Yes, If only USAC has properly inspired the student body like they're supposed to
What’s that? That’s not their job? It’s actually Morgan Center’s job to get the asses in the seats?
This is Morgan Center’s equivalent of Starvng The Beast. Their incompetence in marketing dampens excitement for all athletic programs, which in turn drives down student attendance, which then gives them justification to do what they wanted to do all along: Screw over those they’re supposed to serve for marginal financial gain.
by Tydides on Apr 30, 2011 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
And to my everlasting shame...
…I was frequently too stoned to drag myself to games during my freshman year, even though I had season tickets.
I plead the seventies, of course. But it’s a real problem if people who have tickets don’t use them and then people who would like to go can’t get in.
And one cause of that (besides being high), I will admit, has something to do with the way the seating is arranged. If your choice is to invest a night of camping out to sit courtside or come at game time and sit in the rafters, you might blow off a lot of games. It’s a great seating arrangement for people who don’t mind camping out. Or who know how to game the system by taking turns holding places for each other.
One alternative would be to give students half the sideline all the way up to the rafters. Another solution would be to sell the lower level seats and give the students sections 116 and 117. Another solution would be to move faculty and staff behind the basket (or up to the rafters) and expand the student section into 118, 119 and 120. I mean, why are faculty and staff seats sacred? They aren’t big donors OR loud cheerers!!!
Seriously, what’s up with that?
The point is, there are other ways to unify the student section besides putting students behind the basket.
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Guys I'm really concerned about the student voting...
This was a quote from a student on the facebook web site:
“In the old seating plan however…only a small portion of the students were actually on the sideline…the rest of them were relegated to the upper seating areas or off too the side. What is more important for our team is to have a unified student section that cheers them on throughout the entire game and ramps up the energy in the arena, much like the student section at the Rose Bowl.
While I do not agree with students having the worst seats in the arena, the majority of big name schools have a single, unified student section somewhere in the area, many times behind the basket or at a slight angle on the corner of the court. Rather than vote to have the student section separated, where it is hard to communicate and our spirit and energy and disjointed and convoluted…we should propose that UCLA Athletics move the UNIFIED STUDENT SECTION to a more desirable position in the arena.”
It appears, that even given the chance, many students think the idea of a unified student section sounds amazing…..mind you, many of these voters are probably not die hard fans and don’t read BN or any UCLA sports blog…
Those rafters seats may be as bad as being behind the basket.
You are way up there with an ocean of boring oldsters sitting on their hands between you and the lower part of the student section.
But check out the misinformation in that quote. “Many times behind the basket or at a slight angle on the corner of the court.” Really? is that what elite programs like Duke do?
by Seth Chandler on Apr 30, 2011 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh gosh
If the students end up voting for a “more unified student section” behind the basket, then I apologize for my generation.
This will be the 2nd greatest fuck up since the 70s when the students voted to not have an on campus football stadium.
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