Share
this

Triumphs & Tragedies

Official Review by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Co-Founder

Opening in 1956, Roberts Stadium, home of the Evansville Purple Aces, is set to be retired after the 2010-2011 season. Over a half of century of basketball memories will be gone, but not forgotten as the team moves into the new downtown Evansville Arena for the 2011-2012 season.

Roberts Stadium has seen a lot of success over the years. Under the coaching tenure of Arad McCutchan (for whom the court has been named), the school won 5 Division II National Championships (1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, and 1971). The most well known players from that era are Larry Humes and Jerry Sloan, current head coach of the Utah Jazz.

In December of 1977, the school's first year competing in Division I, the entire team and coaching staff was killed when their chartered plane crashed just after takeoff on their way to a game against Middle Tennessee State. Jerry Sloan, who was named head coach for only 5 days the previous season, would have been killed in the crash had he not resigned. Memorial Plaza stands on the Evansville campus in honor of those who lost their lives.

Food & Beverage    3

There aren't any items that will surprise you when you visit Roberts Stadium, but there is a decent selection and enough variety to please most hungry bellies. Best of all, the prices are fairly economical.

Stick with a classic and choose either the hot dog ($2.50) or the Cheddarwurst ($3) and you won't be disappointed. Other possibilities include the hamburger ($3.50), breadsticks ($2.50), fries ($2.50), or "super" nachos ($4.50). Pizza is provided by Boston's Gourmet Pizza, small individual sizes go for $8 with either pepperoni or plain cheese.

Pepsi products are available in two sizes ($2.50 or $3.50). If you want something warm on a cold night, you can try either a cup of coffee or cocoa for $2. Gatorade ($3.50) and bottled water ($2.50) are also available.

Atmosphere    4

Roberts Stadium is a fairly nondescript building when you come to it. Because the floor is built into the ground the facility's size is hidden in a bit of an illusion. Once inside, you'll find several displays honoring the history of Evansville basketball, and also local high schools and players who have gone on to basketball greatness- including names like Calbert Cheaney, Walter McCarthy, and Larry Bird. There is also a display memorializing the players and staff who died in the 1977 plane crash- the display is named, "The Night it Rained Tears." I spoke to one long-time resident and fan who was very disappointed that there was no plan at the present time to move the memorabilia and displays over to the new arena when its ready- let's hope that is something that gets remedied. Whatever you do at Roberts Stadium, spend some time walking the concourse and perusing these displays.

Every seat in the house is a blue plastic chair with a seat back. It makes you wonder why the seats aren't purple? There are no cupholders, and leg room is decent, but not great.

The two biggest drawbacks here are the lack of students in the crowd, and the old scoreboard. I'll get to the students more in the fans section. The scoreboard, nagging above center court, has all of the information that you need as a fan, but the small video display becomes fairly annoying, especially with the number of times that they show the graphic of two hands clapping. I assume they'll upgrade for the new arena.

The overall draw here is the sense of history and tradition that you get walking around, talking to fans, and just keeping your eyes open.

Neighborhood    3

There aren't a ton of options before or after a game, and even less that could be considered walkable, but there are a couple of places that I can recommend.

Western Rib Eye and Ribs is a good place to go to satisfy your inner carnivore. I couldn't choose between a steak or some ribs so I got both. If I could do it again, I would stick with the steak. This is also where the Purple Aces ate their pre-game meal, so that helps the endorsement as well. There were about 20 people waiting in the lobby for the restaurant to open, so you may want to make a reservation if you're visiting on a Saturday night. They have a pretty decent salad bar that the patrons seemed to flock to as well, so you can relieve your glutton guilt if needed.

Across the street from Roberts Stadium is Kipplee's Stadium Inn, a sports bar and pizza joint that serves $2 draft beers, and offers a selection of pizzas, sandwiches, and appetizers. I tried the Stromboli, and thought it was decent, especially for the $5 price. You could walk here if you were so inclined, and they have several TVs to stay up to date with other sports offerings.

Fans    3

This was a tough category to rate because there is a clear dichotomy between the student section and the alumni and fans. The students are almost non-existent, and it doesn't help that there is no pep band to help rile up the section. I counted about 40 people in the student section, and most of them sat throughout the game. Granted, the game was a blowout almost from the start, but you would hope that a program in the state of Indiana, with a rich basketball history could draw better than they do.

On the flip side of the coin, the purple and orange clad fans in the general seating areas watched the game with great interest, and very few fans left early, even though the outcome was essentially decided by halftime. The loudest roar from the crowd the whole night was on a charging foul taken by a member of the Purple Aces- a great sign of their basketball acumen and appreciation for the little things that make college basketball great.

Access    4

A large parking lot surrounds Roberts Stadium, and all of the spots are free, a welcome surprise. The arena is just two miles east of Highway 41, a main artery through Evansville, and there are plenty of signs helping visitors to find the arena.

Bathrooms are large and clean, and you won't have to deal with lines unless it's a packed house.

Return on Investment    5

Tickets in the first 18 rows will cost you $18, and there is a $5 discount if you sit above row 18. Almost all seats have a good view of the action, with the possible exception of the last few rows. The extra cost may be worth it if you sit in the first few rows, but outside of that you may want to save some money and sit a bit higher up. Kids aged 17 and under, and seniors (65 and older) pay only $10 for their admission to a game.

When you look at the cost of the concessions, and the free parking, then its easy to see that a trip to an Evansville basketball game is a great value. One person can get a seat, a dog, and a drink, and still stay under the $20 threshold for a contest.

Extras    3

First, you may have asked, why are they called the Purple Aces. Well the story goes, that after a loss in 1925, the coach of Louisville remarked that the team didn't have four aces up their sleeve, they had five. The moniker stuck. And because the team's primary color was purple, they became known as the Purple Aces in 1926.

The story of the tragedy of 1977, really touched a nerve for me, and I appreciate the respectful honor that the university gives that sad event. I hope that they'll continue to do so in the new facility.

The history of the basketball program, and basketball in southern Indiana in general is a huge part of the experience as well. Championship trophies in the house, even if they are Division II, are something special, and there is clearly pride over these past accomplishments.

Maybe a bit of a generous rating, but the new stadium opening next year seems like it will be one of the best in the MVC

by MikeStunson | Dec 28, 2010 08:25 AM

A good one

I loved this arena and I think it is one of the top three in IN. I love the history, it took me back to day long ago when life was simpler, people wore suits and ties to games, smoked and the single class HS basketball tournament excited the entire state.

by CigarBoy | Mar 07, 2011 04:53 PM

You must be a Stadium Journey member to post a comment.

Already a member? Sign in or Create a Stadium Journey Account

-- OR --