NSN’s weekly poll: Would you be more likely to attend Pack hoops game at “Nevada

Every Monday, Nevada Sports Net will post a weekly poll question on its main Twitter account. On Tuesday’s NSN Tonight, we will reveal the final poll results and discuss the topic for a segment. On Wednesday, we will post the results and NSN Daily segment while I offer my vote on the question.

This week’s poll

This week’s NSN Tonight segment

Murray’s take

The overwhelming reader vote says they will be more likely to attend a game at the Grand Sierra Resort’s “Nevada Arena” than Lawlor Events Center by an 85-15 percentage. I really don’t see the argument against being more likely to attend a game a game at the new arena unless you’re a student, who instead of being on campus would have to drive 5 miles away. That’s really the only downside if this happens, and I say if because I’ve seen enough cool artist renderings over the years to know not every expensive project comes to fruition. This project has a billionaire behind it, and the lease timeline in Tucson lines up for that billionaire’s AHL hockey team to play in the arena in 2026-27, the proposed opening date. I think the arena will be built. It’d be huge egg on the face of the Wolf Pack to be a part of this announcement and then not have the arena built.

And if it is built, it will give Nevada a Top 25 facility infrastructure nationally. Lawlor Events Center has been a fantastic home for Nevada basketball since opening in 1983, but it lacks many of the bells and whistles required to be a top-tier college basketball arena, namely luxury boxes and modern concessions. GSR’s arena also should be far better in terms of park-ability and egress, which should be addressed by a parking structure built on the casino/resort grounds. The fan experience should go from “OK” to “amazing,” and I’d expect something close to a season sellout in the debut year as people look to experience the new venue. Of course, that depends on the quality of the team, but the hype should be huge for Nevada’s first season in the arena. And with a capacity around 10,000 compared to Lawlor’s 11,536, it fits the Wolf Pack size-wise perfectly.

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.