Foster Forward: Mack Rhoades, Jovan Overshown Meet with Media on Foster Pavilion Opening

Transcript of press conference provided by Baylor Athletics.

Opening statement …

MACK RHOADES: It’s been a great break and certainly we’re excited for both January 2nd, the first game for men’s basketball versus Cornell in the Foster Pavilion; and then to follow that up, the next day on January 3rd, versus TCU women’s basketball.

On is he has noticed a difference in the progress made over the holidays …

RHOADES: Yeah, I think a lot has transpired over the holidays. We’ve got great people. I particularly think about Henry Howard and Drew Pittman. And then certainly, Pat Carley (Associate VP for Facilities & Operations) and JD Dethrow (Director of Construction Services) with the university. It’s been full-time for them, and they’ve been great about sending pictures. It seems like every day, they send a new picture and it looks different. So, great progress has been made. Austin Commercial, (I) cannot say enough about them. If you’ll remember, we broke ground in May of ’22. So, literally 20 months later, that’s a pretty aggressive timeline to be able to open up a brand-new arena. So, they’ve been tremendous. As has our architects, AECOM. And then, the City of Waco has played a significant role. And I think that’s one of the special things about this particular facility is I think it really provides a connection between Baylor University and the City of Waco. And I think that’s good for our community.

On what’s it been like for you to see it developing over those 20 months, where every time you drive by it’s getting closer and closer to competition … 

RHOADES: You know, I intentionally tried to not pay attention to look at it each and every day. But it’s hard not to notice how fast the building went up. And again, it’s an exciting project. I was saying this earlier today: when I arrived on this campus in August of ’16, there was conversation about what are we going to do with the Ferrell Center. And it had all been put on hold because of the scandal and everything that had happened that previous summer. So, we began really talking about basketball facility, what that’s going to look like that last part of 2016 and really begin to think about, ‘Hey, does it make sense to renovate Ferrell, decreasing the seating in Ferrell, or do we really need to take a hard look about building something brand-new, and what does that look like when we think about cost feasibility? So, we went through that study, that process. So, it’s been a long time. And for us to now finally get here, I think it’s a dream come true for many, and so many people involved in this process. Obviously, it couldn’t happen without Paul and Alejandra Foster, their generosity, a $100 million gift to the university, $75 million for this facility. That’s really what drove this home. And certainly, so many donors have come along the way, as well, to make it happen. But grateful for both Paul and Alejandra. And again, it’s a dream come true, and really excited. I think I’m excited for really two specific groups of people. One, our student-athletes. I think it’s going to be a really special place for them to play in. I think they’re going to feel the energy, they’re going to feel the fans right on top of them. And then, I’m really excited for our fans. I think the in-seat experience, the fan experience, is going to be tremendous for them as well.

On how important it is for the fans to show up, and what can they expect to see in these first two games … 

RHOADES: I’ll certainly ask Jovan to touch on it. But I think first, we were very, very intentional about the size of the pavilion. And I think very similar to when we moved from Floyd Casey, 50,000, to (45,000) in McLane (Stadium). We did a lot of work. So, going back to 2016 and ’17, reaching out to third parties and then also self-studies, looking at attendance for the last 10 years for both men’s basketball, women’s basketball. So, really, trying to be intentional about the right size for us. This balance of, making this the place to be, this idea of supply and demand, and yet, still being enough to accommodate most, if not all. And I think we’ve landed at that right spot with the 7,500 capacity. The Ferrell Center has been a great home, when we fill it. And I think you will all remember the Big 12 study. Ferrell was one of the worst home-court advantages in the Big 12. And we need to change that, we need to flip that. And I think this facility will do that for us, where it will now become one of the best home-court advantages and that we can have a capacity of 7,500 consistently.

JOVAN OVERSHOWN: I know you’ve heard this statistic before, but in the pavilion, the furthest seat from the court is 54 feet closer than it was in the Ferrell Center. So, you’re literally sitting on top of the action. So, the facility will take care of a lot of it for itself, just fans being close to the action, students courtside. We have a 360 view concourse, so you don’t have to miss any of the action. I think it’s a great opportunity for fans to be really tied into the experience. We’ll have some great acts and some great activations that are part of it; state of the art technology; and all of the video boards, ribbon boards. I mean, it’s just a special facility that a lot has went into to ensure that the experience is just top-notch.

On how will the video boards on each end enhance the experience of what we’ve had in the past at the Ferrell … 

OVERSHOWN: Yeah, credit to this guy over here (Mack) for the video boards and the style and design of that. It’s quite different than what we’ve had before, the center-hung (video board), but you actually have more square footage as far as space and viewing area. And that, kind of being able to take over the facility with the two end boards, the ribbon boards, all of the different spaces, it’s really going to be quite the experience when that’s all up and running.

On how do you make the Foster feel like a basketball arena while still being technically a construction site … 

RHOADES: The arena portion of the pavilion, I think when our fans walk in, it will certainly feel complete. There will be a few things – some signage, some décor maybe, that will still need to be completed. But I think the in-seat experience, the arena itself, will feel complete. I think the experience that our fans have walking into the arena will also be complete, other than some landscaping. The development center on the north end will really be the lie construction site that will still be ongoing. We anticipate that being completed sometime hopefully end of spring, early summer. So then, both of the basketball programs can actually move out of the Ferrell Center and into the development center. And we had a lot of conversation and really vetted the pluses and minuses: Do we move in? Do we play the Big 12 Conference seasons for both men’s and women’s basketball without the development center being completed? And I think there were two primary drivers for us when we thought about that decision. One was our student-athletes. Giving our student-athletes, particularly our seniors, an opportunity to play in a venue like this. And as I mentioned earlier, I think that experience, the energy, all of those things, really wanted to deliver that for them. And then I think for our basketball programs, we knew both of them were going to be really, really good teams this year, but giving them the best home-court advantage that they could have during the Big 12 season, so that they can go on and compete for a Big 12 championship, a national championship. And again, I think that in-seat experience, the energy, our fans, all those things, are going to do that for both of our programs.

On fans having to navigate parking at the Pavilion … 

RHOADES: Yeah, it’s going to be different when you think about an arena that’s located downtown municipally. And again, we’ve asked for help and received help from third party. But you think about right adjacent to the arena, there’s about 775 spaces – when we talk about the parking garage right there, that’s adjacent; Clifton Robinson Tower; and the West Webster parking garage. There’s an additional 1,600 spaces within 20 minutes walking of the arena. The city has designated 10 free parking areas, as well, and they’ll run a shuttle service. We’ll have parking at McLane, with shuttle service, or you can walk, parking at the Ferrell Center. So, I think it’s been a really thoughtful approach in terms of parking and access and ingress, egress. Jovan, her team, Henry, Drew, all of them, have done a great job in terms of putting a really, I think, sound plan together.

On having visited fieldhouses before and if a difference can be felt as far as how the crowd impacts the game compared to other venue designs …

RHOADES: I certainly can. I think we were very intentional about, in fact it was the very first conversation that we ever had, that if we were going to do this, this is a basketball-intentional facility, period. That we are going to build it to meet the needs of our basketball programs and our fans. So, we were very intentional about the fieldhouse design, about walking in, about clean sightlines, big volume, about holding noise, making sure that in the arena portion, it can be as loud as possible, again, for our fans and for our basketball programs. So, the architects did a great job. One of the things, it didn’t feel like it at the time, but actually as you now look back, that was a blessing was COVID during this process. If you all remember, during that period of time, during COVID, we had to put everything on pause for about 12, 18 months, because we didn’t know the financial ramifications for the institution. Well, what that allowed us to do was to spend some extra time, additional time, in design work. So, we probably spent six months just on the seating bowl alone, and just going back and forth, and challenging our architects and AECOM, and making sure we designed an intimate seating bowl where our fans are right on top of the action. There’s no bad seat in the building. And I think, again, we really came out ahead because of that extra additional time that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise had. But I love the fieldhouse design, and I think it’s really, really unique. And again, one of the other special things that is spectacular about this campus, very similar to McLane Stadium, was being able to put this facility right on the river. Not many people across the country can replicate that.

On is he already views this as a success, or if he’s waiting to see the fan turnout …

RHOADES: That’s an interesting question. I certainly look at it as a success, because it’s taken so many people to get it to this point in time. It’s been our donors, it’s been our facilities folks, Austin Commercial, AECOM. It’s been our board of regents, it’s been President (Linda) Livingstone. It’s been this entire campus. And then, I think step two of that will be our teams really owning the building and making it one of the toughest places to play in the entire country.

On how does it add to the excitement that you have two top-10 teams … 

RHOADES: I think it certainly helps. And I think it’s two programs that are really deserving of a building like this. Both will continue to compete for Big 12 championships and both will continue to compete for national championships. And I think this building will be part of that story.

On what aspect of Foster is Overshown most excited to see fans’ reaction …

OVERSHOWN: Honestly, I think just the intensity of the environment. I think Mack alluded to it. When you go in there, and whether you’re testing audio right now or you’re looking at the visuals on the screens, it’s just really strong. It’s a really impactful experience from just the vibrancy of the images, the audio, how strong it is at various points of the facility. So, I think just the dynamics of everything at play at once. And again, being so tight in on the action and just how it’s going to really impact that on-court experience. It’s like turning a new page in the history books, so excited about it.

On what’s the ticket demand been like … 

OVERSHOWN: It’s been great. This is part of the change, and just kind of the capacity and what it looks like, and they’re high-profile program. So yeah, there’s been extreme demand. We’ve implemented the ticket-return policies, so the Pack the Pavilion policy, that will allow us to ensure that the facility is kept green and gold. So that, while we might be sold out for games and sold out and sold out in season tickets, that there’s opportunity for those that might want to not use their tickets for games, they’ll be able to hand those off to a Baylor faculty or staff member. Women, there are tickets still available. We certainly want to encourage people to attend those games as well. But again, high demand, great demand for both. So, we’re excited to have an opportunity to fill those seats.

RHOADES: I will say, I’m grateful to Jovan and her team. The ticket-return program, we’ve always had one, but this is a next level. Someone completely dedicated to it, and again, making sure that we keep the facility packed. We’re a little bit different because of where we’re located. We’ve got a lot of season ticket-holders that live in the Dallas and Houston and Austin areas. So, they have to travel. And some of the weekday games, we want to make sure if they’re not going to be in their seats, that we have other Baylor fans in their seats.

On if the women host first two rounds of NCAA Tournament, will it be held at the Ferrell Center?

RHOADES: Yes, if we continue to have the season we are, and we’re able to host, we will host that here (at the Ferrell Center) just because of the development center and trying to accommodate four teams over at the Foster would be hard to do.

On if there any serious thought about waiting to open the facility until next year …

RHOADES: We had a lot of conversation about whether or not to wait. But again, I think on January 2nd, it will speak for itself. We feel really good and comfortable and confident that in the arena portion, the in-seat experience for our fans, will deliver 100%. And the arena will be ready to accommodate a quality basketball game.

On how much he thinks big picture, in terms of what is next …

RHOADES: Always. And we’re already having conversations about what’s next for us. I don’t think you can ever rest. And we’re blessed to be at a place that we built a new stadium in 2014 and we’ll open up a brand-new arena and development center here in 2024. That’s hard to say, and I had to think about that. And a new football development center in 2024. But we’re not stopping there. There will be more to come, and we’re going to continue to be aggressive and continue to evolve and make sure that we’re always putting Baylor Athletics in a place from a national brand standpoint where we can compete for championships.

On if plans are in place for renovating Ferrell … 

RHOADES: There are. I think there’s an initial phase once both basketball programs move out, to accommodate acrobatics & tumbling immediately. And again, that’s a program that’s won eight national championships. Volleyball already has a new locker room and is firmly situated here. But both staffs will move into the office spaces. How do we accommodate an acrobatics & tumbling roster that’s about 45 into the student-athlete space where men’s and women’s basketball will have once lived? And the, what do we do with the practice gyms to accommodate both of those programs? So, those plans are in place, and we’ll get started with those as soon as soon as both men’s and women’s basketball move out.