Arena Construction - Make pitch for ASG in 22/23. pg 95

[Wisky4life]

If Milwaukee can hold a baseball all star game; it can hold a NBA one also. I am sure we will get one in a few years.

[wapith]

More info here.

Miller Brewing Company is a new Founding Partner of the upcoming world-class Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center (WESC) and the exclusive beer and malt beverage partner of the new arena. The Miller Brewing Co. will also continue as the exclusive beer and malt beverage partner of the Milwaukee Bucks. The comprehensive partnership expands the long-term relationship of the two world-renowned brands with deep Milwaukee roots in advance of the team’s new arena, which opens in the fall of 2018.

“The Bucks are proud that Miller Brewing Co., a fabric of our city, has become a Founding Partner of Milwaukee’s new dynamic arena,” said Bucks President Peter Feigin. “Miller Brewing Co. has been a long-time partner of the Bucks, and we’re excited to further our relationship and activate our brands together in our new venue.”

“Miller Brewing has enjoyed an incredible partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks since they were founded 50 years ago,” said Jim Kanter, Miller Brewing General Manager for Wisconsin. “Having such an extensive history with the franchise makes us even more proud to be named one of the Founding Sponsors of the new arena, and be part of the next exciting chapter for not only the team, but all of Milwaukee.”

The partnership will include extensive Miller Brewing Co. branding and integration throughout the WESC including three main bar locations. On the main concourse of the arena will be The Miller Brewing Co. bar and a Leinenkugel’s bar, with a Coors Light bar on the upper concourse. All three bars will feature direct sight lines into the arena bowl, providing views of the event. The upper concourse will also include the Coors Light Silver Bullet Suite, which will be an exclusive event space for limited events with a capacity of up to 60 guests.

Miller Brewing Co. will also bring innovative, arena-specific products to the WESC that will be featured at each of its bar locations. In addition to being the exclusive beer and malt beverage of the Milwaukee Bucks and WESC, Miller Brewing Co. will continue to be the title sponsor of the Bucks Bar Network – a program developed for fans to watch Bucks games at featured bars across Wisconsin with drink specials – and the presenting sponsor for the Bucks Night Out ticket package.

Miller Brewing Co. joins BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johnson Controls as Founding Partners of the new Bucks arena.

Does this mean there'll be no craft beer options anywhere in the new arena?

[bigredbadger]

More info here.

Miller Brewing Company is a new Founding Partner of the upcoming world-class Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center (WESC) and the exclusive beer and malt beverage partner of the new arena. The Miller Brewing Co. will also continue as the exclusive beer and malt beverage partner of the Milwaukee Bucks. The comprehensive partnership expands the long-term relationship of the two world-renowned brands with deep Milwaukee roots in advance of the team’s new arena, which opens in the fall of 2018.

“The Bucks are proud that Miller Brewing Co., a fabric of our city, has become a Founding Partner of Milwaukee’s new dynamic arena,” said Bucks President Peter Feigin. “Miller Brewing Co. has been a long-time partner of the Bucks, and we’re excited to further our relationship and activate our brands together in our new venue.”

“Miller Brewing has enjoyed an incredible partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks since they were founded 50 years ago,” said Jim Kanter, Miller Brewing General Manager for Wisconsin. “Having such an extensive history with the franchise makes us even more proud to be named one of the Founding Sponsors of the new arena, and be part of the next exciting chapter for not only the team, but all of Milwaukee.”

The partnership will include extensive Miller Brewing Co. branding and integration throughout the WESC including three main bar locations. On the main concourse of the arena will be The Miller Brewing Co. bar and a Leinenkugel’s bar, with a Coors Light bar on the upper concourse. All three bars will feature direct sight lines into the arena bowl, providing views of the event. The upper concourse will also include the Coors Light Silver Bullet Suite, which will be an exclusive event space for limited events with a capacity of up to 60 guests.

Miller Brewing Co. will also bring innovative, arena-specific products to the WESC that will be featured at each of its bar locations. In addition to being the exclusive beer and malt beverage of the Milwaukee Bucks and WESC, Miller Brewing Co. will continue to be the title sponsor of the Bucks Bar Network – a program developed for fans to watch Bucks games at featured bars across Wisconsin with drink specials – and the presenting sponsor for the Bucks Night Out ticket package.

Miller Brewing Co. joins BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johnson Controls as Founding Partners of the new Bucks arena.

Does this mean there'll be no craft beer options anywhere in the new arena?

No. It just means there will be no Budweiser.

[MickeyDavis]

Right, there should still be (there BETTER be) good beer besides the Miller crap. But no other national brands. Miller Park has some decent craft beers.

[wapith]

Right, there should still be (there BETTER be) good beer besides the Miller crap. But no other national brands. Miller Park has some decent craft beers.

Good. I haven't explored all the different areas at the Bradley Center, but I've been generally pretty disappointed with their beer selection for Bucks games. Hoping the new arena is more like Miller Park with their better options.

[MickeyDavis]

There will be lots of Miller, Coors and Leinie of course (funny that some think of Leinie as a "craft" beer when it's been owned by Miller for 30 years). I don't know for sure there will be other options but since Miller Park has other beers I'm assuming the new Unnamed Arena will too.

[jakecronus8]

I want a LaCroix set up somewhere in there.

[Thunder Muscle]

Right, there should still be (there BETTER be) good beer besides the Miller crap. But no other national brands. Miller Park has some decent craft beers.

Good. I haven't explored all the different areas at the Bradley Center, but I've been generally pretty disappointed with their beer selection for Bucks games. Hoping the new arena is more like Miller Park with their better options.

Some of the specialty areas in the concourse have a decent craft selection. I had some IPA from Georgia on tap last week that was pretty good and random.

I just have a hard time justifying paying like $11+ for a 16-ounce craft beer. I'm cool with the $9 24 ounce domestic as I can at least justify that as a $4.50 bottle which isn't terribly far off from a normal bar. I guess if I'm only having one then no issue paying a little extra for some flavor.

[MickeyDavis]

Yeah with Brewer games I usually tailgate so I don't drink much inside the stadium.

[trwi7]

I want a LaCroix set up somewhere in there.

Aww, thanks man. You just reminded me I still had one of those in the fridge.

[mke_design]

I want a LaCroix set up somewhere in there.

Super underrated comment.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[chile]

The Bucks will have local breweries set up at the arena. I don't remember how many or who but I believe Lakefront and MKE Brewery will be there at least.

[wapith]

Right, there should still be (there BETTER be) good beer besides the Miller crap. But no other national brands. Miller Park has some decent craft beers.

Good. I haven't explored all the different areas at the Bradley Center, but I've been generally pretty disappointed with their beer selection for Bucks games. Hoping the new arena is more like Miller Park with their better options.

Some of the specialty areas in the concourse have a decent craft selection. I had some IPA from Georgia on tap last week that was pretty good and random.

I just have a hard time justifying paying like $11+ for a 16-ounce craft beer. I'm cool with the $9 24 ounce domestic as I can at least justify that as a $4.50 bottle which isn't terribly far off from a normal bar. I guess if I'm only having one then no issue paying a little extra for some flavor.

Yea I typically don't drink a ton at the games either because of the cost. But when I do, I prefer something with a little taste (cue Dos Equis most interesting man). I am going to assume the Georgia IPA was Terrapin which is owned by Miller... that would explain why its at the BC.

[StickeeFingaz]

Part of me doesn’t want Milwaukee get the all star game. I can just see the national media/celebrities **** on the city.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thunder Muscle]

Part of me doesn’t want Milwaukee get the all star game. I can just see the national media/celebrities **** on the city.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know. I have same sentiments about GB hosting the NFL Draft. I remember how bad Jacksonville got killed for Super Bowl.

[Thunder Muscle]

Good. I haven't explored all the different areas at the Bradley Center, but I've been generally pretty disappointed with their beer selection for Bucks games. Hoping the new arena is more like Miller Park with their better options.

Some of the specialty areas in the concourse have a decent craft selection. I had some IPA from Georgia on tap last week that was pretty good and random.

I just have a hard time justifying paying like $11+ for a 16-ounce craft beer. I'm cool with the $9 24 ounce domestic as I can at least justify that as a $4.50 bottle which isn't terribly far off from a normal bar. I guess if I'm only having one then no issue paying a little extra for some flavor.

Yea I typically don't drink a ton at the games either because of the cost. But when I do, I prefer something with a little taste (cue Dos Equis most interesting man). I am going to assume the Georgia IPA was Terrapin which is owned by Miller... that would explain why its at the BC.

Yes it was. That's the other tricky part, the big boys are starting to gobble up the craft breweries but do a good job masking it. Goose Island is another, AB snagged them but many casual consumers wouldnt know.

[Tfence92]

Bucks officially submitted their bid for the 2022/2023 all star game today.

[MickeyDavis]

The Golden State Warriors were undefeated and headed to Milwaukee for a December game. At The Bradley Center, the Bucks were already calling their shot, as team staffers set out green T-shirts that read, simply, "24-1."

It was absurd. The Warriors were off to a historic start (and finished 2015-16 at 73-9.) Yet here are the 9-15 Bucks acting like they expect to be the ones to end the streak, just as they did back in 1972 when the Lakers arrived after 33 wins in a row.
It only made any sense because of the Clutch Crew, a group of 100 fans given free seats in the lower level of the arena and charged with creating a playoff atmosphere - no matter what.

Ten years earlier, few teams - especially one like the Warriors, who of course set the mark for most wins in a single season - would have feared a trip to Milwaukee. It should have been just another stop on a march through the league.
Not on this night, not this time.

By the end of the night, the leader of that raucous fan section, Ben Fink, could only pause and take it all in as Michael Carter-Williams slammed home a breakaway dagger of a dunk.

The Bucks did snap the Warriors' streak, with a 108-85 victory, and the Bucks' crowd was all the talk after the game. The Clutch Crew had officially made it.

"That felt like we won the championship," Fink said. "It was really special. I think that it was just one of those indescribable moments … It was a special night, one that I'll never forget."

To get to that point, though, wasn't easy.

The Bucks were in the midst of an identity crisis. The 2008-09 season had just come to an end, and the Bucks were once again last in the East's Central Division. Their attendance ranked near the bottom of the NBA. The Bradley Center lacked any semblance of an atmosphere. There had to be a way to get the fans engaged.

Something needed to change, and Andrew Bogut had an idea.

Bogut, the former No. 1 overall pick from Australia, grew up watching - and later playing in front of - unrestrained crowds that are commonplace in the international game. Even though college basketball touts impressive atmospheres, those kind of environments never seemed to develop at NBA arenas. Bogut wanted to do his part to make an impact in the arena, so he went to the team with an idea.

"He wanted (the fans) to have a little bit more of that kind of European or international soccer flare, that sort of atmosphere, and energy in the building," Bucks Chief Marketing Officer Dustin Godsey said.

To make that happen, Bogut volunteered to buy 100 tickets in the lower level - seats in neighboring sections currently sell for around $90 - and personally select the most die-hard Bucks fans based on auditions. After three rounds of tryouts, the Bucks selected the passionate fans willing to stand and scream for an entire game. The section would be called the Squad 6 - his number with the Bucks.

For the following three seasons with the Bucks, Bogut took ownership of the Squad 6. He'd interact with the fans after games and acknowledged them from the court. Squad 6 did its part too. What was just 100 fans on a typical week night truly made a difference when they were carrying the energy for the entire arena.

NBA teams quickly took notice.

In the first year of the fan section, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted a since-deleted compliment; according to The New York Times, Cuban called the Bucks' section the "most fun fans I have seen on the road EVER."

The Bucks and Houston - with the Red Rowdies - were the first NBA teams to have a club-sponsored fan section. Their successes have led to Atlanta, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Portland and San Antonio adopting similar models for fan engagement. Other teams, though, like Detroit and Denver, have struggled to make fan sections catch on.

The Pistons, for example, held tryouts for their cheering section, but only 11 fans showed up and the idea was eventually abandoned.

The support from within the Milwaukee organization helped the fan section thrive where other teams failed. The Bucks made it part of the game operations and entertainment team. Still, they didn't want to script traditions, preferring for chants like the post-tipoff "Milwaukee" cheer to develop organically.

The Clutch Crew often gets compared to a student section in college basketball. Fink, having grown up playing soccer, prefers to align the atmosphere with more of a European soccer feel. The Clutch Crew doesn't pick a specific player to taunt, like you'd sometimes see in college; it instead opts to focus on chants and cheers that encourage the Bucks rather than disparage the opponent. In the fourth quarter, they'll break out tifos - giant banners borrowed straight from European soccer - with different messages all with the mission of hyping up the rest of the arena.

"I was already used to seeing a lot of that," Fink said. "So I already had a good background, just taking pieces from other teams."
Over the years, the Bucks have hosted representatives from NBA teams and have been open to passing on suggestions to make the idea catch on in other small-to-medium NBA markets.

"Certainly, it was something that other teams kind of saw what was going on here, and kind of put their own spin on it," Godsey said. "I think other teams have had different uses for it, different needs from us at the time. We had problems, weren't always the biggest, so for us, as we were trying to build up a culture and an atmosphere in the building, it really filled a role there."

This idea still had to be sustainable beyond Bogut for it to work. He got the idea started, and bought the tickets. To show how serious the Bucks were about the Clutch Crew, the team employed someone to lead the group's day-by-day and game-night operations. Since the 2014-15 season, that leader has been Fink - a longtime Bucks fan who grew up watching Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson.

"My responsibilities have grown every year," Fink said. "I get more and more responsibilities as far as sending tickets out, making decisions, gaining people on the list. Overall, my responsibilities are finding members and finding fans that want to participate in the section itself. That evolves from tryouts every year to just word of mouth, and finding people that have a lot of enthusiasm for the Bucks."

The Clutch Crew has over 600 members who participate on a rotating basis to be among the 100 fans in the section on game night. Each of those 600 fans had to audition to qualify for the group and there is a waiting list to be a part of it. The tickets are still free — which differs from Houston’s for-purchase spots for the Rowdies section — and attendance is mandatory.

When Bogut left Milwaukee, Ersan İlyasova took over. Then, it was former head coach Jason Kidd who kept the section going. After a few name changes, Harley Davidson is sponsoring the group with the official title: “Harley Davidson Clutch Crew.” The staying power of the section has been undeniable, and it should continue as the Bucks move into a new arena next season. The Bucks say they are committed to not let the idea drift away as a one-off fad.

“I think what really has made it a success is just everybody internally was into it. It was something that came from the basketball side,” Godsey said.

“Then, as we’ve changed ownership in the last few years and gone through, they’ve recognized this as being a part of what it is, so it had that support from the beginning, and then has been allowed to kind of build and create its own culture, which I think is what has to happen.”

There’s always room to grow, and Fink would love to see the section’s capacity increased. He’s constantly getting approached by fans eager to join. Still, as he looks back at the big games and memorable moments, he can’t help but be excited about the Clutch Crew’s future and the desire be even better.

“It motivates me and the members to always bring it 110 percent every game because we have got to make that noise,” Fink said.

[Gianstoppable]

Part of me doesn’t want Milwaukee get the all star game. I can just see the national media/celebrities **** on the city.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, Milwaukee is really boring in the winter for the most part. If the all star break was in the summer they would likely love it. I'm ok with it, players who remain focused on practice and basketball find Milwaukee nightlife less distracting which is fine with me.

[Gianstoppable]

The Golden State Warriors were undefeated and headed to Milwaukee for a December game. At The Bradley Center, the Bucks were already calling their shot, as team staffers set out green T-shirts that read, simply, "24-1."

It was absurd. The Warriors were off to a historic start (and finished 2015-16 at 73-9.) Yet here are the 9-15 Bucks acting like they expect to be the ones to end the streak, just as they did back in 1972 when the Lakers arrived after 33 wins in a row.
It only made any sense because of the Clutch Crew, a group of 100 fans given free seats in the lower level of the arena and charged with creating a playoff atmosphere - no matter what.

Ten years earlier, few teams - especially one like the Warriors, who of course set the mark for most wins in a single season - would have feared a trip to Milwaukee. It should have been just another stop on a march through the league.
Not on this night, not this time.

By the end of the night, the leader of that raucous fan section, Ben Fink, could only pause and take it all in as Michael Carter-Williams slammed home a breakaway dagger of a dunk.

The Bucks did snap the Warriors' streak, with a 108-85 victory, and the Bucks' crowd was all the talk after the game. The Clutch Crew had officially made it.

"That felt like we won the championship," Fink said. "It was really special. I think that it was just one of those indescribable moments … It was a special night, one that I'll never forget."

To get to that point, though, wasn't easy.

The Bucks were in the midst of an identity crisis. The 2008-09 season had just come to an end, and the Bucks were once again last in the East's Central Division. Their attendance ranked near the bottom of the NBA. The Bradley Center lacked any semblance of an atmosphere. There had to be a way to get the fans engaged.

Something needed to change, and Andrew Bogut had an idea.

Bogut, the former No. 1 overall pick from Australia, grew up watching - and later playing in front of - unrestrained crowds that are commonplace in the international game. Even though college basketball touts impressive atmospheres, those kind of environments never seemed to develop at NBA arenas. Bogut wanted to do his part to make an impact in the arena, so he went to the team with an idea.

"He wanted (the fans) to have a little bit more of that kind of European or international soccer flare, that sort of atmosphere, and energy in the building," Bucks Chief Marketing Officer Dustin Godsey said.

To make that happen, Bogut volunteered to buy 100 tickets in the lower level - seats in neighboring sections currently sell for around $90 - and personally select the most die-hard Bucks fans based on auditions. After three rounds of tryouts, the Bucks selected the passionate fans willing to stand and scream for an entire game. The section would be called the Squad 6 - his number with the Bucks.

For the following three seasons with the Bucks, Bogut took ownership of the Squad 6. He'd interact with the fans after games and acknowledged them from the court. Squad 6 did its part too. What was just 100 fans on a typical week night truly made a difference when they were carrying the energy for the entire arena.

NBA teams quickly took notice.

In the first year of the fan section, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted a since-deleted compliment; according to The New York Times, Cuban called the Bucks' section the "most fun fans I have seen on the road EVER."

The Bucks and Houston - with the Red Rowdies - were the first NBA teams to have a club-sponsored fan section. Their successes have led to Atlanta, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Portland and San Antonio adopting similar models for fan engagement. Other teams, though, like Detroit and Denver, have struggled to make fan sections catch on.

The Pistons, for example, held tryouts for their cheering section, but only 11 fans showed up and the idea was eventually abandoned.

The support from within the Milwaukee organization helped the fan section thrive where other teams failed. The Bucks made it part of the game operations and entertainment team. Still, they didn't want to script traditions, preferring for chants like the post-tipoff "Milwaukee" cheer to develop organically.

The Clutch Crew often gets compared to a student section in college basketball. Fink, having grown up playing soccer, prefers to align the atmosphere with more of a European soccer feel. The Clutch Crew doesn't pick a specific player to taunt, like you'd sometimes see in college; it instead opts to focus on chants and cheers that encourage the Bucks rather than disparage the opponent. In the fourth quarter, they'll break out tifos - giant banners borrowed straight from European soccer - with different messages all with the mission of hyping up the rest of the arena.

"I was already used to seeing a lot of that," Fink said. "So I already had a good background, just taking pieces from other teams."
Over the years, the Bucks have hosted representatives from NBA teams and have been open to passing on suggestions to make the idea catch on in other small-to-medium NBA markets.

"Certainly, it was something that other teams kind of saw what was going on here, and kind of put their own spin on it," Godsey said. "I think other teams have had different uses for it, different needs from us at the time. We had problems, weren't always the biggest, so for us, as we were trying to build up a culture and an atmosphere in the building, it really filled a role there."

This idea still had to be sustainable beyond Bogut for it to work. He got the idea started, and bought the tickets. To show how serious the Bucks were about the Clutch Crew, the team employed someone to lead the group's day-by-day and game-night operations. Since the 2014-15 season, that leader has been Fink - a longtime Bucks fan who grew up watching Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson.

"My responsibilities have grown every year," Fink said. "I get more and more responsibilities as far as sending tickets out, making decisions, gaining people on the list. Overall, my responsibilities are finding members and finding fans that want to participate in the section itself. That evolves from tryouts every year to just word of mouth, and finding people that have a lot of enthusiasm for the Bucks."

The Clutch Crew has over 600 members who participate on a rotating basis to be among the 100 fans in the section on game night. Each of those 600 fans had to audition to qualify for the group and there is a waiting list to be a part of it. The tickets are still free — which differs from Houston’s for-purchase spots for the Rowdies section — and attendance is mandatory.

When Bogut left Milwaukee, Ersan İlyasova took over. Then, it was former head coach Jason Kidd who kept the section going. After a few name changes, Harley Davidson is sponsoring the group with the official title: “Harley Davidson Clutch Crew.” The staying power of the section has been undeniable, and it should continue as the Bucks move into a new arena next season. The Bucks say they are committed to not let the idea drift away as a one-off fad.

“I think what really has made it a success is just everybody internally was into it. It was something that came from the basketball side,” Godsey said.

“Then, as we’ve changed ownership in the last few years and gone through, they’ve recognized this as being a part of what it is, so it had that support from the beginning, and then has been allowed to kind of build and create its own culture, which I think is what has to happen.”

There’s always room to grow, and Fink would love to see the section’s capacity increased. He’s constantly getting approached by fans eager to join. Still, as he looks back at the big games and memorable moments, he can’t help but be excited about the Clutch Crew’s future and the desire be even better.

“It motivates me and the members to always bring it 110 percent every game because we have got to make that noise,” Fink said.

Love the Clutch Crew or whatever they change the name to going forward but holy hell, I have sat in front of them a few times and wow, a few of those guys are screaming foul and and one after every play like Greg **** Monroe lol. Gets annoying at times to sit near them but I like being a section or two away, definitely gets the crowd going and the players dig it.