Sep

Raleigh Should Propose College Basketball Hall of Fame

Today news was leaked that Atlanta will get the College Football Hall of Fame after it moves from South Bend, IN. This a “tremendous victory” for Atlanta, a great place to visit with some aggressive business leaders who can make things happen. Charlotte’s new NASCAR Hall of Fame will open early next year. What other hall of fame would be perfectly situated in downtown Raleigh? The College Basketball Hall of Fame would. Apparently no such thing exists, but if someone had the gumption to put it together, I can think of no finer place than here in the Triangle. In the modern era, the Triangle has fielded a team in the Final Four in 21 of the last 29 years, and produced 3 of the last 8 national champions.

If you know anyone who could get this ball rolling, don’t be afraid to bring this idea up. Raleigh’s downtown needs a unique crown jewel tourist destination, and this is a tremendously natural fit. The football hall of fame expects 200,000 visitors a year. Those are numbers we need. We ARE college basketball. In order to own it, we need to act like it and get this done!

Kade

There’s actually 2 to pick from. The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame is run by the NABC in Kansas City:

http://www.collegebasketballexperience.com/halloffame.aspx

The other is the hall of fame for the entire sport in Springfield, MA:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_Hall_of_Fame
eg

durham will go for this before raleigh ever would. its a great idea, but we’ve got too many conservatives who want the city to be a wasteland of the raygun era.
Jamie

There already is a College BB Hall of Fame. It is in Kansas City, Mo.
http://www.danamccall.com Dana

Thanks for the heads up on this. For some reason my search for this came up fruitless last night, which underscores my backup point: Kansas City is doing a horrible job and Raleigh should make a play to steal it from them. (football hall of fame was in Cincinnati then South Bend). We OWN this sport, and we should be the ones to go rip this out of Kansas City’s hands.
Ted

First, cannot believe Atlanta is getting the college football hall of fame, that is a pathectic sports town. Went to a Braves game last week, ugly stadium and no support. Their college sports is not even on the radar – politics got them this venue.

Raleigh not only should pursue NCAA BB Hall, but the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (this area drives sports in this state – think about it – this area has ALL the Sports Champions – Basketball, Hockey, Soccer (college and pro), LaCrosse, Durham Baseball, (3) college football teams – probably can beat the Panthers, etc.. P.S. NOBODY I know cares about the NBA (or the felon league)

Hey Raleigh, get your heads out of the dark. Pursue the BB Hall and NC Hall.
Thomas

I agree. Kansas City? Have been there a number of times, did not even know they had the Hall in that city. What an awful sports town. Other than the Plaza, no need to visit.

The BB Hall should be in Downtown Raleigh and part of the Triangle.

I also agree with Ted, Raleigh should be home to the NC Sports Hall (all sports – Triangle is “The Area of Champions” – our low IQ leaders DO NOT know how to market the Triangle).

P.S. Drove by the Nascar Hall a couple weeks ago. The hotel is nice, but the Hall building is UGLY (other than the stainless steel ring design, it is a brick wall, the sidewalk experience is pathetic, three sides of the building are wall, nothing to see)
Subway Scoundrel

Well Pinehurst had the Gold Hall of Fame and lost it. Agree, Pinehurst is a small town but a great golf town. I think the BBHofF would be good for DT.
Lee L

I thought there already was a NC Sports Hall of Fame in the History Mueseum? http://www.ncshof.org/
Chris

Raleigh is too busy using it’s money building a “world class” park, an ice skating rink, an amphitheater and a bus for drunks downtown.
Kade

I agree with you that its not the center of the college basketball universe, but folks in Lawrence will beg to differ even though they are wrong.

First let it be known that I can’t stand Kansas City . . . but the Hall of Fame out there is only about 2 years old, and REALLY well done. I’ve visited it personally and its not something that is actually going to move any time soon. Good idea, but someone’s beat you to the punch already.
David

What does the NABC know anyway? Can’t we just get another sponsor and put it here? Who has a monopoly on the concept anyway? Just put a big silver skyscraper with a giant bball hoop off the side of it on Dix campus and have area and a handful of national high-profile, alumni stop by periodically.
Then they can head down to the refurbished warehouse district for some eats beside the newly constructed river.
http://www.danamccall.com Dana

I’d also put up about 400 basketball goals outside the place. Some goals would actually move up/down, left/right, etc. They could also have a basketball-shooting/putt-putt kind of thing where you shoot at 18 different goals.
Brody

Sounds like Dana has the right idea. Create a sports theme park rather than a hall of fame. The most memorable aspect at the current halls are their ability to let attendees put themselves in the big games and make plays. A theme park could draw on any sports and probably have no difficulty getting backers if the city funded the initial planning.

gogoraleigh.com

Raleigh Should Propose College Basketball Hall of Fame

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