Ducks Launch Survey Gauging Arena Interests

EUGENE, Ore. -- Dec. 5, 2007 -- Would leather seat backs and upscale food and beverages influence your decision to attend University of Oregon basketball games? Might you attend more often if the UO offered a wider range of ticket prices?

Now's your chance to have a say. As the University of Oregon strives to preserve McArthur Court's history and character in a world-class, cutting-edge basketball arena, officials want to hear from you about everything from ticket pricing and attendance habits to leg room and lines of sight.

Join the discussion by visiting goducks.com and participating in a brief survey. Questions about the new basketball arena, to be located on the former Williams Bakery site off Franklin Boulevard in Eugene, are being posed around the state in focus groups and online surveys. Fans' answers will help the UO Department of Athletics gauge interest in certain arena amenities and various seat pricing scenarios.

"We've received very helpful feedback so far from listening to Duck fans about what they want to see in the new arena and how much they're willing to pay for the chance to get seats in certain sections," said Pat Kilkenny, UO's athletic director.

Kilkenny explained that the design, seat configuration ­ including the total number of seats ­ and pricing schedule haven't been finalized and that fan feedback will influence final decisions.

"We want to build an arena that makes sense for our teams, our fans and our community," Kilkenny said.

The new arena will offer more seats in a wider price range than McArthur Court, the current home of the UO men's and women's basketball teams and the UO women's volleyball team. "It's important that the new arena be accessible to anyone who wants to support our basketball and volleyball teams," Kilkenny said.

Construction for the new arena is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008 with the opening date slated for the fall of 2010.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: Phil Weiler, senior director of public and media relations, 541-346-3873

Links: The survey, www.goducks.com