The Univ. of Cincinnati's men's basketball team "will play at BB&T Arena" on Northern Kentucky Univ.'s campus for the '17-18 season while Fifth Third Arena is being renovated, according to Steve Watkins of the CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER. UC had considered downtown’s U.S. Bank Arena and Xavier’s Cintas Center. The latter was "seen as less likely because it’s on the campus of UC’s in-town rival." UC AD Mike Bohn said that a "few factors tilted the decision to NKU." Bohn said that BB&T Arena is a "better fit for UC’s typical crowds." He added that UC "averages about 10,000 fans a game, which is BB&T Arena’s capacity." U.S. Bank Arena seats almost 18,000 for basketball, which "means it would be barely half-full for many UC games." Bohn said that BB&T will "offer a better atmosphere and louder environment." Bohn said that BB&T Arena, which opened in '08, is a "much newer facility and closer to what UC’s renovated arena will look like than 41-year-old U.S. Bank Arena." UC season-ticket holders and potential buyers "will be invited to an open house to tour the temporary home of the Bearcats." Season ticket costs and donation levels "will not increase and ticket-holders will have the opportunity to select seats in August or will be allocated the best available seats in a comparable location" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/10).
