Machines such as those used on the scorers table at a basketball game are often part of the arena manager’s responsibility o’clock and that’s both teams We have staff to assist the teams with their gear and to make sure they have what they need When they leave the court at two they have their pregame meal We have from two o’clock to five o’clock to get the court and the gym ready For Dixon and his hard-working team that means a lot more than just pushing a broom The first move is to set up the scorer’s table on one side of the court That means wiring in machines that control the scoreboard as well as providing power and the appropriate gear for radio announcers who will sit at those tables The CAREERS OFF THE FIELD Sports Arena Event Management
public-address announcer also sits there so his microphone is set up and tested Dixon is not an audio equipment expert but he has learned on the job what is needed to make sure all the gear is ready for tip-off Then we set up the players benches on each side he continues We make sure there are enough chairs for each team and its staff That includes putting down protective matting beneath the chairs Then our crew of fifteen to sixteen students gets into the stands and sets them up which means checking all the seat backs pulling out stands that were pushed back for earlier events and cleaning what needs cleaning Down on the court one student drives a Zamboni to shine the court for play The Zamboni machine is best known for its use in ice hockey and figure-skating arenas In those cases the machines put down a fresh sheet of water that freezes onto the newly cleaned surface In a gym a Zamboni is like a giant polishing machine The court is ready but there is more to basketball than the court Along with everything else under the roof of the Thunderdome the actual gear used in the game falls under Dixon’s area of responsibility 11 INTRODUCTION
One of our last moves is to set up the baskets and shot clocks he says Every bolt gets tightened and checked We test the baskets by shooting at them and knocking them around The last thing we want is for someone to throw down a dunk and break some part of the basket or have the clock fall In fact if something like that happens we have only thirty minutes to repair it or the game could be forfeited to the visiting team Finally we clean the glass backboard and we put on new nets No arena manager wants to have any sort of negative effect on the outcome of a game so careful attention is paid to every aspect of player and equipment safety The fans are part of Dixon’s role too of course High on the list of every fan’s needs for a game is good food The concession stands must be set up cleaned and staffed with people who will prepare and serve the food Dixon has to make sure that all those people are on duty and ready to go After the court is ready Dixon’s team prepares the hospitality room that will play host to season ticket holders or special guests Food for them is laid out and the room is made spotless The crews then move outside the arena to clean the areas where fans will arrive The locker rooms are inspected too Then the public restrooms are checked Is there enough soap and toilet CAREERS OFF THE FIELD Sports Arena Event Management
paper Just because it has nothing to do with hoops and hardwood doesn’t mean it won’t affect a fan’s enjoyment of the game Everything gets checked At UCSB the ticket office is staffed by another department on campus At many other places however that function is part of the arena management A person in Dixon’s job will help oversee that vital part of the operation which includes making sure the office is staffed ensuring that there is change and working machines for ticket purchasers and that the ticket windows are ready to open Ticket offices also handle requests for passes from the players and coaches and sometimes take care of media credentials as well 13 INTRODUCTION A hands-on manager like Dixon pitches in to make sure student workers are safe and so are the baskets
