Murphy Ctr., when built, was as much as could have been hoped for in an arena at MT. The PTB at the time were, and still should be, commended for waiting until the funding was secured to make the facility a true "Athletic and Convocation Center" rather than being just an enlarged AMG (which would have been possible years earlier).
For many years after being built The Murph was great for MT BkB, TSSAA State Tournaments, graduations, etc. and was the best concert venue in the mid-south. But, times have changed and the needs for MT basketball with it. Steps have been and are apparently being taken to start bringing Murphy Ctr. into this century but the process will be long and arduous. Major upgrades will require huge funding and must take priority behind other athletic needs such as a new IPF which includes an indoor track.
Regardless, back to the thread there are needed changes to the seating layout for BkB games not just including the placement of the two teams even if that change is possible (IIRC the teams were on the opposite side of the floor when first opened but I could be wrong).
While every seat in The Murph is great with good sightlines to the floor there are several issues which could possibly be addressed with a new perspective (coming from a new staff?).
Ideally:
> Students should be on the court facing the most prominent TV cameras (which IMHO would encourage student attendance and early arrival) Not good that the high-dollar seats are located on both sides on the floor.
> Seating for reserved, student, and general admission should be clearly identified and enforced (not just for the benefit of reserved seat holders but also to get all students together where they can be a part of the student experience - way too many students who attend infrequently seem to feel all seating is GA).
> A method for ensuring that most reserved seats near the floor are filled should be implemented (our TV crowd is often seen as among the worse in college BkB).
> Season ticket holders whose seats are rarely used should be moved away from the court (if we don't have a way to tell which season tickets are used a method should be immediately implemented).
Change will be hard on some fans (perhaps this fan included) but current needs are not being met with the seating policies in place. Now would be a good time to address some of the issues with seating in the venue.