Arizona freshman guard Skylar Jones (4), making the first start of her college career, goes up toward the hoop while being defended by Cal guard McKayla Williams (24) on a fourth quarter-drive during their Wildcats' 66-55 win over the Golden Bears at McKale Center on Jan. 26. More than 7,200 were on hand for the UA win, as the Wildcats continue to be one of the top women's college basketball draws both in the Pac-12 and nationally.
A packed and loud McKale Center crowd erupts behind a celebrating Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) after the Wildcats made a late stand, forcing a UCLA turnover while clinging to a slim lead in the final minute of the Arizona's final Tucson showdown with the Bruins as members of the Pac-12 on Jan. 20. Arizona chipped away at a 19-point UCLA lead to win, 77-71, behind 22 points from Larsson.
Imagine getting a draft of a Pac-12 schedule showing that twice, in a span of four weeks, both of Arizonaβs hoops teams β programs with attendance draws at the top of the Pac-12 conference year in, year out β had games scheduled for McKale Center on the same day.
Welcome to the world of Ashley Summerset and Mike Hairgrove.
This, of course, isnβt the first time that there have been back-to-back events in the arena. Besides, when the UA is hosting the WNIT or NCAA Tournament, there are times when a gymnastics meet falls between two basketball games or a volleyball match is squeezed in as well. Even this past January, when Arizonaβs menβs and womenβs basketball programs filled the building on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
This time, however, is the first time in UA womenβs basketball coach Adia Barnesβ Arizona career that there is this sort-of doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.
Arizonaβs womenβs team (11-10, 3-6) hosts rival ASU (10-11, 2-7) at noon, followed by the UAβs menβs team (16-5, 7-3) hosting Stanford (11-9, 6-4) at 6 p.m.
Perhaps itβs not a true doubleheader, considering the games arenβt exactly one after another (by the time the womenβs game ends, there will be between 3Β½ and 4 hours until tipoff of the menβs game. But even that still requires coordination and planning from both the facilities crew and the teams involved.
And it will happen again in less than a month on March 2, when the Arizona men face Oregon at noon before the UA womenβs squad plays UCLA at 6 p.m.
Summerset, the UAβs associate director of event operations, first thought when she saw this on the schedule: βOh, poor facilities or I hope facilities is going to be OK,β she said with a laugh as she looked at Hairgrove, who is assistant athletic director of athletic facilities, on a recent Zoom call.
βWeβve had doubleheaders in the past where itβs been two different sports,β Summerset continued. βI think seeing two basketballs at the same time, it was a combination of βWhy are we doing a doubleheader? Especially during conference,β but then also β(Thankfully) itβs basketball.ββ
The reason for Summersetβs relief: it is much easier to do for two basketball games than just about any of the other combinations.
The good thing is that Pac-12 actually asked Arizona how much time they would need in between games to do everything that needs to be done to turn the arena around for the next crowd β and the conference listened.
Focus on fan experience
Thereβs a lot to be done on a day like Sunday, including getting fans in and out of the arena and parking lots, as well as cleaning up. Itβs a big undertaking.
Hairgrove said if they do true back-to-back games like UCLA and USC have done this season, Arizona would have most likely have taken a look at a lot of logistical points. The biggest challenge would be the fan experience and how to move people in and out. Where does everyone park? Do you clear out one group before letting another one in? How would tickets work? Especially now that womenβs basketball has around 7,000 season ticket holders and these overlap with those who attend the menβs games.
Both Hairgrove and Summerset were calm earlier in the week, knowing what lay ahead for them and everyone who will be working the games. Then, again, they both have experienced lots of crazy days and nights in their profession.
There are days when womenβs basketball and softball are playing at the same time, and Summerset can be seen driving her golf cart between McKale and Hillenbrand Stadium, overseeing both events. Hairgrove can similarly be seen shuttling between menβs hoops, tennis, football and baseball, among other sports. Heβs also been one of the architects in bringing replay abilities across many UA sports, including baseball and softball most recently.
They said that last weekend, with a late night womenβs basketball game on Friday night, gymnastics meet on Saturday, then an early womenβs hoops on Sunday, was more work in terms of moving equipment on, then off, the court.
Thatβs not to say weeks like that one in early January β four consecutive basketball games in four days β arenβt difficult. Many of the table crew to the event staffers, parking attendants and concessions supervisors work both sports, leading to a long four days.
βThe longevity of that β¦ you just get tired from that,β Summerset said. βWhereas a doubleheader, yes, itβs going to be the same thing, if everybodyβs working both sports. Theyβre going to be here all day. But you can command all of your energy the one day instead of a long weekend.β
All in the planning
The planning starts early in the week. Summerset communicates with officials and visiting teams, concessions and security vendors and the rest of the crew. They have to think about everything from making sure the visiting teamsβ buses are arriving and leaving (and at the right times) and locker rooms are available when needed.
Then comes the TV challenge. For Sunday, womenβs basketball is on Pac-12 Networks, while the menβs game is on FS1. Big issues included whether there was a need for two TV trucks, both needing unique setups in and around the arena to cater to each networkβs preferences. It also takes six hours to do complete that set β time that UA doesnβt have.
Two weeks ago, UA received confirmation that both networks were going to use the same truck, so no need to switch anything out.
They also had to set up practice times for four teams. Stanfordβs menβs team opted out of their time to practice in McKale and will do so in Richard Jefferson Gymnasium; that decision was based in part on their preference for practice time. For teams on the road this is usually one of the hardest things because of all the other sports that use the arena each weekend.
βWeβre treating it as two separate events because of that gap in time (between the two games),β Hairgrove said. βWeβll have a group set up for the outside β the metal detectors and all of the gate entrance equipment that we put up. Weβll have them set up for the womenβs game. Usually, they tear it all down at halftime. Weβll just have them move it out of the way, so we can create a clear path for people exiting McKale. Then, probably about an hour or so after the conclusion of the womenβs game, weβre going to have another small crew come in move it into play to get ready for the menβs game.β
They donβt have to change any seating around the court as both squads have the same configuration. Womenβs basketball made the switch, adding more courtside seats a few years ago; though, some graphics will change between games for the scoreboards around the arena.
Cleanup between games with womenβs basketball going first isnβt much different than any other game.
βI would definitely like to thank our womenβs fans because to me, it seems like theyβre much cleaner than the menβs fans are,β Hairgrove said.
Summerset added, βUntil the last (womenβs basketball) game, I didnβt have a single custodial call for spill, which was great. I donβt think you can get through a (menβs) game without a spill call.β
Photos: No. 6 Stanford hands Arizona a loss at home in women's basketball, 96-64
Photos: University of Arizona cruises past Cal 91-65, Pac 12 basketball