The Aurora Games will return to Albany, but they might be better off in a smaller venue

It was announced Sunday that the Aurora Games will return in 2021 & 2023, with both events set to be, as was this year's inaugural event, in Albany, presumably at Times Union Center.

Apparently, arena GM Bob Belber & his staff were wearing blinders, because the 6 day event drew just over 20,000 fans total, an average of over 4,000 per day, in a building that can house up to 16 or 17,000 for a concert. Siena College's men's basketball team has been known to crack the 10,000 mark in attendance for a game, depending on the opponent.

But there are questions.

Like, who really wants to see hockey or figure skating in the middle of the summer?

How do they compete with Saratoga race track, which had over 45,000 fans for the Travers on Saturday?

Does the TUC and event organizer Jerry Solomon lower ticket prices to make things more affordable for families? A family of four, at $25 per ticket, plus parking and the overpriced concessions, would have to pick one of six nights to go, not able to afford going every night, unless this was the family of a state worker, or Governor Cuomo.

ESPN2 covered events on four of the six dates, leaving Friday & Sunday to ESPN3, their online service, due to previous commitments. ESPN's own commitments to MLB & the WNBA made it impossible for the Aurora Games to air on the so-called "Worldwide Leader in Sports". The network would be wise to work with a local station so that local viewers can see all the events next time.

As the Albany Patroons found out when they morphed into the Capital Region Pontiacs nearly 30 years ago, playing basketball in the cavernous TUC (back then known as the Knickerbocker Arena) was not a good idea, but their home, the ancient, acoustically challenged Washington Avenue Armory, isn't a good idea, either. For Aurora Games II to succeed, they need to move uphill to the Capital Center, which hosted "Fan Zone events all week. A smaller venue should draw more people and money, shouldn't it?

Bob Belber, your move.