Arizona State AD Ray Anderson: Renovations on horizon for Wells Fargo Arena

Future renovations to Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium have generated a lot of buzz around the Valley, with early mockups making their way into press stories and Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson frequently discussing the status of those projects on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

On Wednesday, Anderson discussed changes to another Sun Devil athletics venue while a guest of Bickley and Marotta.

“There’s no question that the basketball stadium is a priority as well,” he said, praising the recent energy levels from home fans at Wells Fargo Arena.

Students have helped to create a lively atmosphere at the arena, introducing things at men’s games like the “Curtain of Distraction,” which has garnered a lot of attention nationally. And ASU women, meanwhile, have jumped out to a 21-3 start, cracking the Top 10 earlier in the season and currently holding a No. 12 ranking.

“Very frankly, (renovation) discussions have been going on since I got here,” Anderson said. “It’s not like we are ignoring basketball.”

The project’s timeline, he said, is subject to financing obstacles, but on-court success and men’s wins like Saturday’s against arch-rival Arizona — which saw 10,876 pack in to the building — should help to expedite the process.

“I don’t think there’s any question that folks who support our basketball program need to know that we’ve got to address that here in short order,” Anderson concluded. “And we will.”

ASU’s next home game is Wednesday, Feb. 18 against UCLA.