Many Tri-Staters own a piece of Roberts StadiumSaturday, after several items went up for auction.
Many people turned out to bid, reminisce, and get one last look at the old stadium Saturday.
"It's a sad event for it to come to this. But we've got to move on," said former Roberts Stadium employee Lisa Tenbarge.
Saturday's auction featured thousands of items from stadium signs to restaurant equipment.
"There's so many different opportunities here today," said Andrew Wilson with William Wilson Auction Realty. "And everyone is going to have a chance to buy something from Roberts Stadium. It's something you can keep with you forever. Pass it down from generation to generation. There are also things that you can use right now."
Wilson says close to 2,000 people showed up for the event, whether in person or through online bidding. Most of those we spoke to Saturday say they came to buy something, to keep the memory of Roberts Stadium alive.
"I come out just to see the turnout and see, to actually say I was here for the last event that was held here," Tenbarge said. "Just for memory's sake. You know? I worked concerts here. I worked ball games here. Yeah, for memory's sake."
Items such as parking signs and pieces of the gymnasium floor may not seem like valuable commodities, but those we spoke to off-camera say, the fact people have bought those things, demonstrates just how much the Tri-State values its beloved Roberts Stadium.
"I don't want a big-ticket item. Just something small where I can put it in a corner and look at it and say, 'Hey, I was a part of this," Tenbarge said.
Many of those we spoke to Saturday are very sentimental about Roberts Stadium, and they say they will dearly miss it, when it comes down in September.
And we know that over 2,000 people came from all over the US for this auction.
We're told the auction netted $246,000.
A buyer from Springfield, Illinois paid $36,000 for the stage. 5,600 stadium seats went for $30,000.
The basketball floor sold for just over $17,000. It was bought by someone from North Dakota, and the basketball goals went for $7000.
Another interesting fact: 31% of the items were sold online.
Featured sales (highest to lowest):
- Stage: $36,000 to a buyer in Springfield, IL
- 5,600 Stadium seats: $30,000
- Portable seats: $17,250 to North Dakota
- Basketball floor: $16,000 to Oklahoma
- Basketball goals: $7,000 to former Notre Dame and Washington, Indiana standout Luke Zeller's non-profit basketball school Distinxion
- A group of (13) collectible sets of stadium seats sold for $300 each
- A simple Evansville Aces plastic 24" x 48" sign sold to a Fan wearing an Aces shirt for $500
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The stadium is set to be demolished next month, and many say they're going to miss it.
