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Post by brandon on Apr 4, 2019 19:47:46 GMT -6
If you really think about it, 15k would almost have to be our minimum, for example, the A&M game last season was over 15k and it had been how long since we played?
JSU and UNA are a much bigger, heated rivalry, 15k would be packed for that game.
Just having their own on campus stadium, I would imagine students will show up more, say 80% of the student body show up every game on average. That would be around 5k ih students alone, assuming no more student growth.
A new stadium should interest alumni and the general public so you would have to account for that.
I wouldn't be surprised to se expansion ro happen quickly.
By the way. Go ahead and email Linder, and the guy that did the presentation and tell them you want to put your name in for season tickets for the new stadium.
It will go a very long way to get the ball rolling even faster.
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Post by brandon on Apr 4, 2019 19:50:32 GMT -6
And name the place
BOBBY WALLACE STADIUM
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Post by unafied on Apr 4, 2019 20:49:12 GMT -6
Hey, I could get on board with that free beer idea...
Just finished the video. It’s interesting to me that they are even mentioning off-campus sites, when it feels like building the new stadium beside Flowers is the whole reason baseball is moving. I suppose they want to keep their options open. That’s not a bad thing, of course.
I 100% prefer on-campus, but if they did go somewhere else, I feel like the old foundry site they mentioned in east Florence would be better than the old ECM site. They’ve mentioned for years turning that strip of businesses where Staggs Grocery is into... something better than it is. I actually think that area could have a lot of potential. Plus transportation in and out would seemingly be better. I’ve read that the ECM site has already been earmarked to be housing. I suppose the city might be willing to change their mind on that, but who knows.
Incorporating the UNA “look” seems to be a priority, so that’s promising.
I do hope they get the “fan zone” type of idea right. Whether we diehards like it or not, there’s a lot of fans that are willing to come to a game but may not necessarily want to actually watch it the entire time. I know, it’s crazy, but when you consider wives, children, etc., it makes sense to perhaps give them an area they can go to if they are, well, bored. It’s a trend around the country to battle the falling attendance. The idea mentioned of a UNA sports hall of fame is a good one. Lots of potential for that to be a draw, as long as it’s something more than just pictures on a wall - make it interactive somehow.
All in all, it’s promising that they are finally talking about this. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place in Braly, since we don’t want to spend our own money to do the proper renovations. I’m hoping five years from now we are getting ready to open the thing (though I wouldn’t mind if it were somehow sooner).
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Post by Lion2001 on Apr 4, 2019 21:54:56 GMT -6
Just watched the presentation. I know it is years off, but the diagram of the overall footprint of the stadium in either place it was shown didn’t seem to include any room for expansion. I know they were talking about upper decks, but there still needs to be SOME room behind the proposed seating to expand, right? The practice field is right next to the stadium, and it’s a tight fit on the other sides. I just don’t want them to box themselves in. Also... He mentioned UAB and smaller stadiums... Well yeah! They’re building a smaller stadium than what they have, because they are in LEGION FIELD! We don’t need to go smaller than 15,000. 20,000 would be even better.
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Post by brandon on Apr 5, 2019 6:26:22 GMT -6
Just watched the presentation. I know it is years off, but the diagram of the overall footprint of the stadium in either place it was shown didn’t seem to include any room for expansion. I know they were talking about upper decks, but there still needs to be SOME room behind the proposed seating to expand, right? The practice field is right next to the stadium, and it’s a tight fit on the other sides. I just don’t want them to box themselves in. Also... He mentioned UAB and smaller stadiums... Well yeah! They’re building a smaller stadium than what they have, because they are in LEGION FIELD! We don’t need to go smaller than 15,000. 20,000 would be even better. Make sure you email him and voice your concerns. And there is room for expansion away from the "home side" with the box seating. But there is no need to start with 10-12k and then turn around and have to expand. Start with 15-20k, fill it regularly and then expand if need be. The 10-12k is just asking for it to cost more than it should.
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Post by Lion2001 on Apr 5, 2019 6:31:39 GMT -6
Just watched the presentation. I know it is years off, but the diagram of the overall footprint of the stadium in either place it was shown didn’t seem to include any room for expansion. I know they were talking about upper decks, but there still needs to be SOME room behind the proposed seating to expand, right? The practice field is right next to the stadium, and it’s a tight fit on the other sides. I just don’t want them to box themselves in. Also... He mentioned UAB and smaller stadiums... Well yeah! They’re building a smaller stadium than what they have, because they are in LEGION FIELD! We don’t need to go smaller than 15,000. 20,000 would be even better. Make sure you email him and voice your concerns. And there is room for expansion away from the "home side" with the box seating. But there is no need to start with 10-12k and then turn around and have to expand. Start with 15-20k, fill it regularly and then expand if need be. The 10-12k is just asking for it to cost more than it should. What is the email?
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Post by unafied on Apr 5, 2019 6:45:47 GMT -6
Not saying there shouldn't be 15k permanent seats from the start, but since in the video they kept mentioning the "plaza" endzone - I wonder if they're thinking that a lot of students or just tailgaters in general would prefer to watch the game from there? How would we feel about there being X number of permanent seats, and then "standing room only" plaza admission that costs $5 or so (or I suppose still free for students)? I'm not even sure it's the best thing to do, but it might be a creative way to get people to the game that otherwise might consider it to be too expensive.
I know a lot of minor league teams have lawns in the outfield where they let people throw down a blanket or something for a cheap price. And of course, they mentioned how MiLB is offering some of the best fan experiences these days.
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Post by rabunlion on Apr 5, 2019 9:41:00 GMT -6
That seems to be the idea...make it more attractive to students and younger fans like a minor or in some cases a Major League Baseball stadium.
Also I remember years ago discussing stadium size with the AD from Appalachian State. This was pre-FBS but I asked with all the sellouts why not expand (they eventually did) he said keeping it small and making the ticket hard to get forced more season ticket sales and thus butts in the bleachers...it created urgency to buy early.
While they clearly are ready for a new stadium because of their support...NDSU follows this model and thus has a waiting list for season tickets. Being the only game in town and winning the NC every year doesn't hurt either.
All that said this is exciting times - what a year Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Vanderbilt, Southern Utah, A&M....FCS team of the week in our very first football game and new stadium talk in baseball, football and soccer!
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Post by lions09 on Apr 5, 2019 11:15:08 GMT -6
A decade ago, 12K wouldn't have been enough for our football games. These days, it will be plenty big enough.
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Post by catscratchfever4 on Apr 5, 2019 13:21:24 GMT -6
A decade ago, 12K wouldn't have been enough for our football games. These days, it will be plenty big enough. .
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Post by catscratchfever4 on Apr 5, 2019 13:23:43 GMT -6
We have to be careful not to run off fans. They've already ran off many over the last few years because you can't get in till halftime because they only have two ticket booths. UNA has always had a large walk up crowd. If they kill that off, we'll be in a heap of trouble.
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Post by brandon on Apr 5, 2019 13:26:37 GMT -6
A decade ago, 12K wouldn't have been enough for our football games. These days, it will be plenty big enough. A lot has changed in a decade. But with growing excitement, I'm afraid we will be out more money building it smaller than it needs to be. We have a big fans base, they just dont care nothing about coming to see D2 schools anymore, hell, they wasnt showing up for VSU or DSU. The only D2 school they would show up for was UWA. I'm telling you, you build it smaller that 15k ro start, there is going to be a lot of pissed off folks when we play A&M or JSU and probably UT Chattanooga in the new stadium. Not to mention a program that dont sick like the ones I mention.
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Post by brandon on Apr 5, 2019 13:28:38 GMT -6
Make sure you email him and voice your concerns. And there is room for expansion away from the "home side" with the box seating. But there is no need to start with 10-12k and then turn around and have to expand. Start with 15-20k, fill it regularly and then expand if need be. The 10-12k is just asking for it to cost more than it should. What is the email? Lenders email is on Roarlions.com, the other guy mentioned it in the video. I will have to go back to get it.
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Post by una04 on Apr 5, 2019 14:07:09 GMT -6
A decade ago, 12K wouldn't have been enough for our football games. These days, it will be plenty big enough. A lot has changed in a decade. But with growing excitement, I'm afraid we will be out more money building it smaller than it needs to be. We have a big fans base, they just dont care nothing about coming to see D2 schools anymore, hell, they wasnt showing up for VSU or DSU. The only D2 school they would show up for was UWA. I'm telling you, you build it smaller that 15k ro start, there is going to be a lot of pissed off folks when we play A&M or JSU and probably UT Chattanooga in the new stadium. Not to mention a program that dont sick like the ones I mention. I couldn’t agree more Brandon, how could we go smaller than 15K? I think if we go less than 20K we are making a mistake.. I’m just going to pick 2 schools that would be a sellout or very close at 20K and that’s A&M and JSU!! If we want to succeed we have to go somewhere between 20-30K, I could see future opponents coming to Florence like Alabama State, South Alabama, Troy, UAB and Middle Tennessee, if you build it they will come and if you don’t we will never get home games against teams like that and it will set us back.
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Post by una04 on Apr 5, 2019 15:23:22 GMT -6
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