ACC Baseball?

[SU2NASA]

There's also room to build on south campus. It doesn't take a fancy facility, hell, some of the top programs don't really have much of a baseball stadium.

Look at Arizona State.

 

[OttoMets]

Understand that, I'm only talking lower deck seats on part of one sideline. A la the Marlins current stadium. It doesn't have to play as far down the line as the Marlins.

That'd still be really expensive; when the Dome was built, they didn't excavate much of the portion under the north/east/west stands and concourses. Not only would a renovation need to demolish a portion of the first deck on one side of the field, they'd also have to blast out a ton of rock.

Bright side is the newly-created space under the stands could be used for long-needed overflow media and locker room space.

It still seems unlikely they could justify that expense (and inconvenience - I don't know that they could accomplish that sort of project in the window between commencement and the football opener).

 

[BonevilleJacket]

They could just play at J-D. College bball doesn't draw particularly well anyway, except for tournaments. Mostly families and gfs.

We average around 2K per game. For a conference weekend series, we'll pull in over 10K.

 

[dollarbill44]

We average around 2K per game. For a conference weekend series, we'll pull in over 10K.

Sorry, but who is "we"?

 

[SU2NASA]

That'd still be really expensive; when the Dome was built, they didn't excavate much of the portion under the north/east/west stands and concourses. Not only would a renovation need to demolish a portion of the first deck on one side of the field, they'd also have to blast out a ton of rock.

Bright side is the newly-created space under the stands could be used for long-needed overflow media and locker room space.

It still seems unlikely they could justify that expense (and inconvenience - I don't know that they could accomplish that sort of project in the window between commencement and the football opener).

When Michigan did their renovations, they did this around the entire bowl to add structural support. They'd have to move lax and do it after basketball season. At my commencement at Michigan Stadium in 2005, the opposite sideline of the stadium had been blown to bits.

 

[BonevilleJacket]

Sorry, but who is "we"?

My apologies. Georgia Tech.

Guess I ought to change my avatar to make that a bit more obvious.

 

[dollarbill44]

My apologies. Georgia Tech.

Guess I ought to change my avatar to make that a bit more obvious.

Welcome to our board.

As much as I would love to say otherwise, Syracuse is not going to draw like GT for baseball - I guarantee it. I bet most ACC schools don't draw like you do.

Atlanta is a big baseball town. Syracuse-not so much.

I don't think you're going to get many students to attend home games in April when it's 45-50 degrees with on-and-off rain/snow and 30 mph winds.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

As a baseball nut, I want to see it happen no matter what the obstacles. Someone who doesn't like baseball is going to use any excuse possible because they want to see every last dollar go to the football or basketball program. So this debate is not an easy one when looking purely at what direction to go in when it comes to what is better for the school.

-Weather or travel doesn't cause much of a problem to me. Plenty of northern schools have successfully laid the blueprint there, and especially if Uconn goes to the ACC with us, we would make it at least 3 northern programs that will be joining a fourth (BC) in the new conference.

-Recruiting, again, not worried there. In this year's draft 28 players were drafted out of NY HS or college programs, 29 the year before that, and 26 before that and so on. This doesn't include what is probably a large number of HS and JUCO kids who leave the state to play elsewhere.

-This is not HS, where you get the limited number of good athletes trying to decide whether or not to play baseball or lacrosse. For our purposes they are two totally separate entities, so I really don't think anyone needs to take sides in that manner.

-The field issue may be a tough one, but I think fusing the two ideas together of utilizing an on-campus field and ABS could be great for building the foundation of a program. When the Chiefs are out of town, Syracuse has its games at ABS. When the Chiefs are in town, an Orange/Chiefs double-header would be awesome. Obviously some logistics problems arise, so you do need the on-campus field handy, but if they can be paved over I think that would be a great way to provide an event for the fans that maximize their limited budgets. Also, at some point a decision on the Dome will have to happen. WHEN however, will probably be decided by the economy, the success of our football team, and how much cash the ACC actually provides. But if a renovation or rebuild takes place ten or fifteen years down the road, you have the time to develop a competitive program, and then the opportunity to take that competitive program and boost it to elite levels if the "new Dome" can be configured for baseball too.

-As with everything, the biggest obstacle has to do with initial funding. I think the program can take care of itself, but the added costs of evening out the men's and women's sports make it more of an up-front gamble. A deep study into donors, ACC perks, etc. etc. may paint a clearer picture, but I think most of the other issues are way down on the totem pole.

 

[cusestudent]

Baseball would definitely be a great idea for SU. Central New York is one of the most underrated areas for baseball talent in the country, just look at Phil Pohl who is the starting catcher from Clemson out of Cooperstown. This area has deep baseball roots, and not to mention it has the JUCO baseball school in the country 45 minutes away at HCCC. SU would have no problems getting the local kids to stay here in baseball to lay the foundation for a solid roster supported by kids from NYC, and then occasionally dipping into the Southern states to get the skill players.

 

[Garrett_TD23]

Play at Yankee stadium

Seriously, unless there is a high demand for it or was part of the agreement to be members of the ACC I don't see why you would start now.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

Play at Yankee stadium

Seriously, unless there is a high demand for it or was part of the agreement to be members of the ACC I don't see why you would start now.

Fair enough, but by the same token, if the roadblocks aren't as big as they seem, then why not.

 

[jekelish]

I haven't been around SU much since I graduated, so for those in the know, does Syracuse still have its club baseball team? One of my roommates was a captain of the club team, and they always played their games at the Chiefs' stadium. I don't see why that couldn't continue. It's not like there aren't any other northern teams who face similar weather challenges, either.

 

[BlackKnight76]

I'd love baseball. That and lax would make spring a lot of fun.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.041930,-76.136107

 

[tep624]

Not if they don't fund any kind of women's team first.

Maybe the ACC money helps with that. Should get a hockey team and bring back wrestling too while we're at it. Are there even 3 women's sports to add?

 

[cusestudent]

Yes, there is still a club team for baseball, so there is a start to moving to bringing a baseball team to SU. As far as hockey goes SU has club teams for both women and men, so that would work under Title IX.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Maybe the ACC money helps with that. Should get a hockey team and bring back wrestling too while we're at it. Are there even 3 women's sports to add?

As the facility is already there could theoretically bring back womens swim/dive only. Swim is BIG in the ACC, tons of Carolina swimmers at Jr. Nationals and Greensboro just built a multimillion dollar aquatic center, right next door to the infamous Coliseum, for ACC Competition and possibly for 2016 Olympic swim trials. Personally I would love to see the entire swim program brought back to SU with new coaching.

 

[SU2NASA]

Maybe the ACC money helps with that. Should get a hockey team and bring back wrestling too while we're at it. Are there even 3 women's sports to add?

When we worked the SU D-1 hockey proposal in 1999, Hockey East was interested in adding a Syracuse team...

 

[mojaveheel]

@ UNC we have women athletes, on a full ride, who are playing their sport for the first time in college...

not women's soccer, obviously, but many others...

Title IX ain't goin' away any time soon...

 

[orange79]

Yes, there is still a club team for baseball, so there is a start to moving to bringing a baseball team to SU. As far as hockey goes SU has club teams for both women and men, so that would work under Title IX.

Wait. We have D-1 hockey for women. Entering their fourth (third?) season.

 

[TexanMark]

NFW, we need to compete in sports we can suceed at. Start up a Men's Hockey team first. Add women's Curling or Rifle for Title IX compliance.

 

[RoysRunts]

Why would the ACC even want an SU baseball team? I don't want to see any non-lax school start up a team they don't really want because they're forced to. I'd rather play MD, VA, NC, Duke twice a year.

I would like to see NC State restart their Lax Team.

 

[Moontan]

Sorry, but who is "we"?

That's Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets. Hence the "Jacket" as part of his board name.

 

[dollarbill44]

That's Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets. Hence the "Jacket" as part of his board name.

Thanks, but you're kind of late. He put the Yellowjacket in his avatar shortly afterward too. For all I knew, Boneville Jacket was a type of outerwear.

 

[tep624]

NFW, we need to compete in sports we can suceed at. Start up a Men's Hockey team first. Add women's Curling or Rifle for Title IX compliance.

I actually like that idea.

Men's Ice Hockey - Women's Ice Hockey
Men's Baseball - Women's Curling (SU is close enough to Canada, why not.)
Men's Swimming/Diving - Women's Swimming/Diving
Men's Wrestling - Women's Rifle

Get it Done!