Coaches boxes

[All4SU]

Sometimes I wonder if I just don’t understand what people are thinking at all.

When Archbold Stadium was built, it was recognized as one of the greatest stadiums of its era.

When the Carrier Dome was constructed, it was viewed as a unique college football venue both practically and technologically.

I certainly wouldn’t say SU has a history of poor decisions or “cheap” solutions historically when it comes to building stadiums. Even Manley was bigger than most small private schools possessed in it’s time.

Yes you can make a case that SU doesn’t have a unlimited check book, and that forces them to be more practical. But it’s not like they build s#!+ either. The Dome has been remarkable in terms of longevity, versatility and practicality. Let’s wait and see how the rebuild turns out.

Addendum: As far as parking is concerned, it’s the trade-off we get for having our stadium on campus - as it should be. I wouldn’t give that up.

 

[OttoMets]

Sometimes I wonder if I just don’t understand what people are thinking at all.

When Archbold Stadium was built, it was recognized as one of the greatest stadiums of its era.

When the Carrier Dome was constructed, it was viewed as a unique college football venue both practically and technologically.

I certainly wouldn’t say SU has a history of poor decisions or “cheap” solutions historically when it comes to building stadiums. Even Manley was bigger than most small private schools possessed in it’s time.

Yes you can make a case that SU doesn’t have a unlimited check book, and that forces them to be more practical. But it’s not like they build s#!+ either. The Dome has been remarkable in terms of longevity, versatility and practicality. Let’s wait and see how the rebuild turns out.

Addendum: As far as parking is concerned, it’s the trade-off we get for having our stadium on campus - as it should be. I wouldn’t give that up.

I agree with the sentiment, but the Dome was definitely built in the most cost-efficient way possible - very little earth movement from the old Archbold excavation (which has limited everything they can do since then, from creating more media, locker-room, or food prep space on the floor level to preventing the reconfiguration of seating on the lower bowl); the least expensive roof available at the time (which has led to this sense of urgency, real or perceived, to replace it with something less likely to collapse); and no design enhancements of any kind (OK, I kind of like this aspect - it's a building for watching sports, and little else).

For the last generation, SU has mostly been about cutting costs in its construction projects, for better or worse. As you note, they don't have deep pockets. They went all-out on Eggers in the early 1990s. Since then, saving a buck has been prioritized over great design or high-end amenities. The new IVMF building is the closest they've come to throwing the kitchen sink into a project, but even that lost a story in the design process due to budget concerns.

 

[ForCuseSake]

Is this seriously an issue?

I’ve never heard of this.

 

[FrancoPizza]

I don’t need fancy food or valet parking. I just don’t want to wait an hour to grab my nachos and be afraid of being trampled to death at halftime. I don’t know how the concourses passed any fire codes in 1980. Maybe they didn’t have codes back then.

 

[rrlbees]

I don’t need fancy food or valet parking. I just don’t want to wait an hour to grab my nachos and be afraid of being trampled to death at halftime. I don’t know how the concourses passed any fire codes in 1980. Maybe they didn’t have codes back then.

More food options are coming, valet parking isn’t. It doesn’t take an hour to get nachos and I’ve never been trampled. The dome passed fire code.

 

[RandomGuy]

Unlike some, AC was top of my list. Over 80, outside, and I'd rather go nowhere near the place. Still do, but who wants to sit in a 95 degree petri dish? 90+ out, with a cool refreshing dome to pass the day? Yes please.

How many folks that went to the McCartney concert will never come back? (Or other sweltering events?) I can wait, patiently, for the other stuff..

 

[FrancoPizza]

More food options are coming, valet parking isn’t. It doesn’t take an hour to get nachos and I’ve never been trampled. The dome passed fire code.

Sitting courtside you might be missing out on the fun of being squeezed in a mass of humanity at halftime. This is not a dig - I just don’t think anybody in their right mind finds it to be a very pleasant experience not being able to move in any direction when you’re trying to reach the bathroom or find the stairs to get back to your seat. During halftime of a crowded game it’s literally taken me 20 minutes at times to reach the nearest bathroom and get back to my seat. That’s ridiculousness and I shouldn’t have to go before halftime or find a secret passage to make it work.

 

[rrlbees]

Sitting courtside you might be missing out on the fun of being squeezed in a mass of humanity at halftime. This is not a dig - I just don’t think anybody in their right mind finds it to be a very pleasant experience not being able to move in any direction when you’re trying to reach the bathroom or find the stairs to get back to your seat. During halftime of a crowded game it’s literally taken me 20 minutes at times to reach the nearest bathroom and get back to my seat. That’s ridiculousness and I shouldn’t have to go before halftime or find a secret passage to make it work.

I am fortunate to sometimes sit courtside. Those aren’t my seats. So I know what the concourses are like. I suggest you stay away since the whole experience seems to piss you off.

 

[OttoMets]

More food options are coming, valet parking isn’t. It doesn’t take an hour to get nachos and I’ve never been trampled. The dome passed fire code.

I did wait 45 minutes for nachos with my early-bird half-price voucher before Louisville or that other cold, rainy November game this year. It was obscene. Unusual, for sure, but worse than any stadium food experience other than maybe the first year Natinals Park was open.

I'm fully supportive of SU's use of non-profit boosters and work-study students rather than contracting the work out to Sodexo or one of those soulless concessionaires. The benefits are obvious.

But they are working in customer service and some improvements need to be made. 45 minutes, I s--- you not, at the midfield concession stand on the south side of the upper concourse, waiting in a line that didn't move, while my friends were enjoying themselves in our seats, only to bail when I realized the cheapo voucher had timed out and I was still half a dozen people from the window.

 

[FrancoPizza]

I am fortunate to sometimes sit courtside. Those aren’t my seats. So I know what the concourses are like. I suggest you stay away since the whole experience seems to piss you off.

Is that the answer you would give to every fan who would like to see improvements to the fan experience? To tell them to stay away? I think buzz tried that approach and it didn’t work out too well.

 

[DownTheField]

You should ask for a meeting with them.

Both SU and the city should be the ones asking for this meeting to get his/her advice on the Dome and 81. Then do the opposite.

 

[rrlbees]

Is that the answer you would give to every fan who would like to see improvements to the fan experience? To tell them to stay away? I think buzz tried that approach and it didn’t work out too well.

Yes I would tell others to stay away of everything about the school and programs piss them off. Coaches, players, recruits, the Dome, the AD, everything. And there is a fan experience committee that includes school officials and about two dozen fans.

 

[rrlbees]

Both SU and the city should be the ones asking for this meeting to get his/her advice on the Dome and 81. Then do the opposite.

SU has and does.

 

[DownTheField]

SU has and does.

I was being facetious. If SU is asking FrankoPizza for advice we’re all screwed.

 

[Newhouser]

More food options are coming, valet parking isn’t. It doesn’t take an hour to get nachos and I’ve never been trampled. The dome passed fire code.

Being a tad specific on purpose I assume - if you don't think the food lines are bad and the concourse is a problem, we aren't having the same experience.

 

[rrlbees]

Being a tad specific on purpose I assume - if you don't think the food lines are bad and the concourse is a problem, we aren't having the same experience.

Of course they aren't great and can be a pain. But the cost of knocking a bunch of walls out right now would eliminate pretty much everything else they want to do for the next 5 years. I'm pretty excited about the new roof, new sound system, new lighting, new scoreboard, significantly upgraded WiFi, etc. The roof and ADA upgrades they have to do.

 

[Cusefan78]

Of course they aren't great and can be a pain. But the cost of knocking a bunch of walls out right now would eliminate pretty much everything else they want to do for the next 5 years. I'm pretty excited about the new roof, new sound system, new lighting, new scoreboard, significantly upgraded WiFi, etc. The roof and ADA upgrades they have to do.

Oh come on if they wanted to do it they could find the money. That is an excuse for not wanting to invest properly in the future of athletics. The dome is obsolete. Adding a roof, a big screen,and WiFi is lipstick on a pig.

 

[OrangeDW]

Oh come on if they wanted to do it they could find the money. That is an excuse for not wanting to invest properly in the future of athletics. The dome is obsolete. Adding a roof, a big screen,and WiFi is lipstick on a pig.

I don’t know about “obsolete”. There’s so many “name” football and basketball programs who play in much older stadiums that are solely about watching the game. How old is the “Big House”, like 90? How old is Cameron? Allen Field House? This is college, not the NBA/NFL.

Wider aisles/more leg room and wider concourses are mainly all I care about. The other stuff will be nice, but has no effect on me either way.

The lack of A/C simply makes me go to the football games(I’m usually a 1-2 per season guy) where it’s not going to be a factor. But I imagine it will help attendance a bit for those early games.

 

[FAL]

Oh come on if they wanted to do it they could find the money. That is an excuse for not wanting to invest properly in the future of athletics. The dome is obsolete. Adding a roof, a big screen,and WiFi is lipstick on a pig.

But it’s OUR pig.

 

[Newhouser]

Of course they aren't great and can be a pain. But the cost of knocking a bunch of walls out right now would eliminate pretty much everything else they want to do for the next 5 years. I'm pretty excited about the new roof, new sound system, new lighting, new scoreboard, significantly upgraded WiFi, etc. The roof and ADA upgrades they have to do.

I share your excitement. I'm not sure I share your confidence that the wifi, sound and lights will be mind boggling better. I'm scared it will be mind boggling in the other direction, but I'm excited something is getting done.

 

[OrangeAl]

I thank God for my industrial grade, high capacity bladder. I've only used the troughs on the way out of the Dome. And I consider the concession stands to be a distraction from my mission of cheering us on to victory. But, I guess I'm not typical at all.

 

[OrangeDW]

I share your excitement. I'm not sure I share your confidence that the wifi, sound and lights will be mind boggling better. I'm scared it will be mind boggling in the other direction, but I'm excited something is getting done.

The wifi seemed to be an issue years ago. In the era where unlimited data is really common again(and seems to always work fine in the Dome now), I’m not sure that one matters much?

I couldn’t care less about the lights. Though if they’re able to do something cool for pregame intros, maybe the players and students will be happy.

Ultimately I just want to be able to move though the concourses and not have to lean all the way back to let people in and out of the aisle. Those things affect the game experience way more than anything else IMO.

 

[Newhouser]

The wifi seemed to be an issue years ago. In the era where unlimited data is really common again(and seems to always work fine in the Dome now), I’m not sure that one matters much?

I couldn’t care less about the lights. Though if they’re able to do something cool for pregame intros, maybe the players and students will be happy.

Ultimately I just want to be able to move though the concourses and not have to lean all the way back to let people in and out of the aisle. Those things affect the game experience way more than anything else IMO.

I agree

 

[rrlbees]

Oh come on if they wanted to do it they could find the money. That is an excuse for not wanting to invest properly in the future of athletics. The dome is obsolete. Adding a roof, a big screen,and WiFi is lipstick on a pig.

Um no.

 

[Cusefan78]

I don’t know about “obsolete”. There’s so many “name” football and basketball programs who play in much older stadiums that are solely about watching the game. How old is the “Big House”, like 90? How old is Cameron? Allen Field House? This is college, not the NBA/NFL.

Wider aisles/more leg room and wider concourses are mainly all I care about. The other stuff will be nice, but has no effect on me either way.

The lack of A/C simply makes me go to the football games(I’m usually a 1-2 per season guy) where it’s not going to be a factor. But I imagine it will help attendance a bit for those early games.

You won’t be getting any of the wider concourses aisles or leg room you want. Easy Money if you bet it’s a roof and scoreboard. I can see free ac in the future. After that minor insignificant upgrades will be the norm.