Goodbye Aluminum seats | Page 12 | Syracusefan.com

Goodbye Aluminum seats

Sat in Albany Times Union Center Saturday night. Had never given the seating in there a second thought until this thread. Just eyeballing the rows I think there is more room in the Dome 300 level but could be about the same. 300 level is definitely not smaller. Sitting in my Times Union seat my knees were 4" from the seat in front of me. It's packed in but perfectly fine. Can't wait for 300 level chairback seats and cup holders.
 


Syracuse sports fans will have at least one more football season with the familiar metal benches inside the Carrier Dome.

While some of the work on the latest batch of stadium renovations could begin this summer, Syracuse Athletic Director John Wildhack said in a recent interview that the planned new chair back seats won’t be in place for the coming season, and the school is still determining how to best replace the old silver seats.

The change will reduce capacity, but just how much of a reduction will depend on the dimensions of the seats that Syracuse opts to put in.

(The new seating) won’t be for Fall 2022,” Wildhack said. “The devil is in the detail in terms of how you reseat and everything. Inevitably, we’ll lose some seating. It depends on the size of the chair backs. We don’t know the exact number. We’re doing our research on that, literally, as we speak.”
 
Not that this should matter in the grand scheme of things, but spoke to my pre-teen kids and they are disappointed the benches are going away. They liked to slide on them.
 
That would surprise me, it's just not a desirable location to stay. The Dome is the only attraction within blocks over there. Even to the extent that maybe 10 or 15 annual Dome events do drive hotel traffic, I'd imagine that most of those people would be picking a hotel for proximity to bars and restaurants as much or more than being adjacent to the Dome.

Agreed, Marshall street is obviously an option and some good places there but obviously those options are limited and if its a Thurs Fri or Sat will be overrun with college kids which may not work if its a family, older couple etc. Also if its during a time students are on break the campus will be a ghost town and I am not sure SU wants people just wandering around.
 
Personally, I would rather see that key area of real estate used to improve the fan experience, and make the sports venue better. Use it to address weaknesses and bring the facility to the latest level of comfort and technology.

We know more locker rooms are needed. We do a lot of men and women doubleheaders where this is a big deal. We host a lot of tournaments/playoffs where this is a constraint. How many football games are played in the dome late in the year? There is no room to do proper press conferences for both coaches. Opposing coaches appear to be using a hallway right now. I think JB uses a locker room for his.

At least at one point, the media needed a room (to develop pictures maybe?). That might not be needed but they probably need more space. This was one of the issues preventing us from bidding to host the Final Four.

But more than any of that, there is a urgent need for more space on the western side of the facility for fans. There are no bathrooms on the western end of the facility. Not a single one. And yet we have 20K concentrated on that end for men's hoops games every year (and a lesser amount for close to 20 women's hoops games) and anytime anyone has to go to the bathroom, they have really long walks to do their business. So you need to add bathrooms on the western end (like done on the eastern end). Except on the lower and upper levels.

There are very limited options for concessions on the western end of the dome. You have to walk a long way if you want anything except for a handful of things (candy, water, soda maybe beer). Like everything, it is worse on the upper concourse.

And there is an acute need for more space on the western concourses. That small room built in the middle of the lower concourse on the eastern side that has the high tables for people to put their food and drinks so they can eat like civilized people needs to be recreated on the western side. It is needed more urgently on that side because that is the end where basketball is played.

Imagine if there was a restaurant in the dome near your seats on the western end of the venue where you could order a decent meal an hour before the game, sit down and eat it from a comfortable chair on a comfortable table, and maybe watch the pregame show and hear a breakdown of the game. I still work. It is hard to find time to eat dinner at home and stay get to the dome in time for a 7 pm weekday tipoff. Even if the restaurant was a fast food place, it would be a huge improvement to me. If there were a couple of choices...wow, how awesome.

Given there is no building close by on the other side of the western wall, I would think it would be easier to build out to the west and really open up the western concourses. Imagine a wall of glass looking over Onondaga Valley (okay, you would mostly see the new law school and a parking garage). But still, it would be nice to be able to see outside, have some room to walk around and a place to eat and drink.

If you doubt this is needed, all you need to do is look at the western concourses just before a hoops game or at halftime of a big game. They are a sea of humanity. It is a real mess and more space is urgently needed.

The hell with a hotel. Give me some space. Make it easier for me to go to the bathroom and eat and drink. That would be awesome and I think it would be really well received by the fanbase. Might even help to make up for the anger people are going to feel when their basketball seasons get reassigned to significantly worse locations.

This is spot on. My Football tickets are thankfully on the East side but when I used to attend bball games with lincolncuse his bball tickets were on the West side upper level. Trying to take a piss felt like you were walking back to your car in the Fine lot and after the game I felt I was was heading on a pilgrimage to Mecca the hallways were so crowded. Food options were like something out of 1986 and each stand had the exact same 5 items.

SU putting something over on the west side would greatly enhance the fan experience and could be a really money generator for SU. As noted a restaurant or general area where people could congregate pre game and perhaps even post game would generate funds for SU especially during the winter when tailgating is simply not viable. With it being a fresh build they could do both the 1st and upper level giving additional eating an seating areas or perhaps a restaurant or something up top with seating and more casual stuff below or even a full bar.
 
Those aluminum benches would make a nice pier or boardwalk down at the inner harbour.
 


Syracuse sports fans will have at least one more football season with the familiar metal benches inside the Carrier Dome.

While some of the work on the latest batch of stadium renovations could begin this summer, Syracuse Athletic Director John Wildhack said in a recent interview that the planned new chair back seats won’t be in place for the coming season, and the school is still determining how to best replace the old silver seats.

The change will reduce capacity, but just how much of a reduction will depend on the dimensions of the seats that Syracuse opts to put in.

(The new seating) won’t be for Fall 2022,” Wildhack said. “The devil is in the detail in terms of how you reseat and everything. Inevitably, we’ll lose some seating. It depends on the size of the chair backs. We don’t know the exact number. We’re doing our research on that, literally, as we speak.”
Glad to see the PS retracting their earlier mistake about the timing of the project.

Lots of big news coming out of SUAD in recent months.

Lally Center
Phase 2 of Dome Renovation
New HC for Women's Basketball
New Name Sponsor for the Dome

In addition, they are trying hard to navigate the complexities of NIL.

It is a crazy time for college athletics in general and SU Athletics in particular. Crazy but also very exciting.
 
This is spot on. My Football tickets are thankfully on the East side but when I used to attend bball games with lincolncuse his bball tickets were on the West side upper level. Trying to take a piss felt like you were walking back to your car in the Fine lot and after the game I felt I was was heading on a pilgrimage to Mecca the hallways were so crowded. Food options were like something out of 1986 and each stand had the exact same 5 items.

SU putting something over on the west side would greatly enhance the fan experience and could be a really money generator for SU. As noted a restaurant or general area where people could congregate pre game and perhaps even post game would generate funds for SU especially during the winter when tailgating is simply not viable. With it being a fresh build they could do both the 1st and upper level giving additional eating an seating areas or perhaps a restaurant or something up top with seating and more casual stuff below or even a full bar.
Unless I missed it, any west side expansion would have to be in a yet-to-be-announced phase 3.
 
I’d say it’s more than a few. More like 15k STHs
I hope so. It is going to cost a lot of money to do something like this. Might impact the cost of our season tickets. I would pay extra if most of the objectives were achieved.

Hoping at least some of the money will be covered by ADA money. I believe it is common for private organizations with big facilities like ours to get help from the government to meet ADA requirements. They understand the cost is prohibitive and achieving compliance is in the best interests of the community.

So maybe some help from the feds, maybe some more money from the state, some money from donors and maybe some money from sponsors too. A couple of restaurants. Maybe we add private boxes at the top of the 300 level along the western wall, and a big area behind them for the big spenders to hang out, have some drinks and food and hobnob. Bathrooms too. Think something between Club 44 and the Forum Club.
 
I hope so. It is going to cost a lot of money to do something like this. Might impact the cost of our season tickets. I would pay extra if most of the objectives were achieved.

Hoping at least some of the money will be covered by ADA money. I believe it is common for private organizations with big facilities like ours to get help from the government to meet ADA requirements. They understand the cost is prohibitive and achieving compliance is in the best interests of the community.

So maybe some help from the feds, maybe some more money from the state, some money from donors and maybe some money from sponsors too. A couple of restaurants. Maybe we add private boxes at the top of the 300 level along the western wall, and a big area behind them for the big spenders to hang out, have some drinks and food and hobnob. Bathrooms too. Think something between Club 44 and the Forum Club.
That would be nice. Not sure if additional eatery choices in a hypothetical western expansion would be a zero sum problem and cut into currently existing concession sales? I hope the thinking is they are missing out on additional spending because of the existing limitations.
 
I would only put seats in the lower two levels, and between the 20s on the upper level. I think that would keep us at about 42,000 to 44,000 for football.
If there was any concern about reducing capacity for basketball - this is a once in a generation opportunity to rethink the pullout seating. I’d like to see that whole section reimagined and expanded to make up for lost seating elsewhere. It is a prime seating area. Use the latest in technology and figure it out.
 
That would be nice. Not sure if additional eatery choices in a hypothetical western expansion would be a zero sum problem and cut into currently existing concession sales? I hope the thinking is they are missing out on additional spending because of the existing limitations.
Additional food options would give fans quicker access. It might actually help overall sales.
 
Looks like a lot more premium seats in the lower level are now available. That would make the seat change a lot easier to deal with.
 
I wonder if there will still be the $99 option in 2023 when all is said and done? SU is pushing that pretty hard right now.
 
This is spot on. My Football tickets are thankfully on the East side but when I used to attend bball games with lincolncuse his bball tickets were on the West side upper level. Trying to take a piss felt like you were walking back to your car in the Fine lot and after the game I felt I was was heading on a pilgrimage to Mecca the hallways were so crowded. Food options were like something out of 1986 and each stand had the exact same 5 items.

SU putting something over on the west side would greatly enhance the fan experience and could be a really money generator for SU. As noted a restaurant or general area where people could congregate pre game and perhaps even post game would generate funds for SU especially during the winter when tailgating is simply not viable. With it being a fresh build they could do both the 1st and upper level giving additional eating an seating areas or perhaps a restaurant or something up top with seating and more casual stuff below or even a full bar.

West side upper deck does have good beer options in the concourse now.

But yeah, some food and a closer bathroom wouldn't hurt. I'm thankful to sit right at the entrance to our section on the aisle, so at the end of quarters and halftime, I can rush and beat the crowd to the trough.

(when there is a crowd)
 
I wonder if there will still be the $99 option in 2023 when all is said and done? SU is pushing that pretty hard right now.
That option is purely at the whim of SU. However, the 2023 schedule isn't as attractive as the 2022 schedule so a decent chance they keep it. BTW, I'm not bashing the 2023 home schedule as it is a solid schedule.

22: Louisville, Purdue, UVA, Wagner, NCSt, Notre Dame, Florida St
23: Colgate, WMU, Army, BC, Clemson, Pitt, Wake Forest
 
That option is purely at the whim of SU. However, the 2023 schedule isn't as attractive as the 2022 schedule so a decent chance they keep it. BTW, I'm not bashing the 2023 home schedule as it is a solid schedule.

22: Louisville, Purdue, UVA, Wagner, NCSt, Notre Dame, Florida St
23: Colgate, WMU, Army, BC, Clemson, Pitt, Wake Forest

Yeah, if you're trying to sell tickets, one of these things is not like the other.
 
That option is purely at the whim of SU. However, the 2023 schedule isn't as attractive as the 2022 schedule so a decent chance they keep it. BTW, I'm not bashing the 2023 home schedule as it is a solid schedule.

22: Louisville, Purdue, UVA, Wagner, NCSt, Notre Dame, Florida St
23: Colgate, WMU, Army, BC, Clemson, Pitt, Wake Forest
I’m thankful we’re going to start playing Army fairly often, long overdue.
 
Yeah, if you're trying to sell tickets, one of these things is not like the other.
I'm fearful Notre Dame fans will buy some Season Tickets and then flood the ticket market with a bunch of tickets for the other games for $5-20. We'll see how it goes.
 
I'm fearful Notre Dame fans will buy some Season Tickets and then flood the ticket market with a bunch of tickets for the other games for $5-20. We'll see how it goes.

I hope they do. I'm open to all sources of revenue.
 
I'm fearful Notre Dame fans will buy some Season Tickets and then flood the ticket market with a bunch of tickets for the other games for $5-20. We'll see how it goes.
I’d be ok with that if it means I can get a $5 ticket
 
I'm fearful Notre Dame fans will buy some Season Tickets and then flood the ticket market with a bunch of tickets for the other games for $5-20. We'll see how it goes.
That wouldn't be the worst thing, really. Gets SU some season ticket revenue it wouldn't otherwise have, and would provide cheap single-game tix for a season when attendance will likely be very challenged.

What was the ND showing like in 2003? I can't recall how many Irish fans were in the building that day.
 

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