JSU's $61 million stadium expansion approved by BOT

[Cocky]

http://www.gojaxstate.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=104

[Grizaholic17]

Expensive remodel for 5,000 more seats. I hope it pays off for you guys!!!! xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[Retro]

Another foolish pipe dream of going to FBS for a program that hasn't done anything in the FCS and doesn't draw enough to expand the stadium... When JAX st moved up from Div II the were in the SLC, but did nothing.. So they move to a weaker OVC and won a few conference titles and then one and out of playoffs each year.

Nothing wrong with expanding the stadium if needed including the dorms, but doing for a move to FBS is just plain ignorant of the facts. Better charge some big bucks for those luxury boxes to make money.

[IndianaAppMan]

Expensive remodel for 5,000 more seats. I hope it pays off for you guys!!!! xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

They're adding residence halls and lots of other things, too.

Good for JSU. I hope that pays dividends for you!

[Grizaholic17]

They're adding residence halls and lots of other things, too.

Good for JSU. I hope that pays dividends for you!

I know this, I think it's great, i just hope it works out the best for them. The whole idea was confusing to me, with the placement of the residence halls.

[appfan2008]

do you even fill up the 15k you have?

if not why add more?

furthermore why in the world would you want to move up to fbs? you arent that great of a program here! and also your area is very small and bama and auburn rool the roost... not a good idea... IMHO

[hawkeye]

do you even fill up the 15k you have?

if not why add more?

furthermore why in the world would you want to move up to fbs? you arent that great of a program here! and also your area is very small and bama and auburn rool the roost... not a good idea... IMHO

Well said AppFan. JaxSt. has a good program but I just dont see spending this kind of money for more seats and even worse......trying to get in the FBS. xsmhx Lets see....go to Jax St. game or Auburn v LSU or Bama at home v Anybody.

[UNI Pike]

Did I read that statement correctly that they are going to build a dorm right next to the football field, with luxury boxes on the fourth floor? xconfusedx

Is that just a poorly written press release? Otherwise a room on the 45 YD line would rock.

[JaxSinfonian]

do you even fill up the 15k you have?

Occasionally. Not nearly often enough yet to justify this move now.


furthermore why in the world would you want to move up to fbs? you arent that great of a program here!

Being good has never been a requirement for moving to FBS. And being good in one division doesn't equal success in the next, either (case in point, Jax State was a perennial contender in DII and won the national title in 1992 just before moving up ... we know what's happened since).


and also your area is very small

Watauga County, N.C., population: 44,451
Calhoun County, Ala., population: 113,103

We're also closer to two major metro areas with lots of our alumni than Boone is, I believe. But to be fair, App is not, so far as I know, planning a move up.


and bama and auburn rool the roost

This is irrelevent. If JSU was to let this prevent us doing anything we might as well fold the program.

I'm not saying I'm for a move up. In fact, I've argued against it often. But the reasons you mention aren't the strongest arguments against it.

As for the stadium, I'm hoping that the fact we're expanding to 20,000 seats instead of 30,000 means we're planning to compete with FCS' top programs rather than move up at the first opportunity. That would be a change from what board members have said in the past, however.

[jsualum97]

I almost think that the FBS ideal is not all bad. Yes, we need to be successful now in the FCS. However, if we were able to get in to the Sunbelt, we would have better crowds. People will come to watch us play Troy, Western Kentucky, and MTSU. We could get a home-home series with UAB, and people would come to those games. No one is interested in watching us play Martin or Murray. Nothing against the OVC, but there is no rivalry in the OVC. For an athletic department to be successful, you have to have another school that everyone loves to hate. No one hates anyone in the OVC.

[TexasTerror]

Did not realize how close Jax St is to Atlanta. Perhaps Jax St and Georgia State could enter the Sun Belt Conference as 'package' deal after C-USA takes a school or few...

[IndianaAppMan]

I almost think that the FBS ideal is not all bad. Yes, we need to be successful now in the FCS. However, if we were able to get in to the Sunbelt, we would have better crowds. People will come to watch us play Troy, Western Kentucky, and MTSU. We could get a home-home series with UAB, and people would come to those games. No one is interested in watching us play Martin or Murray. Nothing against the OVC, but there is no rivalry in the OVC. For an athletic department to be successful, you have to have another school that everyone loves to hate. No one hates anyone in the OVC.

I think you have a very good point there for the pro-FBS side of the JSU debate. Rivalries drive ticket sales the vast majority of the time. What you say makes perfect sense in terms of having opponents you can "hate." (By the way, did a rivalry ever develop with Samford, or was it too one-sided?)

I'll say this since ASU was mentioned by one of your fellow Gamecock fans: Perhaps without knowing it, you made a strong point as to why App State shouldn't move to FBS. It seems like half our games are rivalry games. Western, Furman, and Ga. Southern are teams many of our fans absolutely abhor. We have a long-time tradition against The Citadel. Wofford's rapid development into a SoCon power has led to that game being a fairly hot ticket. Some Elon fans consider us their biggest rival, which is understandable. Many of our students are from the Burlington area, and every year we're the other's closest road trip. Even OOC JMU could become a heated rivalry over the long haul. Nooga's probably not considered a true "rival," but I'm sure their fans get jacked up for that App game every year. So ASU would be giving up a lot of big games if they left the FCS.

If FBS ends up being ASU's fate, fans would have to cross their fingers that its new conference would make good geographic sense for rivalries. A schedule with ECU, Marshall, W. Kentucky, MTSU, Charlotte (if they join FBS), JMU (ditto), Ga. State (ditto), Ga. Southern (ditto), and Troy would be a best-case scenario. Of course, that's a lot of finger-crossing. Any reasonable ASU fan knows that the Big East or ACC would be a pipe dream. One or two games a year against an ACC or SEC foe (on the road, of course) would be the best fans could hope for.

Jax State is set up for the FBS much better, in terms of rivalries & geography.

Where do I stand on App's pro-FBS or pro-FCS debate? I want what's best for the university. I think our AD, Chancellor, and BOT have made excellent decisions the past several years for the athletic program, and if they eventually decide to go FBS, I'll trust their judgment, just as I trust their choice to remain FCS for the foreseeable future.

[Cocky]

FBS makes more sense for us and is the direction we are headed.

[TexasTerror]

FBS makes more sense for us and is the direction we are headed.

Which conference are the JaxSt faithful eying as a potential home? xconfusedx

Is it the Sun Belt?

[Cocky]

Which conference are the JaxSt faithful eying as a potential home? xconfusedx

Is it the Sun Belt?


Unless there is a new one coming the SunBelt is our only option.

[TexasTerror]

Unless there is a new one coming the SunBelt is our only option.

With Sun Belt at 10 football and 12 basketball (this counts Denver out of the league) -- not sure where this room becomes available for Jax St, Tex St or any of the other squads that want in the Sun Belt. Comes down to C-USA taking schools out...

[McNeese72]

The reason Jacksonville State wants to move up to the FBS:

Troy did it!


Doc

[TexasTerror]

The reason Jacksonville State wants to move up to the FBS: Troy did it!

Troy needs to seal the deal and get that new basketball arena that they have been talking about. Football stadium is nice. Baseball is apparently pretty nice as well...time to get basketball caught up...

[Cocky]

The reason Jacksonville State wants to move up to the FBS:

Troy did it!


Doc

If that was the reason we would have done it 10 years ago. Troy has been pushing JSU to move up for sometime now.

[Cocky]

With Sun Belt at 10 football and 12 basketball (this counts Denver out of the league) -- not sure where this room becomes available for Jax St, Tex St or any of the other squads that want in the Sun Belt. Comes down to C-USA taking schools out...


My point was that the SunBelt is the only existing conference we have any hope of joining.