UD finally unveils Tub expansion plan

[henfan]

http://www.udreview.com/polopoly_fs/1.1489714!/image/314908963.jpg

Satdium capacity should exceed 30K when expansion is complete.

Maybe the architecture isn't in keeping with the Georgian element elsewhere on campus but what they hey. This will be a terrific and long-overdue upgrade and place UD back near the top in terms of facilities in the FCS.xthumbsupx

http://www.udreview.com/web-updates/harker-unveils-plans-for-renovated-stadium-new-east-campus-housing-1.1489699#5

[danefan]

Looking good. Hopefully the funding will come through fast.

[GannonFan]

Well, they do have a timetable for the work on the Bob (the basketball building next to the football stadium - will now also be the volleyball building as well). So they can't be too far behind. And this plan at least seems to be in line with what they've been talking about for the past couple of years (as opposed to the folly that was the outside consultants plan for the athletic complex). Adn the size is perfect for FCS - just over 30k is more than enough.

As for money, they're just in the nascent stages of a real athletic fund like other schools have had for years. While they claim it's only to help fund scholarships over all the sports it certainly has the potential to bring in a fair amount of revenue. And the school has recently begun jacking up the activities fee for students - it used to be miniscule (~$200) but next year will be close to $500 and should be bumped up from there soon after as well. They are obviously geared to bring in lots of money, and there are still plenty of big donors in the Delaware area that can give the big gifts needed for this. I wouldn't be shocked to see this come to reality over the next 5 years considering the momentum now coming to the forefront.

[R3TRO]

Oh yeah "long overdue"... Come speak to us up in NH... We'll change you perspective on what "long overdue" actually means.

[JMU2004]

looks good....now don't pull a JMU and sit on these plans for 10 years.

[DFW HOYA]

Oh yeah "long overdue"... Come speak to us up in NH... We'll change you perspective on what "long overdue" actually means.

And Georgetown will raise your "long overdue" one step further!

[jmufan999]

given this week's rampant conference realignment storylines, does anyone find the timing of this announcement peculiar? kind of like, "look at what we're building, we're available for FBS"?

if so, probably was a wise move. if you're going to announce it anyway, might as well strike while the iron is hot.

also, maybe they're competing with JMU for an FBS invite (somewhere)... "look, their stadium will only be 25K, ours will be 30K. take us instead."

or maybe it's all a coincidence, i have no idea.

[GannonFan]

given this week's rampant conference realignment storylines, does anyone find the timing of this announcement peculiar? kind of like, "look at what we're building, we're available for FBS"?

if so, probably was a wise move. if you're going to announce it anyway, might as well strike while the iron is hot.

also, maybe they're competing with JMU for an FBS invite (somewhere)... "look, their stadium will only be 25K, ours will be 30K. take us instead."

or maybe it's all a coincidence, i have no idea.

Neither UD nor JMU have any real chance of hitting the big time and playing in one of the superconferences being bandied about. Heck, even Kansas might be shut out and I would have them far ahead in line over the likes of JMU and UD.

The FBS that may result out of this seismic shift in conferences won't be any different than what FCS is right now - they'll both be huge steps below the athletic machines that the BCS conferences will and are becoming. What's the point of leaving the CAA to jump to what the MAC or the Sunbelt will be? The only reason to have jumped to them in the past was to possibly get a way to sneak into a BCS conference. These moves would seem to make that moot and unecessary. UD's building, if it comes to pass, doesn't have bigtime written over it (which is fine with me). Just looks like a top of the line FCS structure.

[jmufan999]

Neither UD nor JMU have any real chance of hitting the big time and playing in one of the superconferences

i didn't say anything about superconferences. i said FBS.

IF these superconferences do happen, there will be a lot of vacancies in other conferences. Sun Belt, C-USA, maybe a newly formed conference or two. as much as we (most FCS fans) would rather stay in FCS than go to one of those conferences, we can't assume that our respective administrations feel the same. they may have absolutely no problem going to a lower tier conference (and if the superconferences do happen, we won't have a choice anyway).

[DSUrocks07]

Neither UD nor JMU have any real chance of hitting the big time and playing in one of the superconferences being bandied about. Heck, even Kansas might be shut out and I would have them far ahead in line over the likes of JMU and UD.

The FBS that may result out of this seismic shift in conferences won't be any different than what FCS is right now - they'll both be huge steps below the athletic machines that the BCS conferences will and are becoming. What's the point of leaving the CAA to jump to what the MAC or the Sunbelt will be? The only reason to have jumped to them in the past was to possibly get a way to sneak into a BCS conference. These moves would seem to make that moot and unecessary. UD's building, if it comes to pass, doesn't have bigtime written over it (which is fine with me). Just looks like a top of the line FCS structure.

Ain't nothing wrong with that either. Now this opens the door to generate discussions about a new 20,000+ stadium for DSU. xsmiley_wix

[State Line Liquors]

given this week's rampant conference realignment storylines, does anyone find the timing of this announcement peculiar? kind of like, "look at what we're building, we're available for FBS"?

if so, probably was a wise move. if you're going to announce it anyway, might as well strike while the iron is hot.

also, maybe they're competing with JMU for an FBS invite (somewhere)... "look, their stadium will only be 25K, ours will be 30K. take us instead."

or maybe it's all a coincidence, i have no idea.

A + B does not equal C here.

I'll just be happy when they start to break ground on the expansion for the basketball facilities. At least that will mean there's been some actual progress.

These football stadium sketches seem nice. I Wonder how much fund raising they actually have lined up for this. Back when GoHens was still alive, there were many that were unhappy with the increased ticket 'prices' coming down the pike. I also wonder if the exit polling showed season ticket renewals needed a kick in the pants.

[bluehenbillk]

Glad to see a visual finally. Hopefully, very soon, and by very soon i mean in 2010 there will be a start date to when these long-anticipated plans will become action.

Love the ideas, all look good, now just put shovels in the ground & make it happen.

[danefan]

And Georgetown will raise your "long overdue" one step further!

And Albany is "all-in" on both of you guys. xbangx

[Bogus Megapardus]

How will this affect the character of the Tub?

[Pard94]

Oh yeah "long overdue"... Come speak to us up in NH... We'll change you perspective on what "long overdue" actually means.

Yeah...UNH...my god. I played in a nicer facility in HS. UNH's facility probably represents the biggest discrepancy between quality of product on the field versus quality of the field itself.

[Ud1Hens]

I think the timing has more to do with a recent slide in season ticket sales due to price increases for seating location/parking/etc. It's about time they had something down that was actually feasible within the next 5 or so years rather than the previous plan that was nothing short or unrealistic. Definitely exciting and will hopefully help with the donations needed to get this plan into action. If you build it they will come...

Now for a successful 2010 season!

[GreatAppSt]

Looks awesome!!xthumbsupx

[bluehenbillk]

I think the timing has more to do with a recent slide in season ticket sales due to price increases for seating location/parking/etc. It's about time they had something down that was actually feasible within the next 5 or so years rather than the previous plan that was nothing short or unrealistic. Definitely exciting and will hopefully help with the donations needed to get this plan into action. If you build it they will come...

Now for a successful 2010 season!

It's true season tickets are down, but it's still over 10K, how many FCS schools can say that??

[WestCoastAggie]

Ain't nothing wrong with that either. Now this opens the door to generate discussions about a new 20,000+ stadium for DSU. xsmiley_wix

Isn't 20K just a touch too big for DSU?

[superman7515]

Ain't nothing wrong with that either. Now this opens the door to generate discussions about a new 20,000+ stadium for DSU. xsmiley_wix

I mean no disrespect to DelState, but as a downstater who played in a high school championship, I can say with certainty that the high school championship game outdraws most, if not all, DelState games. Especially when you get two downstate schools. Did you see Milford/Laurel in the D2 championship two years ago? The place was packed to capacity with people lining the fences. The Hornets don't pull that.

[DSUrocks07]

My post was made somewhat in jest. But I believe that DSU has the potential to draw a hell of a lot better than we currently are doing now. And a couple of the issues that we have could be resolved with the existence of a new stadium. (Proper marketing, parking, location of the current stadium). You only get as much as you invest into your program.

[Jackman]

That drawing makes it look like they're going to have more seats in the endzones than along the sidelines, though I'm guessing it's just an optical illusion. What's the actual capacity of each section?

[93henfan]

I mean no disrespect to DelState, but as a downstater who played in a high school championship, I can say with certainty that the high school championship game outdraws most, if not all, DelState games. Especially when you get two downstate schools. Did you see Milford/Laurel in the D2 championship two years ago? The place was packed to capacity with people lining the fences. The Hornets don't pull that.

Ooh, ooh. I did, I did!!!

MHS Class of '89. :)

[cmaxwellgsu]

Send that architect down to Statesboro. We constantly average about 3,000 in attendance above capacity. Our poor students look like they're in a sardine can. Apparently our AD doesn't have the math skills to figure that added seats would offset construction costs in a few years.

[appsfan]

The drawing looks nice- good luck with the expansion.

[93henfan]

That drawing makes it look like they're going to have more seats in the endzones than along the sidelines, though I'm guessing it's just an optical illusion. What's the actual capacity of each section?

I do not have the exact numbers, but Delaware Stadium currently holds 22K. Roughly speaking, I'd estimate that each side (east and west stands) holds about 9K each, the student section (south end zone) holds about 3K, and the north end zone holds about 1K.

The press release states that the expansion will add 8.2K seats, bringing capacity just over 30K. The addition to the north end zone addition will contain 7.5K seats, so that's a net gain of about 6.5K in the north end zone. That leaves an additional 1.7K to get to the 8.2K figure, so that's probably the number being added via the new club level seating and luxury boxes.

This is going to be a very nice upgrade. Can't wait to see the construction start.

[ngineer]

And Georgetown will raise your "long overdue" one step further!


Beat me to it...I remember the Hoyas beautiful architectural renditions, what, five years ago?

Interesting about expanding via the large endzone seating. I've never been a fan of sitting in the endzone. Can't they do a cantilever over the visitors side?

[Franks Tanks]

Beat me to it...I remember the Hoyas beautiful architectural renditions, what, five years ago?

Interesting about expanding via the large endzone seating. I've never been a fan of sitting in the endzone. Can't they do a cantilever over the visitors side?

Ya why not just double deck both the sideline stands. I agree end zone seating stinks and why have it if it isnt necessary. The UD press box is nothing special and will probably be replaced via the expansion.

[GannonFan]

Ya why not just double deck both the sideline stands. I agree end zone seating stinks and why have it if it isnt necessary. The UD press box is nothing special and will probably be replaced via the expansion.

The grandstands are already pretty steep - it would be a pretty tall stadium just putting double decks over the sideline stands. Plenty of places have endzone seating that is substantial - nothing unusual about that. Besides, it also looks like a lot of club seating could be there as well.

[93henfan]

I just don't believe a cantilevered design would work with a lower level pitched this steep, and besides, that north end zone has been screaming to be enclosed for years. The noise generated will be spectacular:

http://www.udel.edu/udmessenger/vol18no1/stories/images/fieldturf.jpg

http://www.bluehens.com/sportsinfo/facilities/2010DEStadium.jpg

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/collegesports/files/2009/09/udlandofgiants-i.jpg

[DFW HOYA]

Beat me to it...I remember the Hoyas beautiful architectural renditions, what, five years ago? Interesting about expanding via the large endzone seating. I've never been a fan of sitting in the endzone. Can't they do a cantilever over the visitors side?

Some drawings go back three, five, ten years, hard to tell which you're referring to. I think there will be some scrutiny not to let the UD project grind to a halt in endless planning stages like it did at Georgetown.

The endzone setups have proven very popular as a means to increase attendance without increasing footprint. Texas A&M was the first to really build up its endzone with seating and luxury boxes:

http://www.aggiemoms.org/pages/traditions/images/kyle_big.jpg

[bostonspider]

This drawing seems to show the endzone stands better, though it does not look to much like the "birds eye" drawing

http://www.udreview.com/polopoly_fs/1.1489705!/image/2414996031.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_468/2414996031.jpg

It looks a lot like a smaller version of Iowa's Kinnick Stadium

http://scottdo.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/kinnick-004.jpg?w=450&h=337

[Pard94]

UD might not beat Nova on the field as much but they have their field beat...that's for sure.

[caribbeanhen]

My post was made somewhat in jest. But I believe that DSU has the potential to draw a hell of a lot better than we currently are doing now. And a couple of the issues that we have could be resolved with the existence of a new stadium. (Proper marketing, parking, location of the current stadium). You only get as much as you invest into your program.

Your an optimistic guy DSU, nothing wrong with that. As for proper marketing..bring a friend and your attendance goes up 100 pctxlolx

[LacesOut]

Ha! I'll believe it when I see it! And I don't mean silly little drawings. Much needs to be done. I didn't like the 'old guard' at UD, the Prez and the AD. And the new Prez and AD ain't much better!!

[AppMan]

I was in Clemson this week and took a quick tour of their new endzone facility. Would love to see something like this in Boone one day!