Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[JSM1970]

Yes, that's what Villanova did after they never went to major D-1 in football

Football will be a wasteland, cover the upper part of the Rent like they do for A's games

I very much doubt the ACC will invite UConn. They have no need to expand now. If Big 12 doesn't work out, then forget about it and say goodbye to college sports.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Non-stop cities, if anyone actually cares:

Your airport isn't even in your home state.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Just suprising that Arizona & Arizona State want to leave the PAC 12?! I mean the Big 12 isn't exactly a "stable" thing right now...

They aren't leaving the Pac-12. Each has been a member for nearly four decades and of more importance, membership in that conference is why the two Arizona schools are above the likes of Nevada, New Mexico, et al on so many levels. The P-8 adding them was their life-raft and they've been fully ingrained members for the adult lives of likely every possible decision maker. Additionally, unlike what they would face in many conferences, when Utah & Colorado were added, the P-12 did not keep the four California schools together in one division (as most speculated would happen). In the P-12, members do actually get a fair shake.

 

[Doggie Style]

Coach to get from 55K to 60K plus all that is needed to be done is shrink the footprint of the non-chairback seats to the traditional size you see in the rest of the college football world, where you need a shoehorn to sit in your seat. They could easily go from 55K to 65K if that was done.

THAT would suck!!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

THAT would suck!!

This is just a guess but our bench seats have to be ~20" wide per seat. I'll wager heavily that in most college stadiums, better seats are 16" and in some (upper levels of the Big House & Beaver Stadium for instance) it gets down to as low as 8".

While I would want it to be a last possible move (after all physical additions have been exhausted) I can see adding a couple thousand to our capacity merely by bring bench seat width in slightly.

 

[noeynox]

I hope nobody actually believes we'll upgrade to 60k + seats. 48-50k is the sweet spot.

Also, this is plenty big enough for a big time atmosphere. When the Rent is full now it's a big time atmosphere. Our games against Michigan, Pitt, Baylor etc were raucous crowds.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

They aren't leaving the Pac-12. Each has been a member for nearly four decades and of more importance, membership in that conference is why the two Arizona schools are above the likes of Nevada, New Mexico, et al on so many levels. The P-8 adding them was their life-raft and they've been fully ingrained members for the adult lives of likely every possible decision maker. Additionally, unlike what they would face in many conferences, when Utah & Colorado were added, the P-12 did not keep the four California schools together in one division (as most speculated would happen). In the P-12, members do actually get a fair shake.

If it was even being considered ,it's the best kept secret in AZ
AZ 's population is a mix of refugee
Californian's, RainBirds ( Wash &Ore),Upper Midwesterners,
a few from every place else ,and natives . The former Big 12 states of Nebraska and Colo are also represented.
If they were still there I would take this more seriously .
If the PAC adds
SDSU and CSU are much more likely
San Diago is a huge area and an easy ride from AZ, and if you have Wash State and Oregon state ,why not CSU

 

[Adios]

Whatever just happened at A&M should help our cause since we have the preeminent women's basketball program...

The state of Texas could use some PR.

 

[Dooley]

From what I remember back from the old Friends of UConn Football days, 55,000 was the outside number for expanding the stadium. Maybe they can squeeze some extra like the Michigan game, but there might be some serious strain on other aspects of the stadium experience if you get too crazy.

Squeezing people in is just bad business. I'm not even a fan of putting in extra seats for big games - if you want to make sure you get into the Texas/Michigan/Oklahoma/Whoever game, buy season tickets -- that should be the mindset.

Agreed. If stadium expansion ever did take place, I would be happy with just the 3rd deck on the UConn side and renovating the scoreboard area as a bar/lounge. Maybe move the band onto the field level ala Notre Dame so we can free up another section for students (only necessary if in a P5 conference). But yeah, if you want tickets to the big games, buy season tickets or a game plan.

 

[TheDoggPound]

I was under the impression that the 40k Rent coul be upgradeed to about 60k without too much difficulty....althought this has been a contoversial point on any threads. My belief is th stadium cn go from 40k to 55-60k with an expanded project with no major reconstruction (sans normal construction payoffs).

I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm saying 60k would be foolish for our market since our highest ST base was 32,000 (correct me if I'm wrong). I think for us 48-50k hits the mark, big enough to not be scoffed at by anyone but intimate enough still and with a ST base of 30-32k can be filled.

 

[UCFBfan]

This is just a guess but our bench seats have to be ~20" wide per seat. I'll wager heavily that in most college stadiums, better seats are 16" and in some (upper levels of the Big House & Beaver Stadium for instance) it gets down to as low as 8".

I don't even think it's just upper deck that are that small at PSU. My grandmother used to have two seats in Row M on the 20 yard line and I swear that by the time I was 12-14, my dad was sitting in my lap practically because they had cut the seat size (this was about 10-15 years ago). It got real small there on every level of seating yet people still showed up in droves every game

 

[dayooper]

I don't even think it's just upper deck that are that small at PSU. My grandmother used to have two seats in Row M on the 20 yard line and I swear that by the time I was 12-14, my dad was sitting in my lap practically because they had cut the seat size (this was about 10-15 years ago). It got real small there on every level of seating yet people still showed up in droves every game

Michigan Stadium is the same way. You are packed in tightly. I'm a big dude (6'7" and 330 lbs), and it's very uncomfortable to watch a game there. The atmosphere more than makes up for it, but if you have 18" to sit, you have a lot.

 

[kyleslamb]

Michigan Stadium is the same way. You are packed in tightly. I'm a big dude (6'7" and 330 lbs), and it's very uncomfortable to watch a game there. The atmosphere more than makes up for it, but if you have 18" to sit, you have a lot.

You got that right. I think I've gotten to know a few Michigan dudes in a biblical way every time I've been there.

The constant rubbing of shoulders feels like a mating ritual.

 

[CallMeBruce]

They aren't leaving the Pac-12. Each has been a member for nearly four decades and of more importance, membership in that conference is why the two Arizona schools are above the likes of Nevada, New Mexico, et al on so many levels. The P-8 adding them was their life-raft and they've been fully ingrained members for the adult lives of likely every possible decision maker. Additionally, unlike what they would face in many conferences, when Utah & Colorado were added, the P-12 did not keep the four California schools together in one division (as most speculated would happen). In the P-12, members do actually get a fair shake.

They're in different divisions, but they still all play each other every year.

 

[auggie22]

Michigan Stadium is the same way. You are packed in tightly. I'm a big dude (6'7" and 330 lbs), and it's very uncomfortable to watch a game there. The atmosphere more than makes up for it, but if you have 18" to sit, you have a lot.

That is my memory of the game in Ann Arbor - we were squeezed in tight. Well that, and my Michigan buddy goading a bunch of frat guys to screen mean things at me.

I spent the evening in Punters Pub, a fun but really hazy evening.

 

[superjohn]

Michigan Stadium is the same way. You are packed in tightly. I'm a big dude (6'7" and 330 lbs), and it's very uncomfortable to watch a game there. The atmosphere more than makes up for it, but if you have 18" to sit, you have a lot.

Big? You're a monster. Did you play football?

 

[Stinger92860]

That is my memory of the game in Ann Arbor - we were squeezed in tight. Well that, and my Michigan buddy goading a bunch of frat guys to screen mean things at me.

I spent the evening in Punters Pub, a fun but really hazy evening.

I will never go back there.

 

[FDNY99]

I don't even think it's just upper deck that are that small at PSU. My grandmother used to have two seats in Row M on the 20 yard line and I swear that by the time I was 12-14, my dad was sitting in my lap practically because they had cut the seat size (this was about 10-15 years ago). It got real small there on every level of seating yet people still showed up in droves every game

You are right on the size of seats at PSU...unless you have a chair back seat if they are 15" that's a lot. My friends used to sit on PSU side about15 rows from the field...they had 8 seats and as it got later in the season and it got cold the guy on the end had to sit in the aisle.

 

[huskypantz]

I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm saying 60k would be foolish for our market since our highest ST base was 32,000 (correct me if I'm wrong). I think for us 48-50k hits the mark, big enough to not be scoffed at by anyone but intimate enough still and with a ST base of 30-32k can be filled.

When we had 32k season tickets we were pretty much at capacity. You had 3k or so for the visitors, I don't know if the other 3k was supposed to be student season tickets. I can tell you that in 2005 there were a handful of single game tickets that went on sale and they sold out fast. The visitors' ticket return would open another 1-2k a few weeks before the game. Otherwise there was nothing for sale (but plenty sold in the lots).

 

['dweller]

They aren't leaving the Pac-12. Each has been a member for nearly four decades and of more importance, membership in that conference is why the two Arizona schools are above the likes of Nevada, New Mexico, et al on so many levels. The P-8 adding them was their life-raft and they've been fully ingrained members for the adult lives of likely every possible decision maker. Additionally, unlike what they would face in many conferences, when Utah & Colorado were added, the P-12 did not keep the four California schools together in one division (as most speculated would happen). In the P-12, members do actually get a fair shake.

I have to correct the record just a bit here. I wouldn't say that the PAC is why the Arizona schools are above the likes of those other schools, because they were way above those schools before they went to the PAC. Arizona and Arizona State dominated the old WAC before they left for the PAC. BYU was emerging as a challenger to their reign when they left, and took their place as top dog for the next couple decades in their absence, but teams like New Mexico were never in the mix. The PAC benefited them a great deal, no doubt (as would the Big12, hypothetically), but I wouldn't say it was a life raft for them because they were having a lot of success beforehand and often dominating the competition, unlike those others you mentioned.

 

[atom58]

One other thing that is worth saying although maybe it smacks of socialism is that none of this mad scramble would be happening to the extent that it is if the NCAA, ESPN/ABC, Fox, CBS, etc. guaranteed that the G5 schools would have a floor of $5 million per school per year. Maybe that kind of $$$ is not available but maybe it is. I realize the NCAA subsidizes Division II and III. When I saw a Div II basketball game of the week on TV, the jerseys did not look so good and the players didn't even have their names on the back of them. This is a crazy system based on profit to the schools whether they declare it as such or not. In Europe and elsewhere, college athletic teams are not organized in this fashion. My alma mater is in the ACC and we will earn more $$$ and that's nice but I always had bad feelings about the schools that we left behind in the old Metro basketball conference. Three of the other Metro schools are now in the ACC and one is now in the SEC - the rest went into the merger with C-USA and some later entered the AAC. Anyway, here's wishing you guys "make the cut" and enter the "P5".

 

[upstater]

One other thing that is worth saying although maybe it smacks of socialism is that none of this mad scramble would be happening to the extent that it is if the NCAA, ESPN/ABC, Fox, CBS, etc. guaranteed that the G5 schools would have a floor of $5 million per school per year. Maybe that kind of $$$ is not available but maybe it is. I realize the NCAA subsidizes Division II and III. When I saw a Div II basketball game of the week on TV, the jerseys did not look so good and the players didn't even have their names on the back of them. This is a crazy system based on profit to the schools whether they declare it as such or not. In Europe and elsewhere, college athletic teams are not organized in this fashion. My alma mater is in the ACC and we will earn more $$$ and that's nice but I always had bad feelings about the schools that we left behind in the old Metro basketball conference. Three of the other Metro schools are now in the ACC and one is now in the SEC - the rest went into the merger with C-USA and some later entered the AAC. Anyway, here's wishing you guys "make the cut" and enter the "P5".

The NCAA doesn't subsidize D2 and D3. It just organizes the championships or playoffs.

 

[Pat125]

The NCAA doesn't subsidize D2 and D3. It just organizes the championships or playoffs.

Division II revenue mostly comes from a subsidy from Division I. It is approximately 2.5% (I forgot the exact figure) of the Division I revenue, and that is mostly from March Madness. Since the March Madness contract runs for another 10 years or so, the amount budgeted is stable for that time. I don't know if subsidy is the right word, but Division II depends on that money. Division III gets a slightly smaller percentage.

 

[Waquoit]

From what I remember back from the old Friends of UConn Football days, 55,000 was the outside number for expanding the stadium.

That was number I heard from a higher up during a Rent tour back then.

 

[Kolumbo]

I haven't been by here in a while but would it be possible to start an "Extremely Important Tweets" thread? perhaps the problem is that there are like 50 definitions of the word "key."