Stadium on Campus

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

Did you know some of Rutgers students living on campus are as far as 3 miles from the stadium? OH the horror.

[cee]

Um check your headgear....

UCF hasnt done it yet.

FAU hasnt done it yet.

UCONN's stadium is OFF CAMPUS. IN FACT ITS ABOUT 25 MILES OFF CAMPUS.

Facts, they are important you know.

ummm the FACT of the matter is that they're getting things done and they're working on it.. as opposed to USF, who you havent heard a peep from.. UCONN's is off campus, yes, but THEY GOT A STADIUM BUILT.. as to where they built it is their agenda-- my point is THEY GOT A STADIUM BUILT WITH THE SAME KIND OF BUDGET WE DO.

and the fact that rutgers' students live far from their stadium is BESIDE THIS POINT.. i swear, you guys take things too literally because you have NOTHING TO SAY TO THE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING IT DONE (OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IT DONE) WITH THEIR WEAK BUDGETS, AND YOU ALL ARE TOO LAZY TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IT.. lets all get together in a collaborative effort in order to find a home... not a rental

[smazza]

i think whats most upsetting about the old people on this board is that they are so negative about the direction of a possible OCS.. -screw the old farts

build the stadium

[Apis Bull]

Nobody is saying don't build a stadium.  What the majority of people here are saying is that we have other priorities and when the stadium does come, don't just throw something together.  Again, I mention, that if any of you want to donate $100 - $200 million for the sole purpose of building an OCS, USF will be more than happy to talk to you.  Until such time, WE HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES

[BullGrad95]

cee and joe have got to be two of the most shortsighted people around.  as SCbull points out, and others have as well, WE HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES.  

On the athletics side, we MUST upgrade our baseball/softball facilities.  My high school field was just as nice as our stadium is now, and there are no words to describe how poor our softball field is for an annual NCAA contender.  The dome is finally getting some renovation underway.  I'm sure there are plenty of other things that need to get done as well.

If you want to take this university wide, the Marshall Center needs to be completely redone, which I think is in the planning stages, still need some of the dorms to be redone, etc.

There are many, many items that list above an OCS on the USF master agenda.  We're "renting" (your words, not mine) a Caddy on the cheap, and you guys want to mortgage the farm, to buy a new Kia.  You still just don't see the BIG PICTURE!!!

[Joe]

BullGrad, please don't call me shortsighted. You're the one wanting to upgrade facilities on Non-Revenue sports. In order for non revenue sports to be paid at a high level you must get money from someone other than boosters and students. Football and Men's Basketball are our only Revenue sports on campus, football being the cash cow.

The current lease at RJS is nice, we don't have to pay an arm and a leg, but we also do not get anything. In order for our other sports to succeed we must succeed at making money in one of our revenue sports, basketball isn't going to be that sport (doesn't make NEAR what a good football program does).

All I am saying is that this school needs to look at the possibility of building an on campus stadium (similar  to Cardinal Stadium cost 68 MIl, with chairbacks...expandable up to 80,000) 100-120 mil will give us a similar stadium, in a much nicer condition. The reasons for this have been exhausted, but I believe there are more positives than negatives.

Sure our non revenue facilities might be a little underclassed, but they don't make any money! You gotta invest in the winner 1st then move down the line.

The Sun Dome is almost an exact replica of the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, except, we have chairbacks in the lower areas (thats right their biggest alumni sit on bleachers.) When the school was going to remove the lower level bleachers in favor of the chairbacks 2 years ago many of them wouldn't have it, why? because it would take away from the environment. Then the school suggested a new basketball venue (which would have to be off campus), the biggest boosters scoffed again, why because the environment was great.

A venue does not have to be state of the art with all the jazz (except for a jumbotorn, many college stadiums these days have jumbotrons and that is always nice to have, the 1st which was added to Penn State in 1997). However, you want chairbacks, Louisville had them for 68 Mil.

RJS does NOT have the environment that makes college football what it is, its a GREAT NFL stadium which a college team uses 5-6 saturdays a year. Wake me when someone mentions they are scared to go into the cavernous RJS to play the Bulls. Somehow, there just isn't that feeling there...

[BullDoug]

Joe, excellent post.  As for PSU's jumbotron, it's pretty small.  I'd hope a new OCS would have a j'tron twice the size of PSU's.  As for UCONN's new stad, its government and big time alum funded.  Big time money alums are something USF is short handed of due to the fact USF is only 40 yrs old.  USF was pretty small for the first 12 yrs.

With that being written, I am 100% sure, an OCS has been looked into by LRS and inquired by Doug Woolard.  The only way that it will get done is a strong push by the students.  If the students could show mega support for all of the games and unify in requesting it from President Judy Genshaft.  And I mean unify in a 5K-8K stu rally.  This will raise eyebrows.  There wasn't a rally but that's kinda how I remember Frank Borokowski starting feasibility on football.  Student government were saying let's start a FB team.  They were pretty in your face about it to prez. FB.

If this happens, Judy G will tell LRS to look in feasibility/plausibility studies for financing.  If it looks favorable, I can see ground breaking in 5 yrs if the students unify right now.  Alums will support it.  Nobody would be opposed to it if there is a large jumbotron, seats w/backs, no urinal troughs, sufficient concessions w/beer and its fiscally prudent.  Cash giving alums aren't going to want to down grade.  This must be a trade of a FEW amenities for MEGA atmosphere.  Mega atmosphere will be the stu's responsibility.  Staggering drunk into erector set is not fulfilling that responsibility.  Plus major room for parking/t'gating will be needed.

I think it would improve the colliegiate atmosphere to our games and may even increasing season tix and just alum interest.  I'd luv to see a painted field w/BE logos.  Those loser USF grads/Gator-Nole-Cane fans may loosen thier grip on that fasination too.  I do wonder if CJL would rather have indoor facilities before an OCS though.

[Guest]

Cee --

The University of Connecicut did NOT "get" a stadium built.  The stadium project is part of a larger economic development program for East Hartford.  The impetus behind the project was in the late 1990's.  Bob Kraft wanted a new stadium for the New England Patriots -- this was before Gillette was built.

The Connecticut Legislature approved a plan to build a new stadium for the Patriots in Hartford.  Things were moving ahead when Massachusetts decided they wanted to keep the Patriots, so the Massachusetts Legislature passed a measure to build Gillette.

Now Connecticut had approved spending a boatload of money on the project -- so they changed the use.  They significantly downsized the stadium and amenities and decided to also build a convention center (among a few other things).

Prior to the Construction of Rentschler Field, U Conn played in a small stadium on their campus in Storrs.  Where they would still be playing if not for the greed of Bob Kraft.

---

Division I-A colleges in metropolitan areas with NFL programs (those with an * play some or all games in the NFL stadium in their city):

AFC East:

University of Buffalo

University of Miami

Florida International University

Florida Atlantic University*

Rutgers University

Boston College

AFC North:

University of Cincinnati

Miami University

United States Naval Academy

University of Pittsburgh*

AFC South:

Indiana University

Vanderbilt University

University of Houston

AFC West:

University of Colorado

University of California @ Berkley

San Diego State University*

NFC East:

Temple University*

Southern Methodist University

Texas Christian University

Rutgers University (listed twice because Giants/Jets share the area)

University of Maryland

NFC North:

University of Minnesota*

Eastern Michigan University

Northwestern University

NFC South:

University of South Florida*

Tulane University@

Louisiana State University@

Georgia Tech University

NFC West:

University of Washington^

Arizona State University#

^ = The Seattle Seahakws played at the University of Washington for one season while their new stadium was being built.  

# = The Arizona Cardinals play their games at Arizona State University.

@ = Because of the damage to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, the Saints are playing most of their 2005 games at Louisiana State University.  Tulane is playing the 2005 season at Louisiana Tech.

NOTE: University of California @ Los Angeles & University of Southern California are both in Los Angeles - which as we all know has no NFL team (yet).

[Apis Bull]

You forgot Rice in Houston.

[Joe]

FYI, Minnesota is close to approving an on campus 60,000 seat stadium opening in 2008, because they were not making any money playing in the Metrodome...