Rutgers - Stadium expansion

[Jim Johnson]

Rutgers studying stadium expansion

Last year's season calls for 11,000 new seats

By RICK MALWITZ - STAFF WRITER - rmalwitz@thnt.com

RUTGERS:  One thing the Rutgers football program learned when it put tickets on sale following its success last year was that demand far exceeded supply.

With eight sellouts anticipated this year, and about 6,000 fans on a waiting list for tickets, Rutgers has taken steps to expand its stadium from the current capacity of about 44,000 to about 55,000 as part of a $116 million expansion program.

Rutgers has signed a $1 million contract with HOK Sports to design expansion plans that would add permanent seats on the south end of the stadium, a second deck on the north end and luxury suites, according to architectural drawings on the HOK Web site.

Last year Rutgers Stadium had a temporary expansion, when about 2,000 bleacher seats were erected in the south end zone for games against Louisville and Syracuse. The Nov. 9 Louisville game drew a record crowd of 44,111.

The $1 million agreement with HOK Sports was first reported Wednesday by The Record of Bergen County.

Football Coach Greg Schiano, who led Rutgers to an 11-2 record and a win in the Texas Bowl last season, said yesterday, "I think it's important that we grow responsibly, as long as we do it within the framework of the university and the state. We have to grow in steps and try not to go too fast."

Asked about the price tag and time lines he responded, "Nothing's finalized yet so I'm not at liberty to talk about it, but hopefully it's something we will move forward with. But again, responsibly."

Schiano was asked if he has been involved in the planning stages. "Yes, but we're all in this together," he said. "I think we're all trying to do what's best for the university, the football program, and for the state of New Jersey for that matter."

Director of Athletics Robert Mulcahy acknowledged plans to expand. "We are reviewing designs and concepts. We realize there is a need and we're looking to address it," he said.

HOK Sports is the leading designer of venues in the major professional sports in the United States, including Major League Baseball stadiums in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and San Diego and National Football League stadiums in Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston and Phoenix.

It has also worked on venues in college sports, including the expansion of Penn State University's football stadium.

An expansion of Rutgers Stadium to 55,000 seats would make it the fourth largest venue in the Big East Conference, trailing Pittsburgh and South Florida, who each share a 65,000-seat stadium with an NFL team, and West Virginia, which has a 60,000-seat campus stadium.

Louisville, which plays in a stadium with a capacity of 42,800, also has plans to expand. Louisville already has 28 luxury suites in place. Rutgers has none.

According to The Record financing would come from a $30 million grant from the state, and $86 million in bonds.

In the 2001 season, Schiano's first season at Rutgers, total attendance was 143,184 - a figure that included programs to give away tickets free or heavily discounted.

This year Rutgers will not be giving away tickets, and expects to draw about 340,000 spectators to its eight home games.

The scarcity of tickets has fueled a secondary ticket market, under an agreement Rutgers has with stubhub.com. The agreement allows ticket-holders to re-sell tickets at whatever price the market will bear.

[outrunner]

Maybe it's just me, but I think they may be jumping the gun on this. Shouldn't you wait at least two to three years of such high demand before you do something like this. What if they go 6-6 this year (I know, it's just a hypothetical) and people start jumping off the bandwagon? They need to see what the demand is during those tough seasons, not the cinderella ones.

[Don Toro]

Maybe it's just me, but I think they may be jumping the gun on this. Shouldn't you wait at least two to three years of such high demand before you do something like this. What if they go 6-6 this year (I know, it's just a hypothetical) and people start jumping off the bandwagon? They need to see what the demand is during those tough seasons, not the cinderella ones.

I was thinking the same thing, but is not even just them, the whole media is in the bandwagon after one great season! How can everyone forget 100 years of futility after one good year? There are even reporters writing about the traditional BE Superpowers that include Rutgers in the subject. In fact the sole notion of "traditional" BE superpowers is ridiculous considering L'ville just joined the conference.

[Jamie]

It's because their campus is like 30 miles away from New York. It's the closest major college football program to the city, so everyone is piling on the bandwagon. It's like I said, a lot of people last fall suddenly remembered they went to Rutgers.

[bulls96go]

good for them!

good for the BE

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

good for them!

good for the BE

I agree!

Ever heard of "striking while the iron is hot?"

Doing this increases excitement among fans & recruits.  It shows they are serious about what they're doing.

So they can spend $116-million to expand a stadium.

We need to come up with that kind of money to build one.

[outrunner]

good for them!

good for the BE

I agree!

Ever heard of "striking while the iron is hot?"

Doing this increases excitement among fans & recruits.  It shows they are serious about what they're doing.

So they can spend $116-million to expand a stadium.

We need to come up with that kind of money to build one.

You're on a roll this week with OCS posts

[SRQ]

keep schiano happy; he is the program