ISU Baseball?

[CyInSoonerland]

I'm not sure if this is in another thread, but I didn't see it in my very quick search. Here is an article that recently appeared in the CR Gazette:

[FONT=&quot]ISU wants baseball back, but it costs too much | GazetteOnline.com - Cedar Rapids, Iowa City[/FONT]

Nothing new here, but it does keep coming up...

I am guessing that JP is tired of it as I am sure he would rather funnel all available dollars to FB and BB. It looks like someone will need to find donors that want to give specifically to baseball or not at all.

 

[bos]

Succeed in other sports, generate revenue, and maybe that day will come.

 

[DaddyMac]

He stated last year when we met with him, that he wants baseball at ISU.

In fact, I seem to remember that one version of the "Master Plan" has Capp Timm Field and the softball fields getting moved over across from the Jack. Sort of an athletic complex, if you will.

 

[cybsball20]

It looks like someone will need to find donors that want to give specifically to baseball or not at all.

There are people that are doing that..

An interesting article, but a little disappointing with at least one outright lie...

"Nobody has stepped forward and said we'd like to raise that kind of money," he said. "When you put the sheer numbers in front of them, it's startling."

We had a group a couple of years ago that wanted to start fundraising, with good connections and MLB'ers involved and Jamie wouldn't take a meeting...

Travel costs in the Big 12 are enormous because of the trips to Texas, which require charter flights.

No big 12 baseball team takes charter flights...

Iowa State also would need a new field, because Pollard said old Cap Timm Field does not meet Big 12 requirements and would be too expensive to fix.

Agree 100% with this..

 

[CyInSoonerland]

I thought something was going a while back, but I didn't realize that JP refused a meeting. That is disappointing.

 

[DaddyMac]

We had a group a couple of years ago that wanted to start fundraising, with good connections and MLB'ers involved and Jamie wouldn't take a meeting...

I thought it was Bruce who wouldn't take the meeting for direct/private funding?

Were these private funders willing to endow the program, or was it one or two years to get it up and going, and that's it?

 

[cybsball20]

I thought it was Bruce who wouldn't take the meeting for direct/private funding?

Were these private funders willing to endow the program, or was it one or two years to get it up and going, and that's it?

I just know there are alot of people, especially former players that won't donate unless it is only for baseball or at least there is a plan in place.

We had a group in order and had a rep try to contact Pollard for weeks, with no response. When he finally got a response it was something like come back when you have the money and everything else is done.

note: not sure the EXACT response, thats the way our rep put it and he wasn't too happy about it.

 

[cycloneryan]

How many people would go to ISU baseball games when we had it? I just wonder if it is worth the trouble.

 

[cybsball20]

Mizzu had no crowds and constantly finished at the bottom of the league. They made a small financial commitment and have been a constant Top 25 team the last few years and have had two first round draft picks. Now they are getting some decent crowds.

If you create a product, including a nice enviroment to watch a game, people will go...

 

[aeroclone]

How many people would go to ISU baseball games when we had it? I just wonder if it is worth the trouble.

I couldn't agree more with this. Back when we had baseball from what I understand we didn't draw many fans even though admission was free. Has there been anything to change in the last few years that would result in more fan interest today?

I don't see ISU ever having a great deal of fan interest in a baseball team. First off, college baseball is invisible at the national level. The only time it seems to appear is around CWS time. Heck, Iowa has a baseball team, how much media coverage do we see for them? Second, it is summertime, so most students are gone, and families are too busy with summer activities to make the trip to Ames for a game.

There is a very long list of things that needs to get done in the world of ISU athletics, and bringing back baseball is probably around number 1000 on that list.

 

[IcSyU]

Second, it is summertime, so most students are gone, and families are too busy with summer activities to make the trip to Ames for a game.

Most of the season is during the spring...

 

[dustinal]

Is that for throwing over your shoulder or putting in the wound?

 

[cybsball20]

A couple of other reasons games had bad attendance. Most home games 3/5 are during the week, around 1 or 2 pm, kinda hard to get a pretty good crowd that time a day. The 'stadium', I use that term loosely, was a terrible place to watch a game and most people don't even know where it is.

Put up a nice field, in the athletic complex, with lights, promote it and you will get crowds...

 

[jdoggivjc]

A couple of other reasons games had bad attendance. Most home games 3/5 are during the week, around 1 or 2 pm, kinda hard to get a pretty good crowd that time a day. The 'stadium', I use that term loosely, was a terrible place to watch a game and most people don't even know where it is.

Put up a nice field, in the athletic complex, with lights, promote it and you will get crowds...

In other words, "Build it and they will come..."

 

[wesley_w]

I used to go to a lot of games but would only catch a few innings after work. It would always be well into the second game by the time I got there. At least with lights the games could go later and make it easier to attend.

A couple of other reasons games had bad attendance. Most home games 3/5 are during the week, around 1 or 2 pm, kinda hard to get a pretty good crowd that time a day. The 'stadium', I use that term loosely, was a terrible place to watch a game and most people don't even know where it is.

Put up a nice field, in the athletic complex, with lights, promote it and you will get crowds...

 

[HILLCYD]

I would love to see baseball at ISU as I have stated many times in the past. Put up some night games and I would be there.

 

[Clonefan94]

He stated last year when we met with him, that he wants baseball at ISU.

In fact, I seem to remember that one version of the "Master Plan" has Capp Timm Field and the softball fields getting moved over across from the Jack. Sort of an athletic complex, if you will.

Perfect, less parking for football. No offense to baseball. I really feel we need it back here at ISU, but, not anywhere that takes up more parking for football. We are going to need more parking in the future, not less. Plus, part of the atmosphere at JTS is being able to park close, it's really what makes the tailgating experience.

 

[HILLCYD]

Perfect, less parking for football. No offense to baseball. I really feel we need it back here at ISU, but, not anywhere that takes up more parking for football. We are going to need more parking in the future, not less. Plus, part of the atmosphere at JTS is being able to park close, it's really what makes the tailgating experience.

Can you tell me who parks on the softball fields?

 

[cybsball20]

Perfect, less parking for football. No offense to baseball. I really feel we need it back here at ISU, but, not anywhere that takes up more parking for football. We are going to need more parking in the future, not less. Plus, part of the atmosphere at JTS is being able to park close, it's really what makes the tailgating experience.

I don't think that would be a problem. It would likely take the Intramural fields and probably INCREASE paved parking. Not to mention another place for pre game special events and what not...

 

[DaddyMac]

Perfect, less parking for football. No offense to baseball. I really feel we need it back here at ISU, but, not anywhere that takes up more parking for football. We are going to need more parking in the future, not less. Plus, part of the atmosphere at JTS is being able to park close, it's really what makes the tailgating experience.

Not really, if he puts in where the IM fields are currently. Of course that means the IM fields have to be moved - perhaps where the BB and SB fields are?