If you could add one sport
- Thread starter jaretac
- Start date
I used to "drop in" on games when we had baseball. I say "drop in" because we didn't even charge for games, yet still had very low attendance. It was funny to watch visiting fans look around for someone to buy tickets from. I doubt there was a school around that had a sport as low-ley and laid back as ISU did with baseball. Maybe other posters are right, the remote location hurt attendance.
There is no way we could keep Cap Timm Field; it is not an adequate ballpark in this conference. We would need a legitimate park, with lights. No way with our budget.
Remember Wisconsin - they cut baseball back when they had budget issues; now that they take in $80 mil a year, they still haven't brought it back...
Until we are competative in the sports we do field we shouldn't even think about adding sports. ISU will never have deep pockets - any sports added would be the first on the chopping block when revenues fall. The only way a sport should be added is if someone with tons of money sets up a trust to fund that sport into infinity.
Alright, first let me say I love baseball and would love to see ISU have it back.
But I can say without a doubt that if ISU ever brought hockey to the NCAA Division I level people would go and the team would be successful. SEE: Des Moines Buccaneers/Waterloo Black Hawks/Cedar Rapids Rough Riders. All of those kids are 15-20 and they draw incredibly well. Plus those kids would be easily scoutable/recruitable.
College hockey doesn't have many big schools in it and Iowa State could draw kids looking for a big-conference school experience. Nebraska-Omaha became a contender in its THIRD season of existence. I'm telling you, Iowa State could do it even quicker.
As far as facility, Hilton would be great. Just look at the Kohl Center at Wisconsin, both basketball and hockey there and they pack it for both.
Will hockey ever come to ISU? Probably not, but if it did, it would most definitely work. No doubt in my mind.
But I can say without a doubt that if ISU ever brought hockey to the NCAA Division I level people would go and the team would be successful. SEE: Des Moines Buccaneers/Waterloo Black Hawks/Cedar Rapids Rough Riders. All of those kids are 15-20 and they draw incredibly well. Plus those kids would be easily scoutable/recruitable.
College hockey doesn't have many big schools in it and Iowa State could draw kids looking for a big-conference school experience. Nebraska-Omaha became a contender in its THIRD season of existence. I'm telling you, Iowa State could do it even quicker.
As far as facility, Hilton would be great. Just look at the Kohl Center at Wisconsin, both basketball and hockey there and they pack it for both.
Will hockey ever come to ISU? Probably not, but if it did, it would most definitely work. No doubt in my mind.
I'm in agreement with the posters who said we can't afford to bring any new sports to ISU right now, but in a perfect world I'd choose baseball. I think Hockey could work, but I'm biased as a huge MLB fan.
I think the city of Ames needs to try to bring in a Single A Baseball team. Then ISU and the city can go in on a new stadium. I think the one in cedar rapids that was built not to long ago only cost $19 million.
That way the stadium would get more use which would probably help attendance for ISU games.
That way the stadium would get more use which would probably help attendance for ISU games.
I think a Northwoods League team would be even better... Have a city owned stadium then you can sell beer at the ISU games as well as the Nortwoods league games...
All of those teams have one thing in common... Cheap beer... Thats what makes them popular.
Thats why you get a Northwoods League team. You keep four ISU players so the fans know them and supplement them with some of the best players in the country.
