Iowa State Baseball

[WalkingCY]

I posted this before in another thread.... thought it might need some discussion on it's own.

Has ISU looked at possibly playing baseball at Principal Park (Sec Taylor) in Des Moines? Half hour drive away, they can set their schedule on when the I-Cubs are out of town, or play a noon game before the Cubs play that evening... etc... Beer sales (since it is not on campus).....most alumni in the state is in the Des Moines area.... has this been talked about?

Honestly, I think playing there would SAVE/RESTORE that program. Defiantly enough capacity for games. The alumni base alone in DSM would bring good crowds to Downtown DSM to watch our Clones. Beer sales could happen.

1. I would guess that ISU would have to pay the I-Cubs to use the facilities.
2. Ticket sales would be big due to the large Fan base. (And, when the Cubbies are out of town on the weekends, most DSMers would still be able to see baseball on the weekends. Revenue would be great for Iowa State.
3. Tailgating in the summer? I was just at the stadium on Sunday.....saw 4 big busses that were sporting ISU gear.....and it was a "football - like" tailgate going on.....ISUers could get into this.
4. Title 9 - Make women's tennis a scholarship sport? Is it already? We would need to find one more women's team for scholarship status.....this can be done.

I understand that most B12 teams play at minor league parks for special games. I also know that Nebby, KU and Creighton have all played games at Rosenblatt in O-Town..... Why can't we make this happen. Also, and this is a basketball reference, but most Big East schools play off campus - St. John's @ MSG, Villanova @ Wachovia Center, ....they can serve beer/alcohol at these games...... why can't the Clones play in DSM....and do the same for Baseball. Clearly, Ames does NOT have the population for this....plus students are gone during the summer.....the only chance for Baseball to be revived is to play in DSM and strike up a deal with the I-Cubs and the City of Des Moines. (More games at the stadium? They wouldn't turn that down.....tix sales/beer/parking.....these are all money makers....not to mention...all the sponsors that run the stadium get more exposure. This is a win-win for ISU.)


I think a lot of fans/alums can get behind this idea. It would be great to see ISU Baseball again.

 

[thatguy]

this is about as likely to happen as the A-Rob winning the heismann thing going on today. We don't have money to get rid of GMAC how are we gonna fund a new team?

 

[cykoholic]

as much as I'd like to see baseball back at ISU there isn't money for it and you are grossly overestimating its popularity. 200 people came to watch ISU play when they had a team - you're not going to draw much better at Principal park.

 

[Iastfan112]

My guess is rent would cost an arm and a leg, it would be awesome if it could be worked out though.

 

[ianoconnor]

If it happened, I would be at every game.

 

[GriffClones]

ISU would not have to add any more womens sports. Per JP on the call in show last fall. He said he could add Baseball and Hockey and still be good Title IX wise. It all comes down to not being able to afford the two programs right now.

 

[WalkingCY]

as much as I'd like to see baseball back at ISU there isn't money for it and you are grossly overestimating its popularity. 200 people came to watch ISU play when they had a team - you're not going to draw much better at Principal park.

You underestimate the power of alcohol. Since the team would not be on campus, beer would be sold at the stadium. Plus, it gives DSMers more games at the stadium when the Cubbies are out of town. ISUers love to tailgate....there would be opportunities to do that all summer now. This would be a MONEY making idea for the AD.

The 200 people you referred to was all in Ames.....and sorry, the population there over the summer was never going to work for ISU Baseball. The largest part of the fanbase rests here in DSM. I would see this being VERY popular.

 

[alarson]

If we ever bring back baseball this is how we should do it. Ames is way too small during the summer to support baseball, doing it in a bigger city where the largest alumni base is may be the smart decision.

 

[JP4CY]

Interesting theory even though it probably has zero chance of happening. I know you said the summer theory and tailgating but there is a lot going on in the summer already for people, RAGBRAI, Fair, camping, yard work, farming, etc.
I just don't know if that many people would spend that many hours outside, then go to a game on a hot day.
It'll be interesting to get Cysball's input, he would probably give a sound explanation on this.

 

[Incyte]

I'd rather see hockey than have baseball. It would set us apart from the other in-state schools and fit our geography.

 

[WalkingCY]

I would think bars/restaurants and other small businesses downtown would be all for this to happen. Think about it, there have been many times folks are wondering what to do on a given weekend during the summer. This would be huge because when the Cubbies are out of town....downtown DSM will still be a buzz because of ISU Baseball. I mean, ISU Baseball at 7 PM vs. Nebby or Texas....etc...would be a huge draw. Parking/Concessions/Tix..... this would be great for ISU and really the ONLY way to bring it back. To think that this could happen in Ames over the summer is crazy. Let's get this thing going in the Heart of Cyclone Country.

Still, if we are splitting a cut with the I-Cubs...or Principal....we would be making money on this. Big Time College Baseball in Des Moines, that would be excellent for the City and ISU as a whole. Heck, it would help our fanbase even more.

As for the athletes....it is only a 30 min. trip to get there from Ames.... they can still practice up in Ames, etc... but playing in DSM is the way to make money.

 

[theshadow]

Just stop. Please.

*Still playing the first 30 games of the season on the road (financial drain).
*Office space for coaches? There is none.
*Where would they practice? Brookside? Can't even practice outdoors until after Spring Break, which is 20-25 games into the season.
*Summer population has nothing to do with it. The season ends before Memorial Day.
*Nobody went when it was FREE. Now they're going to pay?
*The I-Cubs would get to keep a very large portion of whatever concessions and ticket sales there are.
*Surprisingly, beer is not the end-all.

*Nebraska shares a stadium with a minor-league team in Lincoln. Not in Omaha. Not 40 minutes away.
*Creighton plays half of their home games at Rosenblatt -- again, a LOCAL venue.
*Kansas and Nebraska only play at Rosenblatt when they play Creighton.

 

[Incyte]

I can't see the I-cubs signing on to bring a product to Des Moines that directly competes with their product.

 

[cykoholic]

You underestimate the power of alcohol. Since the team would not be on campus, beer would be sold at the stadium. Plus, it gives DSMers more games at the stadium when the Cubbies are out of town. ISUers love to tailgate....there would be opportunities to do that all summer now. This would be a MONEY making idea for the AD.

The 200 people you referred to was all in Ames.....and sorry, the population there over the summer was never going to work for ISU Baseball. The largest part of the fanbase rests here in DSM. I would see this being VERY popular.

College baseball is played in the spring chief - not the summer. There's a reason this hasn't even been contemplated by the AD - because it will lose money like Antoine Walker in Atlantic City. You're not going to get thousands of people to flock to DSM on a Tuesday afternoon to watch ISU baseball and pay $8 for a beer. Students didn't walk to Cap Timm for a game and you expect them to drive to DSM?

 

[WalkingCY]

Just stop. Please.

*Still playing the first 30 games of the season on the road (financial drain).
*Office space for coaches? There is none. Roughly, the season starts Feb 19th - May 30th I saw that Nebraska only played TEN games this year on the "road." This would hardly be a "financial drain." I believe office space can be figured out by the AD....we aren't going to build some fancy area for them.
*Where would they practice? Brookside? Can't even practice outdoors until after Spring Break, which is 20-25 games into the season. Bergstrom
*Summer population has nothing to do with it. The season ends before Memorial Day.
*Nobody went when it was FREE. Now they're going to pay? - Again...it was in Ames....where only 25k people were living in town during the summer....who was going to come up there and watch Baseball? In DSM 80-85% of Alums/Fanbase lives there.
*The I-Cubs would get to keep a very large portion of whatever concessions and ticket sales there are. I agree here with you, but again....who is to say that some sort of deal would be to purchase ISU tix....people can get into I-Cubbs games as well.....thus, helping both parties.
*Surprisingly, beer is not the end-all. Beer would be a HUGE motivator to get people to the games.

*Nebraska shares a stadium with a minor-league team in Lincoln. Not in Omaha. Not 40 minutes away. Again, 85% of our Fanbase/Alums live in the DSM area. I'm not worried about the team getting to DSM....it's all about Butts in the seats.
*Creighton plays half of their home games at Rosenblatt -- again, a LOCAL venue.
*Kansas and Nebraska only play at Rosenblatt when they play Creighton.

Doesn't Iowa practice in their "dome" facility in Feb/March? The ISU baseballers can use Bergstrom when isn't in use..... the U of I does that? Why couldn't we?

Look, I really feel that a great marketing campaign can get this idea rolling. I would just like to hear that efforts are being made...or ideas are rolling to get ISU BB back and playing. And the DES MOINES area is the ticket for success.

Gotta hope ISU Football becomes a monster under CPR....and we can generate some money into getting this sport rolling again. I just hope this is being discussed as a possible move by the AD.

 

[WalkingCY]

College baseball is played in the spring chief - not the summer. There's a reason this hasn't even been contemplated by the AD - because it will lose money like Antoine Walker in Atlantic City. You're not going to get thousands of people to flock to DSM on a Tuesday afternoon to watch ISU baseball and pay $8 for a beer. Students didn't walk to Cap Timm for a game and you expect them to drive to DSM?

Students bail during the summer. That leaves little ol' Ames with 25k people roughly living there. 200k+ live in the DSM Area....with a host of ISU Alumni around..... I know even the I-Cubs have a time with getting people to a 2PM afternoon game....it would be the weekend Series Games that would make money for the AD. It would just be something exciting and NEW for the City of DSM....and would bring together ISU Alums as well. This is the only chance to bring back ISU BB IMO.

Again...I know this is a very-very LONGSHOT of actually happening....but these are the specifics to actually get the idea out there...and get this program off the ground. And, our AD wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't think about ideas like these...keeping them on the back-burner. I would hope that ISU has been studying this time of the year....and the budgeting from the I-Cubs to get an Idea of tix sales/etc...

Again, here's to hoping for big things in the FB Dept.....so the A.D. can have some money for projects like these in the near future.

 

[theshadow]

Doesn't Iowa practice in their "dome" facility in Feb/March? The ISU baseballers can use Bergstrom when isn't in use..... the U of I does that? Why couldn't we?

Look, I really feel that a great marketing campaign can get this idea rolling. I would just like to hear that efforts are being made...or ideas are rolling to get ISU BB back and playing. And the DES MOINES area is the ticket for success.

Gotta hope ISU Football becomes a monster under CPR....and we can generate some money into getting this sport rolling again. I just hope this is being discussed as a possible move by the AD.

Perhaps 30 was an overstatement. Softball routinely plays the first 30 on the road. For baseball, Iowa played 22 of their first 27 on the road, including the first 18. That's one whole month of road games to start. Travelling party of 40, plus equipment. Lotta loooooooong bus rides.

Bergstrom is a great practice facility for baseball if all you're planning on doing is bunting, ground balls and long toss. No "live" hitting or outfield work, though.

There's no space in Jacobson for coaches' offices. There's no space in Lied. What's left...State Gym? Beyer? Forker?

I see you keep talking about summer. Again, the season is OVER by Memorial Day unless you make the Big 12 tournament (which is actually the week before Memorial Day this season) or NCAA regionals.

Additionally, there's no point in talking about new sports until the current sports are perenially in the upper half of the Big 12.

 

[BigSkyCy2]

Students bail during the summer. That leaves little ol' Ames with 25k people roughly living there. 200k+ live in the DSM Area....with a host of ISU Alumni around.....

As everyone else has said, College Baseball isn't played in the summer. It is all played during Feb.-May

 

[wxman1]

Softball hasn't been in the berg for over a year...for anything. All of their indoor practices are at Lied...bergstrom is pretty much strictly for football with an occasional indoor soccer game.

That and echoing what others have said, no chance in hell people are going to support baseball, not many went before less will go now. Using alcohol has a supporting argument is completely stupid as well.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Softball hasn't been in the berg for over a year...for anything. All of their indoor practices are at Lied...bergstrom is pretty much strictly for football with an occasional indoor soccer game.

That and echoing what others have said, no chance in hell people are going to support baseball, not many went before less will go now. Using alcohol has a supporting argument is completely stupid as well.

Pollard wants to bring baseball back. Financially it can't happen right now. But it will eventually. It's embarrassing being a D1 BCS conference school without a baseball team. And give up the "nobody went to the games" argument. How many people were watching womens volleyball or basketball 10-15 years ago? It's not about how many people show up to watch a non-revenue sport. If you don't care whether ISU has a baseball team, why even argue about it? I will never understand why some people feel the need to give their opinion about something they don't even care about.