And you wonder why folks have called you a fair-weather fan...
Our Jack Trice stadium
- Thread starter Knownothing
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We couldn't even fill the stadium for the game yesterday - I think you can let any NEZ expansion dreams die.
EDIT - Let me rephrase this. Doing work to make that area look better like Pollard has talked about would be nice. Adding a bunch more capacity, in the day and age where people choose to sit at home and watch on tv is silly.
EDIT - Let me rephrase this. Doing work to make that area look better like Pollard has talked about would be nice. Adding a bunch more capacity, in the day and age where people choose to sit at home and watch on tv is silly.
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It is probably in a 10 or 15 year plan, but if we keep winning like this it could possibly be accelerated a bit. If it adds about the same as the SEZ we'd be up to 68,000ish. Not that far fetched. It would probably be less than the SEZ addition too, since there is already a building and support there.
The Olsen Bldg gets knocked down and a Performance Facility gets built in the parking lot between the Jacobsen Bldg and the Berg. Not sure what if anything goes where the Olsen Bldg was but they will have to put visitor dressing rooms somewhere. The NEZ lower level is rounded off and filled in with dirt but remains grass hilsides with a different slope. The concourse would extend over the entry of the Jacobsen Bldg where it merges with the current Olsen Bldg. JP has mentioned that you could "look down into" the Jacobsen Bldg from the concourse. I hope that the Jacobsen Bldg is tiered back matching the hillside thus creating some good sitelines in the corners. Put small stands in front of the Jacobsen Bldg for the band, above the 1st level suites (where the REG banners are) you build some suite type seating up to the second floor of the Jacobsen Bldg (similar to TTU's new endzone). Each team gets a true tunnel entry if that is done and also keeps access to the north exit remaining for utility and emergency vehicles. The SEZ balcony seats added 5,800 seats and since the angle is sharper in the NEZ, we could assume 300-500 fewer seats. Lets say 5,400 seats added in NEZ balcony. You would likely lose another 500 seats rounding off the NEZ hillsides so you really would only be adding 5,000 seats. If you added a new press tower (similar to the one at Arrowhead in KC would looks match well) you add another 500 seats. 5,400 new seats brings you to 66,900 and that is perfect for the next generation of Cyclones.
I would also consider moving the students to the NW corner so they could be closer to our players and not get in the path of the visiting squad when we storm the field but I like our students behind our players and near their exit so we can see celebrations.
Announced attendance was just over 56,000. Capacity is 61,500. Most of the stadium looked great but the last section in the upper deck on the southwest side was more than half empty. Why would ISU add more capacity if they can't sell out for a matchup between top 25 teams??
That section was behind me, so I can't attest to the half-empty status. Everything across from me on the east side, and north of me and below me on the west side was full as near as I can see.
Not filling the stadium was an argument against the SEZ. Unlike you, I prefer to see the positives from yesterday. We had a hellacious, loud and rowdy crowd that the announcers and the team and the coach all praised, but you're nit-picking 5000 seats. Sheesh.
That's why I think it is a 10-15 year plan, like I said. And also, there is probably a bigger picture to the whole thing than what we are immediately thinking. Why did KU just add on to their stadium? Also, if we have a solid 5 years of football with a constant 36,000 student enrollment and graduating larger classes every year. We will need a bit of an upgrade. I stress again in about 10 years.
You build to your largest crowd; not your average. The most recent expansion had its doubters, but the investment has paid off.
If we can string together multiple bowl seasons, you'll see a fiercely loyal following explode with bandwagon fans. We're the largest school in the state with the most local alumni, and 3rd largest in our conference. Why not think big?
Agreed, it's premature to think about adding more seating. Being 8-10k below capacity isn't a good look, and either is a tarp.
I know that is what was announced but I sat across from that section yesterday and then watching the replay of the game on TV I cant see where 5000 more fans would go. I knew it was obviously not at capacity thanks largely in part by the returned visitor allotment (the section you are complaining about) but even those areas obviously filled 3/4 full by game time. So I was thinking it looked more in the 58-59,000 range. I was really surprised by the 56,000 posted.
Enjoyed the change to singing Tom Petty,s "Won't Back Down" at the end of the third quarter. it easy easy to sing. Relavent whether we are ahead or behind. Seems to capture the spirit of this team right now.
It’s silly to discredit the NEZ due to not selling out in a surprise cold top-25 matchup. Like it was mentioned, you don’t make these decisions on what your current average is. It’s also not really about appreciably adding capacity (after the SEZ discussions I can’t believe this even needs to be said).
I was disappointed with not selling out, but it’s at least 10k better than 2004’s big game, and that’s with very little winning in the seasons in between. As we get further away from the Iowa State College era and the futility it led to, we’re going to be adding fans regardless of success. If we get back to even DMac level success we’re looking at having games in which 65k is easily needed.
I was disappointed with not selling out, but it’s at least 10k better than 2004’s big game, and that’s with very little winning in the seasons in between. As we get further away from the Iowa State College era and the futility it led to, we’re going to be adding fans regardless of success. If we get back to even DMac level success we’re looking at having games in which 65k is easily needed.
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Maybe not the best at JTS, but it seemed great on TV. ABC was doing a great job picking up the band.
Why would the university not announce the highest possible attendance? My guess is that could have been spillover from the student section because there were people sitting in the aisles there.
Shouldn’t this have been our top crowd considering the circumstances? I agree that there’s potential after building on success in the future but it seems silly to talk about right now.
5000 empty seats is 5000 empty seats. Not discrediting he atmosphere at all. Just saying it doesn’t make much sense to entertain expansion right now.
