Northwestern starts stadium rebuild

[tiger paw]

Tear down + replacement. No public money. Interesting. Current stadium capacity 47k . New stadium 35k. I thought B1G felt the Rent was too small. Rutgers had to go from 40k to 53k . And still The Rent continues to deteriorate for lack of interest and of $$$.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Tear down + replacement. No public money. Interesting. Current stadium capacity 47k . New stadium 35k. I thought B1G felt the Rent was too small. Rutgers had to go from 40k to 53k . And still The Rent continues to deteriorate for lack of interest and of $$$.

Northwestern is a private school and received a 500-million-dollar gift from the Ryan family. Dave said it would take such to have one in Storrs. Guess the name of the facility. The Rent is scheduled for upgrades and repairs over the next two budget cycles. Channel 3 reported the funds being released.

 

[cohenzone]

One of my sons in the 1990s and my wife’s brother in the 70s went to NU. We’ve talked about the question of the seating capacity of the new stadium. Seems odd that the league is good with it even though it supposedly will be a high tech marvel. The old stadium was a dump. And a hike from the campus if that is where the new place will be. I might have held a distinction. One of my other sons was at UMich for 2 years while his brother was at NU. We went to their game both years i can say I had been at 2 UM games, both vs. NU and NU won both. Since been to a few other UM games that they won.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The Ryan family did their new fieldhouse too. Just a couple of the amazing, generous gifts (including academic) to the school.

 

[Patman]

The Ryan family did their new fieldhouse too. Just a couple of the amazing, generous gifts (including academic) to the school.

the reality is it is often going to come down to not so small donations by elite benefactors. UConn didn't start becoming a serious school until the UConn 2000 initiatives.

there might be some basketball fans with more money than sense from the 90s who might think retirement soon but are they going to want to bankroll football?

 

[DMTCYNAW]

good for them - i celebrate Northwestern. They're still a mediocre football program in the grand scheme, even with the B1G badge on them. But they're a legacy school with a top-tier academic brand, which B1G loves to have. So they're safe, even if they'll never make any noise at the big sports (fb/bb).

We don't have the overall institutional brand to overcome our ghastly recent performance on the gridiron, so I say we just focus on mopping the floor with their team, and whoever else we come across. Win and we'll make DB's job that much easier to fundraise and make our own transformation happen.

 

[UCFBfan]

Tear down + replacement. No public money. Interesting. Current stadium capacity 47k . New stadium 35k. I thought B1G felt the Rent was too small. Rutgers had to go from 40k to 53k . And still The Rent continues to deteriorate for lack of interest and of $$$.

Gotta think the lesser programs or even smaller P5 schools are going to go smaller if they rebuild. Attendance is dropping due to online ability to watch games, better viewing experience, etc. Why have a half empty stadium when you can have a smaller, more intimate, packed stadium? Just my two cents.

 

[J187Money]

My son was a trainer there for the 2021 season. I got to tour all of the facilities on the weekend with him. Super cool - hard to believe that the practice field is on the 2nd floor of a building indoors. Overlooks lake Michigan. There has to be 20B worth of buildings on that campus - it is gorgeous.

Stadium is only a mile from campus - no other place to put it really, but it is a little weird since it is in a residential neighborhood. Traffic is an abomination pre/post.

 

[LIUCHusky]

My son was a trainer there for the 2021 season. I got to tour all of the facilities on the weekend with him. Super cool - hard to believe that the practice field is on the 2nd floor of a building indoors. Overlooks lake Michigan. There has to be 20B worth of buildings on that campus - it is gorgeous.

Stadium is only a mile from campus - no other place to put it really, but it is a little weird since it is in a residential neighborhood. Traffic is an abomination pre/post.

Similar to Yale in New Haven.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

47K down to all-chairback 35K:

Aside from decreasing frequent large #s of fans from Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, etc …

When less is more

 

[freescooter]

Tear down + replacement. No public money. Interesting. Current stadium capacity 47k . New stadium 35k. I thought B1G felt the Rent was too small. Rutgers had to go from 40k to 53k . And still The Rent continues to deteriorate for lack of interest and of $$$.

I think you mischaracterize the Rents condition. It is 20 years old and needs some capital investment as would any facility. New roof, upgraded electrical, video etc are normal upgrades if you want to maintain real estate, whether it’s a stadium or your house. And the repairs/upgrades are being made.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I think you mischaracterize the Rents condition. It is 20 years old and needs some capital investment as would any facility. New roof, upgraded electrical, video etc are normal upgrades if you want to maintain real estate, whether it’s a stadium or your house. And the repairs/upgrades are being made.

Its amazing isn't it? Detractors will responsibly and dutifully maintain their homes over decades (new roofs, gutters etc) and upgrade their appliances, household technologies. etc. but somehow don't think plastic stadium chairs left out in the elements are not prone to oxidation and cracking. Somehow laws of physical properties exist everywhere else but Rentschler Field and P&W Stadium.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

the reality is it is often going to come down to not so small donations by elite benefactors. UConn didn't start becoming a serious school until the UConn 2000 initiatives.

there might be some basketball fans with more money than sense from the 90s who might think retirement soon but are they going to want to bankroll football?

Probably private monies would be found to replace Gampel before a football stadium is built in Storrs. Just hoping the football facilities are maintained well.

 

[cohenzone]

The history of the life of The Big House in Ann Arbor. A much older place than The Rent. Having been there a few times, i don’t care what the capacity us, but for a normal non-record sell out you are pretty much totally squeezed in.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Stadium#:~:text=Seating%20and%20surface,-The%20stadium's%20original&text=Initially%2C%20all%20seating%20consisted%20of,to%20give%20players%20better%20traction.

 

[UCFBfan]

The history of the life of The Big House in Ann Arbor. A much older place than The Rent. Having been there a few times, i don’t care what the capacity us, but for a normal non-record sell out you are pretty much totally squeezed in.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Stadium#:~:text=Seating%20and%20surface,-The%20stadium's%20original&text=Initially%2C%20all%20seating%20consisted%20of,to%20give%20players%20better%20traction.

Same goes for Beaver Stadium. Used to go to a game every year as a kid through college. I swear that somewhere along the lines they figured out how to make the seat numbers on the bleachers even closer together. At least the late November games were warmer because you had someone basically in your lap!

 

[Palatine]

I went to NW v Michigan in the mid 1970s. The stadium was old then.

 

[maple]

47K down to all-chairback 35K:

They’re putting in all chair backs at the JMA Dome, too, come this summer. Personally, I hate bleachers.

 

[HartfordHank]

They’re putting in all chair backs at the JMA Dome, too, come this summer. Personally, I hate bleachers.

As a larger person with a wide buttocks I prefer the bleachers to a chair back. Some places, like Fenway, are especially tough for wider bodies.

 

[husky8273]

My son was a trainer there for the 2021 season. I got to tour all of the facilities on the weekend with him. Super cool - hard to believe that the practice field is on the 2nd floor of a building indoors. Overlooks lake Michigan. There has to be 20B worth of buildings on that campus - it is gorgeous.

Stadium is only a mile from campus - no other place to put it really, but it is a little weird since it is in a residential neighborhood. Traffic is an abomination pre/post.

went to a few games at NU in 2015-2017. their shuttle bus system from campus to the stadium was very convenient

 

[Vowelguy]

47K down to all-chairback 35K:

Aside from decreasing frequent large #s of fans from Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, etc …

When less is more

And being in Chicago still the opportunity to have an occasional game at the Bears stadium (wherever that ends up), when demand warrants.
Or Wrigley

 

[Vowelguy]

Interesting - in 2010s, they averaged 37k.

NU Home Attendance | HailToPurple.com

 

[Kolumbo]

First, it still seems odd to me that institutions like Northwestern would want to continue to be part of this semi-pro football whatever it is going to be.

Second, a B1G program in Chicago reducing seating capacity to 35k. Sure it will be an incredible stadium. But it is the opposite of a B1G stadium. Maybe Northwestern already has other plans.

serious question re: the future of college football...

Between NIL/mega-free agency and the 12-team playoff, which, any way you slice it will erode the bowl system (and almost definitely the conference championships, where both teams involved will surely bench their starters if a playoff berth is locked down), is college football in danger? I can...

northwestern.forums.rivals.com

 

[History Geek]

First, it still seems odd to me that institutions like Northwestern would want to continue to be part of this semi-pro football whatever it is going to be.

Second, a B1G program in Chicago reducing seating capacity to 35k. Sure it will be an incredible stadium. But it is the opposite of a B1G stadium. Maybe Northwestern already has other plans.

serious question re: the future of college football...

Between NIL/mega-free agency and the 12-team playoff, which, any way you slice it will erode the bowl system (and almost definitely the conference championships, where both teams involved will surely bench their starters if a playoff berth is locked down), is college football in danger? I can...

northwestern.forums.rivals.com

Boxes with my theory that a "nerdy G-whatever" league might rise from the realignment ashes, along with some ACC/Calford remnants and (maybe??) UConn. What is Vanderbilt's stadium situation?

 

[whalerfan]

Boxes with my theory that a "nerdy G-whatever" league might rise from the realignment ashes, along with some ACC/Calford remnants and (maybe??) UConn. What is Vanderbilt's stadium situation?

 

[whalerfan]

Boxes with my theory that a "nerdy G-whatever" league might rise from the realignment ashes, along with some ACC/Calford remnants and (maybe??) UConn. What is Vanderbilt's stadium situation?

A dump as noted above when we went there to see the Huskies.