New Stadium

[Mean'n'Green07]

I was going to make this a reply but wanted to go ahead and start up a new two part topic.

1. New stadium and an upper deck

Just curious, but have any of you seen a game at Kyle Field? That stadium is known for one of the best gameday experiences and yet is a triple-deck stadium. I'm not trying to be a smart ass here, I've never seen a game from Kyle Field. I was just curious about why that's considered to be such a great stadium, yet everyone seems to hate upper decks.

2. Build the new stadium even if its 30k

As for the 'I'll take the new 30k stadium because anything's better than Fouts' opinion a few of you have, I do agree with it to a certain extent. Anything that's new and built with good standards will do at this point. However, anything less than 35-40k and I can almost guarentee we'll never be able to get a school like UT or OU to come play here in the near future.

I was hooked on UNT football after I watched the Baylor game at Fouts. It wasn't because we beat a school in a BCS conference, what got me hooked was the college game day experience. However, I was enticed to go to the game because we were playing a reconizable regional team (I had never heard of MUTS, FAU, etc. etc). Once I got to the game and saw tailgating and other activities I was sold. It's hard to imagine how many sleeping alumni would wake up if UT came into our new stadium and the game came down to the wire.

I just find it hard to believe a new 30k stadium could help us that much in a such a competitive DFW sporting area. We gotta find a way to go bigger.

[LittleMeanGreenMan]

I agree. A UT or OU wouldn't dream of playing anywhere under 40K. Especially when a game at Darrel Royal Stadium probably grosses more in concession sales in one game than we did for sales on gamedays last season.

Also, Kyle gets its rep because of those crazy ass Aggies. When your fanbase resembles a cult, things tend to get a little crazy.

Edited January 13, 2007 by LittleMeanGreenMan

[ADLER]

I don't think you'll find anyone that's opposed to upper decks. That is the only way to expand a stadium once the whole lower bowl is completed.

What I think people on this board are opposed to is building upper decks instead of buildlng suitable seating in desirable locations.

Sparks Designs of Tulsa had released some virtual scenes of such a design a couple of years ago. The majority of seating was actually on the roof of the press box or in terrible upper deck end zone seating.

At Kyle Field, there was a concerted effort to make sure that all fans felt involved in the pagentry of the games. That is why the side decks are built so close together, to give the feeling that it's a single tier.

And, yes, those new upper deck end zone seats are horrible, but when there is demand for 100,000 seats like there is in Aggieland, fans will sit anywhere just to get inside the stadium.

Here's a few examples of the greatest of college stadiums.

NFL stadiums are typically built differently. The NFL teams place little importance on the pagentry of the game and concentrate predominantly on getting as many people as possible into the stadium. Decks are utilized because clear views of things like bands, cheerleaders, and student sections aren't necessary.

[JayDub]

Say what you will about the Ags...cult or no cult...that gameday experience is amazing. As is the Notre Dame experience. And it is just that...pageantry...that makes it what it is.

[EagleD]

I've been to a couple of games at Kyle field, and the stadium is great. The only problem is getting in the darn thing. I think it has 4 entrances and it takes about an hour to push through the throngs of people. Once inside, it is a class building and the aggies put on a great game day atmosphere (cult or no, it's cool to watch.) The last time I went I sat in the highest deck on the endzone side. The only time I couldn't follow the game closely was when the ball was at the other endzone. As opposeed to Fouts, where I could sit at the 50 and if the ball is at the furthest hashmark I need Superman's vision to follow the game.

Quick note about A&M game atmosphere. Almost 10 years ago my brother (die hard orangeblood) went to the a UT/A&M game. Shortly after he sat down a drunken Aggie starts harrasing the everly-lovin' crap out of him for wearing burnt orange. It lasted about 5 minutes before another Aggie (big cornfed farmer type) stood up pointed to the heckler and said, "Hey! That's bad bull!" The guy shut up and stayed shut up. My things have changed. A few years ago when a bunch of us went, we sat in that upper deck in the endzone and it was non stop heckling from those ags, (save for the nice family sitting next to me). They went so far as to yell at my 3 year old nephew at half time, "If you want to be a musician watch the Aggie band closely, b/c it's the best there is." I'd had enough at that point and said, "He only has to watch it once b/c the routine never changes." Before I get attacked for hating on the mighty Texas Aggie band, let me say I think they do some cool stuff (i.e. Sawing off Bessie's horns, no flag corps, etc.) but I've been watching them march for 35 years now and the routine han't changed. It's crisp and it's clean, but you only need to watch it once. OK I've ranted. Now where is my trumpet...

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!

BUILD THE NEW STADIUM!!!!!!!!!!!

[SilverEagle]

This design would do nicely.

http://www.stadium.utah.edu/stadium.html

[the real grad88]

I am for doing anything that gets us out of Fouts and sitting in Sanger to watch the game. A place like Ford Stadium (SMU) would even be nice. It's not big, but it gives you something to build on in order to take the next step. If anyone really thinks that OU or UT are going to give us a home game in Denton, they are smoking something. We CAN get programs like Houston, SMU, TCU, OK State, Missou, Air Force, and so forth with a nice 30-32K seat stadium with modern amenitities.

[Keith7]

when do they plan on breaking ground on this new stadium? or are u guys just speculating based off of rumors made 2 years ago

[Keith7]

I am for doing anything that gets us out of Fouts and sitting in Sanger to watch the game. A place like Ford Stadium (SMU) would even be nice. It's not big, but it gives you something to build on in order to take the next step. If anyone really thinks that OU or UT are going to give us a home game in Denton, they are smoking something. We CAN get programs like Houston, SMU, TCU, OK State, Missou, Air Force, and so forth with a nice 30-32K seat stadium with modern amenitities.

if a stadium is built in Sanger I will boycott the NT football team and never attend a game.. Screw sanger!

[NT80]

This design would do nicely.

http://www.stadium.utah.edu/stadium.html

Love that stadium except for those exposed support structures on the outside. They should have finished it off with an exterior cover of some kind.

[Varsity]

Starting at 30-35,000 is a must but building a stadium that can be easily enlarged is preferable.

A fully enclosed bowl is a sound, simple idea. A half size replica of Berlin's Olympic Stadium would be ideal (without the track):

But a U shaped venue would also work. Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, Pacific University:

But Kansas' Memorial Stadium might be the best way to go, starting out with a U and adding upper decks as needed:

[the real grad88]

Starting at 30-35,000 is a must but building a stadium that can be easily enlarged is preferable.

A fully enclosed bowl is a sound, simple idea. A half size replica of Berlin's Olympic Stadium would be ideal (without the track):

But a U shaped venue would also work. Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, Pacific University:

But Kansas' Memorial Stadium might be the best way to go, starting out with a U and adding upper decks as needed:

I like that Kansas stadium, but is that a track? I want the stand so close to the action that you can shake hands with the players and coach from the sidelines!

[eppy4life]

Say what you will about the Ags...cult or no cult...that gameday experience is amazing. As is the Notre Dame experience. And it is just that...pageantry...that makes it what it is.

I will say what I want. It really isn't amazing if you don't go to school there. In fact, the game I went to, my buddy got me into the student section and I would have rather been and fouts field. I had no connection to the University and felt completly out of place when I was the only one not participating in the hokie pokie they like to down there.

[Zeke]

I think that currently it just needs to be around 35,000 VIABLE seats. We have 30K or so now, but 10K of those seats just won't be sat in on a regular basis. 5K of those bad seats you can't even watch MeanGreenVision because it is at your back.

One last thing - make it look good from the highway. I want however many thousand people that pass it by everyday to say," WOW"

[AnotherEagleFan]

I like that Kansas stadium, but is that a track? I want the stand so close to the action that you can shake hands with the players and coach from the sidelines!

Agree... No track I tjust puts you tooo far away

[UNT_playmaker]

The stadium issue is HUGE for the success of athletics here at North Texas. This is an isse that has been put on RV's back burner for quite sometime with no updates or even mention. We have donors lined up and sponsors who I am sure would love to get a piece of this action.

I say any stadium built should be built at at once, A 45-50K stadium should be built from the begining instead of in the future when costs are higher and also when expanding the stadium will cost as much as building it. A two-tier horseshoe stadium with the AC in the open background would be perfect. The open balcony on the AC would be used on gamedays.

No track of course and a four level press box as well as an inground set up as well for great game day experiences.

[Keith7]

i think that we should go for something like this

[ADLER]

I like that Kansas stadium, but is that a track? I want the stand so close to the action that you can shake hands with the players and coach from the sidelines!

I agree. The stands should descend all the way to he field level and the endzone seating should be aligned with the back of the endzone.

Utah built their's correctly.

[NTPhiKap99]

I think Louisville may have got it right a one level horseshoe hold 42000 and can be expanded if needed.

[NTPhiKap99]

ok I haven't figured out how to get the pictures to post I inserted them but nothing so check it out.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu..._cardinal.shtml

[NTPhiKap99]

UConn also has a pretty nice setup at 40000 but it's fully in-closed instead of a horseshoe I could go either way on this as long as we don't have two separate grandstands that reminds me two much of a high school stadium.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...entschler.shtml

[MeanGreengdub]

I'm not so much a fan of the Louisville stadium but that Utah stadium, now that would be sweet.

I think it would be great if somehow we could incorporate part of campus in the background of the stadium like Utah with their fieldhouse or whatever that is. If it's on the other side of the highway that may be hard seeing as how all we have over there at the moment is the AC and Victory but who know?

[ColoradoEagle]

The stadium needs to be a minimum of 40,000 seats in a lower U shaped bowl, and built with expansion to 70 or 80,000 in mind. We need to assume that 40 or 50 years from now the school will be in a BCS conference, or whatever it's called at the time, and plan appropriately. No sense in leaving future generations in the same situation we're in now because of stupid decisions in the 1950's.

[gksmith]

This is looking like a "Build it and they will come" thread. I don't think NT is ready to break ground on a new stadium any time soon.

Right now NT can't average more then 16K people per game in a 30K seat stadium. NT is upgrading other facilities in hopes of consistently improving the product on the field. While I hate the idea of waiting another 3-4 years for a new stadium, I think that is the order of what needs to happen. Get everything else updated before investing in a 50K seat stadium.

[ColoradoEagle]

The football stadium is what keeps us in the Sun Belt. From how horrible it is, to how few people we can get in the stands because of that, to not being able to schedule any decent home games because no one will come to Fouts. If we wait until we can sell out Fouts, we're going to be revisiting this issue in 2057. Those of us who are still alive, anyways.