FAU Stadium is done

[TheTastyGreek]

Wow. Fortunatley for me I've never found myself in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That's awful, Lambeau Field is officially the Fouts Field of the NFL. No offense to any Green Bay natives.

Anyone who says that has never been there. It's an AMAZING stadium, inside and out.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

I really like the seats they have, also they layout of their stands is nice. Once We get rid of the wings and put the seats in we can say we have one of the best stadiums bar none. Does anyone know how much more it would have been to have all seats in Apogee?

Why would we want all seats? Backs to the bleachers maybe, but name ONE major COLLEGE stadium that is made up of mostly individual seats. The are bleachers so you can pack more people inside. He'll remember when Michigan expanded their stadium to over 108 thousand. Not one piece of construction equipment. They just moved the seat numbers closer together and poof. More "seats".

[Green P1]

Cheap ugly crap.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Nice stadium for FAU to be proud of but I know many of us look forward to the day that we never have to make that 1,000 mile plane ride to play any conference game in that stadium.

Guess that is why re-alignment talk of North Texas trying to be elsewhere is so predominant now on this forum and will continue to be as long as their is major college football in the USA.

Yet....new stadium talk is also sorta' cool, too.

[EdwardRRooney]

I like the wings at apogee from the inside and don't think they look bad from the outside as they give a "what the hell" kind of reaction in a good way. BUT, they look a little erector set as well.....

[UNTP1]

Anyone who says that has never been there. It's an AMAZING stadium, inside and out.

Lambeau is definitely #1 on my list of NFL stadiums to visit, the most historic and unique atmospheres in all of football. I would love to see a game at the scene of the ice bowl in person...... or at least sneak on the field when it's empty and scream that Kramer was offsides, then get arrested.

[Mean Green Matt]

Why would we want all seats? Backs to the bleachers maybe, but name ONE major COLLEGE stadium that is made up of mostly individual seats. The are bleachers so you can pack more people inside. He'll remember when Michigan expanded their stadium to over 108 thousand. Not one piece of construction equipment. They just moved the seat numbers closer together and poof. More "seats".

I can only think of one. Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium:

[Green Mean]

Beautiful stadium. Good for FAU and good for the Belt's image when it comes to things like this.

[CMJ]

I can only think of one. Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium:

The LA Memorial Coliseum (USC) as well.

Edited October 7, 2011 by CMJ

[GreenN'walinsVet]

The LA Memorial Coliseum (USC) as well.

I will give you papa John's but let's not forget la colisium is not a college football stadium. It was built as an Olympic stadium that college football and previously PRO football can be played in. Thus the reason for seats

[DallasGreen]

Man, you guys are some proud Mean Green faithful! I am, too - that doesn't mean we cannot be happy for FAU. When you are in an ocean front area, you look at different amenities for your demographic target. We wanted a strong, concrete home - but these guys have watched UCF do really well with their erector set and went for aesthetics. We both spent about the same amount but we just spent it differently. Our stadium is incredible - and will age really nicely. Their stadium kind of "fits" for that area. The ocean breeze mixed with the high tone Boca Raton crowd - they had to pick their battles. The guys on the Belt board talk about the Boca fans as if they are snobs - they have valet parking at the Wal-Mart... so they catered to the demo and went for seat backs, decor, and 6,000 seats with access to mixed drinks at 4 different levels. They are trying to build an identity. Completely different situation from our's and both schools chose the right path in my opinion.

Agree completelly STEBO. I saw it under construction when down there in May. It is a great addition to the SBC and is comparable to Apogee and Troy's stadium. Before we start casting stones we should recall just how few SBC games we've won in the last seven years. In fact I saw our only win in history over FAU last year @ Lockhart Stadium!! We have never beaten them in "d"enton.

Edited October 7, 2011 by DallasGreen

[CMJ]

I will give you papa John's but let's not forget la colisium is not a college football stadium. It was built as an Olympic stadium that college football and previously PRO football can be played in. Thus the reason for seats

Actually it wasn't built as an Olympic Stadium, since it opened nearly a decade before the 1932 Olympics. Permanent seats didn't replace all the bleachers until 1993 after both Olympic games (there were some seats before that - they did it gradually over 70 years).

Edited October 7, 2011 by CMJ

[TheTastyGreek]

Actually it wasn't built as an Olympic Stadium, since it opened nearly a decade before the 1932 Olympics. Permanent seats didn't replace all the bleachers until 1993 after both Olympic games (there were some seats before that - they did it gradually over 70 years).

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Guys, I like their stadium set up. I love Apogee. I'm happy that every school seems to have it's own design ideas now. It used to be just bleacher in a bowl or horseshoe.

What we've done here and what FAU has done there is really nice. I do love their seat backs on every seat. And, as close as the seats are to the field, that place will get loud if they fill it up even half way.

Anytime one of us in the Belt take care of business facility-wise it makes the entire conference look better. Let's be happy about that.

Congrats to FAU. Looks like ya'll got a real nice new home...

...now, get to Denton so we can kick your asses!

[CMJ]

[OwlFamily]

Not really sure why some of you need to label this thing as a competition?

Apogee looks like a beautiful stadium and is one of the crown jewels of Sun Belt stadiums now. FAU's stadium is another one. Both programs have made a committment to bettering themselves and thats the important thing.

I have no idea why a concrete stadium is considered "better" than a steel one. Nor do I understand the angst people (and its not just you guys, other fans as well) toward steel construction. What difference does it make? Both stadiums cost approximately the same amount, but as one poster said each program fixated on different things. Thats great, it means the 'Belt has two new stadiums with completely different feels and looks.

I tihnk you will not find a more detailed 'Themed" stadium in NCAA than FAU's. The beach, palm trees, ocean are all integral to its make up.

1.) The walk ways around the stadium are not just poured concrete but are actually made up of sea shells.

2.) There is white beach sand surrounding the palm trees that flank the entrance gates.

3.) The Priority lounge is done "tiki style" with desigins in the floor to simulate a wood deck.

4.) You can see the ocean from the top 2 levels of the suites, the press box and the roof. I have been up there. You can easily see yachts and cruise ships going by. I gurantee that ESPN/CSS will have a camera up there for location shots.

Its a beautiful thing, truly. To attempt degrade it by calling it an "erector" set just comes off as petty and childish. Enjoy your stadium. Its beautiful. No need to hate on ours, its beautiful as well.

[TIgreen01]

To attempt degrade it by calling it an "erector" set just comes off as petty and childish. Enjoy your stadium. Its beautiful. No need to hate on ours, its beautiful as well.

Agreed. Outstanding job done by FAU. The stands appear to be extremely steep...I bet the sightlines in that place are amazing and I bet it holds in crowd noise pretty well, too. Congrats, FAU!

[Green Otaku]

Why would we want all seats? Backs to the bleachers maybe, but name ONE major COLLEGE stadium that is made up of mostly individual seats. The are bleachers so you can pack more people inside. He'll remember when Michigan expanded their stadium to over 108 thousand. Not one piece of construction equipment. They just moved the seat numbers closer together and poof. More "seats".

Besides the two already mentioned, the Rose Bowl as well.

Good point though, I do like the backs to the bleachers some stadiums have. As well as green bleachers, just makes it look nicer. Anyone with connections to RV able to ask him if that is going to happen in the future?

Edited October 7, 2011 by Green Otaku

[Mean Green 93-98]

I love it. As noted, they took a different approach to their stadium than we did. Whichever you like better, there is no question that this and Apogee are the top 2 stadiums in the Belt. I would love to make a road trip there if we play a Thursday night game at FAU--in large part, just to see their stadium in person.

Congrats to the Owls on their jewel.

[pastorgrant]

It's a beautiful stadium and it would be awesome to go there. I honestly don't think it's as nice as Apogee, but it is really nice and I bet the fans will have a great experience there on gameday. This kind of thing really helps our conference.

[Baby Arm!]

As far as green bleachers, I heard we decided against it because of the effect of the Texas sun on paint. Just give it a year or two and our stadium would looked faded and washed out and would require the expense of painting the bleachers.

Besides, when the bleachers are full of people you cant tell what color the seats are

Edited October 7, 2011 by Baby Arm!

[CMJ]

Besides the two already mentioned, the Rose Bowl as well.

The Rose Bowl is about half and half. There are a TON of seats without backs on them. I know this, because of the 4 games I have attended at the Rose bowl -- I have always been on bleachers.

The silver is the bleachers. It might be more like 60/40 bleachers to seats.

Edited October 7, 2011 by CMJ

[Baby Arm!]

I have no idea why a concrete stadium is considered "better" than a steel one. Nor do I understand the angst people (and its not just you guys, other fans as well) toward steel construction. What difference does it make?

I think its because concrete is viewed as more permanent, longer lasting. Steel looks temporary and because it's less expensive, is viewed as cheap. We know, look at our Fouts expansion in the endzone in the 90's. That was total erector set and done on the cheap.

Both stadiums cost approximately the same amount,.

Except they didn't. Even with your all-seatback upgrade (which I REALLY, REALLY like), your stadium cost $9 million less to build. Also you have to factor in the $9.5m we already spent building the Athletic Center six years ago. It provides locker rooms and facilities which we would have had to build with a new stadium. Together, we have a complex that cost $90.01 million dollars (adjusted for inflation) I don't know what circles you run in but $20 million dollars is a heck of a lot difference to be called 'approximately the same'.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Baby Arm!

[Mean Green 93-98]

I have no idea why a concrete stadium is considered "better" than a steel one. Nor do I understand the angst people (and its not just you guys, other fans as well) toward steel construction. What difference does it make?

I agree with the rest of your post, but there is no doubt that concrete is better than steel. It is far more solid and holds in sound better. The only reason someone would choose to build a stadium with steel over concrete is cost.

So I don't see what your angst is regarding people commenting that concrete is better than steel--it is. Just like seats are better than bleachers. So your stadium has its strengths, and so does ours--one of ours is that it was built of concrete.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Mean Green 93-98

[DeepGreen]

I have no idea why a concrete stadium is considered "better" than a steel one. Nor do I understand the angst people (and its not just you guys, other fans as well) toward steel construction.

For many football fans and stadium experts, like me , I think the concrete over steel construction came about after seeing the crap that Central Florida put together. Remember the reports about the stands moving when then crowd went wild in the height of a game being played? Moving stands? That's just crazy. Don't know if they rectified the problem or concern, but if they did it had to have cost them a bundle to fix it.

BTW, FAU has a great looking stadium and you guys should be proud!