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ORLANDO — While UM has made significant improvement to its athletics facilities in recent years, one piece of the puzzle is still missing.
Central Florida had an indoor football practice facility a decade ago. Florida State opened one last year. Florida plans to complete one by September. Even Florida Atlantic, with a sudden influx of cash, plans to have one in two years.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes, located in the wettest region in arguably the wettest state in the U.S., suffered 15 rain-delayed, postponed or canceled practices last season.
By the end of 2015, they will be the only ACC squad lacking shelter from the elements. The Gators are the last SEC program left outdoors.
(It is purely a coincidence we are discussing this the morning after Subtropical Storm Ana gave the 2015 hurricane season an early start.)
UM Athletic Director Blake James said he feels confident the Hurricanes will be able to play indoors in the future, but they can’t move forward without a “significant gift.”
“Is it something that continues to be a priority for us? Without a doubt,” James told the Post before a Hurricanes booster event Wednesday in Orlando. “We’re working with campus on the drawings and what makes sense, and we’ll be ready to go. When that lead gift comes, we’ll be ready to go. It’s something that we need for our program.”
UM, a private university with the ninth-smallest enrollment among Power 5 conference schools, has always been behind in the facilities arms race in college athletics, but it is catching up.
In the last three years, UM has spent more than $25 million on a new athletics complex, makeovers of the football and soccer practice fields, a dining facility for athletes and a video board for its basketball arena. A 12-year sponsorship deal with Adidas begins Sept. 1, a contract which could be worth $90 million in total.
The Hurricanes are also the beneficiaries of the estimated $400 million renovation the Miami Dolphins are making to Sun Life Stadium.
Thanks to a recent donation, James said, UM will install lights at Greentree Practice Fields in the months to come.
“We’re going to have new things coming this fall, and it’s important to me to make sure we’re having new things coming each school year,” he said.
* UM President Donna Shalala, who departs June 1, told the Associated Press she believes Sun Life Stadium is “too big and cavernous for a college of our size” and that UM should move into a smaller home. Those comments, James said, were “nothing new to me.”
UM has entertained the possibility of joining forces with David Beckham‘s fledgling MLS franchise, which is still looking for a home. A site next to Marlins Park would seem to make sense (and Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez told the Miami New Times it is the most likely destination). But UM moving would involve breaking a 25-year lease at Sun Life, which would be costly.
Improvements to their current home might make the Hurricanes happy enough to stay. UM has played in front of sparse crowds for decades, an issue exacerbated by the 2008 move to 76,100-seat Sun Life, located a half-hour from campus.
The renovations will drop capacity to 65,000 for Dolphins games, with curtains blocking off about 10,000 more seats for Hurricanes games. Seats will be moved closer to the field to create a more intimate atmosphere. A canopy roof will be in place for 2016.
“Right now, I don’t see a better option than Sun Life Stadium,” James said. “In my opinion, there isn’t another option out there. If there was another option, would I want to look at it? For sure. As long as [incoming] President [ Julio] Frenk gave me the approval to do it, we would investigate all possibilities.
“With that said, we’re in a situation where they are significantly improving the stadium that we call home. It is a site that has hosted college national championships and Super Bowls. It is the home of one of the most storied NFL franchises. It’s not like we’re in some run-down, rinky-dink stadium. We’re in a first-class facility that has a $400 million improvement going into it.
“When you look at all those things, are we in a bad situation? Not at all. If we could be in a better situation, would I want to look at it? Of course.”
* James was scheduled to meet Thursday with Adidas reps to finalize the date the football uniforms will be seen by the public. It will be sometime in July — notable, James said, because Adidas had three fewer months to work on consulting, designing and producing them.
“The window on uniforms usually is that you order them in October. Our deal with Adidas didn’t happen until January, so we were in ultra-crunch time to get something done,” James said.
As for the design, he wasn’t giving anything away. A different source told the Post the Hurricanes will be able to mix-and-match six different main sets, in orange, white, green and black colorways, plus a retro look.
“I think they did a great job embracing the tradition of who were are as a program, at the same time, recognizing the importance of the young men who are evaluating our program to be cutting-edge,” James said. “I think the fans will really enjoy what they did.”
Coaches are enjoying the attention from the new supplier. It’s commonly said at UM that Adidas wants to “make us their Oregon,” in reference to Nike’s de-facto flagship school (checking in with players, such as quarterback Brad Kaaya, was an inspired touch). UM men’s basketball coach Jim Larranaga, entering his fifth season, told the crowd that a Nike rep has yet to come to his office. Adidas, on the other hand, has been there several times.
* James and Al Golden will join other ACC ADs and coaches next Monday through Thursday in Amelia Island for the conference’s spring meetings. Among the topics of conversation: satellite camps, Power 5 autonomy and freshman ineligibility in football, as well as various ways to improve men’s basketball. We’ll preview the week in a story to come.
Central Florida had an indoor football practice facility a decade ago. Florida State opened one last year. Florida plans to complete one by September. Even Florida Atlantic, with a sudden influx of cash, plans to have one in two years.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes, located in the wettest region in arguably the wettest state in the U.S., suffered 15 rain-delayed, postponed or canceled practices last season.
By the end of 2015, they will be the only ACC squad lacking shelter from the elements. The Gators are the last SEC program left outdoors.
(It is purely a coincidence we are discussing this the morning after Subtropical Storm Ana gave the 2015 hurricane season an early start.)
UM Athletic Director Blake James said he feels confident the Hurricanes will be able to play indoors in the future, but they can’t move forward without a “significant gift.”
“Is it something that continues to be a priority for us? Without a doubt,” James told the Post before a Hurricanes booster event Wednesday in Orlando. “We’re working with campus on the drawings and what makes sense, and we’ll be ready to go. When that lead gift comes, we’ll be ready to go. It’s something that we need for our program.”
UM, a private university with the ninth-smallest enrollment among Power 5 conference schools, has always been behind in the facilities arms race in college athletics, but it is catching up.
In the last three years, UM has spent more than $25 million on a new athletics complex, makeovers of the football and soccer practice fields, a dining facility for athletes and a video board for its basketball arena. A 12-year sponsorship deal with Adidas begins Sept. 1, a contract which could be worth $90 million in total.
The Hurricanes are also the beneficiaries of the estimated $400 million renovation the Miami Dolphins are making to Sun Life Stadium.
Thanks to a recent donation, James said, UM will install lights at Greentree Practice Fields in the months to come.
“We’re going to have new things coming this fall, and it’s important to me to make sure we’re having new things coming each school year,” he said.
* UM President Donna Shalala, who departs June 1, told the Associated Press she believes Sun Life Stadium is “too big and cavernous for a college of our size” and that UM should move into a smaller home. Those comments, James said, were “nothing new to me.”
UM has entertained the possibility of joining forces with David Beckham‘s fledgling MLS franchise, which is still looking for a home. A site next to Marlins Park would seem to make sense (and Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez told the Miami New Times it is the most likely destination). But UM moving would involve breaking a 25-year lease at Sun Life, which would be costly.
Improvements to their current home might make the Hurricanes happy enough to stay. UM has played in front of sparse crowds for decades, an issue exacerbated by the 2008 move to 76,100-seat Sun Life, located a half-hour from campus.
The renovations will drop capacity to 65,000 for Dolphins games, with curtains blocking off about 10,000 more seats for Hurricanes games. Seats will be moved closer to the field to create a more intimate atmosphere. A canopy roof will be in place for 2016.
“Right now, I don’t see a better option than Sun Life Stadium,” James said. “In my opinion, there isn’t another option out there. If there was another option, would I want to look at it? For sure. As long as [incoming] President [ Julio] Frenk gave me the approval to do it, we would investigate all possibilities.
“With that said, we’re in a situation where they are significantly improving the stadium that we call home. It is a site that has hosted college national championships and Super Bowls. It is the home of one of the most storied NFL franchises. It’s not like we’re in some run-down, rinky-dink stadium. We’re in a first-class facility that has a $400 million improvement going into it.
“When you look at all those things, are we in a bad situation? Not at all. If we could be in a better situation, would I want to look at it? Of course.”
* James was scheduled to meet Thursday with Adidas reps to finalize the date the football uniforms will be seen by the public. It will be sometime in July — notable, James said, because Adidas had three fewer months to work on consulting, designing and producing them.
“The window on uniforms usually is that you order them in October. Our deal with Adidas didn’t happen until January, so we were in ultra-crunch time to get something done,” James said.
As for the design, he wasn’t giving anything away. A different source told the Post the Hurricanes will be able to mix-and-match six different main sets, in orange, white, green and black colorways, plus a retro look.
“I think they did a great job embracing the tradition of who were are as a program, at the same time, recognizing the importance of the young men who are evaluating our program to be cutting-edge,” James said. “I think the fans will really enjoy what they did.”
Coaches are enjoying the attention from the new supplier. It’s commonly said at UM that Adidas wants to “make us their Oregon,” in reference to Nike’s de-facto flagship school (checking in with players, such as quarterback Brad Kaaya, was an inspired touch). UM men’s basketball coach Jim Larranaga, entering his fifth season, told the crowd that a Nike rep has yet to come to his office. Adidas, on the other hand, has been there several times.
* James and Al Golden will join other ACC ADs and coaches next Monday through Thursday in Amelia Island for the conference’s spring meetings. Among the topics of conversation: satellite camps, Power 5 autonomy and freshman ineligibility in football, as well as various ways to improve men’s basketball. We’ll preview the week in a story to come.
