Soccer stadium

[dmcanes]

[/IMG]

 

[ssj4cane]

I haven't read the whole thread but if this hasn't been said already it should:

Winning produces fans. Fans are what produce atmosphere in the stadium, for the most part.

I would rather spend the money that we would have to spend on a buyout and new lease, on a coaching staff who will win. SLS is not the best stadium by any means. BUT, anyone who has been there for the few big games we have had (09 OU, '10 FSU, '13 UF) knows that when it gets packed, it isn't all that bad. Our problem right now is winning. Not the stadium. We averaged nearly 70k in 2002 after coming off a title. Win and people will come and our atmosphere "problem" is largely solved.

Want to make UM look more like a small-time program? Play in a stadium that holds 40,000 people. No one gives a crap about how state of the art the stadium is. Have you been to the Swamp? That place is hardly state of the art but holds nearly 90,000 fans. Kids want to play in front of 90,000 fans...has nothing to do with how many TVs and amenities the stadium has in it.

40 to 45k die hard cane fans in a well designed partially closed stadium would give UM a legit home field advantage. We don't have that now even if 70k are in the stadium because 20k are opposing fans and the stadium atmosphere sucks. Best u can say is the atmosphere is ok for big games and down right pathetic for anything else.

 

[CaneInHeelCountry]

I haven't read the whole thread but if this hasn't been said already it should:

Winning produces fans. Fans are what produce atmosphere in the stadium, for the most part.

I would rather spend the money that we would have to spend on a buyout and new lease, on a coaching staff who will win. SLS is not the best stadium by any means. BUT, anyone who has been there for the few big games we have had (09 OU, '10 FSU, '13 UF) knows that when it gets packed, it isn't all that bad. Our problem right now is winning. Not the stadium. We averaged nearly 70k in 2002 after coming off a title. Win and people will come and our atmosphere "problem" is largely solved.

Want to make UM look more like a small-time program? Play in a stadium that holds 40,000 people. No one gives a crap about how state of the art the stadium is. Have you been to the Swamp? That place is hardly state of the art but holds nearly 90,000 fans. Kids want to play in front of 90,000 fans...has nothing to do with how many TVs and amenities the stadium has in it.

.

From an admin standpoint, I totally disagree with pretty much everything here.

From an admin standpoint, the stadium is one variable over which we have total control. That is to say, we can make ourselves "look" better on TV by playing in a packed house of 40-50k every week in some neat on-the-water location. Provided that Beckham and co can ensure a good seating arrangement that would make for a loud environment, we can make a home field advantage out of something like that.

Recruits don't come to UM to play in front of 90k fans every game. They know going in that UM has never been that way and will never be that way. Sure, when we win, we get 70-75k for one or two home games against big opponents...but the remaining 3-5 home games will always get (and have always gotten) about 35-40k. So the question is...would they rather look up and see a half-full stadium for the average game, or would they rather see a completely full stadium?

Coaching is another matter. Sure, we have control over who we hire...but there are no guarantees that putting out big $$ to hire a big name staff would necessarily translate into Ws. The football world is littered with hires who look awesome on paper only to fall flat.

 

[OldhamA]

Interesting. Isn't 40k a little light though? 50 would be perfect IMO. Maybe we could still have one game annually at SLS, such as FSU or a major OOC opponent. Thereby keeping SLS somewhat happy.

40k is perfect.

 

[3FW]

I hope the Administration and the BOT understands how important this is. Make it happen. If we don't have to pony up for the new stadium, we can raise the buyout money. Program needs this badly.

 

[JimmyJohnsonsHair]

Anyone who thinks that playing in a virtually empty stadium nowhere near campus doesn't impact recruiting is kidding themselves. This would be great for the program. Unfortunately it will never happen, IMO.

 

[McGahee2TheHouse]

Anyone who thinks that playing in a virtually empty stadium nowhere near campus doesn't impact recruiting is kidding themselves. This would be great for the program. Unfortunately it will never happen, IMO.

I don't think anyone is saying or has said that. I think the argument is that investing in a staff that will win is more important to getting recruits than a stadium.

Either way, after considering a lot of what has been said in here, I have flipped my opinion for the most part.

 

[JimmyJohnsonsHair]

Anyone who thinks that playing in a virtually empty stadium nowhere near campus doesn't impact recruiting is kidding themselves. This would be great for the program. Unfortunately it will never happen, IMO.

I don't think anyone is saying or has said that. I think the argument is that investing in a staff that will win is more important to getting recruits than a stadium.

Either way, after considering a lot of what has been said in here, I have flipped my opinion for the most part.

It's not like great coaches are lining up to take this job, nor do we have any indication that the administration is amenable to firing Golden this early into his contract. If there is a legitimate opportunity to get the f*ck out of Sun Lifeless they should jump on it.

 

[Canesfrom]

I hope the Administration and the BOT understands how important this is. Make it happen. If we don't have to pony up for the new stadium, we can raise the buyout money. Program needs this badly.

Blake James knows its an issue… told me himself. If you guys want this, email him about it. Its his legacy

 

[Tad Footeball]

Ferman is reporting this as a done deal. Says he's received a preliminary draft of a letter to season ticket holders and Hurricane Club members requesting an initial deposit for the 2016 season. Joaquin Gonzalez is confirming as well. Woooooooo!!!!! Finally!!!!!!!!

 

[Notsince1985]

I don't care how bad our attendance is now, 40,000 is too small. We need at least 50,000-55,000 unless we plan on being this ****** forever. Cap it at 40,000 and we are officially Wake Forest and Duke.

 

[Tad Footeball]

I don't care how bad our attendance is now, 40,000 is too small. We need at least 50,000-55,000 unless we plan on being this ****ty forever. Cap it at 40,000 and we are officially Wake Forest and Duke.

Yeah, because everyone is calling Stanford a joke after they downsized to a 50k open air stadium. Beggars (and that's absolutely what we are on this subject) can't be choosers. There are no and will never be any other alternatives short of the Dolphins remodeling SLS.

 

[fivecent]

Ferman is reporting this as a done deal. Says he's received a preliminary draft of a letter to season ticket holders and Hurricane Club members requesting an initial deposit for the 2016 season. Joaquin Gonzalez is confirming as well. Woooooooo!!!!! Finally!!!!!!!!

I guess means we are stuck at SLS

 

[ramcanes]

I hope the Administration and the BOT understands how important this is. Make it happen. If we don't have to pony up for the new stadium, we can raise the buyout money. Program needs this badly.

Blake James knows its an issue… told me himself. If you guys want this, email him about it. Its his legacy

Yep. The opportunity came knocking. It will be his legacy and by far the highlight of his career. This MUST get done for the university. We are in a bad situation at SLS for gameday atmosphere and appearance for all ACC games except FSU The scenery and atmosphere at the new stadium will be awesome

 

[Notsince1985]

I don't care how bad our attendance is now, 40,000 is too small. We need at least 50,000-55,000 unless we plan on being this ****ty forever. Cap it at 40,000 and we are officially Wake Forest and Duke.

Yeah, because everyone is calling Stanford a joke after they downsized to a 50k open air stadium. Beggars (and that's absolutely what we are on this subject) can't be choosers. There are no and will never be any other alternatives short of the Dolphins remodeling SLS.

Yeah, because 40,000 and 50,000 are the same. First, I said 50,000 needs to be the minimum. Second, Stanford never, unless they were playing Cal, and it wasn't even a guarantee then, drew well in their old stadium. We drew well, and well over 40,000 A LOT. And not just for FSU. For FSU, UF, Va Tech, Notre Dame, Washington, Boston College, East Carolina, Iowa, FAMU. Of off the top of my head, those are crowds over 65,000, and those were actual butts in the seats, not the crap we report now. I'm not delusional, I know how pathetic our attendance is now, and I know it's never been great, and I know it'll never be what "Big State School X" is, but to make a decision like this, and tie ourselves to this based on our attendance now, is near-sighted and ridiculous. If we want to be a winning program again, we have to plan for bigger crowds. Sure we've won and had bad crowds, such as some of the games in 2001, but look at some of the crowds against teams like BC in 2002 or East Carolina in 2003. You really want to limit yourself to a 40,000 seat stadium? Do that and you're now Duke, Wake Forest, Houston, Tulane, SMU, etc.

 

[AntwanJ306]

I believe most of the "cruise" traffic is on Friday and Monday.

That would be inaccurate. Miami has seven night cruises, and seven night cruises arrive and depart on Saturdays and Sundays. People might fly in on Friday or fly out on Monday, but they only drive to the port on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

[3FW]

We can play one thursday night game every year, and play on saturday nights at 8pm.. Not a cruise guy, but I'd have to think that most people are on the ship by 4pm.

 

[Tad Footeball]

I don't care how bad our attendance is now, 40,000 is too small. We need at least 50,000-55,000 unless we plan on being this ****ty forever. Cap it at 40,000 and we are officially Wake Forest and Duke.

Yeah, because everyone is calling Stanford a joke after they downsized to a 50k open air stadium. Beggars (and that's absolutely what we are on this subject) can't be choosers. There are no and will never be any other alternatives short of the Dolphins remodeling SLS.

Yeah, because 40,000 and 50,000 are the same. First, I said 50,000 needs to be the minimum. Second, Stanford never, unless they were playing Cal, and it wasn't even a guarantee then, drew well in their old stadium. We drew well, and well over 40,000 A LOT. And not just for FSU. For FSU, UF, Va Tech, Notre Dame, Washington, Boston College, East Carolina, Iowa, FAMU. Of off the top of my head, those are crowds over 65,000, and those were actual butts in the seats, not the crap we report now. I'm not delusional, I know how pathetic our attendance is now, and I know it's never been great, and I know it'll never be what "Big State School X" is, but to make a decision like this, and tie ourselves to this based on our attendance now, is near-sighted and ridiculous. If we want to be a winning program again, we have to plan for bigger crowds. Sure we've won and had bad crowds, such as some of the games in 2001, but look at some of the crowds against teams like BC in 2002 or East Carolina in 2003. You really want to limit yourself to a 40,000 seat stadium? Do that and you're now Duke, Wake Forest, Houston, Tulane, SMU, etc.

First of all this would be equivalent to Stanford Stadium sizewise except there would probably be an open end. On the water. Facing the skyline. In Miami. And it's new. And at least partially roofed. That kind of doesn't make us the schools you mentioned as people pull up in yachts and cruiseships pass what would easily be the most aesthetically pleasing venue in college sports.

I'm not disagreeing that we'd be ceding a point here by downsizing. I just think if we're realistic about it then we can admit that this is our best option as there's nothing realistic on the horizon and I lump your notion of planning for bigger crowds at SLS in the unrealistic column (not to mention unfair to the actual student population). I also guarantee that $halala can find a way to make an equivalent or more amount of money off of a smaller venue. I personally wouldn't hesitate a second to pay double my current season ticket price for a move to a better venue.

 

[AntwanJ306]

We can play one thursday night game every year, and play on saturday nights at 8pm.. Not a cruise guy, but I'd have to think that most people are on the ship by 4pm.

True, and for the most part it's even earlier than that. Problem with the 8:00 thing is that we have no say in our game times.

 

[Hegemon]

Our admin is mom and pop.

Total joke.