Other Non FBS-1A College Football Stadiums in the East

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Bridgeforth Stadium at James Madison

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

University of Albany's Bob Ford Field

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Lavalle Stadium at SUNY Stony Brook

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Alfond stadium at UMaine in Orono

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

U of Richmond's Robins Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Lafayette's Fisher Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Lehigh's Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Towson's Unitas Stadium

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

UNH's Cowell Stadium

http://www.unhwildcats.com/sports/fball ... 0913r3ls22

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Cowell is the only one that Meade could be compared to.

The others are a Lexus compared to our Pinto.

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

Don't the renovations they are making to Cowell sound identical to what we want to do here at Meade? I wish we had a figure at how much all of that will cost.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

The Yale Bowl

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Harvard Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Princeton Stadium

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

The key is, at UNH they have committed to making those improvements.

What's going on here? I know the coaching search takes priority number one right now, but the other stuff?

Cricketsville.

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:The key is, at UNH they have committed to making those improvements.

What's going on here? I know the coaching search takes priority number one right now, but the other stuff?

Cricketsville.

I'm hoping we start hearing some commitments after the coach has been found. Then we will know if the program will make progress moving forward.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

If we don't, I doubt any of those coaches on that list will come here.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 10 years ago

My favorite is Princeton's Plamer Stadium, is has a classic design, but I don't know if it has much for luxury boxes, event rooms, etc.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

OBRAM wrote:My favorite is Princeton's Plamer Stadium, is has a classic design, but I don't know if it has much for luxury boxes, event rooms, etc.

The old stadium was torn down a few years ago and a completely new one built on the same site. My post had the old name. It is now officially known as Princeton Stadium. It seats 27,800 and appears to have most of the modern bells and whistles.

http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewAr ... LID=295165

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 10 years ago

Now, this isn't *American* football, but the concept is, well, interesting:

http://twitchy.com/2013/11/19/qatar-i-h ... tadium-pic

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

Heh...

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Wow...no shortage of jokes coming from that one.....

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

Cowell is a dump.
Maine and UNH have no in state recruiting bases. Funny,how when you hire the right coach,these things are much less of issue.
Can't blame URI for Stowers and Rizzi.
But look at the length of time Griff,Keith,Stowers and Trainer were given.
The extensions were killers.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Back in the day, the stadiums and facilities weren't quite such a difference maker as they are today. Just look at all the new stadiums that have been built recently. Except for the Ryan side of Meade, the place is a dinosaur.

You can be a great coach, but if you can't get talent to come to the school, then whatever success you do have only masks the problem, and that usually doesn't last too long anyway.

URI has had success only in the few instances where they were lucky to get a few diamonds in the rough, so to speak. Maybe one really good recruiting class. To stay good, you need several consecutive years of good recruiting classes.

Has URI football ever had that? Not that I can remember. And they won't, until they can bring their facilities up to par with at least the northeastern segment of the CAA. They will never be able to match what some of the southern schools have, just not realistic.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 10 years ago

Wish we had some price tags along with the pics (at least for the newer ones).

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

There will be sticker shock, that's for sure.

Listen, I don't expect URI to build a completely new football stadium, top to bottom, unless T.Boone Pickens shows up at our doorstep, and feels sorry for us.

New field surface for Meade and practice field. New equipment. New and bigger East stands and concessions. Renovated locker rooms. New or renovated football offices. Maybe lights at some point.

Not everything has to be new, but most of it does. Still, the price tag for all of this is going to be steep. It won't be done all at once, it can't. Forgot to mention a better coaching staff, making more money.

Where will the money come from?

brady1 · Unread post by **brady1** » 10 years ago

More rambone were DOOMED.

GO RHODY!

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 10 years ago

brady1 wrote:More rambone were DOOMED.
GO RHODY!

and Baron has now been gone for two years, but the sky continues to fall

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Yeah, but we want better football than we've gotten. For like the last 30 years.

Don't we deserve it? Answer that one!

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

Albany's Bob Ford Field opened 9/14 against us. They spent $24 million for 8,500 seats or $2824 per seat.

Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium opened in 2002. They spent $28.6 million for 8,136 seats or $3515/seat. They’ll be spending $5.7 million for at least 2000 more seats or $2850 per seat.

Maine’s Alfond Stadium opened in 1998. They spent $10.7 million for 10,000 seats or $1070/seat.

Richmond’s Robins Stadium opened in 2010. They spent $28 million for 8700 seats or $3218/seat.

Towson’s Unitas Stadium was renovated in 2002. They spent $32 million for 11,198 seats or 2858/seat.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Let's see, a new East stands that seats say 5,000, for $15 million. That's $3000 per seat.

Sounds reasonable? Still a crapload of money, but wouldn't need an entire new stadium.

How many seats are on the Ryan side?

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

According to a 3/31/05 press release on our website we were spending $2 million for the 1400 Ryan Center seats, scoreboard and refurbished East stands.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

We would need a larger East stands then, seating say 7500. Or end zone seats.

Even though that was 8 years ago, seems pretty cheap for all that.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

It's about $2.39 million in current dollars or $1708 per seat. Reasons for it being cheaper are it doesn't account for anything to do with a press box, field work or lights.

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

would need a press box and elevator.
I would leave it to end.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Division 3 RPI's Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

List of FCS Stadiums in the USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NC ... l_stadiums

Meade is near the bottom for capacity.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Delaware Stadium

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Elon's Rhodes Stadium

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

So what you're trying to say and demonstrate here is that Meade is a dump with the exception of the West stands.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:So what you're trying to say and demonstrate here is that Meade is a dump with the exception of the West stands.

I am just trying to show posters what URI Football is competing against. Our facilities along with the money spent on operating expenses is far below the other teams that play FCS (1AA) football in our region. We will never consistently succeed unless we devote more resources.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

RF1 wrote:Elon's Rhodes Stadium

I like the stadiums like this at Elon which have a sloped lawn surrounding much of the field. It is a rather inexpensive way to allow more capacity.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

I was just joking, RF1. Totally agree that Rhody Football is in a deep hole with facilities.

BIG_FISH_RI · Unread post by **BIG_FISH_RI** » 10 years ago

You must 1st start with a GOOD COACH that can grab talent. Again- the last GOOD coach here was Keith. People can say what they want but the proof is in the pudding. His entire coachign staff - are now top D1 coches. From Michigan State - Iowa - North Caroline - G Tech - Oklahoma!!!!
he got D1 Talent here.

Mcguire - Ohio State
Haskins - Kentucky
Clark - Pitt
Loreno - Michigan State
Olverson - Indiana
Jenkins - Clemson

These are just the kids that tranfered into URI - He had a few other kids here that he never shoudlm have gotten. even had a few that transfered from URI and got full rides at 1A schools. A running back comes to mind that transfered to Michigan State and started a few games.

Coach 1st . Faclilties HELP but Floyd got the talent here without it!

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 10 years ago

Bucknell

http://image.cdnllnwnl.xosnetwork.com/p ... 42831.jpeg

jcru · Unread post by **jcru** » 10 years ago

Stowers first and second years, I traveled by car to Maine, New Hampshire, Delaware, James Madison, Richmond, and Hofstra.

Maine was nice, and brand new at the time, got half my face windburnt from the -15F windchill blowing left to right, I looked like two face from Batman. Stands were nice, the track around it takes away from the whole stadium, though. Kind of like a glorified high school stadium, but much better than Meade, and for only around $10 mil back then.

New Hampshire is a dinosaur. It is incrementally better than Meade, only because it is "safe" and not ready to be condemned. It's old as hell and ugly, with the stands up against that building. Not something to strive for.

Hofstra was nice, completely artificial, new. Wouldn't be the best one here, but I was still jealous.

JMU, was older, but well kept and had charm to it. Had a nice southern feel going. Loved beating them there that year when they were ranked #7.

Delaware was the standard back then in terms of team and facilities in the A10. Loved beating them there that year as well. Nuff said.

Richmond, at least back then, might have been just as bad as Meade. Seating capacity greater and people won't die sitting in the seats, but nothing to strive for. Doesn't look by the picture that anything has changed. Just like NH.

Nothing has changed in 12 years with URI Football. The problem back then was URI needs to string two very successful seasons in a row to drive the motor for all of this to take place. Oh, so close was Stowers's second year when they started 7-0 with those wins against UD, JMU, Hofstra, and Brown, among others. Then, they hit a wall at home vs Maine, and that was basically the end of the Stowers era. If that momentum had carried for two full seasons, not necessarily going to the playoffs like they were well on their way to do that year, but winning seasons, this would all be different now.

I'll never forget: I was given a Press Pass for that Maine game, which I gave to my older brother who is a URI alumnus. I basically begged him to goto the game with me, and then I egged him on to go to the Press Conference afterwards. He did.

He went in there, and asked AD Ron Petro, in front of all those reporters and writers of the Projo, SC Independent, etc: "So what do you intend to do about the seating situation for the playoffs?"

And he responded, what do you mean?

Jim goes, "Well, we are likely going to host a playoff game, are you going to ask East Providence HS if you can use Pierce Field or maybe Cranston Stadium, because you can't be serious that you're going to hold it here, with those rent a stands in the South Endzone."

Petro: "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

The whole room was dumbfounded. That is a true story. That's one of my favorite memories.

Jim was very popular at URI, he was a member of ZBT the year it burnt to the ground in the woods. He is much bolder than I am, he was like Blue Man is. You guys would like him. anyway, thought it was relevant to this whole stadium situation. You need to basically get lucky with one of these coaches in order to move forward, so choose wisely.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 10 years ago

Richmond moved into a brand new on campus stadium since your trip down there with Stowers as HC. It opened in 2010 and cost 28 million. It only seats 8700 as there was stiff neighborhood opposition to a larger venue due to traffic concerns.

jcru · Unread post by **jcru** » 10 years ago

OK, well the picture posted looks just like I remember it (from my view from the visitors stands). Is there a new picture?

Or, maybe the renovation was only for the visitors side, so that's why the difference isn't visible to me?

edit

Look at NH's stadium. I sat on the visitors side there as well. Look at the size of that. That might be different now too.

jcru · Unread post by **jcru** » 10 years ago

And it was Robin's Stadium back then, too. So, unless they made a completely new stadium with the same name, which isn't likely, it hasn't moved. I don't doubt they improved it though.

FWIW, the numbers I heard tossed around to completely do the rest of Meade, minus the West Stands, and have stands all the way around (minimal in the endzones, but full circle - that cartoon picture someone posted basically) was up there like Richmond. High 20's, if not 30. And that was in 2001.

Edit..

Yeah, see this right here:

This was Bruce Murray and Stowers's baby. Because he showed me this picture back in 2001 when they were 7-0. They consulted the firm, it might have ben HoK, and tried to force this to get done. URI is very political behind the scenes, as many of you know, andPetro gave them plenty of resistance. They were even going to try and get most of the money privately.

So, when I tell you what it is going to take to get the stuff done that you all seem to want: it's winning. Winning brings the butts into the seats, just like basketball. People gravitate to a winner, like flies to you know what. Everyone wants to be part of winning, and people genuinely want URI to do well, they just don't want to watch them when they are stinking up the joint.

Meade was so packed for that Maine game they had to stick those rent a stands in the South Endzone, which held about 3000 I believe, because of all the added interest. It's a shame they didn't win that game. If they had won that one game, even if they lost the last three, they would have been 8-3 and made the playoffs, by virtue of beating Maine, because Maine is the one that took their playoff spot.

jcru · Unread post by **jcru** » 10 years ago

I see the new photo, RF1. That is pretty. I still think one day this concept art could be a reality for us though. If I won the powerball, it would be, as soon as I could cash the check. I'd make them name the field after Murray. Trying to turn this dream into a reality is the thing that was driving him and ultimately got him in the end.

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