Bryant upgrades

[Hal Kopp]

https://www.ricentral.com/nk_standard_t ... 9285f.html

Where are Rhody's??

[RhowdyRam02]

I'm fine with no lights and turf at this point. Any money for football facilities should be going to improving the East stands

[Hal Kopp]

Not a bad idea.
Think the turf and lights are less expensive and easier?

[RhowdyRam02]

They're certainly far less expensive and much easier, it's just that field turf is a luxury for us, lights wouldn't give enough return at this point, and the East stands aren't really safe.

[Surfri72]

Bryant is a private school plus lights are so overrated and our field is nice. We need to finish renovating the east stands period.

[Rhodysk]

Sad to see Bryant pass us in football.
Everything they have is better than URI and don’t give me the private vs state school.
This falls on Thor and URI for not having a plan for the stadium years ago. Every year they could do upgrades. Weather big upgrades ( east stands, lights, turf ) to small upgrades ( banners of former players ) something to get excited about

[RF1]

It is a sad thing to admit but Bryant basically has better facilities than URI for most all its sports except for basketball. Their football stadium along with performance center and indoor training center blow URI football away. Their baseball and softball venues are better. So are their track and soccer facilities.

[Surfri72]

Bryant's football stadium is tiny. Its not better than ours. Holds 4500 people. I'm still not sure what the infatuation with lights is. Even if we had lights, how many games a year would we play under them? 1 maybe out of home games?

[STC]

Bryant doesn't have the decrepit East Stands, so by default Bryant has a better stadium.

Went to a Bryant football game last year and I would definitely take their stadium over URI's.

I don't give two shits about field turf and lights, just build a respectable football stadium on par with fellow CAA schools.

[Rhodymob05]

Agreed syn turf and lights are a nice addition, but the infrastructure of Meade should be the priority.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Replace the bleachers and get lights...

[OBRAM]

I have mixed feeling about artificial turf, are their health concerns with the black pellets? However, the players seem to like playing on it. Also, I have seen you can put coconut husk pellets instead of old tires pellets, but I have only heard of one place doing that on TV at a Virginia High School.
It seems to me, that the only sport that is a priority at URI is Men's basketball, I don't think the administration has the funds or ambition to really invest into any other sports program. I doubt indoor track would be as good if we didn't have the Mackal Fieldhouse.

[Rhodymob05]

Synthetic turf can use many types of infill (black pellets) studies show there's no real connection between health effects and the rubber. Other types of infill can be more expensive, drain differently, for example, coconut husks is light and tends to float. The field does increase in heat, but in the northeast, that's not really a problem. They look wonderful and lowe maintenance costs. Nothing plays or feels as good as natural turf grass, but both have their pros and cons. To me, the field is the best aspect of Meade. Real stadium fencing, stands, and concession buildings/bathrooms are absolutely necessary to compete with other programs.