Meade Stadium East Stands 2023 Renovations

[ramster]

East stands to have addition access this season from both ends of the grandstand and also 2 entries to the upper sections as illustrated.

[ramster]

[ramster]

Will be great to have all of the available seating again with the access improvement. Big season ahead for Rhody Football

[ramster]

[RhowdyRam02]

Looking at the last picture, I notice the presence of a lot more handrails as well, that's a good thing.

One thing I notice is they have each section split into three sections. Specifically with the bottom left of the picture, I wonder what that means for the band. Will they sit like they normally do or will they sit as one in the bigger middle left section?

Also, it almost looks like the benches are warped. Is that an optical illusion, construction stuff, or are they actually warped that severely? I'm assuming it's optical illusion or it's due to construction

[ramster]

Railings are a nice addition
The entrances/exits at the higher levels will help considerably

The warped look is actually some ribbons or straps that look to be keeping people from walking on those sections. I'm assuming it is all temporary.

Additional entrances/exits on each end of the East Stands plus two entrances/exits come up into the stands at the higher levels.

Past few years they put wrist bands on everybody who entered the East Stands General Admission. This enabled limiting the number of people in the East Stands. Assuming the new enhancements will allow increased seating in East Stands this season.

[ramster]

[Rhody_JAM]

I may be mistaken, but I think I remember someone mentioning a new scoreboard will replace the old one for this upcoming season. Is this not the case? Getting pretty close to the start of the season at this point.

[damram]

I would love to see a new scoreboard with replay capabilities, but why bother now. It would probably have to be moved for the new stadium construction.

[RhowdyRam02]

I may be mistaken, but I think I remember someone mentioning a new scoreboard will replace the old one for this upcoming season. Is this not the case? Getting pretty close to the start of the season at this point.

We were supposed to be getting one. No official word, but it appears that's not happening now due to the work being done on Meade after the 2024 season

[jcru]

You think the stands look sturdy enough for a 60 lb rug rat to run up and down the stairs for two hours? Because I can tell you right now, my 7 year old is going to be focused like a laser beam towards getting his stairs in and if we can get him to sit for like 15-20 mins of the actual game, just to have his drink and his snack, that would be huge.

[jcru]

Maybe we can get him to lead the "wave" or something, put all of that energy to some sort of use.

[Bartoburger]

What will be the new capacity once the new east stands are constructed? Any endzone sesting in the mix? Hoping for 15k!

[RhowdyRam02]

No details yet

[ramster]

South End of East Stands new access to upper sections

[ramster]

North End of East Stands with new access stairs to upper levels

[ramster]

Two new stairways to access upper levels of East Stands in middle of stands

Altogether there are 4 new stairways to access upper levels of East Stands

Restrooms newly painted

[RhowdyRam02]

I may be mistaken, but I think I remember someone mentioning a new scoreboard will replace the old one for this upcoming season. Is this not the case? Getting pretty close to the start of the season at this point.

We were supposed to be getting one. No official word, but it appears that's not happening now due to the work being done on Meade after the 2024 season

Or maybe we are getting it after all? No idea what other work would be taking place in this area at this point of the year

[ramster]

I may be mistaken, but I think I remember someone mentioning a new scoreboard will replace the old one for this upcoming season. Is this not the case? Getting pretty close to the start of the season at this point.

We were supposed to be getting one. No official word, but it appears that's not happening now due to the work being done on Meade after the 2024 season

Or maybe we are getting it after all? No idea what other work would be taking place in this area at this point of the year

Wow!

Could it be ready for Bryant Family Weekend?

[RhowdyRam02]

We were supposed to be getting one. No official word, but it appears that's not happening now due to the work being done on Meade after the 2024 season

Or maybe we are getting it after all? No idea what other work would be taking place in this area at this point of the year

Wow!

Could it be ready for Bryant Family Weekend?

Wouldn't that be something if we get replays in Meade before the Ryan Center?

[ramster]

Or maybe we are getting it after all? No idea what other work would be taking place in this area at this point of the year

Wow!

Could it be ready for Bryant Family Weekend?

Wouldn't that be something if we get replays in Meade before the Ryan Center?

Unbelievable

[Rhodymob05]

Definitely looks like a new scoreboard going up which is great. Also looks like concrete stair landings which are standard. (I went to the last home game, no way in hell is that gravel surface around the East stands handicap accessible.)

[Ramfan22]

Definitely looks like a new scoreboard going up which is great. Also looks like concrete stair landings which are standard. (I went to the last home game, no way in hell is that gravel surface around the East stands handicap accessible.)

Another picture. That definitely looks like the start of a new scoreboard.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Or maybe we are getting it after all? No idea what other work would be taking place in this area at this point of the year

Wow!

Could it be ready for Bryant Family Weekend?

Wouldn't that be something if we get replays in Meade before the Ryan Center?

I think it was probably going to happen, but you may have just wrecked that possibility...

[Bartoburger]

Is this the old scoreboard from Gillette stadium?

[Rhodysk]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

[RhowdyRam02]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Yesterday afternoon they still only had the beams up. Up to four beams so far in total

[ramster]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

[Rhodymob05]

Obviously this will be completed in time for the game. But they need to hurry lol.

[RhowdyRam02]

There is no chance it will be done Saturday. Hopefully homecoming 10/14

[NYGFan_Section208]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

Coke bottle from Fenway Park?

[ramster]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

Cole bottle from Fenway Park?

Not sure because I was riding by and it was getting dark. Didn't make it by yesterday to see the progress. It's much bigger than previous scoreboard.

[RIFan]

Sadly, as we are all experiencing, the weather is not allowing for many good days to work outside and is delaying many people’s projects.

[Bartoburger]

Old timers game day, going to have a manual clock and scoreboard at Meade today! Wear your old timey keaney blue outfits too!

[RhowdyRam02]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

The Coke bottle you saw must have been the ad attached to the current scoreboard

[ramster]

Anyone get a chance to drive by and see if indeed a new scoreboard was installed? I would think it would be up by now with a game Saturday.
Also hope they reuse the old scoreboard. Maybe other side of field, soccer,etc

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

The Coke bottle you saw must have been the ad attached to the current scoreboard

It was. My bad. It was dark and the scoreboard was lit up.

[RhowdyRam02]

Last night I took a quick glance from driving by and i thought it was up. I thought I saw a big coke bottle towards the left end of the sign but it was a very quick glance. I'll look closer later today.

The Coke bottle you saw must have been the ad attached to the current scoreboard

It was. My bad. It was dark and the scoreboard was lit up.

No worries, I figured you already knew and it was a simple mistake. Just wanted to clear up a loose end for people that haven't been able to get out to Meade

[RhowdyRam02]

You've brought a lot of much appreciated pictures and information to this thread!

[R.Kelly150]

I’m confused and I’m surprised URI has not sent out detailed info on the stadium renovations. Maybe they thought the scoreboard would have been a surprise, but the weather ruined the surprise. Still are the East stands a full go for capacity? <5780 attendance. It’s either based upon issues with the predicted weather (people didn’t show up), the number of tickets sold was limited by construction issues, or the crowd was smaller than expected (not enough fan interest). If the sits sold was larger than the announced crowd why was the attendance announced lower?

[jcru]

The Bryant game sold out in a matter of hours. Clearly, a lot of scalpers with the intention of making heavy profits. They announced at the beginning of the game that stub hub claimed it was the 7th most expensive ticket in the country this entire weekend for all NCAA football games.

Then, no one shows up. Honestly, I'm glad all of those scalpers got wasted and lost their money. And someone here gave me a lecture on "supply and demand" Yeesh.

[ramster]

The Bryant game sold out in a matter of hours. Clearly, a lot of scalpers with the intention of making heavy profits. They announced at the beginning of the game that stub hub claimed it was the 7th most expensive ticket in the country this entire weekend for all NCAA football games.

Then, no one shows up. Honestly, I'm glad all of those scalpers got wasted and lost their money. And someone here gave me a lecture on "supply and demand" Yeesh.

So Jcru,
Is the announced 5,676 attendance based on total tickets sold? Or is it actual people scanning their tickets thru the gate at the north and south entrances? Sounds like you are saying it's actual attendance, true?

[ramster]

[jcru]

The Bryant game sold out in a matter of hours. Clearly, a lot of scalpers with the intention of making heavy profits. They announced at the beginning of the game that stub hub claimed it was the 7th most expensive ticket in the country this entire weekend for all NCAA football games.

Then, no one shows up. Honestly, I'm glad all of those scalpers got wasted and lost their money. And someone here gave me a lecture on "supply and demand" Yeesh.

So Jcru,
Is the announced 5,676 attendance based on total tickets sold? Or is it actual people scanning their tickets thru the gate at the north and south entrances? Sounds like you are saying it's actual attendance, true?

Couldn't even begin to guess. All I know is that stadium looked at lot less full than the Friday Night Lights game vs Stony Brook.

I'm assuming that a lot of people who only bought the tickets to sell them at a higher price, weren't able to unload them like they wanted.

[ramster]

The Bryant game sold out in a matter of hours. Clearly, a lot of scalpers with the intention of making heavy profits. They announced at the beginning of the game that stub hub claimed it was the 7th most expensive ticket in the country this entire weekend for all NCAA football games.

Then, no one shows up. Honestly, I'm glad all of those scalpers got wasted and lost their money. And someone here gave me a lecture on "supply and demand" Yeesh.

So Jcru,
Is the announced 5,676 attendance based on total tickets sold? Or is it actual people scanning their tickets thru the gate at the north and south entrances? Sounds like you are saying it's actual attendance, true?

Couldn't even begin to guess. All I know is that stadium looked at lot less full than the Friday Night Lights game vs Stony Brook.

I'm assuming that a lot of people who only bought the tickets to sell them at a higher price, weren't able to unload them like they wanted.

I had my season tix and was not able to attend.
Looked at StubHub but didn't care to bother
There were few tix listed in StubHub day before and day of game.
So do my purchased tix go into the number?
For MBB they do. It's purchased tickets as has been discussed many times in this forum - not actual Fannie's in seats.

Note this game was sold out long ago. I attached above the family day game purchase rules for students to obtain additional tix for family members. They cannot resell these tickets. So if family choses not to go then it's empty seats since they can't resell. I'd guess a lot happens with making decisions 2 months ago and then up to game day.

If scalpers bought up tons of tickets then lost their butts then there should have been tons of tickets on resale sites for days and weeks leading up.

Not being able to resell likely led to so many empty seats - my guess.

Plus these tickets only go for $10 or thereabouts each anyway I'm not sure. So who really cares much if mom and dad lose $20. Maybe they take Johnny or Susie out to eat instead once they get to Kingston or they decide the weather stinks and they don't want to drive from NY, NJ or PA at all and tgrutctickets go unused. The flooding in NYC Thursday/Friday was a disaster with subways flooded, streets flooded. Pictures were brutal.

If the 5,676 is tickets sold instead of actual Fannie's in seats then a 2 month announced sell out means the capacity is 5,676 and no-shows explains the empty seats. Maybe URI is holding back capacity to see if East Stands can handle all the stairway and new aisle renovations first and foremost.

[ramster]

And logistically the Stony Brook announced attendance was zero

So whose to say the 5,676 is correct either

Good news is we won. Still in the hunt.

[jcru]

I would have probably gone if I were able to get tickets at face value, but I tried to purchase them about 8 hours after they went on sale and they were sold out.

I paid the (early) stub hub type prices for the Friday Night Lights game, but they were good seats in the chair back section.

So, if URI is unhappy with a less than half full stadium according to the scene on tv, then they are doing something wrong.

We'll see how it goes for the last three home games.

[damram]

The stadium was closer to full than half full by the end of the first quarter.

[ramster]

Lots of people spend time at tailgating especially so on a Family Weekend
Some may arrive from tailgating late, leave at halftime to go back to tailgating or leave before the game is over.

[jcru]

You are probably both right. I did watch the entire game, but they did most of the panning of the stadium seating prior to the game, by the time they sang the national anthem, there was hardly anyone in their seats yet, it seemed. Half full would have been generous at that point.

[Obadiah]

Of the seven CAA home games played on Saturday, the Bryant Family Day crowd (5,676) was among the smallest. Certainly the capacity and amenities of Meade Stadium are a problem, but if URI wants to continue its upward trajectory in football, it must make varied and stronger moves in building a larger and dedicated fan base.