''Don't be a bad dagh..."
Soccer going where Rugby is now would cause the removal of or shrink Stadium Blvd. The field is too narrow for soccer so they'll have to expand it. I think the removal of the blvd was already in the long term plan, was it not?
I hope they can keep softball there but just switch its layout so the home plate is closest to the intersection. If not, I wonder if they could put the softball facility where the football practice field is and then give the soccer and softball area to the football team for practice area. I'm not against softball going on the other side of the tracks, but I'd hate to split up the athletics facilities where they are now.
100% agree. We have a fantastic parking situation at Tech. In fact for many instances like football, we almost have it too good.
Pretty sure the last two versions of the master plan show Stadium Blvd closed and the entrance to the athletic complex moves to the north property line. Haven't gone back to look but I think I remember one version shows the softball field being where the rugby field is and the other had the soccer field there.
Expanding the parking into the area where the softball field has been will be great for baseball and help with football too. I hope it's huge! The area is much better suited to parking than anything else because it's so low and doesn't drain so well.
Exactly right regarding seating capacity.
In an article posted on April 30, 2000, former NCAA Director of Championships Dennis Poppe said "that while the committee sets no minimum for number of seats a regional site must have, it typically looks for stadiums that can accommodate at least 3,000."
Considering there were only around 1,500 permanent seats after chairback sections were expanded, 3,000 could not have been handled to the NCAA's satisfaction in the old facility. 3,000 should be the minimum permanent seating in the new facility. And that means actual seats, not phantom seats like in the TAC. If that isn't the plan, then the decision makers are doing Tech a great disservice.
Another 1000 to 1500 could have been added in the old set up for temporary seating. 2000 is enough permanent seating for the new stadium in the main grand stands. It will be easy to add another 1000 if needed for a regional. 3000 seats is not "cozy" when 1500 to 2000 seats are empty. That would be the norm for our current HC and AD.
Won't be able to get 1,000 temporary seats if the field dimensions are built to NCAA specifications. There will be no room beyond the left field fence because of the apartments. Permanent seating should take up all available space down both foul lines. And nothing even temporary can be added in right field because of the railroad.
Based on the on-field product, filling at least 2,000 actual seats on a regular basis shouldn't be an issue. If it is, then there are issues with coaching and/or administration. Anything under 3,000 would be underbuilding considering there won't be another upgrade in our lifetimes.
I've been saying we are underbuilding. Look at the attendance of USM and LaLaff. They have everything we don't, but don't come close to filling the seats they have. Looks like crap. I guess that's what we should strive for?
BTW, we are backing things up closer to Alabama and Tech Drive not moving them out toward the apartments and the RR tracks. We will have more room than before.
In case you haven't noticed, there was no room down the right field line already past the visitor bullpen because the street is so far below field level. If anything home plate will need to be moved away from Tech Drive and toward Alabama.
If the rebuild includes the suites and other amenities that are needed, the depth of the grandstand will need to be greater than it was before. Almost all of the space gained by re-angling the field and moving the back of the grandstand as close to the street corner as possible should get used up with the space needed for the new facility. Pushing back the outfield fence dimensions will take up most if not all of the available space there too.
I am not an engineer or architect (so feel free to tell me I'm wrong here) but that difference in height between the street and the field doesn't seem to be that big of a difference. It looks to be about two meters where the visitors' bullpen and dugout meet. If the stadium is built right up to the corner of Tech and Alabama then the stadium won't reach must past where the visitors' bullpen is depending on how big of a stadium we want. That inclined area between the street and the field will be taken up by the stands/concessions/locker room area anyway I assume so I don't think it affects the problem of the field too much. I think the stadium will fit nicely onto that corner and there's no need to move home plate away from Tech Dr.
It reads like you assume things can't be "swiveled" over toward the players and coaches parking. I believe that will be ADA compliance parking only. This will give up PLENTY of room down RF and more room down LF. Adding 25 feet down the lines (don't need that much) is not taking much at all.
There have been several diagrams here that show the area will work well for expanded dimensions and seating. Taking out most of the parking lot and practice shed will give us an amazing amount of room to work with.
I agree with you. Most of the current parking behind the third base dugout is going to go. And the field will be "swiveled".
But I also think we'll have a stadium with 3,000 to 3,500 seats. Hopefully most being chairback. The individuals involved are committed to building the top facility within our conference. We wouldn't be building at the current site if they weren't shown an architectural plan that could make that happen.
I also don't think we're overbuilding if we have 3,500 seats. In fact, I think if Tech were to do this right - from the stadium, to concessions like ULL or Tulane, to MiLB type promotions, I think we might be surprised or even shocked at how many season tickets we sell to baseball.
If you build it...they will come.
I like keeping the field in its traditional location. Yes, swivel it, shift it, move it left, right, forward, backward, whatever it takes to maximize the use of the available space, but keep it there. Which appears to be the final decision. Thumbs up!