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Northwestern's stadium project
- Thread starter Buffnik
- Start date
Having rich alum and a mega athletics tee vee deal must be nice…
I'm thinking that Folsom plan needs to be revamped and new ideas explored.
Maybe there's a way to increase sideline space to make Folsom work for soccer and lacrosse while putting in chair back seating and monetizing the Balch space into an on-campus restaurant & shopping area. Keep things at least at 40k, but make it nicer and more versatile/ profitable as a venue.
I know the money isn't there now, but that shouldn't stop RG from having a plan & vision.
Maybe there's a way to increase sideline space to make Folsom work for soccer and lacrosse while putting in chair back seating and monetizing the Balch space into an on-campus restaurant & shopping area. Keep things at least at 40k, but make it nicer and more versatile/ profitable as a venue.
I know the money isn't there now, but that shouldn't stop RG from having a plan & vision.
Reducing capacity in favor of premium seating is certainly the industry trend (and something CU was an early adopter on with the end zone renovations).
Increasing sideline space with lower capacity premium sideline seating (without benches) should be relatively easy for a competent AD.
Until we can afford to fire a coach like Dorrell, any talk about a Folsom renovation needs to be put on hold
When I was a kid going to CU games with my Dad there was more space on the sidelines, no reason to believe that the fill in can't be undone.
Don't know if they could get the field size up to fit in a regulation soccer field and frankly I don't know if that (along with lacrosse) would even make sense.
Reducing capacity though can often actually increase revenues. As it stands even when we have been good it is rare that we fully sell out. Drop capacity some while returning the football team to a quality product and you can create a situation where demand exceeds supply more often allowing for increases in actual ticket prices (in part by reducing the reliance on price cutting promotions to move tickets.) Also the threat of not getting tickets for key games can increase season ticket sales.
I know it's a pipe dream at the moment but I'd like to see them move the family/graduate housing that is north of the practice fields (maybe down by WillVill and replace them with a new stadium specifically build for soccer, lacrosse, and track and field along with a campus welcome/visitors center
I disagree. Always go big with your vision. Get people engaged and excited. RG understood this when he took the job, but he's been beaten down and accepted the narrative that CU is poor & severely limited.
That said, I did try to make clear in my last sentence of what you quoted that the top priority is the coaching change. But I'd sell that as part of a much broader vision instead of "we're poor, budget may be too tight to do anything right now, and we need to hope real hard that the next coach is a panacea for all that ails us." Fvck that. It's a loser mentality.
A big part of why it makes sense to me to make Folsom work for field sports is that it would help sell it.
- Not just for football
- Frees up space for needed academic buildings on East Campus
- Opens up additional revenue opportunities like hosting youth/HS tournaments (which would be good for student recruitment)
I agree with all of this, just don't know that Folsom is practical for this. I'd rather have the dedicated purposed stadium built for this purpose.
This facility would draw events like conference championships, regional tournaments, etc. as well as you mention youth and HS events including state championships.
I agree with the vision part and dreaming big. I just feel like we are in the midst of debating whether or not the AD has $8m to fire an awful HC, and whether RG is even up for another coaching search, so I am highly skeptical that any kind of vision for a full blown half a billion dollar stadium renovation is even being discussed by him. That feels like the next Chancellor and AD kind of thing
nolabuff
Club Member
Pretty sure the Pat Ryan leading this project is the 90ish year old Chicago billionaire. Maybe his son played for CU, but guessing it’s a different guy.
Thank you for talking me off the ledge. I'm going to assume you are right.
I would hope the Broncos decide they want to build a new Mile High on the current site, so the Broncos could play two seasons at Folsom, so get a $50-$100 million dollar deal with the Broncos to make the changes to Folsom to make it wider and more NFL capable and do all the cool updates in conjunction with the plan. Could happen in 2026 ahead of a Bronco stadium project from 2028-2030
As long as it gets proposed after Phil leaves, because he'd find a reason to turn them down.
Maybe if we show Rob Walton the Flatirons he'll become a CU megadonor
Or negotiate a deal where we pay them to come., they don't, and we still pay.
What kind of cereal does Leeds make?
I think that Folsom's great the way it is. I love that the fans are so close to the field, and apart from the athletes and their families nobody gives a rat's patoot about lacrosse and soccer. Sitting in the east side has got to be the best view from any football stadium, anywhere.
I know people talk about doing something with Balsh, but what? It works great for football games, with the band coming in pre-game, beer sales, and general bonhomie.
The sound system has been improved an is now, in my opinion, now too loud.
I (seriously) love the old school trough-style urinals. They are much more efficient than the setup at Empower, although I loved the "pee on the wall" setup at the Air Force stadium.
BuffBronco
Well-Known Member
35k would be close to the smallest FBS Power 5 stadiums surely?
Not quite. Wake is 31k. Had to look this up and found it interesting how few P5 stadiums are under 40k or even 45k.
College football: The Power 5's smallest stadiums
It’s time to flip the typical NCAA stadium list
thelistwire.usatoday.com
The stadium is fine. Do something with Balch that makes sense as an investment.
invest in the program, not seats.
invest in the program, not seats.
Totally fair.
Boulder
Well-Known Member
It is conceivable you could turn Folsom into a smaller attractive venue for a wider variety of events. The issues of space on campus are present however it is possible to address everyday student needs in addition to event-specific needs in a singular remodel of Folsom and its connected buildings. If the city and university were serious Folsom could become a very attractive venue for events and musical acts due to the setting and growing nature of the state.
Been saying that we ought to widen the sidelines to where we could have soccer & lacrosse at Folsom Field for awhile. When you think CU, Folsom Field is probably at the top of the list.
I wonder if it is doable to simply do a swap of the CU rec center and events center. I'd build a new arena at where Balch is and it will have hockey there as well.
If you consider the iconic end zone and then look at historical photos youll notice Folsom used to be structured to host Track and Field. Or at least had a running track.
6,000 more seats were added in 1967 when the running track was removed and the team dressing facilities were constructed at the north end of the field.
In theory those added seats, some of which are so low behind the benches that you cant see the game, could be removed to allow for soccer width. The question is how the bleachers were extended. Most likely the original retaining wall where the bleachers ended in 1967 is still there and the added extended section bringing the bleachers to its current line was built right in front of the old wall.
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CU IT guy
Well-Known Member
This thread is kind of delusional...but I guess it goes along with how delusional the AD is lately.
First off, Balch has been labeled a historically significant building by the city of boulder. It can't be removed, it won't be renovated, ever. There's even restrictions on the lone elevator in the building....which barely works....
Soccer will never be played in Folsom. The 'expansion plan' for the AD changes every couple of years, 5 years ago the plan was to use the practice fields located down the hill from Dal Ward, demolish family housing and install a permanent soccer and lacrosse facility there complete with lights and the whole deal.
A few weeks ago, I heard now the plan is merely to keep soccer where it is, and install lights down there, and build real permanent footprint at that location. Couple years from now MAYBE the lights happen.
My guess - knowing how things roll with the current administration? LOL most of that is a pipe dream.
When you're so FUBAR that your primary flagship 'program' is the worst in the last 65 years of football, and you refuse to take action to do something about it, talking about facility projects is, frankly, comical.
Sorry, but comparing CU to Northwestern is also, sadly, at this point, pretty comical.
First off, Balch has been labeled a historically significant building by the city of boulder. It can't be removed, it won't be renovated, ever. There's even restrictions on the lone elevator in the building....which barely works....
Soccer will never be played in Folsom. The 'expansion plan' for the AD changes every couple of years, 5 years ago the plan was to use the practice fields located down the hill from Dal Ward, demolish family housing and install a permanent soccer and lacrosse facility there complete with lights and the whole deal.
A few weeks ago, I heard now the plan is merely to keep soccer where it is, and install lights down there, and build real permanent footprint at that location. Couple years from now MAYBE the lights happen.
My guess - knowing how things roll with the current administration? LOL most of that is a pipe dream.
When you're so FUBAR that your primary flagship 'program' is the worst in the last 65 years of football, and you refuse to take action to do something about it, talking about facility projects is, frankly, comical.
Sorry, but comparing CU to Northwestern is also, sadly, at this point, pretty comical.