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Berms look better than either aluminum or concrete bleachers. Don't think they are going away. Season tickets are sold out but not GA tickets. Still plenty of good seats.
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is Blue Bell Park 100% paid for now? or is there still outstanding debt?
I believe season tickets sold out this year.
would a BBP expansion take priority over a new softball complex?
the new AD came from UW...a program that won a softball national title back in 2009
quote:Then give more money.
I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
quote:quote:Then give more money.
I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
To keep all that seating while still updating everything to anywhere near the same level wouldn't have been possible on the same budget, or anything close to the same budget.
The seating bowl can easily be extended down the foul lines, but you need a reason to spend all that money. Is there enough demand to do it?
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Also, I think your next seats will be outfield seats when rec center addition is done. That's what I've heard RC is interested in, anyway
quote:For how many games were there large numbers that wanted a seat over the berm and didn't get one and will that continue to any extent when the team doesn't get off to a record start?quote:quote:Then give more money.
I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
To keep all that seating while still updating everything to anywhere near the same level wouldn't have been possible on the same budget, or anything close to the same budget.
The seating bowl can easily be extended down the foul lines, but you need a reason to spend all that money. Is there enough demand to do it?
Of course there is
Did you not see how many people.were.forced onto the berms and sidewalks last year?
Most of those people aren't there by choice
They are there because there was nowhere else to go..
quote:quote:For how many games were there large numbers that wanted a seat over the berm and didn't get one and will that continue to any extent when the team doesn't get off to a record start?quote:quote:Then give more money.
I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
To keep all that seating while still updating everything to anywhere near the same level wouldn't have been possible on the same budget, or anything close to the same budget.
The seating bowl can easily be extended down the foul lines, but you need a reason to spend all that money. Is there enough demand to do it?
Of course there is
Did you not see how many people.were.forced onto the berms and sidewalks last year?
Most of those people aren't there by choice
They are there because there was nowhere else to go..
I think our average attendance was still 700+ below seating capacity or something close to that? More importantly, I remember we had some big ballgames that didn't fill the seating bowl at Olsen Field.
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Making a list now of attendance of all games versus capacity...
quote:I agree the berms are a horrible place if you really want to watch the game. Good place for families with the kids who can't sit still.
I'm a season ticket holder of 27 years.
There is no way I would pay money to sit on the berm. I will say it's likely fine if you're not that interested in the game or have small kids or something.
But the berms do not offer a great experience so much of your fan base.
Also when they initially had plans for rec center renovation it included some bleachers seating for Olsen where Aggie alley was. Unfortunate looks as if somewhere along the way that idea was scratched.
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I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
quote:quote:
I've always thought it was super stupid to spend millions and shrink the stadium.
The actual capacity is not significantly less then before the renovation.
There were fan surveys about what direction the renovation should take. Fans complained endlessly about the poor view, how uncomfortable and the ugliness of the old first baseline bleachers and for the most part they went empty except for a handful of games each season.
I do think it was a mistake to put berms down both lines. I would have extended chairbacks down the third baseline to the bullpen and maybe had a smaller lawn area by the playground so you could have additional chairbacks here too. I would hate to see a quick fix and just throw up bleachers where the berms are now. I think the best initial move would be outfield seating then eventual conversion of the berms to chairbacks.
quote:What about Baylor's new stadium?
and from a business 101 standpoint...the shrinking capacity game to increase demand or make it more cozy is always risky. See Baylor's new football stadium
quote:There are 100s of all sorts of stadiums around the country that violate that rule. And most of those aren't like Olsen where its not a problem of turning away fans (we have had to do that how often? 3 max last year if any?), but they are actually turning away fans.
If you're exceeding capacity 15-20% of the time, forcing people onto the grass and sidewalks, then you can justify expanding a little
I think even 500 additional chair backs and a few hundred outfield seats would make a big difference, and you may be able to keep a berm or two
