All, below is the letter I wrote up.

change it do whatever, but keep it professional.

This is what I am emailing and mailing.
Mr. Marks,
I would like to begin with thanking you for the hard work and effort you and your office put forth to make Texas A&M Athletics the best in the nation. The 12th Man Foundation has spearheaded multiple projects that have brought our programs to new heights and help our great university be considered to be in the top ranks in almost all categories among the leading colleges in North America. This makes me proud to be part of the Aggie family. One of the latest changes taking place is due to the recent success of our Aggie baseball team and made possible through an unbelievably generous gift from the Kruse brothers. When it is all said and done the 24 million dollar renovation, upgrade, and expansion will have occurred and forever change Olsen Field to Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. I and many others cannot wait to step inside and experience the magic of Olsen Field for the 2012 season.
Although somewhat difficult since I live in Houston, I have been trying to keep up with the latest updates to the stadium and have been reading about what the new additions will be. This brings me to the point of this letter. With all the new additions and changes going on, it seems that one thing; one VERY important thing is possibly being overlooked. I have been unable to find any reference to what will take place in the General Admission sections in regards to seating replacement. I know that all seating has been ripped up and removed in order for a true renovation to take place; this can be seen in the webcam and pictures of construction. I am down right angry at what I’ve been hearing is to go in its place. Granted this is only a” rumor” I heard on a website, but if the last few weeks have taught us anything, it is that sometimes the internet holds the truth. I have heard that the replacement will be aluminum bleachers, with no back support and no overhang. The bleacher will be placed directly onto the concrete and will not allow any place to put your bag, drink, or the now famous Bucket ‘O Corn. Instead, these items will have to contend with feet, butts, and backs; undoubtedly leading to spills and arguments regarding seating.
I would like to know whether or not this rumor is true, and if so why is this the case? Not replacing the bleacher back support is a direct and severe downgrade to the entire general admission seating area and the ballpark overall. No longer will older Ags be able to enjoy the games by leaning back and resting. No longer will current students, who most likely make up the majority of mid-week game attendees (i.e. money source), be able to kick back and relax in the afternoon sun while watching the Aggies BTHO that other school. And while meaningless to some people, but important to all diehard Aggie baseball fans I know, no longer will we be able to welcome Aggies across home plate with the familiar and intimidating tone of Aggie rings beating against the bleacher backs.
If the decision to not replace the bleacher backs is due to lack of funds, Aggies are prepared to step up and pay the way and I am formally requesting information on how to make this possible. If this decision to not replace bleacher backs was made for another reason… one I honestly cannot think of, because not this action is a direct downgrade from the facilities we had and I was under the assumption that this was an ENITRE BALLPARK UPGRADE, please inform me of this decision. If no decision has been made I urge you, please, replace the bleacher backs and elevate the bleachers out away from the concrete (basically rebuild what was there). If the rumor is entirely false, I hope you accept this email as a form of praise for keeping Olsen Magic intact; and having the forethought for what will make the General Admission seating the best in college baseball.
I know that the changes at Olsen are only occurring due to the gift from the Kruse brothers, and without it we would not even be discussing this. Upgrading season ticket holder seats and their amenities was long ago needed; I don’t think anyone will disagree with you. Upgrading Olsen Field itself, was also desperately needed. However, it seems like the back bone of Aggie Baseball, General Admission, might be getting forgotten in all of this. Day in and day out General Admission is there supporting our student athletes; providing money at the ticket gate and at concessions. I understand that the purchase of General Admission tickets, even for the whole season, pales in comparison to one season ticket and it is pennies compared to what a suite will be going for; but I truly hope that the final dollar is not all that is cared about. If this is the case, and General Admission is treated as 2nd rate attendees, I believe that for the time being I will stop supporting the 12th Man Foundation and only give to the Baseball Operations fund (Dugout Club), which the foundation does not control.
I hope that the choice has been made with the intentions of truly making Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park the best place to watch college baseball. I honestly cannot see how this would be possible if the bleacher backs are removed and not replaced throughout the General Admissions seating area.
Please let me know if you have any answers to my questions or would like to discuss this further. Thank you for your hard work and your time.

As always, Gig ‘em!
Andrew Boswell c/o 2007

Well put ol boy. Huzzah.

----------------------------------------------------------
THE baseball fan

"Never yield to force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy" - Winston Churchill

thank you for sending the letter

it was justified and had paragrpah spaces were they should be. formatting went to hell with copy/paste.

Well put.

Have you sent the letter yet?
You have some factual errors that I would like to clear up.

1. Seats will NOT be directly on the concrete. Not sure where that one started. Should be mounted as they were.

2. The only seats where the seat backs will not be replaced is in the student section. (I will try and verify if it is the whole first base side, as I am unclear on this myself) I believe the third base side will get the seat backs on the benches. (This was my fault, I was talking to a student about the student section and did not make myself clear)

3. Seats are being replaced because it is more cost effective and will look better than trying to repaint the existing.


I will keep you informed if I find out anything different.

But that isn't just the student section, but all of GA. I thought we were supposed to be making out stadium nicer rather than crappier.

Does someone in the AD not like ring-tapping and decided to screw us over or what? Doesn't it just look better to have a uniform look with all seat backs on benches?

Confirmed. Bench backs on third base GA.

No Bench backs on Visitor Side (first base, Student Side)

This is for the Upper bowl only.

Occupy Third Base Side? Bring steel drums in for the noise? Bring your own aluminum? We could have a giveaway day!

In all seriousness, this blows though

I always sit on the first row and turn around to bang on the bottom of the seat when we score.

I'm even more unhappy to know that the stadium will look like we couldn't afford to have backs put on the first base side. Way to really class up Olsen. It's gonna look sheety and it's just a money saving tactic.

So they're changing 3rd base to GA? I thought that was reserved seating.

Last I checked there was no difference between GA/Student seating.

I thought third base was GA. Only the area behind home plate was reserved.

quote:

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Confirmed. Bench backs on third base GA.

No Bench backs on Visitor Side (first base, Student Side)

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Third base side is not GA. Unless they're changing it for this year. Student seating/GA are the same.

This is making me really sad.

[This message has been edited by ensign_beedrill (edited 12/8/2011 8:54a).]

My mistake then.

I am not involved in selling tickets. I assume it will stay the same. GA vs. reserved.


Third base side has backs. First base side does not.

This upsets me. What a downgrade?! I hate sporting events, especially baseball games, where I can't lean back and watch the game. With no back support, you're constantly adjusting yourself. It is very tiring. I would feel like I was watching a junior high football game. Olsen is one of the few sports you can actually sit down and I have to sit on a bleacher? This isn't halftime after the band at Kyle. Bad move.

Take a couple leather chairs out of the suites and put backs on the bleachers!

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS, AGS

[This message has been edited by Statboy203 (edited 12/8/2011 11:09a).]

[This message has been edited by Statboy203 (edited 12/8/2011 11:09a).]

My contribution:

Mr. Marks,

I would like to start off by commending you and the 12th Man Foundation Staff on the terrific job you all do every day supporting the university. The 12th Man Foundation plays a vital role in making Texas A&M one of the best institutions in the country. The Foundation carries the essence of the 12th Man spirit with its continuing effort to guide the athletic program and their goal of building champions. It is your effort and those like you who bring about changes like the gift from the Kruse family to Aggie Baseball. There is no doubt that their donation will make a grand impact on the program. Though being very reluctant to change (as many Aggies are), I have been uneasy with many of the changes being made to the Olsen Magic experience. I have bitten my maroon tongue and written it off to necessary change and emotional stubbornness on my part. But there is one rumor that I just can’t shake and I have become upset if not subtly angry. That is the absence of back supports on the general admission bleachers (either all or the student section).

On the surface, this may seem like a trivial detail in a very expansive, multi-million dollar upgrade. But for someone that has only missed a very small handful of games since the 2005 season, this seems to me as a major downgrade in this overall “upgrade”. I rubbed a raw spot in Section 203, Row 3, Seat 10 over the course of those seven (going on eight) seasons to the point where the number 203 is not just a section number, but an experience that I have had a major hand in. I have made friends with several sectionmates as well as a few coaches and players because of our unwavering support for the program and atmosphere that has been become to be simply known as “Olsen Magic”.

I must admit, the backs on the bleachers were one of those things I took for granted. Though many Raggie regulars took pride in the section of silver they chipped from the maroon paint with their previously dent-less, unscratched Aggie Ring, most of us did not appreciate the comfort of the back support we used as a noise maker. The seat backs play an important role in many of the traditions that make Olsen Field the best atmosphere in all of baseball (yeah, I said it, the best). There is the 6-4-3 tap on the bleachers in the top half of the inning in hopes of the Boys turning a double play. I’ve heard countless people say they couldn’t wait to get their ring so they take part in the tradition. There is also the tradition of banging on the bleacher backs when the Ags score a run. A sound that is etched into the brain of defeated opponents after visiting the “friendly” confines of Olsen Field. Most of all, I don’t know how many times I’ve witnessed an Aggie rally after traditionally pounding on the back supports in the bottom of the 9th. The shattering sound produced by a standing 12th Man created incredible pressure on visiting teams to seal the game, just to have it unfold in front of them in the final outs. It is trivial things like this that create the atmosphere by the Olsen student section. This atmosphere, as described by players and coaches in videos before the 2011 season, is summed up by one word: Suffocating.

I have yet to mention the most important aspect of the lack of back supports and that name explains itself…”back” “support”. I take pride in attending the only major Aggie sport where it is acceptable to not stand the whole game. It is actually frowned upon and basis of a few “friendly” words (or chants) from your fellow Ag if you’re so inclined to block the view of the game (again…atmosphere). There is something about being able to lean back (literally), relax, and enjoy a nice, cool spring night (or skin blistering day) of Fightin’ Texas Aggie Baseball. Without the bleacher backs, you are constantly adjusting your posture and it becomes very tiring over the course of a three, sometimes four, hour game on top of getting to the park when gates open a hour and a half before first pitch. For someone that attends all 35 home games, this will be VERY annoying and uncomfortable. I didn’t expect anything special in GA by the renovations. I know many regulars in general admission, as well as myself, that didn’t want the more comfortable bucket style seats in GA. They still wanted the bleachers for the traditions listed above, but we had no idea they would be DOWNGRADED to backless seats which we all know would obviously take away from the experience.

It saddens me to find out that through all the beneficial improvements (the larger restrooms, wider concourse, operational room additions, nicer façade, box suites), the atmosphere that makes Olsen Field one of the most intimidating places to play is being overlooked. I understand that there is money involved, but it seems to me that backs on bleachers for less than a quarter of the park could be something that can be easily adjusted as the furniture in the club-room. I also understand that people that donate a lot of funds need to be considered, but I don’t think it should be at the expense of those who are contributing in other ways with their voice and their hearts in the climate-UNcontrolled heckling/chanting/yelling perch above the 1st base side.

Thank you for your contribution to the program and your time. I hope you take my opinion into consideration.

Thanks and Gig ‘em,

Sanden Stewart
aka “Statboy”
Raggie, non-Canadian, Saw-Puppy
Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2007



@StatBoy203

[This message has been edited by Statboy203 (edited 12/8/2011 1:38p).]

may want to resend in a week or two as well. I am sure their inboxes are getting flooded right now with football stuff.

Ya I'll be sending it in once a week. Next week it's going to everyone on the administration board at the 12tg man foundation.

Dear Onlyfornow,

We do check around the site from time to time before we hear from folks, and I saw your proposed letter.

Rest assured, Olsen Field seating in the area of your concern will be replaced with new seats in exactly the same style as they ones they are replacing.

As in many situation of rumor and speculation, things can take an unnecessary turn to the negative. We are always willing to give you any information we have directly.

If you have any more questions, my direct line is 979-260-7585. I don't know everything, but I can sure find out if there's something I can't handle.

God Bless and Gig 'em!
Miles

^ Great news!

quote:

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Rest assured, Olsen Field seating in the area of your concern will be replaced with new seats in exactly the same style as they ones they are replacing.

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I hate to be this guy, but I am very particular about wording. I notice that your quote mentions that the seats will be the same. However, it doesn't address the seat backs. Someone who is overly picky about the English language, and I freely admit that describes me, could take this to mean that the seats will not be directly on the concrete thus addressing the storage issue, while not addressing the question of seat backs at all.

Have I read your post incorrectly?

Thank you.

No problem.... they will have seat backs and be off the ground. No attempt at avoiding the question. If that is not good enough please let me know.

Also, my phone number is my direct line that I answer myself if I am in the office. It won't go to a room of little elves sitting in backless seats on the floor. ;-)

quote:

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Rest assured, Olsen Field seating in the area of your concern will be replaced with new seats in exactly the same style as they ones they are replacing

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Day=made

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

quote:

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No problem.... they will have seat backs and be off the ground. No attempt at avoiding the question.

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Thank you. I freely admit to being freaky about things like this.

whoop! cool to see something resolved ON texags!

Whoop! You're my hero, Miles. I can once again look forward to Opening Day with pure joy.

It appears I had a somewhat prophetic dream. From the countdown thread:

quote:

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It was opening day and we were all getting settled in the new park. And we had seat backs! Everyone was really happy about that.

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Mr. Marks this really does make my day!

I'm very glad to hear the good news.

Thank you for all that you do.

- Andy Boswell