BBP Renovation Survey

38,244 Views | 247 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Rocky Rider
12th Man Ag
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Did anyone else just take this survey? I like the idea of outfield seating and seats down the 3rd base line, but it feels like they are about to suck the life out of the place with a ton more "premium" seating areas that will be bought up by companies and folks that can only come on the weekends. They also used the dreaded "reseat" word!

I dropped the ball and did not screenshot pics, but here are the new premium options and other new seating areas:

Expanded Diamond Club that will eat up 106-108
Left Field club and Green Monsterish seating area
Aggie Alley "tailgating" seats in right center
3rd base seating
Some type of table seating at the top of the 3rd base seating
New grass berm beyond the RF wall

Will be interesting to see what they ultimately decide to pursue and how much it will cost to sit in these new areas. Also interested to see if I stand pat what will happen in re-seating!
Bunk Moreland
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3rd base line idea sounds great and is an easy choice, even though I'm not nearly as anti berm as many are.

The left field Lounge seats on top of the fence line with garage door style viewing through the fence from a club below your seats definitely had my interest. The price levels weren't bad for that one.

The little table top sections and a grilling area were something I wasn't interested in at all.
12th Man Ag
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Agreed. I would love Diamond Club, but $2000 per seat is probably too steep for me and I bet I don't have enough PP anyway.

If those left field club seats are covered, I would jump on those.
themissinglink
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I do think there is higher demand for premium seating then the current Blue Bell layout allows for, but I'm not a fan of putting it in the outfield. It seems contradictory to put in high prices seats in areas with worse views of the game. If they want to add in these premium seats, they should just convert some of the benches on the second level into chairback seats and expand the lower level sections with access to the club. The grills are a good idea, but I think it's a mistake to make them centered around high-priced suites. I would think a little more blue-collar, beer drinking environment is what is needed back there. The 4-person pod seating down the left field line at least made a little bit of sense to me as a way to squeeze in more premium seats.

I did generally like the ideas though of seating and grills in left field and berms in right. Also, putting in seats in place of the left field berms is a no brainer.
Bunk Moreland
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The premium club in the left field Lounge was significantly lower than the expanded diamond club, table top reservations, or the grill/tailgate spots were(though the latter were in the Outfield too).

I think that specific club could attract a different clientele from the other areas. People like me who don't give a **** about hob knobbing with TMF big wigs or to see and be seen, but want a nice area to cool off or grab a beer for a more affordable price.
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Goose06
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One good thing about putting premium seating in the outfield is that might open up the possibility to making the upper reserved first baseline seating GA/Student seating again.
Mostly Sunny Disposition
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I loved the renderings and I will purchase Aggie Alley tailgate box seats if they choose to build that
twk
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PWR85 said:

There is a waiting list for diamond club. Pretty sure that will get expanded.

Love the concepts on the upgrade and renovation of the club.

3rd base line being replaced with seating is a no brainer. Right field berm addition looks awesome and would connect the playscape and 1st base line berms. Would make a nice family zone. Visitor bullpen would get relocated.

Love the left field boxes and garage door concept at field level in left field. Grilling areas in left center would also be pretty cool if at the lower price points.

Point of the survey is not that they will do everything but to see what we like and price point appetite for each area.

I liked what I saw in the renderings.
You can't expand the Diamond Club seating without decreasing the number of seats in the lower deck and reseating the entire stadium. That's an avoidable bloodbath. I'm all for making changes down the lines and in the outfield, but there will be hell to pay if they do what they are talking about in the existing seating areas.
12th Man Ag
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If you sit in 106-108, cant you access the Diamond Club? If so, I am not sure they need to expand those seating areas. I agree that re-seating will be uglier than what happened at Kyle.
twk
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I hope this works. I'm not real experienced at doing screen caps. I'll include a link to a google album in case it doesn't: Google Photo Album






Bunk Moreland
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it may be more vicious, but it'll be in much smaller numbers.

And let's be real, half those blue hairs don't even show up for the games, they just own the seats. What do they care if their empty seat is moved down a bit. (I kid I kid)
twk
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12th Man Ag said:

If you sit in 106-108, cant you access the Diamond Club? If so, I am not sure they need to expand those seating areas. I agree that re-seating will be uglier than what happened at Kyle.
Yes, those sections are technically labeled SC106, SC107, SC108. My guess is they are thinking about turning 105 and 109 into club sections. The only way this would not be a catastrophe is if there were enough folks in the lower reserved sections who wanted to buy club seats elsehwere (as in outfield club seating), but I can just about guarantee you that's not the case.

The problem with re-seating Olsen is how do you do it? You can't do it based on priority points because up until last season, the only seats that earned priority points were club seats. (A legacy of Byrne's dumb decision to increase season ticket prices rather than to add a required donation and turn them into priority seats). I wouldn't be surprised if there is no one on the committee who is a lower reserved seat holder that would face the prospect of being pushed out in a re-seating.
twk
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Bunk Moreland said:

it may be more vicious, but it'll be in much smaller numbers.

And let's be real, half those blue hairs don't even show up for the games, they just own the seats. What do they care if their empty seat is moved down a bit. (I kid I kid)
They would reseat the entire stadium. It would be a domino effect--folks would get pushed down, the pushed upstairs, then pushed out, and that's assuming that the Diamond Club seats were first offered to existing season ticket holders. Open it up to non-season ticket holders, or let folks add tickets, and you might end up with current season ticket holders with no seat at all (which is why I doubt they would do it that way).

I understood reseating at Kyle Field, as building club seats and suites on the west side was key to financing the project, and that was going to lead to a reduction in seats on the West side. If they are basing the financing of the Olsen renovations on an expanded Diamond Club, then they need to refigure. If the added seating won't pay for the project, then it probably doesn't need to be done. If it will, then there's no need to reseat everyone just so that 150 more folks can be part of the Diamond Club.
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Bunk Moreland
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We'll see. Even so the numbers would be drastically lower. I think at each price point/section you'd have many who end up being ok, but a small group that gets pushed and pissed, and it ripples through to the lowest levels. But the offset of having more premium seating down the 3rd base line + any extra sort of club in the outfield might not hurt it as much for the lower levels below SC that get affected.

In general I agree that I'm not sure it's worth the cost of just adding a handful of diamond club members so they can have seats.
twk
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PWR85 said:

I know at least one who is (response to TWK).

Some amount of reseating is likely due to expansion of diamond club. But there are a a small number of actual season tickets holders who would be impacted. The impacted sections just don't contain a lot of seats.

You have the coaches families taking up the first two rows of 110. They can be moved for season ticket holders. Athletic dept officials also have some seats. There would be a domino effect on the 100-200 seats in those sections (probably 50-75 season ticket holders on the high end). But it can be done and a fair number of folks in those sections would upgrade. It would be nothing like Kyle. And it isn't a definite that it is happening yet.

I think the third base line seat expansion will happen. I suspect the RF berms will happen. The question will be what other premium seating options will be added to the rest of the outfield. That will depend on the interest and price points.

When this all happens, Olsen will be getting a wonderful upgrade and I can't wait to see it.
What you would have to do is give the Diamond Club options first to the folks in 105 and 109, then work your way down the lines. But, as I pointed out, unless you end up with some folks in the lower deck choosing outfield club seating, you're going to have a net loss of seats, and end up re-seating everyone, and all that for 150 club seats?

Money can't be driving that. If the cost of Diamond Club seats is $2000 per seat, the net increase in revenue (when you factor in the loss of regular reserved seats) from 150 additional seats would probably be $250,000 per year. That's not enough extra cash to justify the cost. What I'm afraid is at work here (and I hope I'm wrong) is that there are folks on the committee who want to add to the number of Diamond Club seats that they already have, or there are some big money TMF donors who don't currently have Diamond Club seats (or probably, any season tickets) but want in.
ensign_beedrill
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How crowded does the club underneath the stands get during games? If you allow more people access, would there be an issue with overcrowding down there?
twk
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ensign_beedrill said:

How crowded does the club underneath the stands get during games? If you allow more people access, would there be an issue with overcrowding down there?
I don't know how crowded it is during the game, as the two times I've been invited to sit down there, I never got up during the game (keeping a scorecard keeps me rooted to my seat), but I wouldn't assume that they could sell a bunch of club passes and not have it impact the experience.

They are pursuing that concept (club membership not tied to a seat) for the outfield club. There would be a limited number of membership available for folks in other parts of the stadium who wanted to have access to the club (and its alcohol, among other benefits), but don't want to give up their seats elsewhere in the stadium, which seems like a very good idea to me.
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twk
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Quote:

Finally, give those working on this a little credit. You don't have people on the committee driving to an outcome that is self serving. Those that serve do it for the good of the program and to get the best answer for our baseball fans.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that there are pig headed attitudes, but it is a fact that these committees are not representative of the entire fan base. How else did we go five years after expansion with only club seat and suite holders receiving priority points for baseball? It wasn't malevolent; it just didn't occur to the folks making the decisions that this was a problem because none of them were affected.

I'm glad they are asking for feedback, I just hope that they take it seriously. The new additions look great and well thought out. But, unless they are thinking that there are a large number of existing season ticket holders willing to move in order to upgrade to premium seating (which I think the survey will show is not the case--there are some, but not enough), then I'm questioning the basis for expanding the Diamond Club. Again, I don't think money is driving that.
Bondag
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Just looking at the survey it appears they are looking at priorities for these upgrades. All of them are in different areas of the stadium so it is a matter of when these take place and not if.

I am a lowly season ticket holder in bench seating so hoping for domino effect to get to chairs in the next few years.
AgBQ80
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Was this survey emailed? If so, I didn't receive it. Does anyone have a link? Thanks.
twk
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AgBQ80 said:

Was this survey emailed? If so, I didn't receive it. Does anyone have a link? Thanks.
It was emailed and it's not an open survey.
fourth deck
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Did anyone save a pic of the right field berm? The seating down the 3rd base line seems like a no-brainer. My hope is that they would not continue to reduce GA seating for students and kill what makes Olsen unique.
twk
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fourth deck said:

Did anyone save a pic of the right field berm? The seating down the 3rd base line seems like a no-brainer. My hope is that they would not continue to reduce GA seating for students and kill what makes Olsen unique.
Sorry, I forgot to get that one. It wasn't anything real dramatic, I guess the most interesting thing about it is that the concourse would completely circle the field.
twk
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Quote:

TWK - you are assuming a lot. And we are only in the evaluation/assessment phase.
One thing I want to make clear is not an assumption is the reseating. The survey specifically mentioned this. In fact, I think they framed it as likely, and noted this immediately before the Diamond Club section (which was the first to focus on renovations).
matt.maggio3
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seems like they actually have some good ideas to expand the stadium. however, i hope they realize they need to leave the GA/Student section in tact and in same location it is now. Any movement of that would ruin the atmosphere.
Capt. America
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A few things I'd definitely want to see:
1) Clear outfield fence and if you don't do premium seats, tiered levels for people to sit with lawn chairs for overflow crowds (example: Louisville)

2) DO NOT ELIMINATE 202 and 203 from GA. the moment that happens, the atmosphere of this stadium dies.

3) As fun as it would be, I'd love a "College Station" party deck that looks like the old train station in right field.


I do like these renderings though!
W
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PWR85 said:

Finally, give those working on this a little credit. You don't have people on the committee driving to an outcome that is self serving. Those that serve do it for the good of the program and to get the best answer for our baseball fans.
gotta be honest...eventually the folks that are "self-serving" and primarily focused on revenue generation...will be involved and will have to give their approval to any renovations / new construction. And I think we already know how that story ends...
fourth deck
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matt.maggio3 said:

seems like they actually have some good ideas to expand the stadium. however, i hope they realize they need to leave the GA/Student section in tact and in same location it is now. Any movement of that would ruin the atmosphere.
I put that in the comments section. Hopefully if enough people do the same they will not overlook that minor detail.
Capt. America
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Any chance you have a link for this survey so others can take it?
Mostly Sunny Disposition
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https://gate.customintercept.com/TexasAMBlueBellPark
Aggieangler93
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If they are looking at programs like LSU, that actually make money in recent times on baseball, they do so with suites (premium seating), and with lots of butts in chairs, I believe.

I can see that adding the additional diamond club revenue would be a target for expansion. I also really like the addition of of the outfield concourse.

I think the idea of those garage door type deals in the outfield is goofy. It screws with your view of the game, with the way they have to support it structure-wise.

I am in favor of some sort of non-premium club level, where folks could get a beer, and have slightly more comfortable seats. I don't see anything wrong with that.
Class of '93 - proud Dad of a '22 grad and a '26 student!
ensign_beedrill
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It's not open. Only people who got the email can take it.
 
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