http://vuhoops.com/2011/06/07/ppl-park-will-expand/

Barring a change in plans, the Union would begin their first phase in 2014 and bring capacity up to around 20,000 seats. A second phase – the timing of which is still undetermined – would take capacity to 27,000, while a third and final phase would complete the original planned expansion to 30,000 seats.

Interesting. The Union portrays this as an expansion separate form Villanova's decision, but conveniently timed for a Nova joining the Big East. I still hope the Big East demands a bigger stadium in the future, 27,000 -30,000 just is not impressive, especially in Philly. I could live with it if it is a stop-gap until Nova can build in say 10 years or so.

My overall preference is that Nova does not join the football side, but if they do, I want them to be aggressive and build for future contender.

Duke's stadium is 33-34k

If/When Nova is hosting conference games with TCU, USF, Louisville and Cincinnatti......I seriously doubt they will have a need for more than 27k-30k seats. If there is a need for more seats, then Nova could host games in November with schools like Rutgers, UConn, SU, West Virginia and Pitt at Citizens or Franklin.

I found this quote about PPL's expanded seating interesting...

Quote:Their plans have little to do with Villanova’s proposed football move to the Big East, however, and their motivation has been the near-sell out crowds they have been drawing to the Chester facility in their second season.

So this expansion has nothing at all to do with 'nova. Villanova still wants a committment from The BEast before committing themselves to any upgrade. That committment may or may not happen. Only the future can tell...

Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I found this quote about PPL's expanded seating interesting...

Quote:Their plans have little to do with Villanova’s proposed football move to the Big East, however, and their motivation has been the near-sell out crowds they have been drawing to the Chester facility in their second season.

So this expansion has nothing at all to do with 'nova. Villanova still wants a committment from The BEast before committing themselves to any upgrade. That committment may or may not happen. Only the future can tell...

True the quote seems to indicate that, but it is curious that the expansion might occur along the same timeline that Villanova is looking to move up.

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

Now ECU is taking a back seat in football to FCS teams with 4,000
in the seats. Hopefully this will bolster the Dept. of Justice's case
against the BCS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Current basketball member or not.

(06-07-2011 11:54 AM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I found this quote about PPL's expanded seating interesting...

Quote:Their plans have little to do with Villanova’s proposed football move to the Big East, however, and their motivation has been the near-sell out crowds they have been drawing to the Chester facility in their second season.

So this expansion has nothing at all to do with 'nova. Villanova still wants a committment from The BEast before committing themselves to any upgrade. That committment may or may not happen. Only the future can tell...

True the quote seems to indicate that, but it is curious that the expansion might occur along the same timeline that Villanova is looking to move up.

It's not curious at all. I would imagine that the folks at Villanova had some heads up on PPL's seating expansion prior to this announcement, and used that as part of their speculation on whether or not to upgrade. It was only when The BEast found out about this part of the plan that problems arose...

(06-07-2011 12:25 PM)Oh Really? Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

Now ECU is taking a back seat in football to FCS teams with 4,000
in the seats. Hopefully this will bolster the Dept. of Justice's case
against the BCS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Current basketball member or not.

I'm more proECU than the other candidates, but this proves to me how invaluable the CUSA candidates really are. Just a few weeks ago the Big East was trying to nudge Army and Navy again. I'm sorry, It seems like its really going to be 9/17 or 10/17.

(06-07-2011 12:25 PM)Oh Really? Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

Now ECU is taking a back seat in football to FCS teams with 4,000
in the seats. Hopefully this will bolster the Dept. of Justice's case
against the BCS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Current basketball member or not.

The BE doesnt owe ECU or any other program anything. The league seems to be looking out for one of its own before anything else.

(06-07-2011 01:12 PM)cuseroc Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 12:25 PM)Oh Really? Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

Now ECU is taking a back seat in football to FCS teams with 4,000
in the seats. Hopefully this will bolster the Dept. of Justice's case
against the BCS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Current basketball member or not.

The BE doesnt owe ECU or any other program anything. The league seems to be looking out for one of its own before anything else.

It is not looking after its own; for some reason it perceives or has data that proves their is better long term partner in Villanova than others - pure and simple. Case in point - the league was not looking after its own when it would not allow WVU, Miami and VT to play hoops.

Short of a full scale split, I think this is the only way the FB schools can get the BB schools to go along with some of the candidates and expand to 12.

Looks like the plan is Villanova, ECU and BYU. It has Tom Jurich written all over it.

Wilkie, pick a bandwagon and stick to it. You jumping onto every expansion scenario coming down the pike is getting really old...

(06-07-2011 01:55 PM)Tigeer Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 01:12 PM)cuseroc Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 12:25 PM)Oh Really? Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:46 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, if they have gotten their act together, I'm for having Nova in. Kinda throws off my first choices, but they deserve a shot if they can meet the standard. I hope this means we are going to a 12/19 conference. It'll make for a nice even 18 game conference BB schedule. The time table for stadium expansion will no doubt meet what it'll take for Nova to build a fan base.

Now ECU is taking a back seat in football to FCS teams with 4,000
in the seats. Hopefully this will bolster the Dept. of Justice's case
against the BCS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Current basketball member or not.

The BE doesnt owe ECU or any other program anything. The league seems to be looking out for one of its own before anything else.

It is not looking after its own; for some reason it perceives or has data that proves their is better long term partner in Villanova than others - pure and simple. Case in point - the league was not looking after its own when it would not allow WVU, Miami and VT to play hoops.

But they did indeed eventually play hoops in the BE correct? Those 3 schools were allowed to play hoops in the BE rather than the BE looking for better bb schools, right. Same situation regarding Nova. The BE could go out and get a better fb school but they are looking at Nova, most seriously. Whether its markets or fewer bb mouths to feed, its Nova. If Nova wasnt already part of the BE in bb, do you really think they would seriously be looking at Nova for #10 over all of the other programs out there, including Umass? IMO, the BE is looking out for one of its own first.

Now Bit every since BYU has been mention, I was saying ECU, BYU and Memphis. Memphis is not happening and Tom Jurich has even said he voted for Nova. So that is who I am staying with BYU, ECU and Nova right now. I use to say UCF, Memphis and ECU. But hings chance on these rumors and right now Nova and ECU seem to be the ones and BYU is being courted. So if you don't like, big deal!

BYU is being courted by BYU alums and fans who desperately want their school in a BCS conference, so they won't feel like they have less than Utah in the Pac Tin. The BEast may accommodate them, and it would raise the profile of the conference. But I'm not sold on it being a good idea. BYU may be more of a headache than a help. It remains to be seen...

ECU would be my choice for #10, if we decide to go to 10, which isn't certain. They have everything needed to compete in The BEast, except for the conference affiliation...

The rest can wait, and everyone knows my feelings on Philadelphia. So I won't go into that again...

You know I do not like Nova but I bet they are the 10th team. ECU will probally be 11th, if we even go to 11 or 12. I just hope we get BYU.

(06-07-2011 10:39 AM)HtownOrange Wrote:  Interesting. The Union portrays this as an expansion separate form Villanova's decision, but conveniently timed for a Nova joining the Big East. I still hope the Big East demands a bigger stadium in the future, 27,000 -30,000 just is not impressive, especially in Philly. I could live with it if it is a stop-gap until Nova can build in say 10 years or so.

My overall preference is that Nova does not join the football side, but if they do, I want them to be aggressive and build for future contender.

As a fan of another team, I don't know why anyone concerns themselves with how big another teams stadium is. The Chicago Bears stadium holds nearly 50% less people than say cowboys stadium (w/temp seats), while Fenway holds slightly more than half of say dodger stadium or several others that seat nearly 60,000. The palace in auburn hills seats close to 30% more people than several other NBA arenas. Cincy, wake, and duke seat around 35k, and vandy, wash St, Baylor, Indiana, and one or two others only avg around that amount, so I don't inderstand the issue. It's not like we do revenue sharing. Sounds nitpicky to me.