Best kept secret in college football (even from its own fans - hah!)

EMU's football field voted second in nation behind Tennessee.

http://emueagles.com/news/2014/10/18/FB_1018142637.aspx

(10-19-2014 06:37 PM)HuronDave Wrote:  Best kept secret in college football (even from its own fans - hah!)

EMU's football field voted second in nation behind Tennessee.

http://emueagles.com/news/2014/10/18/FB_1018142637.aspx

Excellent. I did my part (maybe). I voted, but only once.

One of our EMU posters thinks that maybe a gray (rather than red) track would make it look better.

Of course, a person with a vivid imagination can look at the photo and look at Rynearson sans track.

I think its appearance would look really good. The color schemes (other then the red track) seem to be quite harmonious.

My view on Rynearson is 'evolving'. The west side (home side) is nearly 50 years old. The press box and concessions and rest rooms are very dated.

I might like to keep the east side stands (built 1992), remove the track, and rebuild the west side stands but move say 20 - 25 feet eastward.

Then the new stands would have a new press box, suites, concessions, rest rooms, ADA seating, and new lights. A new scoreboard could also be built and located closer to the seating.

EDIT: I just 'figured it out' - I would build new west stands starting at say the 2 or 3rd lane of the track (look where the block "E" juts out in the end zone by the Convocation Center.). Build new stands at that line and 'move' the football field about 15 - 20 feet eastward. That would keep the same design, symmetry of the stadium.

Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

(10-19-2014 10:39 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

You almost, but didn't, complete your punch line.

"EMU announced today that to right-size Rynearson the east side stands will be replaced by a factory..."

I should have mentioned, preempting your post, that I would move the students and band and visitors to the east side stands...

BTW, ideally Rynearson should be one of those 22K MAC stadiums. 30K was the NCAA rule 25 years ago. Thanks NCAA.

(10-19-2014 10:39 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

I agree, though I would just blow up the 90's expansion instead of the visitor's side. I know Rynearson's press box and scoreboard needs an upgrade, but it would go a long way towards helping the stadium experience and EMU's perception if they were to do that and repave the track green. Might want to move the student section and band to the other side too.

(10-20-2014 08:32 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(10-19-2014 10:39 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

I agree, though I would just blow up the 90's expansion instead of the visitor's side. I know Rynearson's press box and scoreboard needs an upgrade, but it would go a long way towards helping the stadium experience and EMU's perception if they were to do that and repave the track green. Might want to move the student section and band to the other side too.

Instead of the home side??? The new side (east) is the visitor side.

(the home side, with the press box, concessions, rest rooms, etc.) is almost 50 years old and 50 years is getting a bit old for a stadium).

I would build the press box and suites into the 'new' west (home) side and hope to eliminate say 10+ rows thereby reducing the capacity by a few thousand seats (that's a good thing).

(10-20-2014 08:55 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-20-2014 08:32 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(10-19-2014 10:39 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

I agree, though I would just blow up the 90's expansion instead of the visitor's side. I know Rynearson's press box and scoreboard needs an upgrade, but it would go a long way towards helping the stadium experience and EMU's perception if they were to do that and repave the track green. Might want to move the student section and band to the other side too.

Instead of the home side??? The new side (east) is the visitor side.

(the home side, with the press box, concessions, rest rooms, etc.) is almost 50 years old and 50 years is getting a bit old for a stadium).

I would build the press box and suites into the 'new' west (home) side and hope to eliminate say 10+ rows thereby reducing the capacity by a few thousand seats (that's a good thing).

Whoops, I got my expansions confused. I meant to say to blow up the half-horseshoe expansion towards the Convo that raised capacity from 22k to 30k.

(10-20-2014 01:53 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(10-20-2014 08:55 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-20-2014 08:32 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(10-19-2014 10:39 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Take out your visitor stands and leave about 8k. Then replace that side with a cool looking building. That's all you need, no offense.

The place looks pretty darned cool and intimidating two hours before kickoff. Sadly the appearance doesn't change much with a smattering of fans after kickoff.

I agree, though I would just blow up the 90's expansion instead of the visitor's side. I know Rynearson's press box and scoreboard needs an upgrade, but it would go a long way towards helping the stadium experience and EMU's perception if they were to do that and repave the track green. Might want to move the student section and band to the other side too.

Instead of the home side??? The new side (east) is the visitor side.

(the home side, with the press box, concessions, rest rooms, etc.) is almost 50 years old and 50 years is getting a bit old for a stadium).

I would build the press box and suites into the 'new' west (home) side and hope to eliminate say 10+ rows thereby reducing the capacity by a few thousand seats (that's a good thing).

Whoops, I got my expansions confused. I meant to say to blow up the half-horseshoe expansion towards the Convo that raised capacity from 22k to 30k.

Actually, I barely remember it but... let me clarify:

The west (home, press box) side pretty much went from end zone to end zone.

The east side stands were demolished.

The new east side stands were built in a horse shoe design toward the Convo.

The west stands, as you indicate, were completed to produce a horse shoe.

Both were required to get Rynearson up to 30K which was the then NCAA D-I standard (qualification based on stadium capacity).

I never thought of it, before your suggestion, about demolishing the curved stands on each side. The curved sections, apprx. four on each side, are visible in this photo.

http://www.emueagles.com/sports/2005/11/...facilities

To be exacting, there was never an NCAA requirement that you had to have a 30K stadium to stay (be) in DIA....but the then attendance minimum rule was relaxed if you did have a 30K stadium.....if you did, you had to average 17K once every four years....if not, every year. That's why many MAC stadiums were pushed up to 30K...at Miami, they brought in temp stands in the corners to get capacity up to 30.

Silly attendance rule that eventually went "the way of the dodo" like all the rest.

I would just leave EMU's stadium as is, capacity-wise. Removing a few thousand seats isn't going to help much, and who knows, you might want the capacity at some point down the road. If you're tearing it down anyway, maybe, but I wouldn't go much smaller even then.

(10-20-2014 03:35 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  I would just leave EMU's stadium as is, capacity-wise. Removing a few thousand seats isn't going to help much, and who knows, you might want the capacity at some point down the road. If you're tearing it down anyway, maybe, but I wouldn't go much smaller even then.

Big thing is that the east (visitor) side is almost completely empty.

EMU can draw say 8,700+ fans (vs. Morgan State) and 8,500 sit on the west side.

Unless we play a team like Army or someone else who brings a lot of fans the east side is barren. (BTW, we have NIU and CMU the next two Saturdays. I hope CMU might bring a good number of fans).

EMU has considered moving the students and band to the east side. Don't know if it will happen.

I have no problem with say 3,500 on the east side and 5000+ on the west side.

(10-20-2014 03:35 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  I would just leave EMU's stadium as is, capacity-wise. Removing a few thousand seats isn't going to help much, and who knows, you might want the capacity at some point down the road. If you're tearing it down anyway, maybe, but I wouldn't go much smaller even then.

Even if it does get to that point, there's a grass hill by the Convo if I recall correctly. I'm sure they could sell general admission tickets there if they needed, is this correct EMU fans? Besides, shrinking the quantity of seats creates some demand if the team is good.

BTW, it just hit me:

Why didn't NIU think of gray turf?

Gray turf would be PERFECT for Huskies Stadium, gray is your natural accent color.

(10-20-2014 05:13 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(10-20-2014 03:35 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  I would just leave EMU's stadium as is, capacity-wise. Removing a few thousand seats isn't going to help much, and who knows, you might want the capacity at some point down the road. If you're tearing it down anyway, maybe, but I wouldn't go much smaller even then.

Even if it does get to that point, there's a grass hill by the Convo if I recall correctly. I'm sure they could sell general admission tickets there if they needed, is this correct EMU fans? Besides, shrinking the quantity of seats creates some demand if the team is good.

That hill is really steep and there is a tunnel leading in/out of the Convo. It would be unsafe to sit folks there.

(10-23-2014 10:27 AM)emu steve Wrote:  BTW, it just hit me:

Why didn't NIU think of gray turf?

Gray turf would be PERFECT for Huskies Stadium, gray is your natural accent color.

Ya I like that we've incorporated gray more into our uniforms lately. The turf at the Factory does look awesome.

(10-23-2014 10:27 AM)emu steve Wrote:  BTW, it just hit me:

Why didn't NIU think of gray turf?

Gray turf would be PERFECT for Huskies Stadium, gray is your natural accent color.

That could look pretty good. But we have far more issues with our stadium when it comes to renovation that should be much higher up on the list than turf color.

After attending the Miami-NIU game Saturday, I would say you need bigger restrooms and what's with the endless ramps going nowhere?

Fans were enthusiastic, friendly, and most stayed till the end on a cool night.

(10-23-2014 07:42 PM)DICK Wrote:  After attending the Miami-NIU game Saturday, I would say you need bigger restrooms and what's with the endless ramps going nowhere?

Fans were enthusiastic, friendly, and most stayed till the end on a cool night.

Well, the ramps go up to the higher seats, so I wouldn't say they go nowhere. The signage could be improved. Even if you know what gate or section, it's hard to follow the ramps to get there. Though when you walk into the stadium the section # is painted on the red wall at the entrance to the stadium, and the place is small enough you could enter the stadium just about anywhere and it's not that far of a walk to your seat. The restrooms are a known issue and an upgrade is about 30 years overdue.