David Beckham and Miami have agreed to a deal to build a stadium for his future MLS team on the site of the old Orange Bowl. While the Hurricanes were not part of the official announcement, there have been meetings between the University and Beckham's group about potentially sharing the stadium. 25k seats is too small for the Hurricanes so in order for it to happen, they'd probably have to kick in money to make up the difference between the cost for a 25k seat stadium versus a 40k seat stadium, and architects would have to come up with a design that satisfies both teams. IMO, I think anything that gets them out of playing in the distant and way too big Dolphins stadium would be a great move for the Hurricanes and worth pursuing.

25k is large for an MLS stadium, Sporting KC has around 18k seats, I'm not sure they are still taking reservations for the wait list but they have been one of the most successful teams in the league the past few years and one of their officials told me that they won't expand until they have 10 years of sellouts, they are 4 1/2 years toward that goal.

I don't see how this works for Miami. They haven't averaged below 40,000 since 1999. And most years its been over 50k. Those numbers are just too big for soccer. And unless the neighborhood has changed, the Orange Bowl location is really bad.

They haven't averaged that little in tickets sold since 1999 maybe. Even if half the people in the stadium are in the concourse to stay out of the humid South Florida day, they still don't always have 40,000 people at their games.

I thought Marlins stadium was on the OB site.

Quote:The first: UM not being at the table. The private college has 17 years left in its lease with the Miami Dolphin at Sun Life Stadium, and breaking that deal would be costly. Housing UM also would move Beckham’s 25,000-seat soccer stadium to about 40,000 seats, complicating the budget and design logistics.

On Friday, UM athletic director Blake James said he “will always keep all options open” but emphasized how much the college likes its current home and the renovations underway there.

“It’s an exciting day for soccer fans in the South Florida area. I congratulate them on moving forward,” James said. “With that said, we are in a contract with Sun Life Stadium and are excited to open our season there on Sept. 5, in many ways in a brand new stadium that will enhance our fan experience.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/co...rylink=cpy

You actually think UM is going to pay for their stadium (any stadium)? No way in hell, I say. They didn't want to pay to upgrade the Orange Bowl. They haven't paid to upgrade Sun Life. They won't pay to expand Beckham's stadium.

(07-18-2015 11:29 AM)Marge Schott Wrote:  

Quote:The first: UM not being at the table. The private college has 17 years left in its lease with the Miami Dolphin at Sun Life Stadium, and breaking that deal would be costly. Housing UM also would move Beckham’s 25,000-seat soccer stadium to about 40,000 seats, complicating the budget and design logistics.

On Friday, UM athletic director Blake James said he “will always keep all options open” but emphasized how much the college likes its current home and the renovations underway there.

“It’s an exciting day for soccer fans in the South Florida area. I congratulate them on moving forward,” James said. “With that said, we are in a contract with Sun Life Stadium and are excited to open our season there on Sept. 5, in many ways in a brand new stadium that will enhance our fan experience.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/co...rylink=cpy

You actually think UM is going to pay for their stadium (any stadium)? No way in hell, I say. They didn't want to pay to upgrade the Orange Bowl. They haven't paid to upgrade Sun Life. They won't pay to expand Beckham's stadium.

Come on. The OB was in such bad shape that it would have cost at least $500 million in today's dollars to upgrade it to modern stadium standards. No university spends that much to renovate an old football stadium.

It's more the fact that they let it get that bad in the first place (also obvi the city's fault) without trying to make smaller, less costly improvements to prolong its viability, before complete demolition became the only option and how that fits into their overall lack of spending money to upgrade/pay for football stadiums.

(07-18-2015 11:28 AM)jaredf29 Wrote:  I thought Marlins stadium was on the OB site.

You are correct. The Orange Bowl was razzed and the MLB Marlins built there stadium in the same location. Check out a Google Earth and one can see there is NO place for a 25k, 40K or any size stadium at the former Orange Bowl site.

So UConn's stadium of just over 40,000 is too small for P5, but Miami is excited to get a stadium with 40,000 seats. Ok.

(07-19-2015 10:40 AM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(07-18-2015 11:28 AM)jaredf29 Wrote:  I thought Marlins stadium was on the OB site.

You are correct. The Orange Bowl was razzed and the MLB Marlins built there stadium in the same location. Check out a Google Earth and one can see there is NO place for a 25k, 40K or any size stadium at the former Orange Bowl site.

The plan is to put the soccer stadium to the immediate west of Marlins Park --- they say that they will have enough room between the Park and 17th Avenue. It will be tight.

(07-19-2015 01:11 PM)NittanyLion Wrote:  

(07-19-2015 10:40 AM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(07-18-2015 11:28 AM)jaredf29 Wrote:  I thought Marlins stadium was on the OB site.

You are correct. The Orange Bowl was razzed and the MLB Marlins built there stadium in the same location. Check out a Google Earth and one can see there is NO place for a 25k, 40K or any size stadium at the former Orange Bowl site.

The plan is to put the soccer stadium to the immediate west of Marlins Park --- they say that they will have enough room between the Park and 17th Avenue. It will be tight.

Very tight. Here's someone's idea of how it would look.

(07-19-2015 10:44 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  So UConn's stadium of just over 40,000 is too small for P5, but Miami is excited to get a stadium with 40,000 seats. Ok.

40K is just right...for a private P5 school

It's small for a P5 public. WSU is the only public P5 with less than 40k and almost all the other are around 50K or higher.

Remember: the argument of "well I'm just as good as your least valuable employee in category X" never got anyone hired.

(07-19-2015 02:08 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  

(07-19-2015 10:44 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  So UConn's stadium of just over 40,000 is too small for P5, but Miami is excited to get a stadium with 40,000 seats. Ok.

40K is just right...for a private P5 school

It's small for a P5 public. WSU is the only public P5 with less than 40k and almost all the other are around 50K or higher.

Remember: the argument of "well I'm just as good as your least valuable employee in category X" never got anyone hired.

I know from way too much personal experience about that last sentence. Your competition isn't who's there, it's who WANTS to be there.

(07-18-2015 10:16 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  25k is large for an MLS stadium, Sporting KC has around 18k seats, I'm not sure they are still taking reservations for the wait list but they have been one of the most successful teams in the league the past few years and one of their officials told me that they won't expand until they have 10 years of sellouts, they are 4 1/2 years toward that goal.

Orlando is now redesigning their stadium and is set to build out at 25-27k (up from the original 18 then 20k designs). TFC just expanded to 30k and were committed to doing so before the Argos agreed to move in. Atlanta has over 21k in deposits and does not launch for another 18 months. LAFC the replacement for Chivas USA is set to build a 25k seat stadium at the old LA Arena site.

That is the first I have heard of SKC requiring 10 years of sellouts before acting on their expansion plans. RSL management has come out with that specific quote. But yes Sporting Park was built specifically with expansion in mind, the current belief is that the the SP expansion can be done in two phases.

(07-19-2015 02:08 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  

(07-19-2015 10:44 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  So UConn's stadium of just over 40,000 is too small for P5, but Miami is excited to get a stadium with 40,000 seats. Ok.

40K is just right...for a private P5 school

It's small for a P5 public. WSU is the only public P5 with less than 40k and almost all the other are around 50K or higher.

Remember: the argument of "well I'm just as good as your least valuable employee in category X" never got anyone hired.

If the Hurricanes have sold 40,000 season tickets any time in the recent past, I want to see the purchase receipts for proof. All I've ever seen at their home games are a bunch of empty seats. Not one Miami home game in recent memory has had half the stadium full. Miami is known for all the empty seats at their games.

Why does Miami just play in Marlins Park for some their home games and play the big games in the NFL Stadium?
2015 Schedule
Bethune-Cookman (Marlins Park)
Nebraska (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia Tech (Marlins Park)
Clemson (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia (Marlins Park)
Georgia Tech (Marlins Park)

Just add temporary seats in the outfield to raise capacity to 40,000.

(07-20-2015 12:24 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  Why does Miami just play in Marlins Park for some their home games and play the big games in the NFL Stadium?
2015 Schedule
Bethune-Cookman (Marlins Park)
Nebraska (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia Tech (Marlins Park)
Clemson (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia (Marlins Park)
Georgia Tech (Marlins Park)

Just add temporary seats in the outfield to raise capacity to 40,000.

Because they have ~17 years remaining on 25-year lease with the Dolphins?

(07-20-2015 12:24 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  Why does Miami just play in Marlins Park for some their home games and play the big games in the NFL Stadium?
2015 Schedule
Bethune-Cookman (Marlins Park)
Nebraska (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia Tech (Marlins Park)
Clemson (Sun Life Stadium)
Virginia (Marlins Park)
Georgia Tech (Marlins Park)

Just add temporary seats in the outfield to raise capacity to 40,000.

Ouch, big games "Nebraska", "Clemson",
small game, "Bethune-Cookman", agreed
small game, "Virginia Tech", are you sure?
small game, "Virginia", on the bubble
small game, "Georgia Tech", I can't wait until George Tech Swagger weighs in

Miami would be absolutely nuts to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Part of the charm of the Orange Bowl was how intimate it felt. It felt almost dangerous to be there and that served the Canes incredibly well.

Sun Life Stadium is unquestionably a nicer facility than this field will be but it will never be nearly as intimate. Also, it is a solid 25-30 minutes from campus.

If I am Miami, I am doing pretty much whatever I have to do to get in on the ground floor here. They could end up with a very intimate, very intimidating, very electric place to play. All of those things would only benefit their program.