Only increases capacity from 50k to just over 51k but it's a full fledge facelift.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jeff Compher unveiled the next chapter in ECU history Saturday, releasing plans for a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project that is currently targeted for completion in the fall of 2018.
As part of a long-term facilities master plan, the $55 million endeavor includes:
Construction of a southside tower resulting in the creation of 1,000 premium seats through the addition of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, Standard Suites and Founder's Suites ...
Game day experience enhancement with a new Pirate Club Level, Field Level Club and premium parking spaces ...
A modern press level with additional space for media, including amended radio and television broadcast and production locations ...
Improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for student-athletes ...
Development of a hitting facility adjacent to Clark-LeClair Stadium, serving both baseball and softball programs.
"We are very pleased to announce this bold and transformational vision for our athletics program," Compher said. "It is an ambitious project that enhances Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Bagwell Field and upgrades other facilities that serve our students and coaches. We are encouraged by the support thus far and we will continue working hard to make this project a reality."
During the spring of 2015, ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club partnered with Conventions, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), an advisory and planning firm, to conduct a market and financial feasibility study to obtain feedback and help generate informed decisions regarding the renovation.
Through on-site tours and an extensive research process that included the collection 5,500 surveys, ECU Athletics and CSL identified five target areas and elements that Pirate Club members and fans desired to see from the project. The areas included premium parking, suites, club seats, a Field Level Club and Loge Boxes. In all, the Southside Renovation project will add 1,000 premium seats.
"We are extremely excited about the future game day experience this renovation will provide all Pirate Nation," Pirate Club Executive Director J. Batt said.
A total of 670 seats will be available in the new Club Level located in the southside tower, featuring an expansive club lounge, an all-inclusive buffet and beverage area.
The creation of 20 Loge Boxes will allow patrons direct access to the club lounge space. Each box offers four seats with an individual door that enables entry into the aforementioned reception area.
The 14 Standard Suites are expected to provide an unparalleled environment with retractable windows, premium food and beverage options, passage to the club lounge and a private suite level entrance.
Five Founder's Suites will also be included in the premium seating offering as an exclusive all-access experience. Each Founder's Suite includes a restroom, availability to the area's own lounge, upgraded outdoor seating and premium parking.
The premium parking option on a reinforced grass surface provides each pass holder cable TV connections, electrical outlets and conveniently located permanent restrooms located outside the grand entrance of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Among the more unique game day experience enhancements, an 8,000 square-foot Field Level Club will be constructed adjacent to the west endzone in front of the Murphy Center. The Field Level Club places a pass holder at the nearest proximity to the action on Bagwell Field.
Beyond the stadium renovation, the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House will also experience improvements as part of the long-term facilities master plan. The football locker room and team meeting areas, athletics training headquarters and equipment room will each undergo a modernization and expansion transformation along with the construction of a football team lounge. The relocation of the ECU Athletics Ticket Office and the addition of team locker rooms will highlight the work scheduled for Scales Field House.
At nearby Clark-LeClair Stadium, a hitting facility will be constructed to support both baseball and softball programs.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium. Imagine if we had SEC or ACC schedules? We'd have to upgrade to 70 or 80k! Go Pirates! I'm more motivated to donate $ then ever. Let's keep the momentum going! Cheers!
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
Only increases capacity from 50k to just over 51k but it's a full fledge facelift.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jeff Compher unveiled the next chapter in ECU history Saturday, releasing plans for a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project that is currently targeted for completion in the fall of 2018.
As part of a long-term facilities master plan, the $55 million endeavor includes:
Construction of a southside tower resulting in the creation of 1,000 premium seats through the addition of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, Standard Suites and Founder's Suites ...
Game day experience enhancement with a new Pirate Club Level, Field Level Club and premium parking spaces ...
A modern press level with additional space for media, including amended radio and television broadcast and production locations ...
Improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for student-athletes ...
Development of a hitting facility adjacent to Clark-LeClair Stadium, serving both baseball and softball programs.
"We are very pleased to announce this bold and transformational vision for our athletics program," Compher said. "It is an ambitious project that enhances Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Bagwell Field and upgrades other facilities that serve our students and coaches. We are encouraged by the support thus far and we will continue working hard to make this project a reality."
During the spring of 2015, ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club partnered with Conventions, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), an advisory and planning firm, to conduct a market and financial feasibility study to obtain feedback and help generate informed decisions regarding the renovation.
Through on-site tours and an extensive research process that included the collection 5,500 surveys, ECU Athletics and CSL identified five target areas and elements that Pirate Club members and fans desired to see from the project. The areas included premium parking, suites, club seats, a Field Level Club and Loge Boxes. In all, the Southside Renovation project will add 1,000 premium seats.
"We are extremely excited about the future game day experience this renovation will provide all Pirate Nation," Pirate Club Executive Director J. Batt said.
A total of 670 seats will be available in the new Club Level located in the southside tower, featuring an expansive club lounge, an all-inclusive buffet and beverage area.
The creation of 20 Loge Boxes will allow patrons direct access to the club lounge space. Each box offers four seats with an individual door that enables entry into the aforementioned reception area.
The 14 Standard Suites are expected to provide an unparalleled environment with retractable windows, premium food and beverage options, passage to the club lounge and a private suite level entrance.
Five Founder's Suites will also be included in the premium seating offering as an exclusive all-access experience. Each Founder's Suite includes a restroom, availability to the area's own lounge, upgraded outdoor seating and premium parking.
The premium parking option on a reinforced grass surface provides each pass holder cable TV connections, electrical outlets and conveniently located permanent restrooms located outside the grand entrance of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Among the more unique game day experience enhancements, an 8,000 square-foot Field Level Club will be constructed adjacent to the west endzone in front of the Murphy Center. The Field Level Club places a pass holder at the nearest proximity to the action on Bagwell Field.
Beyond the stadium renovation, the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House will also experience improvements as part of the long-term facilities master plan. The football locker room and team meeting areas, athletics training headquarters and equipment room will each undergo a modernization and expansion transformation along with the construction of a football team lounge. The relocation of the ECU Athletics Ticket Office and the addition of team locker rooms will highlight the work scheduled for Scales Field House.
At nearby Clark-LeClair Stadium, a hitting facility will be constructed to support both baseball and softball programs.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 06:55 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
BYU?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
BYU is an independent.
Cheers!
True but would you not say they are more G5 than P5
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 06:59 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:55 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
BYU?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
BYU is an independent.
Cheers!
True but would you not say they are more G5 than P5
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
No. They are independent. G5 and P5 is a different matter.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 07:14 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:59 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:55 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
BYU?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
BYU is an independent.
Cheers!
True but would you not say they are more G5 than P5
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
No. They are independent. G5 and P5 is a different matter.
Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
Ok and so is Notre Dame but they are universally treated as P5. BYU isn't treated the same way.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 06:59 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:55 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
BYU?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
BYU is an independent.
Cheers!
True but would you not say they are more G5 than P5
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
If you read my post you'll see I wrote it to withstand the "what about BYU?" response.
Cheers!
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 07:31 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:59 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:55 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:
(04-16-2016 06:10 PM)bearforce Wrote:
(04-16-2016 05:35 PM)billybobby777 Wrote: Great! As far as crown jewel...ECU is the crown jewel of attendance already. There's not a team in a non-P5 conference that gets the attendance we do year and year out. There's several G5 conference teams that can get a big crowd at an off campus or NFL stadium near them once a year, but no one gets 50k to show up to their own on campus stadium.
BYU?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
BYU is an independent.
Cheers!
True but would you not say they are more G5 than P5
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
If you read my post you'll see I wrote it to withstand the "what about BYU?" response.
Cheers!
No I don't have an issue understanding your qualifier...it is a definite surgical parsing of P5/G5/Indy FBS.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-16-2016 09:42 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote: Do what you will, but Nippert will always have the history and the ambience of "The Wrigley Field of college football."
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
Very impressive.
But the title of the thread is clearly false. Nippert is one of the crown jewels of college football stadiums, regardless of conference.
Nippert doesn't have the size of some other stadiums I've been to like Ohio State, Florida State, or Notre Dame. But it's a better place to watch a football game. It's just as loud (if not louder) than any of them, and it's an architectural gem. And it's uniquely situated in a valley right in the middle of campus, so the campus's buildings towers up around it on all sides.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-17-2016 02:56 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote: Very impressive.
But the title of the thread is clearly false. Nippert is one of the crown jewels of college football stadiums, regardless of conference.
Nippert doesn't have the size of some other stadiums I've been to like Ohio State, Florida State, or Notre Dame. But it's a better place to watch a football game. It's just as loud (if not louder) than any of them, and it's an architectural gem. And it's uniquely situated in a valley right in the middle of campus, so the campus's buildings towers up around it on all sides.
I've never been to Nippert so I'm not qualified to critique but it does look like a very nice facility. However, I think that if you take into consideration: (1) football culture, (2) capacity, (3) tradition, (4) fan's energy/passion, (5) tailgating facilities/experience then ECU's stadium is already really nice. Cincy & UH are more modern and have nice aesthetics but ECU's new upgrades will make it one of the nicest stadiums in the nation IMO.
RE: ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
(04-17-2016 07:21 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:
(04-17-2016 02:56 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote: Very impressive.
But the title of the thread is clearly false. Nippert is one of the crown jewels of college football stadiums, regardless of conference.
Nippert doesn't have the size of some other stadiums I've been to like Ohio State, Florida State, or Notre Dame. But it's a better place to watch a football game. It's just as loud (if not louder) than any of them, and it's an architectural gem. And it's uniquely situated in a valley right in the middle of campus, so the campus's buildings towers up around it on all sides.
I've never been to Nippert so I'm not qualified to critique but it does look like a very nice facility. However, I think that if you take into consideration: (1) football culture, (2) capacity, (3) tradition, (4) fan's energy/passion, (5) tailgating facilities/experience then ECU's stadium is already really nice. Cincy & UH are more modern and have nice aesthetics but ECU's new upgrades will make it one of the nicest stadiums in the nation IMO.
Nippert compared to DF
1. Culture---too subjective
2. Capacity---DF
3. Tradition---Nippert
4. Fans energy passion---DF
5. Tailgating---DF
6. Facilities---Right now Nippert
Nippert is a beautiful stadium with a great long history, DFS has great fans and a "southern" college football feel. Fans are a lot more rowdy.
Cheers!
Only increases capacity from 50k to just over 51k but it's a full fledge facelift.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jeff Compher unveiled the next chapter in ECU history Saturday, releasing plans for a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project that is currently targeted for completion in the fall of 2018.
As part of a long-term facilities master plan, the $55 million endeavor includes:
Construction of a southside tower resulting in the creation of 1,000 premium seats through the addition of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, Standard Suites and Founder's Suites ...
Game day experience enhancement with a new Pirate Club Level, Field Level Club and premium parking spaces ...
A modern press level with additional space for media, including amended radio and television broadcast and production locations ...
Improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for student-athletes ...
Development of a hitting facility adjacent to Clark-LeClair Stadium, serving both baseball and softball programs.
"We are very pleased to announce this bold and transformational vision for our athletics program," Compher said. "It is an ambitious project that enhances Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Bagwell Field and upgrades other facilities that serve our students and coaches. We are encouraged by the support thus far and we will continue working hard to make this project a reality."
During the spring of 2015, ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club partnered with Conventions, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), an advisory and planning firm, to conduct a market and financial feasibility study to obtain feedback and help generate informed decisions regarding the renovation.
Through on-site tours and an extensive research process that included the collection 5,500 surveys, ECU Athletics and CSL identified five target areas and elements that Pirate Club members and fans desired to see from the project. The areas included premium parking, suites, club seats, a Field Level Club and Loge Boxes. In all, the Southside Renovation project will add 1,000 premium seats.
"We are extremely excited about the future game day experience this renovation will provide all Pirate Nation," Pirate Club Executive Director J. Batt said.
A total of 670 seats will be available in the new Club Level located in the southside tower, featuring an expansive club lounge, an all-inclusive buffet and beverage area.
The creation of 20 Loge Boxes will allow patrons direct access to the club lounge space. Each box offers four seats with an individual door that enables entry into the aforementioned reception area.
The 14 Standard Suites are expected to provide an unparalleled environment with retractable windows, premium food and beverage options, passage to the club lounge and a private suite level entrance.
Five Founder's Suites will also be included in the premium seating offering as an exclusive all-access experience. Each Founder's Suite includes a restroom, availability to the area's own lounge, upgraded outdoor seating and premium parking.
The premium parking option on a reinforced grass surface provides each pass holder cable TV connections, electrical outlets and conveniently located permanent restrooms located outside the grand entrance of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Among the more unique game day experience enhancements, an 8,000 square-foot Field Level Club will be constructed adjacent to the west endzone in front of the Murphy Center. The Field Level Club places a pass holder at the nearest proximity to the action on Bagwell Field.
Beyond the stadium renovation, the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House will also experience improvements as part of the long-term facilities master plan. The football locker room and team meeting areas, athletics training headquarters and equipment room will each undergo a modernization and expansion transformation along with the construction of a football team lounge. The relocation of the ECU Athletics Ticket Office and the addition of team locker rooms will highlight the work scheduled for Scales Field House.
At nearby Clark-LeClair Stadium, a hitting facility will be constructed to support both baseball and softball programs.
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ECU's new DFS expansion will make the stadium the crown jewel of the AAC by far.
![[Image: 2868482926_4813f3e48a_z.jpg?zz=1]](https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3244/2868482926_4813f3e48a_z.jpg?zz=1)
![[Image: maxresdefault.jpg]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5L5p_LveSyU/maxresdefault.jpg)
