CSNbbs

I believe this has been posted earlier, but in all this talk of realignment if the MAC is poached (and it may only be Temple) by more than one member, Illinios State still looks to me like a great potential for an NIU travel partner, etc. I realize that their administration has said nothing about desiring to move up and relish their MVC basketball league, but this renovation gets them pretty close to DIA stds.
http://wjbc.com/hancock-stadium-to-be-renovated-photos/

14000 capacity is a good start, but not enough to warrant even a tentative look from the MAC. Needs to be 16k at the very least.

I bet that if they hinted that the MAC was a future goal, they could come up with enough donations and funding to alter the plans upwards. But if they waffle or are staunchly pro-FCS, they'll be stuck.

Agreed, but the exisiting west stands (which aren't being upgraded in this renovation) don't even go all the way to the endzones and it'd be easy to add a few thousand seats very cheaply if desirable. The new side hasa new press box, luxury suites and will rival recent MAC stadium renovations (at least on one side) like BSU's new home side with new press box and luxury suites.
P.S. I am also now a tad more interested in ISU as my son is a freshman there....there is very little interest in the current DIAA football on campus there but I would think that with a $20MM renovation they might like to take a looksie at the MAC (or vice versa).

What amazes me is they are using student fees to build the facility.

Yeah, KC, I saw that.....you'd think there'd be protests when you consider that the state of Illinois is practically bankrupt (mostly due to state worker's pensions which are out of control) and just doubled our state income tax and every year they jack up in state tuition. Much cheaper to go in state school in Indiana or Ohio than Illinois. I think Ball State for tuition and R &B is something like $16K in state (not including books and general expenses) whereas ISU is about $21K. Out of state is about the same..the big difference is the in state tuition ($7500K at BSU and over $12K at ISU.

(10-12-2011 01:19 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, KC, I saw that.....you'd think there'd be protests when you consider that the state of Illinois is practically bankrupt (mostly due to state worker's pensions which are out of control) and just doubled our state income tax and every year they jack up in state tuition. Much cheaper to go in state school in Indiana or Ohio than Illinois. I think Ball State for tuition and R &B is something like $16K in state (not including books and general expenses) whereas ISU is about $21K. Out of state is about the same..the big difference is the in state tuition ($7500K at BSU and over $12K at ISU.

Well the students at ISU aren't a particular bright bunch.

..don't think the students got a vote on it or anything.....sure seems like a lot of $$ to come mostly from student fees.....

(10-12-2011 01:38 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]..don't think the students got a vote on it or anything.....sure seems like a lot of $$ to come mostly from student fees.....

I believe it will be a redirecting of student fees. Currently, they are paying off Redbird Arena with these fees. Once paid off, the fees would then be used to pay for this expansion. It was stated there would not be a student fee increase.

(10-12-2011 01:38 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]..don't think the students got a vote on it or anything.....sure seems like a lot of $$ to come mostly from student fees.....

Isn't that how they built our Convo center?

I remember the students protesting that being built a ton!

Still not a school worth adding. They aren't even good on the 1-AA level.

If we have to, which we don't, expand then we need to add schools that enhance the conference. Not add schools just for the sake of adding schools.

If we were to take a MVC school then Northern Iowa would be the top school to take.

Realistically, the only thing either school brings is pretty good basketball (and arenas) and some relative proximity to NIU. It just seems kind of odd that ISU would invest so much moola into the football facilities for a DIAA sport that generates little support on campus. You have to at least wonder if they might be thinking about moving up someday.

Does Ball State still have a game scheduled there? Or was that a bad dream I had?

Yes BSU is playing there, for reasons that still make no sense to me.

(10-12-2011 03:57 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Realistically, the only thing either school brings is pretty good basketball (and arenas) and some relative proximity to NIU. It just seems kind of odd that ISU would invest so much moola into the football facilities for a DIAA sport that generates little support on campus. You have to at least wonder if they might be thinking about moving up someday.

ISU had to invest a lot of moola because it was literally falling apart. Hancock has been an eyesore for a long time and this renovation is long overdue.

http://www.pjstar.com/free/x1274372504/I...of-stadium

Quote:NORMAL — Illinois State University officials say the seats in the south end zone of the school's football stadium are unsafe and will be torn down.

Interim Athletics Director Larry Lyons said Tuesday that engineers recently found that section of Hancock Stadium to be structurally unsound.

Lyons said the school plans to erect temporary bleachers for the marching band. The student section will be moved to the east side of the stadium.

He said the $350,000 project should be finished in time for the 2011 football season.

ISU spokesman Todd Kober said Hancock Stadium seats about 12,000 people. That will drop to just less than 10,000 with the work.

School officials are considering possible renovations on the stadium.

(10-12-2011 04:50 PM)Max Power Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-12-2011 03:57 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Realistically, the only thing either school brings is pretty good basketball (and arenas) and some relative proximity to NIU. It just seems kind of odd that ISU would invest so much moola into the football facilities for a DIAA sport that generates little support on campus. You have to at least wonder if they might be thinking about moving up someday.

ISU had to invest a lot of moola because it was literally falling apart. Hancock has been an eyesore for a long time and this renovation is long overdue.

http://www.pjstar.com/free/x1274372504/I...of-stadium

Quote:NORMAL — Illinois State University officials say the seats in the south end zone of the school's football stadium are unsafe and will be torn down.

Interim Athletics Director Larry Lyons said Tuesday that engineers recently found that section of Hancock Stadium to be structurally unsound.

Lyons said the school plans to erect temporary bleachers for the marching band. The student section will be moved to the east side of the stadium.

He said the $350,000 project should be finished in time for the 2011 football season.

ISU spokesman Todd Kober said Hancock Stadium seats about 12,000 people. That will drop to just less than 10,000 with the work.

School officials are considering possible renovations on the stadium.

I find it odd that Hancock stadium is falling apart and is only 2 years older as Huskie Stadium.

Also ISU's plan is to bring the stadium up to 24-25k capacity IF they "consistently draws a capacity crowd following the phase one expansion and improvements."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_Stadium

(10-12-2011 03:57 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Realistically, the only thing either school brings is pretty good basketball (and arenas) and some relative proximity to NIU. It just seems kind of odd that ISU would invest so much moola into the football facilities for a DIAA sport that generates little support on campus. You have to at least wonder if they might be thinking about moving up someday.

I love it.

It gives ISU a chance to build their program regardless if it is I-AA or I-A.

BTW, ISU plays at EMU next September.

I did also read somewhere that ISU is sensitive to the fact that Hancock is pretty much an eyesore as you drive down to the campus...they are spending most all the bucks on the east side which backs up to the street and towards campus.

(10-12-2011 04:19 PM)MacLord Wrote: [ -> ]Does Ball State still have a game scheduled there? Or was that a bad dream I had?

Yes, and not coincidentally, Ball State will opening their newly renovated stadium on August 29, 2013.

(10-12-2011 01:19 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, KC, I saw that.....you'd think there'd be protests when you consider that the state of Illinois is practically bankrupt (mostly due to state worker's pensions which are out of control) and just doubled our state income tax and every year they jack up in state tuition. Much cheaper to go in state school in Indiana or Ohio than Illinois. I think Ball State for tuition and R &B is something like $16K in state (not including books and general expenses) whereas ISU is about $21K. Out of state is about the same..the big difference is the in state tuition ($7500K at BSU and over $12K at ISU.

Illinois is a whole different animal than the other states in the Midwest with Chicago in the state. The amount of competitive students and the ability for families is far greater I'm sure then you find in some of the other states.

I feel good though reading about Illinois State's upgrades for the long term longevity of the conference. At 14,000 seats that facility takes them far enough down the path that the MAC could call them up in an emergency situation.

One emergency situation would be if Northern Illinois somehow left the conference than Illinois State would be a perfect fill in school. The problem is adding a school right now in the West pushes one of the West Division schools to the East like Toledo. Having all 6 Ohio schools in one division is not really what the MAC wants to do. If NIU and Toledo are pulled into CUSA along with Temple leaving for the Big East, Illinois State could be called up.

West: Illinois State, Ball State, WMU, CMU, EMU, BGSU, Miami
East: Ohio, Kent, Akron, Buffalo, JMU, UMass, Delaware

Even trying to keep the league at 14 the MAC could afford to take 2-3 hits in membership and actually come out with a better overall academic profile. The MAC should be pretty stable well into the future.

Sure don't see NIU leaving the MAC again...they tried that before as we all know and it didn't work out too well. When Temple leaves, we'd be fine at 12 but now we have UMASS for two years (I guess), and may look for a travel partner for them in the East. Problem is that the only viable options are only IAA's that may want to move up to IA. (just like would be the case with an ISU or No. Iowa).