(03-31-2022 11:17 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  Surprised this isn't posted yet.

https://riceowls.com/news/2022/3/31/foot...erway.aspx

Nice. Thanks for posting.

The concourses have always been in need of serious lighting. I'm happy to see them address it. What is the flake-based flooring they refer to? I can't visualize it.

I'm guessing that the R Room and south endzone will be staying put, being that they're installing a new video video board there.

Here you go... https://duomit.com/epoxy-flake-floor/

Anyway, finally something to get excited about. We've all been waiting decades for this project to start.

FYI, some info on doings at future AAC conference-mates:

USF: USF committee recommends site for on-campus football stadium, $5 million gift announced to advance the project

to pursue on-campus football stadium atop Sycamore Fields site

Temple: Temple to renew contract to play football games at Lincoln Financial Field

East Carolina: TowneBank Tower officially opens at ECU's Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Project: ECU Athletics, Pirate Club Reveal Part Of Long-Term Master Plan

Memphis: $5 Million Gift Pledged to University of Memphis Student-Athlete Success Center--Project said to be 'Transformational'

Ah, yes, remember the Liberty Bowl....
On-campus stadium still the dream for Memphis, but it won't solve Liberty Bowl parking issue

I took the shuttle from the Peabody with a bunch of MSU fans who were actually quite cordial even after the game.

'Major renovations' to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in the works

Mayor Jim Strickland supports whatever U of M decides on Liberty Bowl, on-campus stadium


Tiger Terrace will be located in the upper seating areas of sections 112, 113 and 114m, and will be designated as an outdoor patio bar with open seating.

The Outdoor Club, which will be located atop sections 103, 104 and 105 at Liberty Bowl Memeorial Stadium, will feature and open bar and food provided by Andrew Michael Restaurant Group

Navy: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium prep | PHOTOS

Tulane: LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACTION. Tulane Athletics Unifies AV and Broadcast for Sports Production

Yulman Stadium, the crown jewel of the university’s athletics complex, opened its doors for the first time in front of a capacity crowd on September 6, 2014 against Georgia Tech

Tulsa: F.A. Dry Sorts Performance Center

then there's this: ‘This tire is flat,' Rick Dickson says of TU’s marketing/attendance crisis

..if their tire is flat, our tire might be shredded and running on the axle and hub.

also, there's this article:
Why Sports Stadiums Need Routine Maintenance:
Restoration Experts Recommend Routine Maintenance to Extend Stadium Life, Protect Fans


and not all that related to us, but what the heck, I'll throw it in here for fonzies...

OSU's Boone Pickens Stadium to undergo $40 million renovation

and wow! This is something for a relatively new stadium: Nashville changes course; will look at new Titans stadium

Quote:The added costs also include complete replacements of the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems….

...and there's always the next downsizing to consider should we go that route:

Multi-Purpose Stadium Undergoes Renovations: Stadium receives new video scoreboard, turf field, and home bleachers

Starting off with a bath...



Rice Stadium gets a bath for the upcoming season

Quote:The concourses will also see new flooring and lights, and the entire stadium will be washed, which, according to McGarry, is long overdue.

“One of the really really big pieces to it is pressure washing everything,” McGarry said. “It’s a 72-year-old stadium, and it’s been this thing that’s built over time. Every time we have work going on on campus and it rains, you get dust and dirt flying around and it starts to look bad and show its age. We’re going to pressure wash everything from the top of the building all the way down. [It will] make it look clean, make it look good, make it look nice.”

According to McGarry, the athletic department anticipates that the renovations will improve attendance. Last season, the Owls averaged just over 18,600 fans at their home games, despite the stadium’s capacity of 47,000. According to Duncan College senior John Fu, while he is excited to attend games in the improved stadium, he can’t imagine that the renovations will draw his friends who don’t normally attend games into the seats.

“Rice Stadium does look pretty old so giving it a more modern look with the scoreboard, brick walls, and seats surely will improve the in-game experience for the fans,” Fu said. “With that being said, I’m not sure these renovations would convince someone who does not traditionally go to Rice football games to suddenly want to attend them on Saturdays.”

Good point, Mr. Fu.

(04-13-2022 01:53 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Starting off with a bath...



Rice Stadium gets a bath for the upcoming season

Quote:The concourses will also see new flooring and lights, and the entire stadium will be washed, which, according to McGarry, is long overdue.

“One of the really really big pieces to it is pressure washing everything,” McGarry said. “It’s a 72-year-old stadium, and it’s been this thing that’s built over time. Every time we have work going on on campus and it rains, you get dust and dirt flying around and it starts to look bad and show its age. We’re going to pressure wash everything from the top of the building all the way down. [It will] make it look clean, make it look good, make it look nice.”

According to McGarry, the athletic department anticipates that the renovations will improve attendance. Last season, the Owls averaged just over 18,600 fans at their home games, despite the stadium’s capacity of 47,000. According to Duncan College senior John Fu, while he is excited to attend games in the improved stadium, he can’t imagine that the renovations will draw his friends who don’t normally attend games into the seats.

“Rice Stadium does look pretty old so giving it a more modern look with the scoreboard, brick walls, and seats surely will improve the in-game experience for the fans,” Fu said. “With that being said, I’m not sure these renovations would convince someone who does not traditionally go to Rice football games to suddenly want to attend them on Saturdays.”

Good point, Mr. Fu.

Cosmetic renovations won't make more people attend games but it will at least give some comfort to those who do attend. Better concessions and moving the student section to the home side are other simple ways to improve the experience for students already there.

I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Why play day games in the hot Texas sun? Back before they invented dirt when I was a student, there were no day games before October.

(04-13-2022 09:56 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Why play day games in the hot Texas sun? Back before they invented dirt when I was a student, there were no day games before October.

TV $.

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Several years ago I emailed an athletics department official concerning this very same topic. He responded by saying that the students prefer the visitor side because they can heckle the opponent more easily from behind its bench.

None of it makes sense to me. No students attend games. Back in the SWC days, there were always at least two hundred. I don't think any of the students care much about our opponents, and our team is pitiful. Not even I want to watch, and I've been a die-hard supporter for over 35 years.

An unfortunate aspect of moving all of the Rice fans to the west stands is TV coverage, and the (dis?)appearance of what few blue and grey bodies have been seen of late.

The cameras are in the west stands for the same reason that the people who don't want to roast are - the sun.
Networks want the sun over their shoulders, not pointing down the barrel of the lens.

(04-13-2022 10:00 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 09:56 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Why play day games in the hot Texas sun? Back before they invented dirt when I was a student, there were no day games before October.

TV $.

The viewership numbers for Rice vs Directional State must be staggering.

(04-14-2022 07:44 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 10:00 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 09:56 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Why play day games in the hot Texas sun? Back before they invented dirt when I was a student, there were no day games before October.

TV $.

The viewership numbers for Rice vs Directional State must be staggering.

Doesn't matter. TV networks have a big say in game start times. Been that way for a long time now, surprised you haven't noticed.

(04-14-2022 07:49 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 07:44 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 10:00 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 09:56 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Why play day games in the hot Texas sun? Back before they invented dirt when I was a student, there were no day games before October.

TV $.

The viewership numbers for Rice vs Directional State must be staggering.

Doesn't matter. TV networks have a big say in game start times. Been that way for a long time now, surprised you haven't noticed.

Oh I’ve noticed. Doesn’t mean I have to agree with it or like it.

The university could do something on the east side to make the experience much more enjoyable. The east deck is obsolete. It's closed. Act as if it isn't there. Construct something on the lower east side that shades those fans from the sun. Provide shade for the top forty rows at least. It doesn't matter that it would block the view of fans in the upper deck, because there are no fans in the upper deck. I'd close that upper deck permanently. Those seats will never be needed again. There's more than enough room on the west side.

(04-13-2022 11:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Several years ago I emailed an athletics department official concerning this very same topic. He responded by saying that the students prefer the visitor side because they can heckle the opponent more easily from behind its bench.

None of it makes sense to me. No students attend games. Back in the SWC days, there were always at least two hundred. I don't think any of the students care much about our opponents, and our team is pitiful. Not even I want to watch, and I've been a die-hard supporter for over 35 years.

This is true for most schools where the student section can cover multiple sections and span the entirety of the opposing bench. But our student section is far to the side and barely in shouting range of the practicing kickers. More importantly, from what I can tell the students want to be on the home side. At the UH game this year the whole section was on the home side before being told to move

I'm not sure you CAN shade the east.

With all the advancement in camera and light technology, I don't understand why we can't address this issue, at least for the 'main' feeds which would be 2-3 cameras. Even if we have to buy them ourselves because they are so expensive.

You could also rig up some wired drone technology like Sky Cam or Spider Cam to entice/make up for some of the shortfalls. I think it would make the games more interesting.

(04-14-2022 09:35 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  I'm not sure you CAN shade the east.

With all the advancement in camera and light technology, I don't understand why we can't address this issue, at least for the 'main' feeds which would be 2-3 cameras. Even if we have to buy them ourselves because they are so expensive.

You could also rig up some wired drone technology like Sky Cam or Spider Cam to entice/make up for some of the shortfalls. I think it would make the games more interesting.

Tail wagging the dog to have the TV technology adapt to the crowd.

I went to the Arkansas game last year. Sat in the hot sun, along with everyone not in a box. Day games are here to stay, even for schools with a lot more say than Rice.

(04-14-2022 12:00 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 09:35 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  I'm not sure you CAN shade the east.

With all the advancement in camera and light technology, I don't understand why we can't address this issue, at least for the 'main' feeds which would be 2-3 cameras. Even if we have to buy them ourselves because they are so expensive.

You could also rig up some wired drone technology like Sky Cam or Spider Cam to entice/make up for some of the shortfalls. I think it would make the games more interesting.

Tail wagging the dog to have the TV technology adapt to the crowd.

I went to the Arkansas game last year. Sat in the hot sun, along with everyone not in a box. Day games are here to stay, even for schools with a lot more say than Rice.

Somebody has to wag something.

To be clear, I wasn't suggesting that it would make any difference to attendance... I am merely suggesting that putting the home crowd all on the west side... and leaving the east mostly to visitors (some/many of whom would still be on the west side) would look better if we shot the game from the East. I recognize that this isn't the preferred TV venue, but so what? We don't get great TV viewership anyway. We overcome that 'non-preferential tv view' by technology and/or innovation. Doesn't put more butts in the seats, but MIGHT make the games look better attended on TV.

(04-14-2022 09:34 AM)TheOwl84 Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 11:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(04-13-2022 05:51 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  I agree. Why the hell would you force the students to sit in the hot sun during day games.

Several years ago I emailed an athletics department official concerning this very same topic. He responded by saying that the students prefer the visitor side because they can heckle the opponent more easily from behind its bench.

None of it makes sense to me. No students attend games. Back in the SWC days, there were always at least two hundred. I don't think any of the students care much about our opponents, and our team is pitiful. Not even I want to watch, and I've been a die-hard supporter for over 35 years.

This is true for most schools where the student section can cover multiple sections and span the entirety of the opposing bench. But our student section is far to the side and barely in shouting range of the practicing kickers. More importantly, from what I can tell the students want to be on the home side. At the UH game this year the whole section was on the home side before being told to move

If students want to be on the home side, then sentiment amongst the student body has changed. I was always told that they prefer being with the band and as close to the opponent as possible.

It was terrible what they did to them at the UH game. They herded them like sheep back to the east side. I saw it. It was inconsiderate and amateur. It shows that Rice Athletics has no idea what it's doing.

(04-14-2022 09:35 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  I'm not sure you CAN shade the east.

With all the advancement in camera and light technology, I don't understand why we can't address this issue, at least for the 'main' feeds which would be 2-3 cameras. Even if we have to buy them ourselves because they are so expensive.

You could also rig up some wired drone technology like Sky Cam or Spider Cam to entice/make up for some of the shortfalls. I think it would make the games more interesting.

Sure it can be done. Build it off the front of the upper deck and extend it out over the lower seating. That's something very easily done if the money is in hand. An architect designs that in his sleep.