And the students did not come back after the UH game.

(04-14-2022 12:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(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 12:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  It shows that Rice Athletics has no idea what it's doing.

Did it take anyone until then to figure that out? Seriously?

I once asked a former Rice AD (whom I will not name) why they didn't put more emphasis on appealing to students. His response was, "Why do we care about students? They get in free."

How many of those students are likely to remain in the Houston area? How many are going to become season ticket holders? What happens to your season ticket base?

(04-14-2022 01:44 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 12:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  It shows that Rice Athletics has no idea what it's doing.

Did it take anyone until then to figure that out? Seriously?

I once asked a former Rice AD (whom I will not name) why they didn't put more emphasis on appealing to students. His response was, "Why do we care about students? They get in free."

How many of those students are likely to remain in the Houston area? How many are going to become season ticket holders? What happens to your season ticket base?

No. Seriously. It's just another example of the clown show that is Rice Athletics

(04-14-2022 12:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(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.

I do believe the rowdy students would like to sit as close to the opponent as possible, but I'm not sure the current student section is close enough to satisfy that urge to trash talk opposing players. But as a majority I feel students would prefer to sit near other Rice fans away from the sun. Though I have no actual evidence to back that up. Might need to put that on a poll.

Opposing fans tend to trash talk or start up their cheers which can be disheartening for our students sitting right next to them who don't have a lot of cheers or a crowd they can do anything with. Sometimes some cheers do get started but the home west side crowd doesn't follow along. It feels like two separate sets of Rice fans and putting everyone on one side can be the first step in having a sense of unity.

The band should also be moved to the west side. There's plenty of space, they hate the sun just as much and their shows start on the west side anyway so it saves some walking time

(04-14-2022 12:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

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

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.

Here's a link to and image from a 2011 Rice History Corner post about a 1966 architect's design for a shade structure/"roof" for Rice Stadium:

https://ricehistorycorner.com/2011/08/25...e-stadium/



As Melissa Kean mentioned in her post, Bud Adams, owner of the then-Houston Oilers, was smack-dab in the middle of all this."

(04-14-2022 05:45 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 12:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

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

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.

Here's a link to and image from a 2011 Rice History Corner post about a 1966 architect's design for a shade structure/"roof" for Rice Stadium:

https://ricehistorycorner.com/2011/08/25...e-stadium/



As Melissa Kean mentioned in her post, Bud Adams, owner of the then-Houston Oilers, was smack-dab in the middle of all this."

Sure you can do this... as it extends over most of the playing field.... but the design proposed by Ourland probably wouldn't do much past about 2pm. The sun would be over the west stands and probably shining halfway up or more the lower east stands. Between 3 and 6pm, it would be worthless

(04-14-2022 05:45 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 12:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

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

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.

Here's a link to and image from a 2011 Rice History Corner post about a 1966 architect's design for a shade structure/"roof" for Rice Stadium:

https://ricehistorycorner.com/2011/08/25...e-stadium/



As Melissa Kean mentioned in her post, Bud Adams, owner of the then-Houston Oilers, was smack-dab in the middle of all this."

I remember this being posted here years ago. It's an interesting concept that would have worked. Too bad for Rice the Astrodome was built instead.

(04-14-2022 06:08 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 05:45 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 12:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

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

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.

Here's a link to and image from a 2011 Rice History Corner post about a 1966 architect's design for a shade structure/"roof" for Rice Stadium:

https://ricehistorycorner.com/2011/08/25...e-stadium/



As Melissa Kean mentioned in her post, Bud Adams, owner of the then-Houston Oilers, was smack-dab in the middle of all this."

Sure you can do this... as it extends over most of the playing field.... but the design proposed by Ourland probably wouldn't do much past about 2pm. The sun would be over the west stands and probably shining halfway up or more the lower east stands. Between 3 and 6pm, it would be worthless

No awning would be perfect, particularly one that Rice is willing to pay for, but it would go a long way in improving the comfort level of the fans on that side. Yes, anyone sitting toward the bottom gets to fry during the second half.

We never had to talk about shielding fans from the sun in the 80's and 90's, because all our games kicked off at night. Now it's a legit concern being that television partners have us starting at 11am and 2:30 in the afternoon. That sun and hot concrete in September and October makes attending a game at Rice Stadium unbearable. As long as Rice has the room to do it, why not seriously consider it? It's something that could really set Rice Stadium apart from most other venues throughout the country. I don't know of any other college Stadium that has an awning over its seating.

(04-14-2022 11:50 PM)Ourland Wrote:  It's something that could really set Rice Stadium apart from most other venues throughout the country.

Like blue turf?

Anyone need some used seats?

https://riceowls.com/images/2022/4/14/HRS_OwnASeat.jpg

(04-15-2022 09:35 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 11:50 PM)Ourland Wrote:  It's something that could really set Rice Stadium apart from most other venues throughout the country.

Like blue turf?

LOL. Never

(04-15-2022 09:47 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  Anyone need some used seats?

https://riceowls.com/images/2022/4/14/HRS_OwnASeat.jpg

Those don't look like the old blue wooden seats that are found on the first two rows of the upper deck. Weren't these aluminum chairbacks installed in the early 2000's?

(04-14-2022 11:50 PM)Ourland Wrote:  No awning would be perfect, particularly one that Rice is willing to pay for,

Perhaps this is why I am thinking it wouldn't do much,,,, because of what I imagine what we might pay for.

But more to the rest of your point, I'd rather put people on the west... let the visitors fade the heat or be on the concourse.... Maybe install misters off the top deck.... and deal with the camera issues and angles.....

and spend the money it would cost to buy and maintain tarps on improving the product on the field such that we have fewer day games or people are willing to fade the heat to sit in the only seats available, on the east.

Television booths can always be built in the east upper deck for the camera men. That way the glare doesn't ruin the picture for television, and all the Rice fans can be consolidated on the west side. I think we all know that we'll never have an awning at Rice Stadium, and we'll always have that ugly empty upper deck..

It looks like there's barely enough money to complete this first stage of improvements. If more money were in hand, the details of future renovations would have already been shared with us. I firmly believe that they're spending every penny of donations for this first phase. Much more will have to be donated to move any further.

(04-16-2022 05:22 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Television booths can always be built in the east upper deck for the camera men. That way the glare doesn't ruin the picture for television, and all the Rice fans can be consolidated on the west side. I think we all know that we'll never have an awning at Rice Stadium, and we'll always have that ugly empty upper deck..

It looks like there's barely enough money to complete this first stage of improvements. If more money were in hand, the details of future renovations would have already been shared with us. I firmly believe that they're spending every penny of donations for this first phase. Much more will have to be donated to move any further.

Stop with the B.S. That's simply not true. Rather, this first phase is including all items that can be completed by our season-opener. The next phase will start as soon as the upcoming football season ends.

(04-16-2022 05:26 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-16-2022 05:22 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Television booths can always be built in the east upper deck for the camera men. That way the glare doesn't ruin the picture for television, and all the Rice fans can be consolidated on the west side. I think we all know that we'll never have an awning at Rice Stadium, and we'll always have that ugly empty upper deck..

It looks like there's barely enough money to complete this first stage of improvements. If more money were in hand, the details of future renovations would have already been shared with us. I firmly believe that they're spending every penny of donations for this first phase. Much more will have to be donated to move any further.

Stop with the B.S. That's simply not true. Rather, this first phase is including all items that can be completed by our season-opener. The next phase will start as soon as the upcoming football season ends.

Walt, any idea on how many phases total and what each phase might include on the list?

I'm not connected at all to the university, but presumably, I expect electricity to be provided to the concession stands ASAP. I also expect the ticket booths to be torn down and replaced, as well as the 4 entrances to the stadium to be landscaped and beautified. Minimal cosmetic improvements. Perhaps the upper deck will be tarped with an interesting mural of a giant owl or something, as well as the south endzone. I doubt much of the renovations address functionality. No luxury boxes are needed, because there can't be much demand for it. Maybe the visiting locker room is finally renovated. I foresee mostly cosmetic changes. Maybe some trees in the parking lots. Minimal investments, but sorely needed. Nothing on a 'grand' scale. I think the bones of the stadium will largely look the same when everything is finished, unless a big-time donor really steps up with about a $50 million gift.

(04-16-2022 10:21 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 11:50 PM)Ourland Wrote:  No awning would be perfect, particularly one that Rice is willing to pay for,

Perhaps this is why I am thinking it wouldn't do much,,,, because of what I imagine what we might pay for.

But more to the rest of your point, I'd rather put people on the west... let the visitors fade the heat or be on the concourse.... Maybe install misters off the top deck.... and deal with the camera issues and angles.....

and spend the money it would cost to buy and maintain tarps on improving the product on the field such that we have fewer day games or people are willing to fade the heat to sit in the only seats available, on the east.

Doing this would result in people wondering why we don’t just play our home games at NRG.

There's no practical solution for the sun and heat here in Texas. It's too bad that we can't play our games at night, because it's so much more comfortable, and the environment at the stadium is incredible, especially from the west upper deck.

I like Hambone's idea about installing fans and cool zones wherever possible. There will never be an awning. I don't even mind if they keep the upper deck, but do something nice with it.

At this point, I just wish they'd beautify and modernize the place. Tarps are relatively cheap, and they look ten times better than empty seats. If not tarps, go the extra mile and install planter boxes. Maybe erect a giant video screen up there for in-game entertainment and scores like the old one in the Astrodome.

(04-20-2022 12:48 PM)Ourland Wrote:  There's no practical solution for the sun and heat here in Texas. It's too bad that we can't play our games at night, because it's so much more comfortable, and the environment at the stadium is incredible, especially from the west upper deck.

I like Hambone's idea about installing fans and cool zones wherever possible. There will never be an awning. I don't even mind if they keep the upper deck, but do something nice with it.

At this point, I just wish they'd beautify and modernize the place. Tarps are relatively cheap, and they look ten times better than empty seats. If not tarps, go the extra mile and install planter boxes. Maybe erect a giant video screen up there for in-game entertainment and scores like the old one in the Astrodome.

Eureka! A Community Garden for the students to grow their own food!