(11-08-2023 11:52 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 02:39 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Rice neds to get creative with the ring of honor, such as they all light up when Rice score a touchdown.

At the very least, we should have programmable LED lighting along that 'shelf'. Light up the names... but also do a 'chase' with blue and gray... or flashing blue and grey etc etc. Even better would be for the ring to be all LEDs... meaning we could put ads and graphics and 'TOUCHDOWN" or what have you on there as well... in addition to the names.

(11-08-2023 10:49 AM)Ourland Wrote:  With all the talk on the "SMU Homecoming" thread concerning the need for more TVs on the concourses, I hate to leave this thread behind, as it has been the bellwether thread for all things 'Rice Stadium' for a very long time, and keeping it as such is of upmost importance to me and I'm sure all you guys as well.

This is where we come to talk about our favorite place on planet Earth, and in that vein I thought I could revive a discussion on what is needed to be done at the stadium, and how much it could cost.

The first thing I notice when I walk up to the stadium are the old, archaic ticket booths that aren't utilized any longer. I'm also underwhelmed by the drab entrance. While I'd like to see them replaced, I'd hate to lose what makes are stadium 'look' historic. I have similar sentiment for the press box. While I'd like to see a new one, I'm afraid I'd miss it if it were gone, like I now miss the white wall around the field.

Something has to be done with the end zone, and the East upper deck must be finally dealt with in some way. I think a giant video screen that takes up the top 30 rows would really give the place a lot of life (Astrodome - like), while also preserving some of the upper seating that we all love.

There are a multitude of other things that need to be done, of course. I'm estimating a minimum of $80 million to do everything, but I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing of construction and associated costs. Thoughts?

I'd be happy to continue the concourse discussions here instead....

1) new press box 'in front' of the existing one. We would lose some seating, but it would also give us a mix of old and new. If you do it right, the roof of the new press box can become a 'patio deck' for the Stadium Club... which would now be much much larger (maybe even suites) because you don't need TV or coaches boxes.

2) Move the Owl Club parking and R Association Tail Gates to the East Side with Tail Gate Owley... Maybe as simple as swapping east and west. SMU was over by Tail Gate Owley and Rice Lettermen were off by ourselves. Really dumb if you ask me.... but nobody did. SMU saw the MOB come in... the Mob played for them...

The ticket booths are antiquated but really take up no space. The portable buildings look cheap. The old ticket booths could be dozed and replaced with something new or somehow retrofitted I suppose.... maybe another project for the Architecture school.

Seriously though... its all digital now through ticketmaster. How about we just get them to design an app and put kiosks in the existing ticket areas... knock out some of the brick so they're more like ATM 'stalls'... and then put a nice covered 'tent' (canvas) design over the gates where we have security (with Gigantic R and Owl Logos)?

and of course, pregame activities and other games on TVs with sound from our pregame

1. I thought I wouldn't like the Ring of Honor, as I heard from Grungy that the names were repainted, but I do like it. It's 'old school.' I do like the idea of an LED ticker strip on the shelf of the East deck, so that it encourages home fans to get involved in the game.

2. You're spot on with the R Association Tailgate needing to move to the East side, where Tailgate Owly is held. It's ridiculous to have it in the Southwest corner. There's no activity and no entertainment at its current location.

3. I hate the portable sheds/ticket booths. It's busch league and cheap. I realize that they only do it that way right now because they have to, but something needs to be done. I wonder if kiosks are practical. I guess thousands of visiting fans could figure it out, but it's always nice to have a human being there to at least provide some customer service. Maybe I'm just old fashioned like that.