(04-02-2013 02:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:07 PM)7 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 12:16 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  Posted this a while back under a diff topic.

Link

That's great stuff. I think the Akron endzone is all any of us are asking for.

Agree that is looks the best for our situation but the problem is that Akron's field is below the sidewalk.

I still think it's possible. Start the berm a little closer to the field (a few feet) and maybe make it a little steeper.

(04-02-2013 02:15 PM)7 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:07 PM)7 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 12:16 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  Posted this a while back under a diff topic.

Link

That's great stuff. I think the Akron endzone is all any of us are asking for.

Agree that is looks the best for our situation but the problem is that Akron's field is below the sidewalk.

I still think it's possible. Start the berm a little closer to the field (a few feet) and maybe make it a little steeper.

+1

This is doable and it wouldn't cost that much. It would be a huge improvement in the appearance of Huskie Stadium.

Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

There is not enough room for a functional (Seating) berm.

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. Raising the berm more than 3 feet would likely block the bottom of the video screen. We would also need bathrooms or atleast to hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

Neither of those is a serious obstacle to enlarging the berm.

Yeah those are both easy fixes.

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

The East and West structures are too high up. Do you realize how much dirt would be needed? There isn't enough room.
The score board would have to be raised twice the height

(04-02-2013 02:32 PM)7 Wrote:  Yeah those are both easy fixes.

Agree.

I actually think if the berm is tied into the East stands that it would cost the least expensive. That way they don't need to do anything major with adding bathrooms or selling food/drinks. They can close the gate if they do not want people using the area.

It would definitely be an improvement.

(04-02-2013 02:39 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

The East and West structures are too high up. Do you realize how much dirt would be needed? There isn't enough room.
The score board would have to be raised twice the height

Not the seats on the East side the concourse where the bathrooms and concession stands are located.

(04-02-2013 02:41 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:39 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

The East and West structures are too high up. Do you realize how much dirt would be needed? There isn't enough room.
The score board would have to be raised twice the height

Not the seats on the East side the concourse where the bathrooms and concession stands are located.

Sorry! I'm an old West sider! Not familiar with the concourse.


I really don't think a berm is anywhere close to being on the stadium improvement plan.

(04-02-2013 02:49 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:41 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:39 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

The East and West structures are too high up. Do you realize how much dirt would be needed? There isn't enough room.
The score board would have to be raised twice the height

Not the seats on the East side the concourse where the bathrooms and concession stands are located.

Sorry! I'm an old West sider! Not familiar with the concourse.


I really don't think a berm is anywhere close to being on the stadium improvement plan.

That does not matter with a new AD coming in. They could decide that it is a priority.

I cant find a pic of the gate better than this.

If you see the opening on the East stands at the bottom of the pic. Here there is a gate which could open up to the berm.

(04-02-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:49 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:41 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:39 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(04-02-2013 02:22 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Here are a few hundred high school band kids on the berm. We could hook up to the East side so those bathrooms could be used.

The East and West structures are too high up. Do you realize how much dirt would be needed? There isn't enough room.
The score board would have to be raised twice the height

Not the seats on the East side the concourse where the bathrooms and concession stands are located.

Sorry! I'm an old West sider! Not familiar with the concourse.


I really don't think a berm is anywhere close to being on the stadium improvement plan.

That does not matter with a new AD coming in. They could decide that it is a priority.

I cant find a pic of the gate better than this.

If you see the opening on the East stands at the bottom of the pic. Here there is a gate which could open up to the berm.

Man, BF@HS has come a loong way from when I was a student 1986-1990.

Kids today with their CPC & Yordon Center. Fancy east stands. Look at the North end zone seating. That is what the rest of BF@HS used to look!

(04-02-2013 02:15 PM)7 Wrote:  I still think it's possible. Start the berm a little closer to the field (a few feet) and maybe make it a little steeper.

Make it steep like the top of Alpine Valley. That way the drunks can roll down to the field like little balls.....

Remove sidewalk from stadium side of street, put sidewalk on apartment side of street. Seems simple enough.

All this discussion is fine. I was told at the OB by someone who should know that we were going to build a berm. Big or small, it doesn't matter much. I think what is most important is to improve the ambiance within the stadium. The IPC closes off the north end nicely. Do the same on the south end. Build the scoreboard as high as possible. Then build a berm stretching from east stands to west stands as steep as need be but as expansive as can be to create an enclosed field. I think the net result would be fantastic.

SIU, has a endzone berm at their new stadium. It looks like what we need. How much would it cost to do? I have been told we are a top 20-30 program surely we can get this done. It doesn't seem like it would take more than a month to do.

What's the purpose of a berm?
Not enough room to make it tall enough to hide the apartments
Seating for a scattering of fans? We don't need the capacity.
It would have to be fenced in since there is no natural barrier to the field. (And to keep Huskie John's rug rats contained)

Save the money for the West side renovations or a new press box.

Prediction: Without those two upgrades, we lose the next IHSA bit to ISU.

(04-02-2013 06:44 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  What's the purpose of a berm?
Not enough room to make it tall enough to hide the apartments
Seating for a scattering of fans? We don't need the capacity.
It would have to be fenced in since there is no natural barrier to the field. (And to keep Huskie John's rug rats contained)

Save the money for the West side renovations or a new press box.

Prediction: Without those two upgrades, we lose the next IHSA bit to ISU.

The reasons NIU won the bid over ISU were: 1) better location, 2) the letter signed by over 114 H.S. Athletic Directors, and 3) our vastly superior football facilities.

What do you think is going to change between now and 2022 when the contract is rebid?

We have 9 years until the next IHSA bid. Think about Huskie Stadium in 2004 compared to now. Yeah.

(04-02-2013 07:45 PM)armour248 Wrote:  We have 9 years until the next IHSA bid. Think about Huskie Stadium in 2004 compared to now. Yeah.

Having the IHSA football championship games at NIU is huge. One could argue it is better for the program than making it to the Orange Bowl.

Thousands of football fans will be entering Huskie territory for the 1st time...as well as thousands more watching on TV. It will be great...especially since Huskie Stadium is looking pretty badass finally.