Some interesting information from the Macon Telegraph concerning Freedom Hall and the ETSU football stadium.

Iamarino said there were only a few items mentioned to the newcomers before invitations were offered. East Tennessee State has a huge issue and a huge old building. The Mountain States Health Alliance Center (aka “mini-dome”) hasn’t hosted football since the school dropped the sport a little more than a decade ago because of yearly seven-figure losses. But basketball has still been played there.

With football gone, parts of the building became old quickly, and it wasn’t a quality basketball facility. Moving forwar, ETSU will use Johnson City’s Freedom Hall Civic Center.

“We gave them the clear indication that we thought that if they could arrange to play basketball in Freedom Hall ... that we would prefer to see games played there rather than the mini-dome,” Iamarino said. “They have followed up with that and are clearing dates with the city ...”

Freedom Hall isn’t young, but it’s a clear upgrade. When ETSU decided it could afford to play football again, the Southern Conference noticed. But a new football home was mandatory for consideration.

“If they had said they were going to play in the mini-dome, that would have been difficult for us to accept,” Iamarino said. “I think, from the past experience, it was just not a good experience.”

No location has been announced nor designs released, 14 months after announcing the sport’s reinstatement and a year after Carl Torbush was hired as the head coach. And the Bucs are supposed to kick off in about 15 months.

It’s the complete opposite of Mercer’s situation. The Bears had everything in place by their first kickoff last year with a fieldhouse and stadium that drew rave reviews. ETSU will have to play at least two seasons, 2015 as an independent in transition and then 2016 in the conference, at Science Hill’s high school stadium a little more than a mile away from campus. Iamarino hopes the Bucs are in their own football facility for 2017.

The mini-dome is undergoing extensive renovations to turn it into a football and basketall practice facility.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/06/28/3173305/...rylink=cpy

Its been fairly common knowledge for over a year that the conference told ETSU to move to Freedom Hall.

Frankly though, i think that the Southern Conference would have been lucky to get us even if we played football and basketball in the dome. We will instantly become one of the favorites to win in most of the sports.

ASUN Commissioner Gumbart says ASUN strongest it's ever been:
http://www.macon.com/2014/06/29/3174906/...9%2F160%2F

(06-30-2014 06:33 AM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  ASUN Commissioner Gumbart says ASUN strongest it's ever been:
http://www.macon.com/2014/06/29/3174906/...9%2F160%2F

Some of that is the BS that you would expect from the commissioner. However, as far as the financial stability and financial benefits for the members, the ASUN is probably in the best shape its ever been and probably better than the Southern.

It may be common knowledge but nobody has printed it until now. And NOBODY has officially said anything about 2 years at Science Hill's football stadium. It's always been one.

(06-30-2014 10:59 AM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  It may be common knowledge but nobody has printed it until now. And NOBODY has officially said anything about 2 years at Science Hill's football stadium. It's always been one.

That's because the JC Press doesn't have the nuts to post that kind of stuff.
Seriously though, I wonder if the Southern Conference put in a stipulation that membership for ETSU was contingent on them agreeing to never playing a game in the dome again, or if it was worded as such that they had to make a "legitimate effort" in moving games over to Freedom Hall? As of tomorrow, ETSU is a full member of the Southern Conference, could ETSU come back HYPOTHETICALLY and say: "Well the deal with Freedom Hall fell through due to (Insert lame excuse here)," and we have nowhere else to play but the Minidome. What could the SoCon say or do? They're not kicking us out at that point.

(06-30-2014 10:59 AM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  It may be common knowledge but nobody has printed it until now. And NOBODY has officially said anything about 2 years at Science Hill's football stadium. It's always been one.

That is true. But as time has progressed, it has become obvious to me at least that it will not just be 1 year at Science Hill. At this pace, I'm just hoping it isn't 3-5 years, and that the fan base sticks with it long enough. It is certainly going to hurt donations and the overall buzz.

Here's my thoughts on the ETSU stadium/football situation.

1) I hope (and I assume) that the SoCon put it in writing that ETSU must deliver a football stadium with X, Y, and Z included.
2) The SoCon has proven before they will not hesitate to remove ETSU (or anyone else for screwing around with football)
3) I do believe ETSU will meet the deadlines, but they are adding some major drama to their football kickoff.

(06-30-2014 06:33 AM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  ASUN Commissioner Gumbart says ASUN strongest it's ever been:
http://www.macon.com/2014/06/29/3174906/...9%2F160%2F

As far as this goes... yes they are strong now, but I really think he is putting the entire A-Sun at risk for no apparent reason. The only reason (which the article alluded to) would be greed. Each school gets a bigger piece of the pie. However, by not being proactive and adding schools they are setting themselves up for a disaster. When the next domino falls it may be the last straw for everyone else. At that point it will no longer be Dunk City, but Dunk Island.

Don't get me wrong either, I want the A-Sun to succeed. I've searched every now and then for expansion rumors. They really are just sticking with 8 teams and rolling the dice. It's strange.

(07-01-2014 01:25 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  Here's my thoughts on the ETSU stadium/football situation.

1) I hope (and I assume) that the SoCon put it in writing that ETSU must deliver a football stadium with X, Y, and Z included.
2) The SoCon has proven before they will not hesitate to remove ETSU (or anyone else for screwing around with football)
3) I do believe ETSU will meet the deadlines, but they are adding some major drama to their football kickoff.

Regarding number 2, the Southern can do what it wants- but they are not in the same position that they were in 2005. Right now, they are trying to stay relevant as a conference. The Southern needs ETSU more than ETSU needs the Southern going forward.

To those in the know...Is the reason for the hold up in stadium news due to not having the PAC fully funded, or is there another hold up?

I have been told there are no hold ups with the exception of the flooding survey info. I think they may want to time it with the completion of fund raising for tr PAC & the official start of football find raising. I've been told football find raising is going very well. I know people on here will worry & speculate & criticize, but I honestly think they are doing the best they can. Find raising for the PAC slowed down a bit when the state didn't fund it. But it's moving although slower than the admin wanted @ this point.

Find = fund raising. Sorry posting from an iPhone here

How close are we on finishing the PAC fund raising?

Well I do agree with the author of the article on the time thing....they are really dragging their feet with the stadium, logo, uniforms, etc.

The original plan was to space things out to keep excitement going but it's starting to make them look like they don't have their stuff together.

I've heard that we will hear about the Performing Arts Center before the football stadium as a matter of PR timing, and that we are between two stadium locations pending water survey. No idea what the timelines are, but it seems we are close.

We've been a couple of weeks away since October.

I hear we are about $2 million away on the PAC fund raising. Look, I know you don't want to listen to me for various reasons, but I've been told by an excellent source that fund raising for football is going quite well. This has been verified by several other excellent sources - people that are directly involved with fund raising. It's a different ballgame with Dick Sander - it's not the old regime. I've said that enough times I don't think I'll say it again. You can continue to whine & complain, but if you really want to know what's going on, contact him, or his assistant AD Scott Carter. I know Carter at the very least will talk to you, I don't know what specifics he'll tell you - probably depends on your approach. . Or, you can do like most people do around here -- just negatively speculate.

Don't you think it's important to inform the public, some who are very skeptical, about what is going on? We know there are drawings. Why not leak one at some point? Just give us a little something to bide us over. I don't want some who are on the fence for this thing to start doubting. We need the communities support, and we need to show them that THIS time will be different.