(10-10-2015 02:30 PM)WMD Owl Wrote:  Empty East Stands would look horrible on TV

They already look horrible, it wouldn't be that much different.

(10-10-2015 02:34 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 02:30 PM)WMD Owl Wrote:  Empty East Stands would look horrible on TV

They already look horrible, it wouldn't be that much different.

True, but I wonder if with all the advancements in cameras these days if we can't shoot TV back at the west instead. It was always the excuse that TV had to shoot from the west with the sun behind it, but I just don't know that this is really true anymore. Sure, it would take some 'special' filters or digital enhancement or something, but that is far easier and cheaper than putting another 10k on the east that are willing to sit in the sun and not on the concourse.

I think I'd drape off an area in perhaps the first 10-15 rows behind the visitors and put a large tarp, forcing the visitors to sit between the 20s in the top 20 rows or so.

Part of the reason the MOB is on the east side is so the sound is directed at the home stands. Not the only reason, but you certainly sacrifice sound quality putting the MOB on the same side.

Of course (as noted by many before), when I played, TV didn't dictate afternoon starts through mid-October - we benefited from evening home games during that time. May have to adjust with the times.

(10-10-2015 02:44 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 02:34 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 02:30 PM)WMD Owl Wrote:  Empty East Stands would look horrible on TV

They already look horrible, it wouldn't be that much different.

True, but I wonder if with all the advancements in cameras these days if we can't shoot TV back at the west instead. It was always the excuse that TV had to shoot from the west with the sun behind it, but I just don't know that this is really true anymore. Sure, it would take some 'special' filters or digital enhancement or something, but that is far easier and cheaper than putting another 10k on the east that are willing to sit in the sun and not on the concourse.

I think I'd drape off an area in perhaps the first 10-15 rows behind the visitors and put a large tarp, forcing the visitors to sit between the 20s in the top 20 rows or so.

At the rate we are going I am not sure we could fill the lower east side if we tarped off everything but seat 8 on every row in the center section.

(10-10-2015 02:44 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  True, but I wonder if with all the advancements in cameras these days if we can't shoot TV back at the west instead. It was always the excuse that TV had to shoot from the west with the sun behind it, but I just don't know that this is really true anymore. Sure, it would take some 'special' filters or digital enhancement or something, ...

This is not an excuse. It's always better to take photos/videos with illumination coming from behind the camera. I doubt that it's possible (or feasible economically) to convert into-the-sun images into viewer-acceptable ones with the speed and resolution needed for TV. Even if it were possible, I also doubt there is any driver for trying to create such an innovation. What applications are out there where the camera must be looking into the sun?

Looking into the sun would make silhouettes of the players, since little light is reaching the sides of the players that the camera can see. Reducing the lens apeture when the sun is actually in the frame makes the contrast even worse.

(10-10-2015 05:27 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 02:44 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  True, but I wonder if with all the advancements in cameras these days if we can't shoot TV back at the west instead. It was always the excuse that TV had to shoot from the west with the sun behind it, but I just don't know that this is really true anymore. Sure, it would take some 'special' filters or digital enhancement or something, ...

This is not an excuse. It's always better to take photos/videos with illumination coming from behind the camera. I doubt that it's possible (or feasible economically) to convert into-the-sun images into viewer-acceptable ones with the speed and resolution needed for TV. Even if it were possible, I also doubt there is any driver for trying to create such an innovation. What applications are out there where the camera must be looking into the sun?

Looking into the sun would make silhouettes of the players, since little light is reaching the sides of the players that the camera can see. Reducing the lens apeture when the sun is actually in the frame makes the contrast even worse.

You seem to have a problem with the word excuse... would rationale be better?

Well, the obvious application would be Rice Stadium... but I imagine that there are all sorts of applications where being able to put the sun behind you isn't an option... Like trying to take a picture of the sun. How about golf? Reality Tv?

It's important to note that you aren't really looking into the sun... you're looking down onto the field and the sun is above, but in front of you. Only if you pan above the stands are you actually looking into the sun.

But my point is really that you're almost describing an analog system and everything is digital these days. My cell phone can adjust to the sun behind the subject. Surely a couple hundred thousand dollar camera with the aid of a video trailer can do even better.

No, it's not optimal, but it's better than showing empty stands. I think this wasn't an option in 1995, but in 2015 it should be.

I mentioned on another thread that there's a soccer team in Trieste, Italy that tarps it's thousands of empty seats with "virtual fans." The images on the tarps are of their real fans so that it looks like home fans are occupying all those seats. It may be something to think about at Rice Stadium. I think I'd tarp everything but a section or two for visiting fans. There's nothing worse than the way it is now, with all those ugly, empty seats. It drains a lot of energy

The upside down R on the 50-yard line would look pretty sweet too. Not to mention broadcasters calling the game "backwards."

(10-10-2015 11:23 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I mentioned on another thread that there's a soccer team in Trieste, Italy that tarps it's thousands of empty seats with "virtual fans." The images on the tarps are of their real fans so that it looks like home fans are occupying all those seats. It may be something to think about at Rice Stadium. I think I'd tarp everything but a section or two for visiting fans. There's nothing worse than the way it is now, with all those ugly, empty seats. It drains a lot of energy

That's similar to my thought. I think that would be especially effective down low behind the benches... say the first ten rows or so where most of the looks are through the players on the sideline

(10-11-2015 12:33 AM)FeistyNightBird Wrote:  The upside down R on the 50-yard line would look pretty sweet too. Not to mention broadcasters calling the game "backwards."

Heaven forbid we have to repaint the logo. As for calling it backwards, although they occasionally say on the radio that the team is moving from left to right, I've never heard a TV commentator say that... and a player looking to his right or throwing left would still be looking to his right or throwing left.

I don't see that improving the atmosphere at our games by increasing the crowd density somewhat (without over-crowding it) or improving the sense on tv that the stands are more full than they actually are ISN'T worth the one time a game where a commentator might be saying left and we see it as right, or having the home as opposed to visitors stands see an upside down logo.

15,000 people in a stadium built for 45,000 (really, 72,000) with massive concourses where they hang out when it's sunny looks HORRIBLE. Put 12,000 of those 15,000 on the shadier side that nobody sees and it looks even worse. It honestly looks like we have 500 people at our games. I'd rather they say left and mean right, or have an upside down logo than people think there are 500 at our games.

The empty east side is terrible. It not only looks bad on TV, but it's a drag on the game day atmosphere. I feel sorry for the MOB and the students. Seeing them over there by themselves is depressing. It really is. You don't beg students to come to games or to join the MOB, and then put them over there in the direct sun all by themselves. It's not logical.

Do some crazy promotion on the east side for every game. Make 1 or 2 games a year bring your dog to HRS day. Have petting zoos (live Owls flying around on the concourse!) or some other type of different family promotion. Maybe even a LGBT day - that would certainly garner some national attention. Install massive misters that spray water on the folks in the stands every few minutes.

At this point, I think outside of a few opponents (Army in two weeks thankfully), we are never going to be able to count upon a good visitors crowd. So may as well go crazy and figure out ways to put people in the stands.

(10-11-2015 02:21 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Do some crazy promotion on the east side for every game. Make 1 or 2 games a year bring your dog to HRS day. Have petting zoos (live Owls flying around on the concourse!) or some other type of different family promotion. Maybe even a LGBT day - that would certainly garner some national attention. Install massive misters that spray water on the folks in the stands every few minutes.

At this point, I think outside of a few opponents (Army in two weeks thankfully), we are never going to be able to count upon a good visitors crowd. So may as well go crazy and figure out ways to put people in the stands.

I REALLY like the misters idea. Hang them off the upper deck 'lip'. Heck, even pump some AC or at least some massive blowers so that people are encouraged to sit in the top 10 rows or so. Make them solar/wind powered with ties to the research side of the institution... creating better batteries for storage since you're only running the fans perhaps 5 times a year for 5 hours, but you have literally 365 days to collect the energy, IF you can store it somehow. Tie it into some free charging stations for cars, gnome carts, phones, laptops... the equipment used to maintain the fields... you know, commercial applications. Last I knew they were working on a paint that acted like a solar panel. Isn't that the perfect place to test/demonstrate it? Battery technology as well. I mean seriously, this is the sort of stuff that EVERYONE is putting research dollars into, right?

Heck, Tarp the upper East with 'portable' solar panels. If it's portable enough, you can tarp the whole stadium 9+ months of the year. Their initial inefficiency isn't really that big a deal because you have all year to collect the energy.

The problem with solar panels anywhere except places like the desert is that they are fragile and long periods of 'no sun' render them moot for 'everyday living' applications... where you need a relatively consistent draw every day.... SO we feed the University 9 months of the year and 'draw down' the power on 5 days of very heavy use.

Rice Athletics is outreach, right? Let's put our University on display. I honestly think the scientific research of creating and storing energy at a place like our stadium and parking lot have 'revenue generating' applications potentially world-wide. Think of it as LEED on steroids.

(10-11-2015 02:21 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Do some crazy promotion on the east side for every game. Make 1 or 2 games a year bring your dog to HRS day. Have petting zoos (live Owls flying around on the concourse!) or some other type of different family promotion. Maybe even a LGBT day - that would certainly garner some national attention. Install massive misters that spray water on the folks in the stands every few minutes.

At this point, I think outside of a few opponents (Army in two weeks thankfully), we are never going to be able to count upon a good visitors crowd. So may as well go crazy and figure out ways to put people in the stands.

I thought we were already doing great Marketing.

Unless we play UH or a BIG12 team, the upper east deck is not needed at all. Even Baylor probably wouldn't bring enough fans to fill the lower east side. I'd tarp the entire east deck and most of the lower east seating with the most attractive tarps money can buy. It would look good. Beautify that side of the stadium so it doesn't look so depressing to TV viewers or to other fans in attendance.

I wonder if taping the whole east side is allowable. Wouldn't that put us under minimum D-1 capacity?

(10-11-2015 11:22 PM)wiessguy Wrote:  I wonder if taping the whole east side is allowable. Wouldn't that put us under minimum D-1 capacity?

Charlotte seats 15k WKU and ODU seat 20

We'd fit right in, especially in that we could easily expand. If its an issue, leave a few thousand right behind and above the sideline

Won't our seating capacity increase a bit too after the EZF is complete? Pretty soon we'll have more people in the two endzone complexes (and press box lower tier) than on the entire east side anyway. My other radical idea is to grass over the entire east stands and make it one entire big berm (bikini mountain if you will).

Maybe this will put some of us in a better mood----another take on stadium renovation.

http://www.gocomics.com/tankmcnamara/2015/10/12

Did anyone mention JK's tweet that he was at Tulane looking for ideas to include in the renovation of HRS?

(10-13-2015 03:16 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  Did anyone mention JK's tweet that he was at Tulane looking for ideas to include in the renovation of HRS?

Annoying that he was 1 block from my house and didn't even call;-) Would have amused me if I had been out for a bike ride through Tulane, which happens with some frequency, and I had seen JK strolling along. I probably would have fallen off my bike in shock!