Sadly many fans may have a negative association with traveling back to DeKalb.
In theory Rockford (45 minutes away)alone has the potential to fill the the football stadium.
Perception problems by potential football attendees.
Going to watch a FB game in DeKalb may be viewed as more pain then pleasure.
The costs in addition to the gas are not offset by a positive experience.
Solution: Lower costs and increase positive pre-game and game experience.

(10-19-2015 05:14 AM)niuguy Wrote:  

(10-18-2015 09:25 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Based on all these comments, it appears that some MAC schools are "cooking the attendance books"......makes you stand back and ask "why would NIU move forward with stadium expansion? why not just upgrade restrooms, concessions, the pregame experience??

Probably because it allows us to bring in schools like Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin who would fill the stadium.

Upgrading restrooms, concessions, the pre-game experience will build a larger fan base for all home games for many years.

This is far better then relying on outside fans for 1 big home game every two years.

Stadium expansion is an unpopular and expensive ,"white elephant". It alienates students who are resentful with their perceived misallocation of tuition $.
Many Alumni also view it as a waist of money.
Many fans view it as taking the fan retention for granted.
How many fans wish to pay more money for a seat at a FB game with the same restrooms and concessions?

(10-19-2015 09:40 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 05:14 AM)niuguy Wrote:  

(10-18-2015 09:25 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Based on all these comments, it appears that some MAC schools are "cooking the attendance books"......makes you stand back and ask "why would NIU move forward with stadium expansion? why not just upgrade restrooms, concessions, the pregame experience??

Probably because it allows us to bring in schools like Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin who would fill the stadium.

Upgrading restrooms, concessions, the pre-game experience will build a larger fan base for all home games for many years.

This is far better then relying on outside fans for 1 big home game every two years.

Stadium expansion is an unpopular and expensive ,"white elephant". It alienates students who are resentful with their perceived misallocation of tuition $.
Many Alumni also view it as a waist of money.
Many fans view it as taking the fan retention for granted.
How many fans wish to pay more money for a seat at a FB game with the same restrooms and concessions?

Also with the planned "Master Plan" expansion, those new seats in the indoor and outdoor club areas and other renovated areas on the east side will cost a LOT. If people are complaining now about the cost of tickets, parking, etc., how will it be that all of a sudden they can afford to pay thousand$ for those new seats?

(10-19-2015 09:45 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 09:40 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 05:14 AM)niuguy Wrote:  

(10-18-2015 09:25 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Based on all these comments, it appears that some MAC schools are "cooking the attendance books"......makes you stand back and ask "why would NIU move forward with stadium expansion? why not just upgrade restrooms, concessions, the pregame experience??

Probably because it allows us to bring in schools like Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin who would fill the stadium.

Upgrading restrooms, concessions, the pre-game experience will build a larger fan base for all home games for many years.

This is far better then relying on outside fans for 1 big home game every two years.

Stadium expansion is an unpopular and expensive ,"white elephant". It alienates students who are resentful with their perceived misallocation of tuition $.
Many Alumni also view it as a waist of money.
Many fans view it as taking the fan retention for granted.
How many fans wish to pay more money for a seat at a FB game with the same restrooms and concessions?

Also with the planned "Master Plan" expansion, those new seats in the indoor and outdoor club areas and other renovated areas on the east side will cost a LOT. If people are complaining now about the cost of tickets, parking, etc., how will it be that all of a sudden they can afford to pay thousand$ for those new seats?

+1

I've been "against" the Master Plan for those very reasons. We can't even fill up the current stadium, expansion is not the way to go. Just more empty seats to show on TV.

NIU should use all available resources towards making the gameday experience the best it can be, not towards building something people won't pay for.

Renovating all the bathrooms and adding new ones should be a top priority. This should be followed up by renovation of the concessions areas.

Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Ya'll are too wrapped up w/ the master plan = to only stadium expansion. When in reality the priority projects would probably be press box, and premium seating, and overall renovation that is SORELY needed. I'm sure some of you old timers that's "against the master plan" probably were the same pessimist when the east side was built.

Just because I only mentioned expansion of seating doesn't mean I believe the Master Plan only involves that. I'm 26 years old, far from the old timers you're talking about.

The East side of our stadium needs renovating and is set to undergo a multimillion dollar renovation at the end of this year. That is where the camera's face and it needs to have be upgraded to draw in more fans. The West side and the student section (endzone) were pretty darn full. UT has suites and lodges and those are entirely sold out year after year and require a donation on top of the ticket, food and drinks revenue. I believe the revenue on those is worth almost as much as ticket sales for one or two games. We had seven home games this year and if you consider having suites and loges brings in more revenue then another game that means we are bringing in the equivelant of eight to nine games this year versus other MAC schools at six games and with much lower actual attendance. Hence we are the closest to self funded there is in the conference. When it is all said and done we will average pretty close to 20,000 fans per game give or take even with EMU not being an exciting match up. We also have seven home games in 2017 since our AD isn't a big fan of the one and dones very often. Cheers!

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

(10-19-2015 10:04 AM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  I've been "against" the Master Plan for those very reasons. We can't even fill up the current stadium, expansion is not the way to go. Just more empty seats to show on TV.

NIU should use all available resources towards making the gameday experience the best it can be, not towards building something people won't pay for.

+1

Improve game day experience and since it's about telecast/streaming, anything that will improve your ability to do so and communicate the image you're to trying to convey.

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

(10-19-2015 11:54 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

That's my concern as well, on paper a renovation for expansion of seating/luxury boxes, having Huskie stadium open 365 days a year, IHSA playoffs etc sounds awesome.

But where is the money going to come from to pay for this? We don't have enough of a fanbase to sell out the stadium on a normal Saturday, where people have issues with tickets/parking prices, and these are the people we are supposed to count on for donations for a Master Plan costing north of $100 million, I just don't see it.

(10-19-2015 11:54 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

$250.00 and I know what wont pay for much than a club seat or two but I don't plan on using it for 15 years until my kids leave the nest.

People will likely need to sign agreements for 3, 5 or 10 years for the various premium options and they will likely have to put a sizable down payment to help fund the build.

For me the skybox/club structure is the only MUST. I really don't feel as strongly about the rest for now.

We can only build it if the funding is there and I am totally for that type of requirement from the BOT.

If there isn't the money to do it then fine. I just think its nuts for people to say that any money should go towards something else when this is the already announced plan.

(10-19-2015 12:03 PM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:54 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

That's my concern as well, on paper a renovation for expansion of seating/luxury boxes, having Huskie stadium open 365 days a year, IHSA playoffs etc sounds awesome.

But where is the money going to come from to pay for this? We don't have enough of a fanbase to sell out the stadium on a normal Saturday, where people have issues with tickets/parking prices, and these are the people we are supposed to count on for donations for a Master Plan costing north of $100 million, I just don't see it.

No its supposed to attract a completely new demographic that we cant attract now. Those people who can afford it or have businesses that can afford it.

(10-19-2015 12:53 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:54 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

$250.00 and I know what wont pay for much than a club seat or two but I don't plan on using it for 15 years until my kids leave the nest.

People will likely need to sign agreements for 3, 5 or 10 years for the various premium options and they will likely have to put a sizable down payment to help fund the build.

For me the skybox/club structure is the only MUST. I really don't feel as strongly about the rest for now.

We can only build it if the funding is there and I am totally for that type of requirement from the BOT.

If there isn't the money to do it then fine. I just think its nuts for people to say that any money should go towards something else when this is the already announced plan.

Remember when they did that survey prior to the Master Plan? They were throwing out feelers for a minimum of $1,250 per seat donation for the new club seats (on the low end). Loges and skybox seats were considerably higher. I paid particular attention to this because at the time of the survey, our most premium seats - the west side skybox - were at $1,000 per seat donation (they are now $1,150). I currently buy 4 season tickets. I will not pay a minimum of $5,000 in total seat donations plus the other costs. Not gonna happen. Let's see how many people do spend that kind of money - especially where 1/3 of our home games are midweek winter night games.

(10-19-2015 12:03 PM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:54 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:49 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 11:26 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(10-19-2015 10:23 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Investing in and renovating Huskie Stadium is about more than just hosting six football games a year. Whether people buy into the plan or not, the stadium renovations needs to move forward.

“I want Huskie Stadium to be open 365 days a year,” Frazier said, according to a March 5 Northern Star article. “There’s something very collegial about college stadiums and college athletic facilities that the general student population really wants to be a part of.”

Thank you for pointing this out.

Not to mention, in a few years the IHSA Football State Championships will up for bid again. A fully renovated Huskie Stadium and the continuing support of most of the coaches in the northern part of the state can give NIU the inside track at winning the bid. Not just every other year, but EVERY year.

The renovation of Huskie Stadium must go forward!

+1

Money is needed to renovate Huskie Stadium per the Master Plan. Lots and lots of money. And, I am assuming to do this, people will need to prepay for their box, loge, and club seats. How much would you be willing to donate to this endeavor?

That's my concern as well, on paper a renovation for expansion of seating/luxury boxes, having Huskie stadium open 365 days a year, IHSA playoffs etc sounds awesome.

But where is the money going to come from to pay for this? We don't have enough of a fanbase to sell out the stadium on a normal Saturday, where people have issues with tickets/parking prices, and these are the people we are supposed to count on for donations for a Master Plan costing north of $100 million, I just don't see it.

You really think the athletic dept's target for large donations/sponsorship are going to be Joe blow, just graduated from college w/ thousands in debt. Doubt it.

Hopefully we hear about what has happened in this 'silent phase' soon.

*a premium experience are needed to justify the current prices. Plain and simple. Going back to giving out free tickets for a canned good donation is not good business, and devalues season ticket holders. Yes this is currently sticker shock now, but the Athletic dept. has been proactive about improving the gameday experience. The master plan is more than just more seat, it is to improve the expirience overall and provide for better facilities for our athletes and continue to attract future athletes to NIU's program.