A few tweets in recent hours from Kansas City Star beat reporter Jesse Newell...


Jesse Newell‏ @jessenewell 2h2 hours ago

Zenger says at KU alum dinner in KC that in 3 weeks, KU will release renderings for renovated Memorial Stadium. Includes indoor facility.


Jesse Newell‏ @jessenewell 2h2 hours ago

Says anticipated cost is $300 million.


Jesse Newell‏ @jessenewell 1h1 hour ago

Need to clarify this. Renderings will be completed in three weeks, but they will be released to the public in September.


Jesse Newell‏ @jessenewell 45m45 minutes ago

More Beaty: "We really do have to keep up with the facility war that goes on out there. Dr. Z (Zenger) gets that."


Jesse Newell‏ @jessenewell 44m44 minutes ago

Beaty on coming indoor facility: "It will be something that will be just that next step in transcending our program to the next level."

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Somebody is getting ready for life in the next iteration of the Power leagues. That and even KU knows football is the big money maker...fascinating.

Here's an article with a few details...

Kansas about to renovate football stadium

It can only help them whether they head to the Big 10 or wind up with us.

Long needed and it should help them a lot in recruiting. They've made some improvements under their new coach. Beating Texas last year was a huge deal for them.

Much needed for KU, the stadium is in a great location right in the middle of a beautiful campus they just need some upgrades and some winning to boost the fanbase.

Certainly KU will never be a football 1st school, but they definitely have the potential to be much more competitive than they currently are. At the end of the day, if KSU can do it then KU can do it.

(06-21-2017 09:51 PM)JRsec Wrote:  It can only help them whether they head to the Big 10 or wind up with us.

So true.

Just glad they finally putting in the infrastructure to compete with P5 programs. This should start to open more doors for them in the next round of realignment.

(06-22-2017 07:48 AM)tcufrog86 Wrote:  Much needed for KU, the stadium is in a great location right in the middle of a beautiful campus they just need some upgrades and some winning to boost the fanbase.

Certainly KU will never be a football 1st school, but they definitely have the potential to be much more competitive than they currently are. At the end of the day, if KSU can do it then KU can do it.

KU doesn't have to be football first, just relevant and not look like a G5 or FCS program

(06-22-2017 07:48 AM)tcufrog86 Wrote:  Much needed for KU, the stadium is in a great location right in the middle of a beautiful campus they just need some upgrades and some winning to boost the fanbase.

Certainly KU will never be a football 1st school, but they definitely have the potential to be much more competitive than they currently are. At the end of the day, if KSU can do it then KU can do it.

While Kansas is not on my "preferred" for the SEC list, and I am not endorsing their move to the SEC, can you imagine how their football might improve if they did head our way? I think that would be the end of the days where Kansas State gets all of the in state recruits. It would also tie them to the strongest recruiting base in the nation. While I don't see them challenging in the SEC for championships (divisional or otherwise), I could see them reaching bowls more often than not and I would say that would be a major improvement in their program. I don't think they would get the same pop in the Big 10, but it is certainly a more natural fit for them.

My gut reaction was that they were trying to make themselves more attractive.

The KU basketball brand is elite, but their football product has been beyond mediocre. There was a thought that they might have been left out on the last round of realignment had the PAC 16 plan come together. Not sure it would have happened like that, but the fact that people were talking about it probably meant that KU's value was limited. Turning their football program into something more robust could take them from limited to difference maker.

Another thought that occurred to me...either the B1G or the SEC or maybe both wanted KU to make this sort of investment before giving them true consideration. It's not like the Big 12 is going to have a large windfall in profit that would help KU pay this off. It's preparation for a future in one of the other leagues, I would think.

Of course, there's the reality that the real money is in football. If KU is going to be relevant in the next iteration of Power leagues then they need to be relevant in football.

With Missouri, Oklahoma, and A&M, the SEC would be as good as any other conference for the Jayhawks - except for perhaps the original Big 8. Kansas doesn't exactly have tons of history with nearby B1G schools - other than Nebraska. And Champaign, Cedar Rapids, and Minneapolis aren't exactly fantastic recruiting grounds...or all that near Kansas City.

And a hoops rivalry with Kentucky would have any Jayhawks supporter salivating.

(06-22-2017 05:24 PM)YNot Wrote:  With Missouri, Oklahoma, and A&M, the SEC would be as good as any other conference for the Jayhawks - except for perhaps the original Big 8. Kansas doesn't exactly have tons of history with nearby B1G schools - other than Nebraska. And Champaign, Cedar Rapids, and Minneapolis aren't exactly fantastic recruiting grounds...or all that near Kansas City.

And a hoops rivalry with Kentucky would have any Jayhawks supporter salivating.

As well as Kentucky fans.