I would imagine the only way we see any renovation/expansion of Bridgeforth in the next 5 (and maybe 10) years is if a company ponies up a LOT of money to buy out the naming rights - if that's even feasible...not sure what the rules are for someone buying the stadium/field names since they're already named...if those were in perpetuity or for x years. We still have way too many years left on phase 1 of Bridgeforth and just spent a staggering amount of money on the Bank. We can't just keep layering more and more debt on when we're already going to be forcing fundraising on donors to keep up with FBS expenditures.

You all DO understand that there are more things inside of Godwin than the gym and pool don't you? Several departments are housed in that building with faculty offices and classrooms. Where do you think those should go if you tear down Godwin for more football seating (which is NOT needed now or in the near future IMHO)? There is more to JMU than football despite what many of you think.

(10-25-2021 12:35 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 12:27 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 12:12 PM)JMU_Rocks! Wrote:  My first priority would be to ensure the camera angle and positions are oriented to our new side of the stadium. As it works now, it is like showing the back porch and trash cans all the time. Just the opposite of curb appeal.

The seating should be in our long range plans - 5 to 10 years out for announcement and whatever it takes to phase in the construction. Regular 25k sellouts again, would be fine for the next 10 years and price up premium games. We'll definitely get some teams to visit that travel well, especially in the first few visits - where they can check out the newbie.

the JMU logo would be upside down if you flipped the camera angle

Plus commentators would be viewing the game from the opposite side of what the cameras see, and you wouldn't have as good and high of an angle. The only realistic way to get out of showing our back porch and trash cans all the time is to do the other side of the stadium.

The height and angle is likely the reason cameras are mounted on the new side. Would think the logo is fixable, and could mount cameras on some type of towers on the old side. It would cost some money, hopefully not insane money. Could see it being a couple million to do it all the right way though, with new cabling and permanent tower structures.

Ya know..cameras and announcers dont have to be on the same side... grab the sewing kit and flip that logo - we look bad showing the Godwin side

That BC solution looks really smart - leave the old and cap it with a permanent structure

(10-25-2021 12:39 PM)LovethoseDukes Wrote:  You all DO understand that there are more things inside of Godwin than the gym and pool don't you? Several departments are housed in that building with faculty offices and classrooms. Where do you think those should go if you tear down Godwin for more football seating (which is NOT needed now or in the near future IMHO)? There is more to JMU than football despite what many of you think.

The building itself is very old and was in rather poor condition last time i was inside years ago. They should be looking for new homes for those classes and offices as part of general campus improvements.

Plus you get a concourse underneath the cap..could be unique experience

While we are at it, can we wrap godwin in bluestone? Its beyond ugly..im sure that will be cheap

(10-25-2021 12:39 PM)LovethoseDukes Wrote:  You all DO understand that there are more things inside of Godwin than the gym and pool don't you? Several departments are housed in that building with faculty offices and classrooms. Where do you think those should go if you tear down Godwin for more football seating (which is NOT needed now or in the near future IMHO)? There is more to JMU than football despite what many of you think.

Uhhhh... this is a sports message board and none of us are in charge of making that level of decision. Feels like your angst may be a bit misplaced.

(10-25-2021 10:47 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  i believe there is complications due to Godwin and what's "underneath" the old stands

that is an expensive endeavour i believe

Old side is 40feet further from the field than new side, Ive measured it. There is a steamline from under Duke Dog Allet, and a drain culvert between Godwin and the east side of BFS. Just move everything toward the field, and steam lines, culvert are out of the way. An overhang over Godwin like the parkingdeck side will up capacity. If JMU sees fit to mirror the west side with suites and upper press boxes (not needed), then its another story. No need rush on a upgrade now, we just need to sell out every game once we go FBS and the rest will come in due time.

(10-25-2021 12:46 PM)boozeNammo Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 12:39 PM)LovethoseDukes Wrote:  You all DO understand that there are more things inside of Godwin than the gym and pool don't you? Several departments are housed in that building with faculty offices and classrooms. Where do you think those should go if you tear down Godwin for more football seating (which is NOT needed now or in the near future IMHO)? There is more to JMU than football despite what many of you think.

Uhhhh... this is a sports message board and none of us are in charge of making that level of decision. Feels like your angst may be a bit misplaced.

To quote the great Cardale Jones "we aint come to play school"

(10-25-2021 11:40 AM)2Buck Wrote:  All I know is there are going to be a lot of pissed off alumni/donors if our seating is 10,000 short for the first time we host UVa or Tech.

Good they should become STH if they want to go to those games.

(10-25-2021 12:39 PM)LovethoseDukes Wrote:  You all DO understand that there are more things inside of Godwin than the gym and pool don't you? Several departments are housed in that building with faculty offices and classrooms. Where do you think those should go if you tear down Godwin for more football seating (which is NOT needed now or in the near future IMHO)? There is more to JMU than football despite what many of you think.

I guess opinions are gonna vary on how much of a need it is, but I certainly think JMU in the Sun Belt is going to be capable of attendance beyond 25k for just about every game, if not every game. Several games can go way beyond that. When App State or Marshall come to town, probably ODU too and definitely if they get it together in football, and definitely any P5 home games we're able to get. Plus there will be times where a top 25 Louisiana, Troy, etc. is coming to Harrisonburg to face a top 25 JMU.

We had over 22k for Morehead and Maine, and over 25k for Villanova. More interest purely by going FBS or as a lot of casual fans see it "going division 1", more interesting and competitive opponents, and higher ceiling for JMU is gonna mean potential for a pretty solid jump in attendance imo. I guess we'll see how much and how soon JMU decides they need to expand to accommodate the increased demand.

(10-25-2021 12:47 PM)JMUsince89 Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 10:47 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  i believe there is complications due to Godwin and what's "underneath" the old stands

that is an expensive endeavour i believe

Old side is 40feet further from the field than new side, Ive measured it. There is a steamline from under Duke Dog Allet, and a drain culvert between Godwin and the east side of BFS. Just move everything toward the field, and steam lines, culvert are out of the way. An overhang over Godwin like the parkingdeck side will up capacity. If JMU sees fit to mirror the west side with suites and upper press boxes (not needed), then its another story. No need rush on a upgrade now, we just need to sell out every game once we go FBS and the rest will come in due time.

Between this piont (40 foot setback) and KickittoScottys point...we need to be ready to pull the trigger on this sooner than later - especially since it would happen in phases over years:

- fill in the corners / demo visitors
- rebuild closer to field
- cap and carry with Godwin

or something like that

I don't think the other side of BFS is happening until they replace Godwin. Godwin is old and crappy (just shy of 50 years), and I'm sure JMU would love to build a new facility in/around/under the stadium expansion.

It was only 22 years old when I graduated and it sucked balls then. Very community college.

At the moment, we have 2 regular sellouts each season - Homecoming and Parent's Day. That likely will continue. Plus first home game is also usually very well attended regardless of the opponent. The rest are influenced by weather, opponent, time of day, our record, etc.

Selling out those other 2 to 3 games regularly again will be the short-term goal. Especially if it can be boosted by increasing season ticket numbers. Eventually, it may be necessary to limit student seating in favor of ticket sales. Which ideally corresponds with less reliance on student fees. I would guess the new annual mid-week game will rely on students to fill the stadium. Having more demand than supply for seats is exactly where we want to be and with a long-range plan in place how to increase the seating.

(10-25-2021 01:49 PM)JMU_Rocks! Wrote:  At the moment, we have 2 regular sellouts each season - Homecoming and Parent's Day. That likely will continue. Plus first home game is also usually very well attended regardless of the opponent. The rest are influenced by weather, opponent, time of day, our record, etc.

Selling out those other 2 to 3 games regularly again will be the short-term goal. Especially if it can be boosted by increasing season ticket numbers. Eventually, it may be necessary to limit student seating in favor of ticket sales. Which ideally corresponds with less reliance on student fees. I would guess the new annual mid-week game will rely on students to fill the stadium. Having more demand than supply for seats is exactly where we want to be and with a long-range plan in place how to increase the seating.

Kind of hard to limit student seating when they are still footing such a big part of the bill.

For our new Sun Belt visitors, here is the original expansion video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxibToE1S7A

The endzone bleachers plan changed, but at least that gives others the general idea of the original plan in 2008.

(10-25-2021 02:14 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 01:49 PM)JMU_Rocks! Wrote:  At the moment, we have 2 regular sellouts each season - Homecoming and Parent's Day. That likely will continue. Plus first home game is also usually very well attended regardless of the opponent. The rest are influenced by weather, opponent, time of day, our record, etc.

Selling out those other 2 to 3 games regularly again will be the short-term goal. Especially if it can be boosted by increasing season ticket numbers. Eventually, it may be necessary to limit student seating in favor of ticket sales. Which ideally corresponds with less reliance on student fees. I would guess the new annual mid-week game will rely on students to fill the stadium. Having more demand than supply for seats is exactly where we want to be and with a long-range plan in place how to increase the seating.

Kind of hard to limit student seating when they are still footing such a big part of the bill.

Yeah, if you're going to be relying on students to bring the atmosphere for mid-week games, you've got to ensure they have opportunities to be in the building on Saturdays too.

(10-25-2021 02:55 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 02:14 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  

(10-25-2021 01:49 PM)JMU_Rocks! Wrote:  At the moment, we have 2 regular sellouts each season - Homecoming and Parent's Day. That likely will continue. Plus first home game is also usually very well attended regardless of the opponent. The rest are influenced by weather, opponent, time of day, our record, etc.

Selling out those other 2 to 3 games regularly again will be the short-term goal. Especially if it can be boosted by increasing season ticket numbers. Eventually, it may be necessary to limit student seating in favor of ticket sales. Which ideally corresponds with less reliance on student fees. I would guess the new annual mid-week game will rely on students to fill the stadium. Having more demand than supply for seats is exactly where we want to be and with a long-range plan in place how to increase the seating.

Kind of hard to limit student seating when they are still footing such a big part of the bill.

Yeah, if you're going to be relying on students to bring the atmosphere for mid-week games, you've got to ensure they have opportunities to be in the building on Saturdays too.

Yeah we need more student/109 types, not less.

Speaking of mid week games we need to find the best way to maximize attendance from the students during these games when STH's and others may have a hard time making it. Not sure what best solution is.

(10-25-2021 03:13 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Speaking of mid week games we need to find the best way to maximize attendance from the students during these games when STH's and others may have a hard time making it. Not sure what best solution is.

If they are big time games, just do the same type of student promos/giveaways used for the playoffs when school is out of session.

They've got nowhere to go on a weekday, only issue is some may need to study that evening for tests, etc.