How will JTS compare?

dunar · 04-09-2008, 03:49 PM

MSNBC Stadium rankings by conference

Found this one, but I don't agree... I was looking for a listing of playing surface rankings - I seem to remember that JTS ranks high for its field since we ditched the Astro-turf.

cycloneryan · 04-09-2008, 03:50 PM

I have been to a few in the big 12 and the only one that I thought was impressive was, sadly, was NU's. I think the big problem is filling the one we have. How will JTS look when it is bowled in when we have 30K at a game? We need a winner to show we have great facilities.

becrisgreg · 04-09-2008, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by D UP Clones

in person.

I like the direction the of the facilities plan and it will definitely improve the appearance of the stadium on game day. Having said that, don't believe the mentality of some Cyclone fans that everything ISU has is somehow inferior.

I like the direction of the facilities plan too. But simply bowling in JTS will not make it an elite level college FB stadium. A major improvement, yes! Make us one of the best in the Big 12, no.

That isn't an ISU inferiority complex, just my opinion based on personal experience. Not that it matters, but I have been fortunate enough to attended games at all of the Big 8 schools, 9 of 11 Big 10, and 3 SEC schools. I haven't been to any of the Texas schools in the Big 12, but can only imagine that Austin and College Station offer up some pretty nice game day experiences.

Bowling in JTS will put it ahead (it already is) of Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. After the renovations (which KU is already doing), it may be a different story. The same can be said for Okie State and their giant erector set stadium that is undergoing major renovations. Bowling JTS should bring it to par with KState and Folsom Field.

That is why it is absolutely critical that we complete the bowling in of the stadium sooner rather than later.

I certainly will dance with the one I'm with. But it doesn't make me any less of an ISU fan to think it would be cool to be able to attend 6 home games every year in a stadium like the Horeshoe in Columbus.

Splendid · 04-09-2008, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by isuno1fan

I wouldn't trade Trice for any other stadium. Love the place.

I agree, our seats are on the south 15 yard line but because of the bowing effect we feel like we are on the 50 yard line. I wouldn't trade ours for any other in the conference.

StLouisClone · 04-09-2008, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by BryceC

I do agree that the practice facility is still top notch. But Jack Trice is probably one of the worst in the Big 12 comparatively, although I do say that without having visited several of the stadiums.

I've been to two other stadiums (in Lawrence and in Columbia) and I honestly think Jack Trice is the best of the three. And that doesn't count the improvements we are making.

Rogue52 · 04-09-2008, 04:25 PM

A couple things that will greatly improve Jack Trice Stadium:

1. Bowling in South Endzone. Without it, alot of people think of Jack Trice as no more than a glorified high school stadium.
2. Widescreen HD Jumbotron. Ok, it may sound crazy, but I think upgrading the video and sound systems at the stadium could possibly be more important than even bowling in the south endzone.
3. Ditch the office building in the north endzone. I don't know who's idea it was, but it just looks out of place. I only hope someday we can bowl in the north end zone around/over the Jacobsen Building.

Another thing that I think hurts ISU is the fact that Jack Trice just doens't look good on television. It looks ALOT better than some stadiums, but nothing to write home about. There aren't even designated places for telvision cameras around the stadium. Television crews just put massive stands in the upper deck for them.

ajk4st8 · 04-09-2008, 04:30 PM

JTS is better than Lawrence. Heck I liked Baylors more than ISU. Mizzou is in a cool setting. KSU has a decent, but not amazing stadium. kNU's press box beats JTS alone.

CycloneWarrior · 04-09-2008, 04:41 PM

i'm glad they are bowling it in, jts is gonna be sick, now if it could be totally packed to the limit, like how allen field house is, but for us

HandSanitizer · 04-09-2008, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneryan

I have been to a few in the big 12 and the only one that I thought was impressive was, sadly, was NU's. I think the big problem is filling the one we have. How will JTS look when it is bowled in when we have 30K at a game? We need a winner to show we have great facilities.

How will it look? The same as now. There are hills and bleachers there now that look tacky and empty when we are 2-8 and its 20 degrees out in November.

CyPlainsDrifter · 04-09-2008, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneryan

I have been to a few in the big 12 and the only one that I thought was impressive was, sadly, was NU's. I think the big problem is filling the one we have. How will JTS look when it is bowled in when we have 30K at a game? We need a winner to show we have great facilities.

Huh.... been to any games lately? When was the last time we had 30K for a game. The last couple years we averaged more people than we have seats.

BryceC · 04-09-2008, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by CyPlainsDrifter

Huh.... been to any games lately? When was the last time we had 30K for a game. The last couple years we averaged more people than we have seats.

If you made it to any games 2 years ago you'd be plenty familiar with what JTS looks like with 30k and less inside.

HandSanitizer · 04-09-2008, 05:04 PM

There are some universities we are not going to be able to touch.

Bracket 1
A&M, Tex, OU, Nebraska.
And Now adding to that list will be Okie state. There is no way Jack trice will ever be better than those stadium pending Bill Gates donating.

Bracket 2
Mizzoui, Colorado,Tex Tech

Bracket 3
K-State, ISU, Kansas and Baylor

We should be happy if we can jump into Bracket 2. We would probably have to Double Deck the The South Endzone with a large video board and sound system over The Jacobson. We would also need The existing one above the upper deck of the new endzone. We would need new fencing around the stadium, suites on the East just like the west and new concessions like the west also. Update the scoreboards on the sides of the stands for scores etc.
A few more beautification projects here and there and we would be set for 6-8th place. I can live with that. I can't live with 12th place which is basically what we are.

Last, but not least is winning.

ISUFan22 · 04-09-2008, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by CyPlainsDrifter

Huh.... been to any games lately? When was the last time we had 30K for a game. The last couple years we averaged more people than we have seats.

Averaged in sales. Again, operative word is sales.

End of the year games when we're already "done" for the year - the actual attendance is no where near the average.

frontrangeclone · 04-09-2008, 05:25 PM

JTS wasn't even full when the Clones were playing a division title-clinching game vs. Mizzou in '04.... (yes yes, I know, holiday weekend and cold weather)... ISU football fans can be a fickle bunch sometimes, ranging from super energetic (CU '05, any Iowa game) to butt holders (Baylor '05, TAMU '00).... I just think that if and when the stadium is bowled in, I hope there have been several seasons in a row of crowds averaging 50k or over, and of course for this to happen, there has to be an exciting product on the field...

I do think bowling the stadium in will improve acoustics greatly by trapping sound in the horseshoe instead of having it blow up to story city... another thing I've noticed is everything just seems so wide open at JTS with the hillsides and the low angle of the lower stands and decks, I think bowling in will give the place a more closed-in, big-time feel. I wonder if the upper deck was built, if it would be a attached to the east-west upper decks or a stand alone structure?

CyPlainsDrifter · 04-09-2008, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by BryceC

If you made it to any games 2 years ago you'd be plenty familiar with what JTS looks like with 30k and less inside.

I only missed a couple of games in the last 8 years (since I moved back to Iowa. You are wrong BTW and apparently just being negative and inaccurate to make some point.

We haven't had a crowd of 30K or less since before 2002..... that's as far back as I bothered to look. I think probably the UConn game in 02 was the closest we would have come to that and we had sold attendance of ~35K for that one. For the past 3 years we are averaging more people than seats with only a handful of individual games with attendance under seating capacity.

Will we always fill a south endzone? Probably not, but to make it out that JTS is routinely 30K and half empty isn't remotely close to the truth. FWIW, the lower bowl addition will not add many seats from where we are now, so the whole argument is moot anyway.