Oklahoma State's stadium holds over 60K and they had their first sellout ever just last week. 65K is a longshot for us regardless of our record.
Question about Rhoads' comments regarding stadium upgrades
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Pollard sold the proverbial "ketchup popsicle to the lady in white gloves" over the last three years. I'll admit - I've bought in and upped my donations. However, last 3 are losing seasons, this last one being the worst. He can only do that so long before attendance drops back below 50k. Espcially if those 99 dollar hillsides become 250 endzone/corner tix.
Missouri's north/hillside (grass end zone with a big "M" in white rocks) sold tickets in that area for years. I believe they are updating that part of their stadium now to have actual seats.
But F those traitors.
Curious how long you've been a Cyclone fan? I've been one since the 70s, went to school here in the early 90s, around 2001, 2002, I remember saying to a friend, "Dang, if we could just get enough excitement to sell 36,000 season tickets, I think that would do wonders for this program." That was 12 years ago, with no more Big 12 titles under our belts and arguably no more success than we had back then. Know what he told me. "This isn't a 50k+ at every football game program. Never going to happen no matter what."
Honestly, I'm not saying you are wrong, just wondering what solidifies your thought that we've reached the absolute plateau without winning championships? I guess for me, seeing what I've seen since the mid 70s, It's kind of tough for me to say where the limit could be.
I don't really care where they rank in the conference, I just want them to get over 60k. Don't know why, but that seems like the line between a bottom level BCS stadium and a mid-level one. As for Rhoads' comments, I think that he should worry more about putting a good product out there. Two more seasons like this one and not only will ISU struggle to put 40k in the stands, it also won't be CPR's problem any more.
With the increased enrollment and the improved atmosphere at JTS, ISU should have no problem hitting 60k if the team is at least competitive.
To be fair, Oklahoma State holds ticket prices up to bring in more revenue at the expense of a full stadium, and is a smaller school than ISU -- competing with a program with much more tradition (OU) than we have to deal with in the Hawks. The fan base for OSU should be a good deal smaller than ISU's.
Small point, but lots are still using it when talking about lost/gained revenue... Hillsides were $125 this year.
THIS. Eliminate $99 hillside seats. All ~3000 new seats premium with access to new clubhouse.
Bowling in the south end zone with a second deck isn't going to push capacity to more than 62,500 anyway. Capacity with hillside SROs currently is 57,500, each hillside holding roughly 2500 and the existing SEZ bleachers holding about 5000 (actual seats at Jack Trice is somewhere around 45,000). The new lower deck of the SEZ will only replace the existing SEZ and south hillside SROs - the stadium would still be roughly 57,500. Adding the upper deck would add another 5000 seats pushing it to 62,500.
You just aren't going to get any more than that at Jack Trice without building a third deck on the west side or tearing down the hangar and bowling in the NEZ - and ISU just isn't anywhere close to ready as a program for either of those.
You just aren't going to get any more than that at Jack Trice without building a third deck on the west side or tearing down the hangar and bowling in the NEZ - and ISU just isn't anywhere close to ready as a program for either of those.
They would have a better chance of selling luxury suites if they were on the side of the stadium as opposed to the end zone. Better way to watch the game.
Are you serious with this?
This whole supporting the football program is a pretty recent phenomenon. You see people already abandoning ship after a bad season.
Plus there is a limited population in this state, and the hawks do take a big chunk of it. We are competing for a finite amount of dollars. It will be better to have it full. If it needs to be expanded, then do so later when you have a sample size that can support it.
I get that you are looking for reasons to rip on the coaches, but at least have a good point. There is a lot of material there to work with
What about just making the seats wider and put less people on the sides but spread them out more?
From @CycloneUniforms (twitter acct)
I'd venture to say this route wouldn't put us over 60k for capacity.
Safe to say it would reduce it. If we do anything remotely close to that it better be a tall, steep, single deck type segment with that stuff above it. Like an endzone version of Kinnick's one side.
It would be pretty loud, though. Lot's of sound bounced right back off that plexiglass. And lot's of money too.
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So we've kind of consistently had ~58,000 people at games over the past few years. "Sellouts." ~43k in permanent seats. Is it really that hard to believe we couldn't have a ~60,000 permanent seat stadium? Like always, something good happens and people immediately pull down their pants and take a giant dump. My 73 year old dad said to me on the phone, "I didn't think it would happen in my lifetime." Be happy people this is the only direction to go. Upward. It will look great and it will feel great.
The growth of the football program has mostly been due to the massive amount of money/media thrown at it. Pollard has been selling HOPE, and people have been buying like crazy. Again, I went balls in too. However, after this years 2/3 win season, you will see people jumping off the ship. 4 straight losing seasons will do that to people, no matter how much smoke you blow at them. The announcement on the stadium updates helps. I'm excited for these - but I really don't think capacity needs changed. Another 2 or 3 win season next year and you will see why a capacity of 65k is a dumb idea.
Are we going to have another 2 or 3 win season next year? If so, that's news to me. You should go to Vegas.
Thy product on the field will determine e demand for additional seats. Iowa State is in unprecedented territory when it comes to season tickets and attendance. Another year like this year and 56k will be a fond memory. Investments in football need to be cautious and measured to ensure the investment is sustainable. 56k seats pulling in more dollars per seat is better than 60k and deep discounts or tarp advertising revenue.
