JTS Improvements - Want More

[cyfan92]

several of those are already in the works...planning stages so they hopefully will be done before any other projects on the Stadium.

A/E district is hopefully moving forward but will be a decade out before done.
Hilton renovation is in the works and I believe set to move forward.

Not sure what you want for a Sukup redevelopment but that facility is New and I dont see that getting much done for a while.

CMC and JP will be the deciding point for all the future development so if they say NEZ, E or W or none that is going to be what it is. So that doesnt make much sense.

I think there are some plans for a smaller facility for some non rev sports in the A/E plans but again not sure that is a very high priority. I do think a facility other than the Hilton for the volleyball and wrestling to use as a venue for matches would be nice. But not sure how much of a priority that is.

Right now I think we are outselling several sections of the stadium, including donor sections, suites and clubs, we are outselling Parking. If we have a few years like this we have to look at some form of expansion. either that or increases in prices will come. I would rather see us with a 75K seat stadium with similar prices to than increase every price and price some people out of their tickets.

Sukup basketball facility is ancient compared to our peers. It's 12 years old and no longer competitive with programs we want to recruit against.

I understand fans want to continue to attend games and not have their seats cost more. But soaring expenses and expensive construction projects don't allow for that.

 

[Aclone]

Higher priority list in my opinion than adding more cheap seats in the NEZ:

Arts/Entertainment District
Hilton renovation
Suites on the East side
Sukup basketball practice facility redevelopment
Whetever Campbell wants next for his players and coaches
Smaller indoor facility for non-revenue sports and smaller concerts in place of Fisher Theatre
.
.
redoing the NEZ

You might be the only person talking about adding cheap seats in the NEZ. I mean, besides whoever keeps going on about moving students there.

At least in part, I’d expect it to be premium seating—a chance for Jamie to do something to accommodate the kind of folks waiting to get into the SEZ.

As said, though, there are plenty of places to add seating. A third deck on either side. A second above the SEZ. More club or suites various places.

I don’t expect anything to be done with the NEZ for ten or (more likely) twenty years. I simply recognize the opportunity the space offers.

 

[cyfan92]

We need more high level donor areas

 

[2speedy1]

Ok so you guys all think we shouldnt expand... we shouldnt expand student sections. or if we do they should now go into GOLD level because students cant go into corners because they dont deserve cheap seats.
That the only way any student would come is if they have major donor level seats. Got it
That kids only come to the games to play on the hill, and that if we replace the hill with stands that parents will never come.. Jeez I guess I better give up my tickets cuz I dont know what to do with my 5 and 8 year old. And that a kids zone wont be just as good or better than a hill, for kids.

That you all have kids and have sat there watching and playing with thousands of kids that all grow up to be major donors of ISU.....Got it.

Seriously you all act like the only way any kid ever grows up to be a Cyclone fan is to go play on those hills.

Jesus how did the rest of us ever manage to be fans?!?!

Im sure the 6 kids on each hill for the games will enjoy a kids zone just as much.

You also dont seam to realize how sold out the donor sections are right now. go look at the tickets there are none left anywhere that you can pick. You cant get into any club or suite. I messed up and have to pick late this year and I have no seats in gold left to take and doubt I will have any others in cardinal either. But hey those students deserve those seats more than me at gold level and 600 per ticket.

There is no parking left. At this point Im not sure how they can sell many more season tickets because there is not room. there are random singles around the stadium but the rest are gone, but you guys know, there is no demand, there is no demand for any of it right.

 

[cyfan92]

You might be the only person talking about adding cheap seats in the NEZ. I mean, besides whoever keeps going on about moving students there.

At least in part, I’d expect it to be premium seating—a chance for Jamie to do something to accommodate the kind of folks waiting to get into the SEZ.

As said, though, there are plenty of places to add seating. A third deck on either side. A second above the SEZ. More club or suites various places.

I don’t expect anything to be done with the NEZ for ten or (more likely) twenty years. I simply recognize the opportunity the space offers.

The hillsides are not turning into suites. They would be cheap seats. Tearing down the Jacobson building and the NEZ scoreboard could be suites. I thought the conversation was more about replacing the grass hillsides and little cyclone club seating

 

[IcSyU]

several of those are already in the works...planning stages so they hopefully will be done before any other projects on the Stadium.

A/E district is hopefully moving forward but will be a decade out before done.
Hilton renovation is in the works and I believe set to move forward.

Not sure what you want for a Sukup redevelopment but that facility is New and I dont see that getting much done for a while.

CMC and JP will be the deciding point for all the future development so if they say NEZ, E or W or none that is going to be what it is. So that doesnt make much sense.

I think there are some plans for a smaller facility for some non rev sports in the A/E plans but again not sure that is a very high priority. I do think a facility other than the Hilton for the volleyball and wrestling to use as a venue for matches would be nice. But not sure how much of a priority that is.

Right now I think we are outselling several sections of the stadium, including donor sections, suites and clubs, we are outselling Parking. If we have a few years like this we have to look at some form of expansion. either that or increases in prices will come. I would rather see us with a 75K seat stadium with similar prices to than increase every price and price some people out of their tickets.

Sukup is far from new. It was a nice facility when it was built...it's pedestrian now if you want to compare to the schools we're competing for recruits against.

Iowa State has cheap tickets for a cheap fanbase. I really have my doubts there's a waiting list of people looking to spend more on their tickets and donations. Just a few weeks ago we already had people questioning why they're making a $500 donation to park in grass when they could do the same for $250.

I will also go on record and say Iowa State will never have a 70k seat stadium. I can totally see expanding the Jack Trice Club because there is demand for it but ISU will never have a stadium that size. The unfortunate reality Jamie also has to confront is that it's quite unlikely this type of success will be sustained as the norm. Certainly it's a problem he hopes to have but realistically it's probably a pipe dream.

 

[Aclone]

The hillsides are not turning into suites. They would be cheap seats. Tearing down the Jacobson building and the NEZ scoreboard could be suites. I thought the conversation was more about replacing the grass hillsides and little cyclone club seating

Nope. I was aiming for Jacobsen, scoreboard and the grass hillsides. Integrate an upper deck for “cheap” seats, a kid zone and the premium seating all at the same time.

After this project, the hillsides aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Neither is the Jake, however out of place it looks.

If I were to guess, I’d wonder if the latter might first require a matching facility opposite the SPC, with room for offices and…lotsa stuff. Such as your Sukup replacement.

Then give that whole facility to the tennis team.

Just speculating.

 

[2speedy1]

Sukup is far from new. It was a nice facility when it was built...it's pedestrian now if you want to compare to the schools we're competing for recruits against.

Iowa State has cheap tickets for a cheap fanbase. I really have my doubts there's a waiting list of people looking to spend more on their tickets and donations. Just a few weeks ago we already had people questioning why they're making a $500 donation to park in grass when they could do the same for $250.

I will also go on record and say Iowa State will never have a 70k seat stadium. I can totally see expanding the Jack Trice Club because there is demand for it but ISU will never have a stadium that size. The unfortunate reality Jamie also has to confront is that it's quite unlikely this type of success will be sustained as the norm. Certainly it's a problem he hopes to have but realistically it's probably a pipe dream.

Are you serious, its barely over a decade old. You think they are going to start replacing buildings that are 10 years old? That are named for major donors? Seriously.

If you dont think there is a shortage of tickets you arent a ticket holder. The people complaining about parking is because parking is gone. So in order to buy a pass they offered grass parking to DONORS. That was the problem, and the complaints.

But yes there are no spots left in any section above cardinal right now except for a few scattered single seats. And the other sections below cardinal have not picked their seats yet. Again I know for a fact there is a shortage for gold, because I am a gold donor and I cant get seats in gold!

 

[werdnamanhill]

full size press box when?

 

[Aclone]

I will also go on record and say Iowa State will never have a 70k seat stadium. I can totally see expanding the Jack Trice Club because there is demand for it but ISU will never have a stadium that size.

The current attendance is based largely on the products of years of 24K enrollment. That’s the core of a current 60K attendance number.

What do you think will happen once these current 36K enrollment younger people start getting their financial feet on the ground?

 

[IcSyU]

The current attendance is based largely on the products of years of 24K enrollment. That’s the core of a current 60K attendance number.

What do you think will happen once these current 36K enrollment younger people start getting their financial feet on the ground?

Then why aren't stadiums across the country packed? Iowa is very comparable in size...doesn't sell out their stadium without significantly discounting tickets. Texas has a much larger stadium but double the enrollment and can't fill their stadium.

You can't take the highest demand time in the history of Iowa State football and extrapolate that as the going rate from now on. If God forbid we tank this year you'll see a significant change in donations and season tickets sold. To sit here and pretend ISU football is now a 9 game winner every year who can sell out a 70k seat stadium is ludicrous and how you end up with tarps covering the seats in your stadium.

Stadium expansions are done by increasing cash flow. Shifting donor sections from one spot to another doesn't increase cash flow. Adding more $225 season tickets doesn't get a $60M stadium project done. Could we replicate the Sukup EZ club in the north end? Yep, but there's no demand for 3,000 more club seats. $225 seat tickets don't pay the bonds. That increase would take us up to 68k seats which would have to be discounted to be filled.

 

[quadmann]

I like that image so much, I’d used it as my profile pic…if I’d been the one to come up with it.

Wow! I didn’t even think of that. Thanks! Now I have to decide if I want to give up my ”Q” identity.

P.S. If I haven’t used it in my profile by Friday, you’re welcome to it.

 

[theshadow]

Well, this thread had a good run.

 

[JRE1975]

I have been lucky to have been on the sidelines for games at every stadium in the Big 12.

Both TCU and Baylor have new stadiums where the students are between the 10 yard lines behind the visitors bench and up probably the the first 25 rows. They both then built the stadium so the people with seats behind the students are high enough that people can see over the standing students comfortably while sitting in their seats. Particularly at TCU they have police monitoring the student section to keep them from throwing things at the visiting team.

Oklahoma goes to at least the 50 yard line behind our bench all they way up and they are loud! Pretty much the same at OSU.

They are in the SEC, but Texas A&M had a very loud student section right behind our bench.

I think our student section is well placed and should not move. I don't know the history of the % of tickets allocated to students actually get sold or used. Therefore, I don't know if it needs to be bigger.

 

[Ace000087]

After this, leave the NEZ as is. Expand the press box to field width. Add a 3rd deck to the East side. Then JTS will be done IMO. That is its final form!!

 

[Ace000087]

The new $25 million K-State south end zone project adds suites plus a lot of other stuff connecting to the basketball arena. It validates much of what is said here about the value of expanding the private suite/box revenue stream.

When are you guys getting a 2nd deck on the West side?

 

[thisISnextyear]

Then why dont every stadium have grass hills for kids to play on. I think people over estimate how many kids actually come, and how much "PLAYING" is done on those hills. Ive sat right next to them several times and its really not what many make it out to be these days. A kids zone would be just as beneficial, if not more so.

The real "playing" was on the exterior hillsides 40ish years ago. Those games may have been more physical than the one on the astroturf...

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

After this, leave the NEZ as is. Expand the press box to field width. Add a 3rd deck to the East side. Then JTS will be done IMO. That is its final form!!

I agree the next stadium project should be expanding the press box on the West side to include not only boxes but premium seating, that is where the dollars are at today in stadium, premium seating. After that look at ticket number to determine go big and do add a third deck to the east side or go small and add premium seating and regular seating on the North side.

Where ISU is going to be in trouble is parking, which was why I said a couple years ago, move the intermural fields out by the cross country course and put in some type of parking garage on the east side of university. Instead we have redone those field, great for the kids, but would it have been that much of a pain for them to travel out of the cross country course?

 

[2speedy1]

Stadium expansions are done by increasing cash flow. Shifting donor sections from one spot to another doesn't increase cash flow. Adding more $225 season tickets doesn't get a $60M stadium project done. Could we replicate the Sukup EZ club in the north end? Yep, but there's no demand for 3,000 more club seats. $225 seat tickets don't pay the bonds. That increase would take us up to 68k seats which would have to be discounted to be filled.

How can you say there is no demand for such....club sections are sold out, suits are sold out, donor level seats above $250 are sold out and then some. If that is not demand than I dont know what is.

When we built the SEZ we werent selling close to capacity regularly, and not nearly capacity in season tickets. I remember 10 years ago people saying we couldnt fill our stadium so why would we do the SEZ, now we regularly fill it again, and the club sections and suits are sold out every year.

At this point not having seats for people that want in gold, cardinal, club or suite levels we are leaving money on the table.
I can tell you this if I cant get in a gold section this year I wont donate to the gold level next year. There is no point. If I cant get in a cardinal section either than I wont even donate to a cardinal level.

Not having capacity for what people are looking for is a problem. You always want to have just enough, and right now we dont.

Do I think we will win 9 or 10 games every year, no probably not, but our fan base has shown that we show up, and being consistently a bowl team with a great year scattered in there, will demand more capacity, In ALL areas of the stadium.

 

[clonedude]

After this, leave the NEZ as is. Expand the press box to field width. Add a 3rd deck to the East side. Then JTS will be done IMO. That is its final form!!

Agree. If we ever want to be big time, we need to have a pressbox/suites/box seats going the entire length of the west side.

I don't want to pay big bucks to sit in an endzone, but that's just me. If I'm going to pay big bucks I want a suite or some really nice box seats with a view from the side of the field, not in the endzone. Screw doing anything more to either endzone at this point.... concentrate on adding any additional seats or suites along the top of the west side IMO.