FCS football stadiums

[Western_101]

Ok, we are done with football for awhile. I really dislike this time of year when the Necks aren't in the playoffs....just that much longer between when football starts up.

Anyway, I was doing some perusing around on the web, checking out different programs facilities. My favorite that I have found is what Richmond has done. Richmond has won a National Championship within the decade, so that helps.

Specifically what I like it that they have a multi-purpose stadium that looks awesome and they did it right. Yes there are bigger, maybe even better, but, this is a good template for what Hanson Field could look like. Yes they have a track, as do we, get over it, it's gonna be there so do what you can to incorporate some intimacy in the Mulit-sport venue.

thoughts?

[Western_101]

Hanson Field is situated in the middle of campus, so it is in an ideal position to be the focal point of the campus "crown jewel" which means the outside has to look as good as the interior.

again.......for example look at Richmond's Robins Stadium exterior.

[ST_Lawson]

That's a pretty nice stadium.

Another good one that was mentioned to me by someone is Austin Peay's Governor's stadium.
They did pretty much what Illinois State did and replaced their smaller "visitor's side" stands with the big new ones, and switched the home and visitor's sides. So, on the right side, you see the old stands, and on the left side is the new stands.



You can see more photos here.

[Western_101]

Austin Peay looking good.

[JoeWx21]

I remember a few years ago after the east side was renovated, WIU gave out fliers of what the west side was suppose to look like. I think it will have locker rooms, a training area, weight room, coaches offices, a new press box, suites for the higher paying boosters, and additional sitting that will give hanson field more than 20,000.

I know renovations of the west side is in the master plan.

[ST_Lawson]

I remember a few years ago after the east side was renovated, WIU gave out fliers of what the west side was suppose to look like. I think it will have locker rooms, a training area, weight room, coaches offices, a new press box, suites for the higher paying boosters, and additional sitting that will give hanson field more than 20,000.

I know renovations of the west side is in the master plan.

Those designs and plans have since been scrapped for something a bit different, and scaled down a little. The design will be different than what the old flyers showed (and in my opinion, it'll look a lot better). As near as I can tell, it won't have a weight room/training area, likely won't have locker rooms, but it should have a new press box, suites, lounge area (like Illinois State's new stadium) and seating will likely be slightly expanded, although we don't really need anything more than what we have (if you add in hill seating and possibly bringing in bleachers at the end zones, which should bump us up to nearly 20k capacity anyway).

I think the biggest things are going to be: the new pressbox area, the seats being actually "up to code", and (the most important thing in my opinion) a beautiful new entry area on the back side of the new stands...including ticket areas, concessions, restrooms, and entry "portals" out to the stadium in the middle of the seating areas (like most stadiums have...see previous photos of Richmond and Austin Peay's stadiums). It won't be huge, but it'll be beautiful, both inside the stadium and out.

[Western_101]

If scaled back means not including weight room ...locker rooms...coaching offices et. cet. Im cool with that. All that stuff can eventually go into a new North end Field House.

I hope there is no skimping on capacity, sight lines, press box and luxury sweets.


Dear Lord, did I really type "sweets"?

yes by all means don't skimp on the fancy candied apples. Lets try that again, how about suites.

[WIU0812]

If scaled back means not including weight room ...locker rooms...coaching offices et. cet. Im cool with that. All that stuff can eventually go into a new North end Field House.

I hope there is no skimping on capacity, sight lines, press box and luxury sweets.

COMPLETELY AGREE! Save these items for the north side building and make what the stadium needs now happen! Very encouraging, but still has to be accepted and move along.

[ST_Lawson]

If scaled back means not including weight room ...locker rooms...coaching offices et. cet. Im cool with that. All that stuff can eventually go into a new North end Field House.

I hope there is no skimping on capacity, sight lines, press box and luxury sweets.

Yea, it'll likely be a bit bigger...obviously the pressbox will be much larger as well.
I could see there being room for offices, but unless they tear out much of the hill that the current stands are sitting on, I don't see there being room for weight room and locker rooms.

As you mentioned though, there's room just north of the scoreboard for another building. In the space where the jump pits and the throwing events for track and field are held is enough space for a building with the same footprint as the rec center (excluding Western Hall, locker rooms and weight room from the footprint). Essentially, the part that's considered the "Rec Center" could fit right there from the berm to Q lot.

What I'd love to see (and I know that much of this is "pie in the sky" kinda stuff...but it's nice to dream), is a building like that, spanning from right about where the scoreboard currently is back to almost the edge of Q-lot.

Make the first floor be locker rooms, weight/training rooms, etc. Also, have, on the south end, a place where the team can run out..."tunnel" type of area (if you've ever been to a Northern Illinois game in the last few years, kinda like that), where the "tunnel" goes right up to the edge of the track, so the players can run right out onto the field.

Second floor is offices for most of the athletics department (kinda spread them out a bit between their current offices in Western Hall and the new building), student-athlete study areas, maybe even have a "lounge" area facing the football field where student-athletes can relax or do group study stuff or could be used as a place for potential recruits or big $ supporters to watch games.

Then, on the top/roof, put a larger scoreboard with a big video screen (somehow I doubt that's going to happen though).

Also, if we ever do a new basketball arena in place of the west end of Q-lot, we could even connect the two buildings together...2nd floor walkway maybe? Maybe by the time I retire most likely.

[WIU0812]

Not that there is need for a bowl, but the building could be part of a bowl on that end where they move the scoreboard and videoboard to other side near hill and create a bowl connecting two sides. That is a large and unrealistic dream though that is most likely unneeded.