New Stadium

[GoJacks]

Re: New Stadium

At one time I was on the Alumni Council and at one of our meetings, in 1993, I believe, Dr. Fred Oien showed us a master plan drawing that include all the facilities that were planned at that time. One of details of the drawing was that Sexauer Field was to be relocated somewhere north of the staduim. I dont recall exactly where. I suspect that detail is still in the plan that has not been acted upon. With Brookings High school addition of a new track facilty, probably pushed the priority of this move further down the list. Eventually to stay competitive a major project will have to be done to replace Sexauer Field. I am sure the administration has several uses for the space that Sexauer field now occupies. To me Sexauer is kind of sacred ground since the first football at SDSU was played on that field plus it doubled as an out door track facility something we dont see any more. I watched a football and outdoor track as a youngster at State Field now known as Sexauer Field, so those memories will soon be represented by a marker, and something else will be there. There was also a time where SDSU dominated outdoor track in the NCC. We have a great coach, but without a facilty, we do have a problem.

If anyone has seen any recent drawing or if they are on the web, I would appreciate verification that such a move is still planned or if its part of the indoor facility. I lost track of what's going on at HPER. All my contacts have moved on or retired.

I am with Kemo, change is the key. It seems that every sport needs its own facility. The days of combining are nearly over. I never thought they would ever get Erv Heuther Field relocated, but that happened. We do have generous alums, and the foundation is working hard to get to them. I just got in the mail a brochure about giving your 40lk and pension benefits to the Foundation. I am sorry, but I need those fund to live off, but others might not. Also farmers were encouraged to donate some of their crop.
These options represent tax deductions so giving is better than receiving.

I guess that proves my point. The facilities plan you speak of is 20 years old. Not much has been done. I completely disagree with you and Kemo that every sport needs it own facility. SDSU has 21 sports so we need 21 separate facilities? So we would need three separate arenas; one for basketball, one for volleyball and one for wrestling? Four is Men’s and Women’s Basketball cannot share a facility. Years ago SDSU new the financially responsible thing to do was to maximize this facility so all those sports could benefit from Frost Arena.

I am fully aware of the fieldhouse or indoor facility and I know its purpose for track. But this facility will also house football, baseball, softball, golf maybe even tennis. All these sports need indoor space during the winter months. So who gets a scheduling priority? My guess the facility will not be big enough for them to all have adequate space to practice at the same time.

[GoJacks]

Re: New Stadium

It seems to me the cost of a track is around 2 million and the benefits of maybe one meet a year, the cost outweigh the benefits. The track isn't justified.

Maybe SDSU host one track meet a year, that not the point as the facility could host multiple track meets. The track portion and artificial turf for a football/ track stadium is the key to maximize the revenue potential the stadium. One track meet a year could recoup the $2 million needed to include a track to the stadium. But to build a 8-10 lane track around the field stadium would not cost $2 million it would be well under a million I would get.

[GoJacks]

Re: New Stadium

Have you sat on the East side of the stadium? The grass between the fence and the bleachers has more space between it than an 8 lane track. The track only effects seating if they have endzone seating behind the ovals. There would not be much difference behind the straightaways. With the Dykhouse Student Athletic Center, we would not have seating to the north anyways. Isn't the plans for the stadium to have two 10,000 seat bleachers with 2000 seats in the south endzone? Thinking a little creatively would could create a bleach system that could be moved closer to the field for football and moved back or removed for track.

[Kemo]

Re: New Stadium

I guess that proves my point. The facilities plan you speak of is 20 years old. Not much has been done. I completely disagree with you and Kemo that every sport needs it own facility. SDSU has 21 sports so we need 21 separate facilities? So we would need three separate arenas; one for basketball, one for volleyball and one for wrestling? Four is Men’s and Women’s Basketball cannot share a facility. Years ago SDSU new the financially responsible thing to do was to maximize this facility so all those sports could benefit from Frost Arena.

I am fully aware of the fieldhouse or indoor facility and I know its purpose for track. But this facility will also house football, baseball, softball, golf maybe even tennis. All these sports need indoor space during the winter months. So who gets a scheduling priority? My guess the facility will not be big enough for them to all have adequate space to practice at the same time.

Just for the record: I never said anywhere that every sport at SDSU needs their own facility.

Football should not have a track around it because of the effect the track has on the fan experience. When selling football, you don't want to just sell the product on the field, you want to sell the atmosphere as well. The closer a fan is to the action, the more likely they are to feel part of the game rather than just a spectator. Pushing the fans farther away from the field not only hurts their view of the game, it also decreases the decibel levels as well. Excitement is contagious, and if fans are only seeing the game rather than feeling it, this will affect the overall game day experience for many of them.

Why does football need there own facility while other sports don't? Because football is the main (along with MBB &WBB) spectator sport for SDSU, and like it or not, track isn't. As other's have mentioned, it is not worth compromising the venue of one of the school's most visable sports for the ability to hold roughly 1 outdoor track meet a year.

That's not to say I don't think track and field shouldn't have their own outdoor facility (along with cross country of course) eventually, but it's not (and shouldn't) be high on the priority list. Due to the university's geographical location, the best way to improve the track & field program is to build a fieldhouse, which is incredibly high (if not the highest) on the priority list.

Also, I wouldn't be concerned with scheduling issues for track & field/cross country with new fieldhouse, as the other sports will be using the green (area inside the track), which in most cases means athletes can run on the track while these other activities are going on. If that doesn't ease your mind, look at the NDSU as an example. They have an amazing track and field program and, until this coming year, the Bison Sports Arena was used in some way, shape, or form by every sport on campus.

[Southeast]

Re: New Stadium

I definitely agree: No track at the football stadium! The stands should be as close to the field as possible and a track just backs everyone up that much farther. This opinion is coming from a guy who ran track in HS and college.

[LakeJack]

Re: New Stadium

This is dumb. We can post about this for 10 more pages. Not once have I seen or heard about a track option at the new stadium. It isn't going to happen, period.

[Nidaros]

Re: New Stadium

I guess that proves my point. The facilities plan you speak of is 20 years old. Not much has been done. I completely disagree with you and Kemo that every sport needs it own facility. SDSU has 21 sports so we need 21 separate facilities? So we would need three separate arenas; one for basketball, one for volleyball and one for wrestling? Four is Men’s and Women’s Basketball cannot share a facility. Years ago SDSU new the financially responsible thing to do was to maximize this facility so all those sports could benefit from Frost Arena.

I am fully aware of the fieldhouse or indoor facility and I know its purpose for track. But this facility will also house football, baseball, softball, golf maybe even tennis. All these sports need indoor space during the winter months. So who gets a scheduling priority? My guess the facility will not be big enough for them to all have adequate space to practice at the same time.

The reason we did not get everything done in the facilities plan 20 years old, is because we did not have the deep pockets of GoJacks to depend on. Facilities do not just happen, you and others have to make these things happen.

[goon]

Re: New Stadium

This is dumb. We can post about this for 10 more pages. Not once have I seen or heard about a track option at the new stadium. It isn't going to happen, period.

Plus with the location of the scoreboard and dykhouse center there probably wouldn't be room to put Track in anyway.

[Nidaros]

Re: New Stadium

Plus with the location of the scoreboard and dykhouse center there probably wouldn't be room to put Track in anyway.

Good point. Did those who went to Memorial in Lincoln Ne see a track around the field?

[Nidaros]

Re: New Stadium

Just for the record: I never said anywhere that every sport at SDSU needs their own facility.

No you did not, but I did. Because we agree on other points, thats enough to form a conspiracy in the mind of GOJacks.

[KarmaKid]

Re: New Stadium

The football stadium should not have a track around the field.

The outdoor track, when the time comes, should be put around a soccer field in a new on-campus soccer/track and field stadium (Sorry if this has been mentioned before - I was skimming through the thread to catch up). It makes more sense when you look at amount of spectators attending soccer games or track meets. The grandstand doesn't need to be huge, throw up a concession stand and a bathroom and you can have a pretty nice soccer facility that would double as a pretty nice track and field facility. The only downfall to this idea, is usually the jumping and throwing events will have to take place directly outside the facility because soccer fields are wider than football fields and stretch closer to the straightaways of the track.

[mmiller_34]

Re: New Stadium

Have you sat on the East side of the stadium? The grass between the fence and the bleachers has more space between it than an 8 lane track.

Thats exactly what we are trying to avoid. We want the east side stands to be as close as the west side stands.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: New Stadium

Again, I'm late to this game, but just a couple of points, reiterated in various posts: 1) The HPF'3 300 meter track, and seating for 1,200, will be the home of Jackrabbit track and field. 2) There are hardly any outdoor meets held at home facilities in Division 1, and if SDSU holds one, as it has on several occasions, it will be at the Brookings High School facility (aside from the conference tournament, our T&F teams compete almost every week at bigger meets around the country, that's the D-1 way). There will not ever be an outdoor track at SDSU (sorry Nidaros, but that earlier plan is long gone), and, obviously that includes the new football stadium, whenever this is built.

[Nidaros]

Re: New Stadium

Again, I'm late to this game, but just a couple of points, reiterated in various posts: 1) The HPF'3 300 meter track, and seating for 1,200, will be the home of Jackrabbit track and field. 2) There are hardly any outdoor meets held at home facilities in Division 1, and if SDSU holds one, as it has on several occasions, it will be at the Brookings High School facility (aside from the conference tournament, our T&F teams compete almost every week at bigger meets around the country, that's the D-1 way). There will not ever be an outdoor track at SDSU (sorry Nidaros, but that earlier plan is long gone), and, obviously that includes the new football stadium, whenever this is built.

I will still be able to sleep at night. No problem here. Hosting out door track is not a priority, and I accept that. I had not notice, but apparently the Summit does not rotate like the NCC did where each member hosted every seven years. ( I thinking there were seven members in the NCC for a number of years and yes it expanded in the 1970s to ten.)

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: New Stadium

Good point. Did those who went to Memorial in Lincoln Ne see a track around the field?

Out of curiosity, can anyone name a BCS school with a track around their football field? I'm racking my brain and can't think of one.