CAS/Fargo Dome

[Jacks99]

First off this thread isn't meant to be a slam on NDSU or the Fargo Dome, just my own observations and opinions on what makes a good college FB venue and atmosphere.

I haven't been to the Dome since the "Ranek" Era and didn't remember it being so commercialized. If anything it makes me very proud of where SDSU/CAS is at and headed to be. The Dome basically made me feel I was at a SF Stampede or Storm game.

I can understand the lights off introduction for the Seniors, but if they do that every week it is a bit much. The intro on the Dak board at CAS is sufficient for me. Next, the explosions on every score are way over the top and suprised they don't loose old alums to heart attacks. Given there are other venues/programs in I-AA with cannons, but that is outside.

It's dissapointing they let the their rowdy fans behind the visitor bench. In my opinion there should be a few rows of visitor fans as buffers such as CAS and Frost.

The part that sat the worst for me was the prodding by the PA announcer on every third down, kickoff and 1st down. I could understand a little bit, such as for our BB games in Frost, but we were annoyed after the first few minutes.

Overall, I just felt it was not the atmosphere that one wants at a classic college football game. I'm sure it contributes to the home field advantage, which is fine, but don't think that had an effect on last Saturday's game. I'm sure it has a lot to do with attracting a small metro population to an entertaining game. If SDSU was in SF, maybe the same would also be true.

It's almost like they would rather have those extra's than support, grow and improve the Star band.

Again, if that is what NDSU wants, that's fine, I just hope CAS and Frost don't get to that point.

As far as the game, all I wanted was a strong showing by the Jacks and a close game to the end and was proud. I feel the Jacks could have won with better execution.

One last thought to throw in: are they keeping the old fast turf to keep an advantage with their speedy players and waiting as long as they can to upgrade to the newer style which is more like grass?

[NightHawk78]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

I was in the FargoDome for the first time last Saturday and I thought it was a decent facility, considering that it's indoors. It's far away better than the DakotaDump^TM (even though I have not been there since 2003-before they added the new Dak scoreboards). I'll give my good and bad (and ugly) impressions of the FargoDome as compared to CAS.

The Good:
1) More concessions - I know the FargoDome has roughly 50% more capacity than CAS, but they had numerous stands throughout the concourse, plus a lot more food variety. Plus, I prefer Pepsi products over Coke products......
2) More restrooms - No porta-potties within the stadium.
3) The scoreboard ticker screen is a nice touch, even if it wasn't used to its fullest potential.
4) The replay selections were more balanced than they were this year at CAS. Our scoreboard people wouldn't show "negative" plays or plays that were questionable, even if it was a missed call.
5) The boards highlighting NDSU football and Fargodome history are a nice touch.

The Bad:
1) The NDSU announcer was horrible and annoying. It was too much.....way too much.
2) Tha cannon was a tad too loud for a dome. I think a noticeable buffalo stampede sound over the PA system would be more original and appropriate.
3) The video screens aren't adequate. I was behind the north end zone (probably midway up) and is was difficult to see the video screen.

The Ugly:
1) The NDSU band is OK, but it isn't the Pride! A rivalry game like this should include both bands. Both the NDSU and SDSU athletic depts. need to offer an olive branch to Prof. McKinney and resolve any issues from past Pride trips to NDSU.
2) Football should be played outdoors! That said, I may reconsider that position once I look at some climate data (i.e. average weather conditions for early November) for cities in the northern U.S.
3) The commericalization might be too much, but it is a multi-purpose facilty.

[1bizon1]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

gotta add my 2 cents from our side....

Football does belong outside and that is where the real football fans are. In our case, and it's finally getting better, there is finally getting to be more fans than spectators at our games. In the past we have had too many fans that are at the games to be seen, as in keep up with the Jones'. Some of these fans even ask you to sit down when one is trying to cheer. If you were standing the whole time that is one thing but standing to cheer on a third down play?!?! I personally had a lady grab me by the back of the shirt! It's football, not golf!

There will not be NDSU football played outside for along time in Fargo. It sucks but that is what we are stuck with.

I do not personally care for our PA guy either. But, if you go to other games around the country, the PA guy does this alot. The Gopher game was one example and I have seen other posts on the Bisonville sight where people have been to fb games in Nebraska, Kansas,or ??? and this goes on there too, plus more.

Our band dept has many issues that you can see on Bisonville posts, besides football. People being let go, issues between dept.s within the music program. It sounds like a mess plus funding shortages. Did you notice our red drums as one example. A few years ago one of the SD schools brought their band to Fargo. EXCELLENT!! Was that your band? I remember sending a thank you e-mail to ??? school it was. I would love to see them come back to Fargo again!

Commercialization.... I do not like it either but any $$$ that can be had, well, I am $ure any program welcome$ that.

More to say but don't want to bore you anymore.

In closing, as 'Williams and Ree' said,"Leave it to a bunch of Norwegians to name a square brick building a Dome!"

Thanks for your time and allowing me on your forum.

[NightHawk78]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

Yes, our band was in Fargo three years ago. Unfortunately, their experience left a bit to be desired and they haven't been back.......hopefully, those issues (and finding funds for travel) can be resolved and we'll see The Pride of the Dakotas at more away football games in the future. Here are a couple discussion threads about The Pride:

http://www.sdsufans.com/cgi-bin/yabb...num=1164135973

http://www.sdsufans.com/cgi-bin/yabb...num=1163303128

[bisonbacker]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

Everyone has there opinions on stadiums and football but the bottom line was both teams compete on the same field on gameday. Your comment about the turf only makes you look like a whiner. I beleive if you read over at Bisonville you will see most fans would like to see updated better turf in the dome but its not cheap. The other point would be if your team thought they had an advantage real or percieved would they change that to help out the other team? I highly doubt it. You may want to take up that arguement with every team who plays in major league sports. I routinely hear how groundskeepers in Baseball will either leave the grass longer to slow down infield hits and I'm sure there are many other examples.

[NDSUFREAK10]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

First off this thread isn't meant to be a slam on NDSU or the Fargo Dome, just my own observations and opinions on what makes a good college FB venue and atmosphere.

I haven't been to the Dome since the "Ranek" Era and didn't remember it being so commercialized.  If anything it makes me very proud of where SDSU/CAS is at and headed to be.  The Dome basically made me feel I was at a SF Stampede or Storm game.

I can understand the lights off introduction for the Seniors, but if they do that every week it is a bit much.  The intro on the Dak board at CAS is sufficient for me.  Next, the explosions on every score are way over the top and suprised they don't loose old alums to heart attacks.  Given there are other venues/programs in I-AA with cannons, but that is outside.  

It's dissapointing they let the their rowdy fans behind the visitor bench.  In my opinion there should be a few rows of visitor fans as buffers such as CAS and Frost.

The part that sat the worst for me was the prodding by the PA announcer on every third down, kickoff and 1st down.  I could understand a little bit, such as for our BB games in Frost, but we were annoyed after the first few minutes.

Overall, I just felt it was not the atmosphere that one wants at a classic college football game.  I'm sure it contributes to the home field advantage, which is fine, but don't think that had an effect on last Saturday's game.  I'm sure it has a lot to do with attracting a small metro population to an entertaining game.  If SDSU was in SF, maybe the same would also be true.  

It's almost like they would rather have those extra's than support, grow and improve the Star band.

Again, if that is what NDSU wants, that's fine, I just hope CAS and Frost don't get to that point.

As far as the game, all I wanted was a strong showing by the Jacks and a close game to the end and was proud.  I feel the Jacks could have won with better execution.

One last thought to throw in: are they keeping the old fast turf to keep an advantage with their speedy players and waiting as long as they can to upgrade to the newer style which is more like grass?

1st. We don't introduce the seniors every week. It has been an annual event on the last home game of the year for about 3 years.

2nd. If you went to last weeks game and another game earlier in the year, you would relize that the PA announcer didn't need to get us on our feet. We were comitted to the game and we were there to support the BISON anyway that we could.

3rd. Like it was said before on this thread, the "fake grass" is not cheap. I am sure that we will update it sometime, but right now I'm not sure we can afford it until we maybe get some donations from teamakers and sellouts in the next years to come.

I hope to make it down to South Dakota next year to see how you guys to things!

[NDSUFREAK10]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

but i do agree with you...........we dont have a very good band :-/ :-[ :-/ :-[

[launcher46]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

NDSU easily has the money for field turf that is not the issue... the issue is with the turf itself. Field turf is essentially sewed into the ground and once it's down its down. It is not like the turf they have now that they can put down and take up for concerts and other things that happen in the dome.

[mmiller_34]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

im sure they could put a temporary floor to be put over the permanant field turf for concerts and removed for football games.

[SDSUJack3031]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

NDSUFreak10,

I think he was writing about the light introduction every week..not the seniors. We introduce our seniors at the last game too.

But anyways....I personally loved the introduction they had up there and if our team came out in an atmostphere like that every week (yes...with the lights), it would be great. Bohl leading the team onto the field was awesome! That just gets you jacked up.

To anyone else:
But anyways...I really dont understand why anyone can get mad about the "commercialized atmosphere"....you have to make money where you can get it and if NDSU has to sell out a little bit....then more power too them. Other than the turf, I thought the atmosphere and facility was way above ours. And I understand, it probably should be at the time considering it's a dome and it's louder...bigger game, etc...and the atmosphere was great a couple of years ago when we played NDSU(what a GREAT game!) but just dont take anything away from them...they run it right up there and they are moving in the right direction....I loved it!

And with the turf..I made a comment about it too during the game but I understand $$ talks..it'll come someday I'm sure. Hopefully soon though.....it looked pretty rough.

[Haldersham]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

NDSU easily has the money for field turf that is not the issue... the issue is with the turf itself. Field turf is essentially sewed into the ground and once it's down its down. It is not like the turf they have now that they can put down and take up for concerts and other things that happen in the dome.

Does not the City of Fargo own the Fargodome? So I believe it would be up to the Fargo Dome Authority, a city board to put in the new turf. NDSU may have to contribute and that may be were the problem lies. The Fargo Forum reported yesterday that the FargoDome was going to run in the black this year, even though December is their worst month. They sited a positive cash flow for October and they mentioned the two big games SDSU and Cal Poly as being sellouts. My question is how much of the ticket revenue goes to NDSU and how much goes to the Fargo Dome authority? It does not look to me that NDSU is rolling around in a grain bin of cash. They have to pay the FargoDome Authority to use the dome. CAS may not be much but SDSU does not have to pay rent.

[IowaBison]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

NDSU has the right to so many dates per year as per the original agreement (the FargoDome is located on NDSU property).

They do not have to pay to use the dome (well, at least not as much as 'regular' visitors).

If NDSU wanted (non-field) turf they would have to purchase it (they would have to come an agreement with the authority, but that wouldn't be a big issue given the strong relationship). This might happen in the next year. We spent millions this year upgrading the locker room, training, and office facilities in the dome-they are first class. That would be the last thing before beginning work on the BSA (which is already in the planning stages with most of the money in hand).

NDSU is doing fine financially, especially when it comes to our capital campaigns.


I do miss playing football outdoors. I enjoyed a game at Coughlin in 99/00? and had a ball. I was thinking about coming down for next years game, but I don't think I want to travel that lonely stretch of I-29 if the Bison lose.

[Jacks99]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

Some commercialization is good, but there is a limit. I don't think NDSU has crossed that line....yet.

As for the turf comment, it was the same as the rest and was not meant to take any credit away from NSDU's team. They would have a top 5 program on turf or grass, just more curiosity than anything.

[bisonguy]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

The biggest reasons why the turf is still the Magic Carpet system is that it's ~5 years old, and it takes two people less than 30 minutes to convert the surface from turf to a floor.

[ndsubison]

Re: CAS/Fargo Dome

NDSU easily has the money for field turf that is not the issue... the issue is with the turf itself. Field turf is essentially sewed into the ground and once it's down its down. It is not like the turf they have now that they can put down and take up for concerts and other things that happen in the dome.

I have long been a proponent of FieldTurf but that is a stretch in a facility like the FargoDome. If the Dome was exclusively for NDSU FB games, FieldTurf would have been done several yrs ago. As it is, with the Dome being a multi-facility (i.e. concerts, BB games, trade shows, etc etc), it is not conducive to install FieldTurf. Yes, that sucks, but that's the way it is right now. Not to mention how many players (ours and visitors) have suffered blown knees making a cut on the turf is not good. If I had a million dollars to donate, it would be done. On a side note, thank you to all Jacks fans who made the trek up to Fargo to set a new all-time attendance record in the FFD. I was in general admission lumped in with many SDSU fans and I will say right now that I had a complete blast! Your fans a great and your team put up one hell of a battle. I had a great time and I look fwd to coming down to CAS next year. Thanks again for helping NDSU break the attendance record formerly held by NDSU-und. This has the makings of something good. See ya next year and, once again, congratulations on your late season rally. 7-4 ain't bad considering you started out 0-3. Go Jacks, Go Bison!

THEE NDSU BISON: Bring On The Competition!