CAS Seating Capacity

[Cowbell]

With the advent of the Dykhouse Center, what is the projected seating capacity of CAS. I keep seeing figures of around 15,000. I don't see how thats right. If the west side holds around 6,500 and the east side around 3,000 and the south bleachers around 500, it seems to me that we have about a 10,000 seat stadium. Do we have 5,000 people standing around during the big games?

[JACKGUYII]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

May be a good question for Justin Sell who is on with Terry V at 2pm today over on
ArgusLeader.com

[Cowbell]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Now I'm really confused. AD Sell wrote on TV's blog that CAS could get 15,000 to 20,000 in attendance. That's impossible in the current configuration. If 20,000 showed up, 10,000 would have to stand. Not sure what that would look like. Worse, what kind of fun would that be to stand for 3 hours?

[gojacksgo]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

I am a season ticket holder and plan to stand for every game until they don't allow it. I always walk the visitor sideline to keep up with the ball. Best seat in the house.

It is actually the only reason I have not been a season ticket before this, but I bought two reserved seats this year, but don't plan on using them except to get in the gate.

The 15,000 to 20,000 does seem a bit out of reach though.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

If ever there was a question that cannot be answered this would be it. Kind of along the lines of "What is the meaning of life?".

[joeboo22]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

I'd guess anything over 16,500 would be a poor sight line.... I don't know if they plan on putting larger bleachers infront of the scoreboard or what but there was what right around 16,000 at the NDSU game and from what I saw there were few if any siteable places to watch the game.....

[zooropa]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Seating capacity? I don't know. I'd've thought you could get more than 6,500 on the W. side.

As to overall capacity, here's a similar problem with a smaller, but comparable solution:

[nells]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

I am a season ticket holder and plan to stand for every game until they don't allow it. I always walk the visitor sideline to keep up with the ball. Best seat in the house.

It is actually the only reason I have not been a season ticket before this, but I bought two reserved seats this year, but don't plan on using them except to get in the gate.

The 15,000 to 20,000 does seem a bit out of reach though.

I'm definitely with gojacksgo on this one. I like being able to move around a little bit as well.

Someone said "who would want to stand for three hours." I was in the east stands for the NDSU/SDSU game two years ago and the only time anyone sat down was halftime. I think the majority of people will be standing during the big games with intense atmospheres. I preferred to stand anyway, but I would have much rather been down on the field level.

As a South Dakota native and NDSU graduate, I have to say that Coughlin is a great place to watch a game. I especially liked the NDSU/SDSU night game a few years ago. You can't beat having standing room only with the entire perimeter lined with people.

[JimmyJack]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Now I'm really confused. AD Sell wrote on TV's blog that CAS could get 15,000 to 20,000 in attendance. That's impossible in the current configuration. If 20,000 showed up, 10,000 would have to stand. Not sure what that would look like. Worse, what kind of fun would that be to stand for 3 hours?

My sense was that he was talking about a renovated CAS. But I'd have to check the transcript.

I don't have any reason to doubt the attendance figures provided by the department since they actually count the attendees (unlike some universities... *cough* USD *cough*).

I have to admit, when CAS is full, it REALLY looks like you couldn't cram another person in there.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Now I'm really confused. AD Sell wrote on TV's blog that CAS could get 15,000 to 20,000 in attendance. That's impossible in the current configuration. If 20,000 showed up, 10,000 would have to stand. Not sure what that would look like. Worse, what kind of fun would that be to stand for 3 hours?

I got the same sense as JJ, I think Sell was talking about a renovated stadium and what our situation (population, interest, etc.) would allow us to draw when he mentioned up to 20,000.

[filbert]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

I also agree-I think Sell was talking about an achievable maximum crowd in the current market.

A renovated CAS with a full horseshoe and grandstands 35 rows high would seat about 20,000. The master plan contemplates two 7,000 seat grandstands on the east and west sides of the field, so that's 14,000. Another 6,000 bleacher-style seats wrapped around the south endzone would get CAS to 20,000 seats--IMHO an eminently reasonable number to shoot for, given the current attendance trend and the potential market size.

Plus, SDSU can go around saying we've got a 20,000+seat football stadium--the PR/recruiting benefits of that may be significant (even over, say, an 16-18,000-seat facility).

[boxerboy]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

When Terry was on with Stu and Mike a couple days ago I think He mentioned that Justin Sell liked a new soccer stadium in Chicago. That would be Toyota Park where the Fire play. That stadium holds 20K or more. Now if SDSU could get a stadium like that we would all be pleased and proud.

[zooropa]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

I don't know if he was talking about Sell or Chicoine.

At any rate, thanks for the name of the place. Here are some pics:

[boxerboy]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Actually it was Chicoine.

[JimmyJack]

Re: CAS Seating Capacity

Nice. I'm sure it's the horseshoe configuration and the scale that appeals to President Chicoine. I don't think we'll need those overhangs. But yes, that's about right in scale, isn't it.