Athletic Facilities Announcement

[BTownJack]

These recent donations all appear to be primarily from individuals from South Dakota. That says a lot right there. Exciting progress.

Even with this, I still don't think we are at the threshold needed to get BOR approval yet this fall. Correct? Or maybe that process/meeting has already come and gone.

[GoJacks2011]

These recent donations all appear to be primarily from individuals from South Dakota. That says a lot right there. Exciting progress.

[UWMandSDSU]

Another $2.6 million raised.
https://gojacks.com/news/2021/11/23/...ust-arena.aspx

[filbert]

SDSU today announced another $10M anonymous donation towards the Frost>>First Bank Arena renovation.

[ringthebells]

Tourists call it Mt. Rushmore Road. Locals call it 8th street. The name a person uses to refer to the remodeled building will instantly give you an idea of their knowledge/history with the program. Everything is going to be alright.

[Carolina010]

I agree with DJD, since that is named after someone. However, FB&T can easily be bought by another company or decide that sponsorship will cost too much (assuming it is on a contract to start) and give it up next time a payment is due. Louisville's basketball arena went from KFC to Yum! due to ownership changes, FB&T could experience that too.

I think FB&T deserves recognition, but I would like it to be more like 'Frost Arena sponsored by FB&T'.

I’m pretty sure it’s a 40 year deal and obviously anything can happen but I don’t see FB&T getting bought out.

[JimmieTuba]

This is true related to naming rights at the professional level. But I find it difficult to imagine that the naming rights or either DJD Stadium or FB&T Arena will change any time in our lifetimes, unless new facilities would be built.

I agree with DJD, since that is named after someone. However, FB&T can easily be bought by another company or decide that sponsorship will cost too much (assuming it is on a contract to start) and give it up next time a payment is due. Louisville's basketball arena went from KFC to Yum! due to ownership changes, FB&T could experience that too.

I think FB&T deserves recognition, but I would like it to be more like 'Frost Arena sponsored by FB&T'.

[Southeast]

I like 5,500 too. Our MBB and WBB teams keep getting better and better yet it's about impossible to get 4,500 people. The WBB game against Oregeon in 2018 only had 2,500. The Saturday afternoon USD game during Daum's senior year only had 4,600. If you can't get 5,000 for that when will you get 5,500?

[filbert]

I think the ongoing trend throughout all spectator sports, pro and college, is towards having smaller attendance capacities--driven mostly by TV/streaming.

Also, recall that Gonzaga's home arena seating is 6,000. A brief web search produced the following: University of Texas is planning a new 10,000 seat, $300 million basketball arena. Georgia State's building a 7,300 seat, $85 million arena. Idaho is planning a 4,200 seat arena. Liberty built a $65 million, 4,000 seat arena.

For where SDSU is geographically and athletically, 5,500 is probably just about right IMHO. If it was a new build it probably would be 6-7,000 again IMHO.

[LARabbit]

This is all exciting and expected, but I have to wonder what a new facility would have cost? $100 million? I understand all the arguments for making the venue a hard to get ticket and maximizing revenue with premium seats etc, but in my opinion 5500 is too small and would have liked to see something in the 7500 range. Is the arena expandable? Our recent attendence figures probably don't justify a bigger venue, but would hate to see inability to expand should the product and demand really take off again.

I was hoping we would have 6,000+ for capacity still, but we are confined to the footprint of the building. The only way we could expand in the future would be to remove the roof and basically build a new building surrounding the current seating bowl. Oklahoma State did something similar about twenty years ago. I don't see that as ever being a realistic option for Frost, so building new would be the only realistic option to achieving a larger arena.

JMU opened a new arena last year with a capacity of 8,500 for a cost of about $90 million. I am curious what it would cost for us to do a new 7,500 seat arena, but I feel the additional cost wouldn't justify the additional 1,500 seats that usually will not be used.

I'm loving the look of the new arena renovation, and I feel that the fan experience is going to be drastically upgraded. My only complaint is that they are not doing anything with the existing corners at the north side. The lower seating areas will be obstructed by ADA seating as it is now. I would like to see this situation improve and for us to take advantage of these corners to create more of a full upper bowl.

[UWMandSDSU]

This is all exciting and expected, but I have to wonder what a new facility would have cost? $100 million? I understand all the arguments for making the venue a hard to get ticket and maximizing revenue with premium seats etc, but in my opinion 5500 is too small and would have liked to see something in the 7500 range. Is the arena expandable? Our recent attendence figures probably don't justify a bigger venue, but would hate to see inability to expand should the product and demand really take off again.

Construction of USD's new arena was $73 million which opened 5 years ago. So your $100 million is probably pretty close. I think 5500 capacity hits the mark. The days when arenas are pushing capacity are long gone (TV deals, online viewing options).

[JACKGUYII]

This is all exciting and expected, but I have to wonder what a new facility would have cost? $100 million? I understand all the arguments for making the venue a hard to get ticket and maximizing revenue with premium seats etc, but in my opinion 5500 is too small and would have liked to see something in the 7500 range. Is the arena expandable? Our recent attendence figures probably don't justify a bigger venue, but would hate to see inability to expand should the product and demand really take off again.

[jackrabbit1979]

I still think of it as Coughlin. I still think of where the White Sox play Comisky, Cleveland plays at the Jake.

I understand selling naming rights but it goes to crap when the place you play changes names every 5-10 years.

The next step will be universities with European soccer like jersey sponsors, but the first step will be the NBA version (barf).

This is true related to naming rights at the professional level. But I find it difficult to imagine that the naming rights or either DJD Stadium or FB&T Arena will change any time in our lifetimes, unless new facilities would be built.

[JimmieTuba]

I wouldn't worry about this. People said the same thing about Coughlin. You know how many people call DJDS Coughlin-Alumni? Literally, almost zero. Sure there are a few but not really. It just doesnt happen and wont.

I still think of it as Coughlin. I still think of where the White Sox play Comisky, Cleveland plays at the Jake.

I understand selling naming rights but it goes to crap when the place you play changes names every 5-10 years.

The next step will be universities with European soccer like jersey sponsors, but the first step will be the NBA version (barf).

[GoJacks2010]

I feel kinda bad for First Bank & Trust, because everyone will still call it Frost. The renderings look awesome though. Looks like the student sections are being brought closer to the court!

I wouldn't worry about this. People said the same thing about Coughlin. You know how many people call DJDS Coughlin-Alumni? Literally, almost zero. Sure there are a few but not really. It just doesnt happen and wont.