Houston and SMU moving up/ford stadium info

[Digetydog]

I don't understand why everyone ranks ford so high. Everyone with a new stadium has suites. what amenities do we have that are so amazing? We are on par with Tulane, Houston and all other stadia of similar size and age.

While it is certainly nice looking, it is a poor design from a "seats between the goal line" perspective.

UConn's stadium looks like Plano's Clark Stadium (ugly - lots of concrete - utilitarian), but has much better seating.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

While it is certainly nice looking, it is a poor design from a "seats between the goal line" perspective.

UConn's stadium looks like Plano's Clark Stadium (ugly - lots of concrete - utilitarian), but has much better seating.

I agree Ford could be a lot better, but as far as the overall seating plan, Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

[SMU2007]

Also, UH has very little local support as well.

Any smu fan would be happy to have UH's "very little support"... Not comparable.

[sbsmith]

Any smu fan would be happy to have UH's "very little support"... Not comparable.

If we had that kind of "support" we'd still be on the backburner in DFW (just like they are in Houston).

[Charleston Pony]

If we could just get to a point where we put 30k in Ford no matter who the opponent, I would be very pleased with the state of the program. I haven't seen that (by our fans) in my lifetime

[Stallion]

UH has built a stadium which strengths their P5 prospects
SMU built a super non-P5 stadium. Nothing wrong with that if that's what your goal is.
But if SMU's goal is to be P5 then SMU will have to consider 1) enhancing Ford AND 2) figure out a strategy to boost attendance to fill it. Again, it doesn't matter that SMU is a small school with poor alumni support. Those are arguments suggesting that SMU should not seek P5 status because of historically poor support. Just can't accomplish what TCU has. What is our goal and how do we intend to achieve it? Our goals and our strategy are in conflict-perhaps for legitimate reasons

Tulane has conceded they have presumably a non-P5 future with their new stadium-probably a good decision in accordance with their ceiling

[NTXCoog]

Tulane has conceded they have presumably a non-P5 future with their new stadium-probably a good decision in accordance with their ceiling

I'm not sure they've conceded. If they had, they wouldn't be saying that the capacity is 30k. But they built for what they have (fan base, stadium footprint) and try to pretend it's bigger than it is hoping any possible P5 suitors won't notice.

[Digetydog]

While it is certainly nice looking, it is a poor design from a "seats between the goal line" perspective.

UConn's stadium looks like Plano's Clark Stadium (ugly - lots of concrete - utilitarian), but has much better seating.

I agree Ford could be a lot better, but as far as the overall seating plan, Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

But nobody will move a NFL team into the Rose Bowl either. Modern college stadiums look like TCU's, not Michigan's - for a reason.

[couch 'em]

While it is certainly nice looking, it is a poor design from a "seats between the goal line" perspective.

UConn's stadium looks like Plano's Clark Stadium (ugly - lots of concrete - utilitarian), but has much better seating.

I agree Ford could be a lot better, but as far as the overall seating plan, Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

stadium design has improved a lot since the rose bowl (1922) and Big House (1927)

[Pony147]

Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

It helps that Michigan and USC play in those stadiums...

[WordUpBU]

Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

It helps that Michigan and USC play in those stadiums...

UCLA, not USC. USC is in the LA Coliseum.

However your point is good though. Large numbers help older 1-level designs.

[Pony147]

Ford really isn't that much different than the Rose Bowl or The Big House and nobody seems to have a problem with those stadiums.

It helps that Michigan and USC play in those stadiums...

UCLA, not USC. USC is in the LA Coliseum.

However your point is good though. Large numbers help older 1-level designs.

Whoops, I guess I misread that. Although the Coliseum is the same style as well

[blackoutpony]

Whoops, I guess I misread that. Although the Coliseum is the same style as well

The coliseum is a MUCH better stadium to watch a game in than the rose bowl. Where as the coliseum was built more vertically and with height, the rose bowl is more flat and wider instead of taller. You can be on the 50 yard line at the rose bowl and be 100 yards away from the field and not be anywhere near the last row. Doesn't help when the rows are a foot and a half apart either....

FWIW UCLA has problems filling up the rose bowl all the time since they've played second fiddle to USC for the better part of this millennium. Since it seats over 100,000 people, they will have 50,000 or 60,000 for a lot of games and it looks really empty, although it has gotten better recently.

Fun Fact, UCLA played in the Coliseum for a very long time back when the seating capacity was 100,000+ before moving over to the rose bowl

[SMUer]

Might I suggest a 4-step process?

1. Capture medium quality, high-upside recruits and exploit their strengths, snagging a few local wanna-be-close-to-mama blue chips along the way with the facilities you already have
2. Win meaningful games, upset opponents and generate water-cooler talk
3. Promote and sell tickets: billboards, paraphernalia, bribing media outlets, whatever. Concentrate on increasing the fan experience inside your stadium (fan zone with beer, special seating sections, TVs, BEER, good food, good merchandise, near stadium tailgating, in-out policy etc.)
4. Take the increased monies and interest and then expand Ford Stadium to a P5 stadium (adding additional suites, closing the horseshoe, super-secret underground tunnel from the over-looking IPF, whatever).

Where are we in Year-7 of the current regime? Still on Step 1. SMU's facilities are in no-way so poor that it is a legitimate excuse not to begin.

[Stallion]

True but quite frankly the sales job is tougher now that UH (Robertson), Baylor (Floyd Casey) and TCU (Amon Carter) have taken it up a notch which ties into a substantial recruiting advantage. Of course, all of them to varying degrees have addressed attendance issues-I'm throwing out UH's vagabond 2013 football season just like we threw out our 2013 Basketball non-conference season.