TCU "Major Announcement"

[SMU89]

You take visits to SMU and TCU. You walk on to the field here:

Which one feels like a big time BCS-level stadium?

Nothing uniquely special.

Nothing, unless you are comparing a diminutive tinker toy aluminum

bleacher stadium surrounded by a brick facade with a magnificent

edifice of this magnitude...http://www.stadium.tcu.edu/gallery.asp [/quote]

That is a magnificent edifice of great magnitude. I see why they reduced the seating. I'll have to make sure and get a good tailgate spot in the parking lot so we can ogle at the 1/4 brick, 1/4 window, and 1/2 steel beams and cement bottom supporting aluminum bleachers edifice. Never seen anything like that before. Unique.

[SMUer]

I'm surprised the university didn't match the bravado shown by their coach or their fan-base. They're a BIG TIME football program! The renovation reduces current seating by nearly 5K. I know I know, it's expandable to 50K but isn't TCU a shoe-in to the new Big XII in the next few years anyway? Their alumni would make you think so... Only the piddley Big XII schools like Iowa State and Baylor have 50K seat stadiums.

[couch 'em]

Is it more impressive because it's taller?

It's nice, but GJF is no doorknob, either.

I know I'm not the only one who feels that Ford feels very small-time, especially from the field level.

It feels smaller than it is. It's design is a liability.

[FrogsRKings]

That is a magnificent edifice of great magnitude. I see why they reduced the seating. I'll have to make sure and get a good tailgate spot in the parking lot so we can ogle at the 1/4 brick, 1/4 window, and 1/2 steel beams and bottom of aluminum bleachers edifice. Never seen anything like that before. Unique.

Not to nitpick, but I had the impression that the upper deck will be concrete (along with the rest of the stadium) which is among the reasons the renovation is so expensive.

The rendering seems to back up that impression.

[CA Mustang]

I know I'm not the only one who feels that Ford feels very small-time, especially from the field level.

It feels smaller than it is. It's design is a liability.

And how do you think that should be rectified?

[PK]

Looks like a lot of the money is devoted to the private suites area. It would appear that they are going to have 4 to 5 times more of the suites than Ford has. That is what all the hotel lobby looking area is devoted to. I suspect most of the money for the stadium is coming from the people who will be occupying those suites. That's what happens when you develop a nationally highly ranked team...alums with money want to be there.

[PK]

I know I'm not the only one who feels that Ford feels very small-time, especially from the field level.

It feels smaller than it is. It's design is a liability.

And how do you think that should be rectified?

Putting an upper deck on the east side would help and since SMU owns everything to the east of the stadium, getting a height variance on the structure shouldn't be a problem. Besides it probably wouldn't be any higher than the west side when it's done.

[NickSMU17]

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandrevie ... t-colleges
Rice
UT

SMU = 56

A&M

Baylor

TCU = 99

UTD = 149...closing the gap on TCU...hopefully this new stadium helps TCU keep their distance, being that alumni giving is a major category...

[SMUguy]

... but isn't TCU a shoe-in to the new Big XII in the next few years anyway? ...

Absolutely not. Word I've heard is that despite Froggy High's recent rankings, some of the bigwigs at places like A&M and UT and OU view Froggy High as another Baylor, albeit one that has boosted its rankings by beating up on a conference those folks deem inferior to the Big 12 (this is where the Frog faithful can remind OU about when they walked into Norman and beat the Sooners, but apparently some Big 12 types have forgotten that).

I wouldn't say there's no chance, by any means, but to suggest they're a lock to get in is far from reality.

[NavyCrimson]

I agree PK. an upper deck would make a world of difference for that feeling of "small time" vs. "big time". Plus it would look great! Perhaps we could do something else with the open endzone instead of closing it in? Or both - upper deck & more seats in the endzone? Just a thought.

[lwjr]

... but isn't TCU a shoe-in to the new Big XII in the next few years anyway? ...

Absolutely not. Word I've heard is that despite Froggy High's recent rankings, some of the bigwigs at places like A&M and UT and OU view Froggy High as another Baylor, albeit one that has boosted its rankings by beating up on a conference those folks deem inferior to the Big 12 (this is where the Frog faithful can remind OU about when they walked into Norman and beat the Sooners, but apparently some Big 12 types have forgotten that).

I wouldn't say there's no chance, by any means, but to suggest they're a lock to get in is far from reality.

Unless your school is Notre Dame, I do not see any private schools getting invited to any BCS conferences..

[West Coast Johnny]

I'm surprised the university didn't match the bravado shown by their coach or their fan-base. They're a BIG TIME football program! The renovation reduces current seating by nearly 5K. I know I know, it's expandable to 50K but isn't TCU a shoe-in to the new Big XII in the next few years anyway? Their alumni would make you think so... Only the piddley Big XII schools like Iowa State and Baylor have 50K seat stadiums.

Yawn. Attendence smack. Its logical to make a smaller stadium for a school with 8,000 students that has had 3 sellouts in 25 years.

[West Coast Johnny]

Is it more impressive because it's taller?

It's nice, but GJF is no doorknob, either.

I know I'm not the only one who feels that Ford feels very small-time, especially from the field level.

It feels smaller than it is. It's design is a liability.

I like Ford. It has the clasic horseshoe shaped bowl. It looks like a mini-rose bowl or big-house. I don't think that it is small time at all. Now Baylor, that stadium is small time.

[couch 'em]

I know I'm not the only one who feels that Ford feels very small-time, especially from the field level.

It feels smaller than it is. It's design is a liability.

And how do you think that should be rectified?

Putting an upper deck on the east side would help and since SMU owns everything to the east of the stadium, getting a height variance on the structure shouldn't be a problem. Besides it probably wouldn't be any higher than the west side when it's done.

Upper deck would be key, and I think closing the bowl would help big time as well. Seeing grade level so close to the top of your stadium has to have a psychological effect.

I think the biggest problem is the scale of the pressbox area vs the seating below it, but I don't think we can do anything about that.

[couch 'em]

I like Ford. It has the clasic horseshoe shaped bowl. It looks like a mini-rose bowl or big-house. I don't think that it is small time at all. Now Baylor, that stadium is small time.

You think Ford looks more big-time than 50,000 seat Baylor?