Can Ford Be Fixed?

[ponyboy]

And the thing really is nicely expandable. It's a good, old school, base stadium. Proud to have it.

My only change would be more greenery just outside the stadium -- too much concrete and pavers. And I'd allow ivy to cover the outside of Ford.

[skyscraper]

Look, nobody I have ever met who didn't already root against us has ever said one bad thing about Ford. For years I have watched other programs - Memphis, Tulane, etc. - who didn't have their own stadiums look at ours with envy. We are lucky to have it.

This. All the visiting fans that have ever come to Ford have loved it. Two people who went to the TCU game at Ford in 2010 said they still thought the stadium looked brand new.
I think we're just looking for something to complain about.

[EastStang]

Wait until you see some of the "gems" in the Big East. UConn and Rutgers.

[PonySnob]

So, does anyone on ponyfans have any experience in building design? Is there a way to save Ford, or do we tough it out until we can build a new facility on the Dallas side of 75?

Hard to believe SMU will ever build a new stadium.......

[Digetydog]

Wait until you see some of the "gems" in the Big East. UConn and Rutgers.

My company has season tickets at Uconn's stadium. Essentially, it is a bigger version of Plano's John Clark Field.
- Decent views throughout the stadium.
- Not much in the way of luxuries.
- It is butt ugly, located at the end of an abandoned runway in an industrial complex.

Can't wait to see the Mustangs play there (and Rutgers for that matter).

[ponyscott]

Sorry disagree...its perfect for SMU. Until we get more of these TAMU, TCU sell outs, we will be fine as its designed to expand and when we do need to expand we will love it. We aren't Michigan or Texas....we ARE SMU. I love the stadium and enjoy my seats down by the field. What I DON"T like is the dam boxes that are completely shut out from the crowd. You can't open the windows to hear the crowd nor to add to the noise to be heard by the athletes. I know someone who has a box and volunteered to pay for the window construction ($15-17,000 as I recall) to be able to be opened and closed like they were able to do at Texas Stadium, and they weren't allowed to do it because it would throw the A/C metrics off in the whole box area.
The stadium will be enlarged in the next few years and all of the concerns will be silenced.

[ponyboy]

What I DON"T like is the dam boxes that are completely shut out from the crowd.

I respect those who choose to watch a college football game that way. The same way I respect Velveeta as a real cheese and Musak as a viable entertainment option.

[Mustangsabu]

I think that the only issue with ford is the indoor suites, and I wish they would make them more like the ballpark. The height issues and sunk field are due to HP ordinances. Personally I think we need a nickname for the stadium though, perhaps the "Hoof-print"
or "the shoe".....

[SMUer]

The boxed seats have been the only ones where demand has out-stretched supply these past few years...let's ring the biyotch and replace all windows with ones that open.

Also, put an alumni party deck 2nd level, north side. Plebeian beer garten on the south hill. Tarp over the north end zone lower seats. Done.