SEC Athletics Facilities Race

[jbcarol]

Kentucky Athletics ‏@UKAthletics 4h4 hours ago

We've added a live feed showing progress on @UKFootball's new training facility to our #TheNewCWS feed. Check it out: http://www.thenewcws.com/vision/live-construction-cam/ ...

[NoNC4Tubs]

AU_Facilities ‏@AU_Facilities

The structural steel for the video portion of the Jordan-Hare video board was officially topped-off today #WarEagle
11:04 AM - 10 Jun 2015

Well, since they can't expand the stadium..............

[jbcarol]

Michael Casagrande ‏@ByCasagrande 4h4 hours ago Tuscaloosa, AL

Progress on the roof of Alabama's rebuilt baseball stadium.

[jbcarol]

Stadium Journey has compiled the work of correspondents across the country to produce the 2015 NCAA Ballpark Experience Rankings.

The SEC dominates the rankings with the top three spots, and four in the top 10.

Baum Stadium at George Cole Field is the baseball home of the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The ballpark opened in 1996 and has been renovated four times since then, with three of the four renovations resulting in expansions of the park's seating. With a total capacity of 10,737, Baum Stadium is the fourth-largest college baseball venue in the United States and the second-largest in the SEC. It also consistently leads the nation in attendance...

Baum Stadium also provides an elite atmosphere, especially when it comes to many of the other college baseball venues in the area.

[jbcarol]

Doug Samuels ‏@CoachSamz 23h23 hours ago

Virginia Tech is putting the finishing touches on the largest indoor practice facility in CFB http://footballscoop.com/news/virginia-tech-is-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-the-largest-indoor-facility-in-college-football/ ...

[jbcarol]

Danny West ‏@DannyWest1 Jun 17

Interesting note from that Heinrich article: Apparently the staff told him Razorback Stadium is increasing to a capacity of 90,000.

[jbcarol]

Ron Higgins ‏@RonHigg

Oh, say can you see, and in SEC football stadiums you usually do @TigerDroppings @dandydonlsu http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2015/06/oh_say_can_you_see_and_sec_foo.html ...

When the Tigers play their first home game this season Sept. 15 against Jacksonville State, they will have in place the largest video screen in college football.

Auburn is going from a postage stamp-sized board of 71 feet wide and 28 ½ feet high with a square footage of 2,024 to a spaceship-sized 190 feet high, 57 feet wide and a square footage of 10,830 feet.

In other words, when Auburn shows any old Bo Jackson highlights, the townfolk back in Bo's hometown in the Birmingham suburb of Bessemer probably have a good chance to see it.

Just the video board itself costs $3.5 million. Since each SEC school just collected a 2014-15 revenue sharing check of $31.5 million, the Tigers can probably pay in cash.

When Auburn flips on the switch on its video screen, the SEC will have seven schools ranked in the top 25 nationally having the largest video boards (in square footage), including four in the top 10.

They are No. 1 Auburn (10,830), No. 2 Texas A&M (7,661), No. 5 Arkansas (6,286) and No. 9 Mississippi State (5,217).

What is stunning are the two schools that have the smallest video screens in the SEC – Alabama is dead last (1,060 square feet) and LSU's main video screen in the north end zone is 13th (2,160). This past season, Tiger Stadium South end zone upper deck expansion included the addition of two video screens 40 feet high and 70 feet wide (square footage unknown).

Tulane's main video screen in its new Yulman Stadium is bigger (2,556) than LSU's primary screen in Tiger Stadium. And the Green Wave's replay board probably even seems even bigger in a stadium that seats 72,000 fewer people than Tiger Stadium.

Alabama's video screen is smaller than such mid-to-low majors as UL-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Troy, Arkansas State and North Texas.

Here's the ranking of SEC video boards with square footage, dimensions of width and height. National ranking is in parenthesis:

    Auburn (1) 10,830 190 by 57
    Texas A&M (2) 7,661 163 by 47
    Arkansas (5) 6,286 166.3 by 37.8
    Tennessee (16) 4,588 124 by 37
    Miss. State (9) 5,217 111 by 47
    South Carolina (17) 4,464 124 by 36
    Florida (20) 4,110 137 by 30
    Vanderbilt (26) 3,600 50 by 72
    Ole Miss (30) 3,129 74½ by 42
    Kentucky (31) 2,960 80 by 37
    Georgia (36) 2,628 73 by 36
    Missouri (42) 2,440 80 by 30½
    LSU (54) 2,160 80 by 27
    Alabama (77) 1,060 53 by 20

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 20h20 hours ago

Have we seen the last of Big Bertha in Rupp Arena? http://bit.ly/1eviKTT 

That white speaker that hangs over center court instead of a four corner scoreboard.

Rupp Arena could soon see technology upgrades, including ribbon boards around the second tier and a new center-hanging video scoreboard. Officials are looking into the costs and the benefits of the new additions before a board meeting next month. One thing to consider: the ribbon boards, though expensive to install, would provide much more revenue through advertising.

As for the new centerpiece, The Herald reports Rupp Arena's roof isn't equipped to hold a new scoreboard, so it would take some re-engineering before one will be dangling above the court.

[jbcarol]

Keith Niebuhr ‏@Keith247Sports 6h6 hours ago

Today's look at the new video board inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at #Auburn

[NoNC4Tubs]

Keith Niebuhr ‏@Keith247Sports 6h6 hours ago

Today's look at the new video board inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at #Auburn

Why not just replace the field with an actual size screen? 

[jbcarol]

Auburn TigersVerified account ‏@AuburnTigers

Here it is! The OFFICIAL rendering of college's largest video board coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium. #WarEagle
5:24 PM - 22 Jun 2015

[jbcarol]

The Advocate Sports ‏@AdvocateSports 18h18 hours ago

Four-month-long construction project starts at LSU's Alex Box Stadium http://ow.ly/OI0d3

Crews are attaching netting to the bottom side of the Alex Box Stadium grandstands overhang, a four-month-long project that's expected to keep the birds away. Construction began about two weeks ago and is scheduled to end just in time for fall practice in October, coach Paul Mainieri said.

LSU may use U-High's field in September for individual drills, but Mainieri hopes construction is complete in time for fall ball in early October. Construction began a day after the team left Baton Rouge for the College World Series on June 12.

LSU hosts baseball camps starting next week. Campers will use only the outfield, Mainieri said.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman 23h23 hours ago College Station, TX

New West Side of Kyle Field as of Wednesday June 24, 2015. First Texas A&M home game Sept. 12 6 pm vs Ball State:

[jbcarol]

UM Curators ‏@umcurators 1h1 hour ago

Here's a look at the @MizzouSoftball stadium project design

[jbcarol]

OleMissPix
‏@OleMissPix
Press box and West suites are nearing completion. #ForwardTogether @OleMissFB

[jbcarol]

http://kentuckysportsradio.com/football-2/take-a-look-at-the-new-commonwealth-stadium

Triple Crown Drones (a company in Kentucky) used a drone to showcase the state of the new Commonwealth Stadium renovations.

[jbcarol]

Vanderbilt finally plans to build $12M baseball facility

The new three-story building will connect Memorial Gym to Hawkins Field and stand just beyond the left-field wall. In fact, coach Tim Corbin said one side of the three-story complex will serve as a new replacement to the current 35-foot-tall green monster wall in the left-field corner.

"The building itself will make up the monster, so we won't lose the elevated wall and we won't lose the distances," Corbin said. "There will just be something behind that wall."

Athletics director David Williams said the process of planning a new facility began after last year's run to Vanderbilt's first national championship, when he asked Corbin what upgrades he preferred for his program.

[jbcarol]

Justin King ‏@JustinKing Jun 28

This is how much larger Auburn's new scoreboard is than before.

[Inhogswetrust]

Auburn TigersVerified account ‏@AuburnTigers

Here it is! The OFFICIAL rendering of college's largest video board coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium. #WarEagle
5:24 PM - 22 Jun 2015

The premier showing is "Jerry Maquire"..................They will replay the "show me the money" scene over and over and over. 

[jbcarol]

OleMissPix ‏@OleMissPix 9h9 hours ago

The Pavilion on July 1st, 2015

@OleMissMBB @OleMissWBB @OleMissAF #ForwardTogether

[NoNC4Tubs]

Justin King ‏@JustinKing Jun 28

This is how much larger Auburn's new scoreboard is than before.

Can be seen in neighboring pastures.............

[Inhogswetrust]

Can be seen in neighboring pastures.............

Crane to remain so opposing coaches can get to their locker room at halftime......................................

[jbcarol]

Michael Hash ‏@MGH859 12h12 hours ago

Appreciate one of my old construction pals getting me in to Commonwealth today. It's looking great!

[jbcarol]

Chuck Dunlap ‏@SEC_Chuck 19h19 hours ago

New stadium in Atlanta is quickly taking shape: http://newstadium.atlantafalcons.com/gallery/aerial-photographs-june-2015/ ...

[jbcarol]

Michael Hash ‏@MGH859 12h12 hours ago

Appreciate one of my old construction pals getting me in to Commonwealth today. It's looking great!

Jen Smith: Revamping Commonwealth Stadium hasn't given a boost to UK football's season ticket sales so far

A surge in construction activity at Commonwealth Stadium hasn't equaled a notable surge in season ticket sales.

Kentucky officials told the Herald-Leader that roughly 38,600 season tickets have been sold as of Thursday, which is just slightly ahead of the pace from this time last season when the school reported it had sold 38,024 tickets.

In the summer of 2013, UK said 37,901 season tickets sold. In 2012, the final season for Joker Phillips, Kentucky officials said they had sold 38,655 by the opener.

[jbcarol]

A&M seat reassignment lawsuit tossed in Florida court

A class action lawsuit between Texas A&M and long-time season ticket holders has been thrown out by a district court in Florida. The case had previously been dismissed by a federal judge in Texas, so it looks like these fans are running out of options.

The family of Texas A&M fan and booster Warren Moore sued Texas A&M for an alleged breach of contract and misrepresentation regarding season tickets. The family claims the season tickets were part of a lifetime guarantee from the university following a $60,000 donation to fund a scholarship. Eight others joined the class-action lawsuit before U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas dismissed it.

In 1985 the Moore family donated $60,000 to Texas A&M to fund a scholarship. In exchange, the family was promised some of the best seats in Kyle Field for life. The family was also promised parking in addition to the tickets to the prime seats in Kyle Field. Since that 1985 donation, Texas A&M has undergone a massive stadium renovation, prompting Texas A&M to issue a letter to the Moore family and other season-ticket holders explaining they would have to become members of the Primary West Legacy Club at an additional cost of $15,000 per seat for the campaign gift as part of a seat reassignment process. On top of that, an annual $2,000 price for each seat over the next 15 years would be required. The Moores and at least eight other season ticket holders believe they should not have to pay such a price...

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman 32m32 minutes ago

How pop song 'Sandstorm' helped bring steel reinforcements to Kyle Field -- & A&M's rapid reaction to any concerns: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/aggies/article/Kyle-Field-reinforcements-swaying-Aggies-concerns-6366773.php ...

COLLEGE STATION - The new south end zone of Kyle Field, opened less than a year ago, held a surprise for fans during the final home game: slight up-and-down-movement.

The minor shifting occurred when the new stands were packed during A&M's Thanksgiving game against LSU last season. A mesmerizing song played at a high volume ostensibly triggered the movement, but it wasn't the "Aggie War Hymn." Instead, the techno-­pop song "Sandstorm" was the perpetrator, officials claim.

"It's very technical, but the particular frequency (of 'Sandstorm') was the issue," said Craig Kaufman, project manager for the architectural firm Populous, which designed A&M's rebuilt stadium.

In response, A&M reinforced the south end zone stands with additional steel, a process completed this week. The south seating area, which holds nearly 27,000, has been safe from the start, officials say.

"It's a steel structure, so it is going to move a little bit," said A&M system vice chancellor Phillip Ray, who is overseeing the $485-million stadium redevelopment. "We tested every single thing you could do."

A&M is near the end of a massive transformation of Kyle Field, with a final seating capacity of 102,512 - up from 83,000.

The rebuilt stadium, with the west side currently under construction, is on schedule for completion by the Sept. 12 home opener against Ball State...

[jbcarol]

The limestone at the new Commonwealth Stadium looks great

Check out the new ticket windows at the stadium, a nice peek at the limestone facade.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman Jul 15

Texas A&M football season tickets available:

Read: http://tl.gd/n_1sn300f

A&M release:

A limited number of season tickets for Texas A&M's upcoming football season have become available, providing an opportunity for the general public to join the 12th Man at the redeveloped Kyle Field in 2015.

The Aggies face Ball State in their home season opener on Sept. 12 at Kyle Field, marking the conclusion of the largest stadium redevelopment in the history of college football. Kyle Field's final seating capacity will rest at 102,512, which ranks fourth nationally...

More than 31,600 Texas A&M students have already purchased their 12th Man Passes, which ensures that Kyle Field will once again boast the largest student section in college football.

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 4h4 hours ago

Here is an Aerial look at the current state of The New COmmonwealth Stadium http://bit.ly/1g1Wfqp

Things are looking great inside the stadium, but the parking situation looks like a complete mess with only 46 days to get it ready for tailgating.

[jbcarol]

Ross Bjork ‏@RossBjorkAD Jul 17

Working hard! 🚜🔨🔩@WillTraylor: Started early today. Pavilion court slab pour started at 2:30am @BLHarbert1 @OleMissAF

[kingoftherapids]

i just dont understand why UA isn't giving any kind of update on bball performance center or academic center. you would think it would be a huge recruiting tool to have those updates on the website. no 17 year old wants to go to oxblue webcam to see the academic center...

that being said, thank goodness for that webcam.

[jbcarol]

Commonwealth Stadium is going to look nice when completed, but winning football is the important part of the project.

"What's more interesting is why Kentucky decided to renovate in the first place. Sure, Commonwealth Stadium was in need of an update. But the trend around the SEC has been to expand stadiums, to meet the increasing demand for tickets. Kentucky bucked the trend. AD Mitch Barnhart rejected expansion in favor of renovation. In fact, there will be fewer seats at CWS. The goal: Fewer seats, more amenities."

"The team will have a new room right off the tunnel (under the recruiting room space) where it will meet before games and at halftime. It will be equipped with chairs, dry-erase walls and restrooms, as well as space for medical staff and an in-stadium X-ray machine. Across the hall is a space for post-game interviews. This season, the team will dress in its existing locker room space and then head to the field. Once the nearby, $45 million practice facility is completed, the players will get ready there and then walk over to the stadium."

[jbcarol]

HL Cityhall ‏@HLCityhall 6h6 hours ago

Lexington Center Corp. board approves $15 million 2-year plan to upgrade Rupp Arena, including new center-hung score board and wi-Fi

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman 1h1 hour ago College Station, TX

Based on this birds-eye view from a drone, Kyle Field looks like it will absolutely be ready by Sept. 12 home opener: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/07/birds-eye-view-shows-rebuilt-kyle-field-in-all-of-its-485-million

[jbcarol]

Jen Smith ‏@jenheraldleader 4h4 hours ago

[Mark] Stoops on practice facility: It's shiny and pretty and new, but it's also going to greatly enhance player development. "We've very excited."

[jbcarol]

While nothing is officially planned just yet, the construction of the new video scoreboard at Auburn has some envisioning even more video...

"In the future what we may end up doing is we may end up putting LED video boards back there so it's not static signage," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said in a story published by Al.com. "So that we can do things like 'Graduation today at a certain time' or 'congratulations to professor Smith for winning the Leischuck award,' things like that because it's such a big board and massive space. I didn't want it just to be solid, I want it to be something that we can actually utilize."

AuburnPix @AuburnPix
IT'S ON! #WarEagle
5:00 PM - 31 Jul 2015

[garazorbacker]

Two questions please:
When will hogs move into new facility and are there recent photos of the completed building? All I find are drawings and ground breaking pics. Thanks

[ricepig]

Soon, and CoachDykes has posted some recently on twitter.

@CoachJimmyDykes

[nwahogfan1]

I have another question.

How much influence will these huge million dollar investments help our BB staff to sign some nationally ranked kids?   

I will be curious what recruits say were their reasons for signing with us this year.    Wa it immediate playing time?  Coaches influence?  Players influence?  Facilities influence?  Just curious?


Probable each kid is different but still be nice to know.

[WarPig88]

I have another question.

How much influence will these huge million dollar investments help our BB staff to sign some nationally ranked kids?   

I will be curious what recruits say were their reasons for signing with us this year.    Wa it immediate playing time?  Coaches influence?  Players influence?  Facilities influence?  Just curious?


Probable each kid is different but still be nice to know.

Well it did make us the LAST Sec school to get a practice facility. Whatever not being the only school in your conference without a facility is worth I suppose.

By the way, both Whitt and Kapita were top 100 recruits.

[jbcarol]

Cecil Hurt ‏@CecilHurt 2h2 hours ago

Why did Alabama need to make seating changes at Coleman? Faculty section before .... http://tmi.me/1f7tCa 

Alabama basketball will move students to more visible sidecourt seating among other changes

[NoNC4Tubs]

While nothing is officially planned just yet, the construction of the new video scoreboard at Auburn has some envisioning even more video...

AuburnPix @AuburnPix
IT'S ON! #WarEagle
5:00 PM - 31 Jul 2015

I wonder what will happen on the board the first time an opponent lines up to kick a game-winning field goal..........

Me thinks the SEC officials will be watching that board very closely!

[razoredge178]

I have another question.

How much influence will these huge million dollar investments help our BB staff to sign some nationally ranked kids?   

Very little. I def think we need one, if not purely for logistical purposes. But all that garbage Jeff Long spewed about the recruiting is just a salesman being a salesman. If walking onto the floor of BWA doesn't get ya, an all be it nice but still very average practice facility isn't going to either.

[Inhogswetrust]

Very little. I def think we need one, if not purely for logistical purposes. But all that garbage Jeff Long spewed about the recruiting is just a salesman being a salesman. If walking onto the floor of BWA doesn't get ya, an all be it nice but still very average practice facility isn't going to either.

A top recruit can walk onto a floor in an arena from schools anywhere that have won big and be "gotten" if you believe your hypothesis. It can be other things that sway a recruit from one school or the other. Being the only basketball program in the SEC without before was ridiculous and shameful for a school that has our history. BWA is nice but at this point it needs some work as well. A LOT of schools have done major renovations or built new arenas since it first opened.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello  12h12 hours ago
Drone video shows off Jordan-Hare Stadium, college football's largest video scoreboard http://ow.ly/QycLq 

[Hoggish1]

A top recruit can walk onto a floor in an arena from schools anywhere that have won big and be "gotten" if you believe your hypothesis. It can be other things that sway a recruit from one school or the other. Being the only basketball program in the SEC without before was ridiculous and shameful for a school that has our history. BWA is nice but at this point it needs some work as well. A LOT of schools have done major renovations or built new arenas since it first opened.

Major renovations are in order:

The place is too dark.

On TV, due to the darkness, it is impossible to note that we have an upper deck.

That's one upgrade that needs to be made and fast.  But, if we don't get over this recent funk, perhaps it's best not to see the upper deck because nobody will be up there anyway...

With that said, the lower arena is way to dark and that needs fixing, pronto!!

[ICEman]

The planned expansion of the BWA concourse ought to add a measure of brightness and lightness to the facility.

[NoNC4Tubs]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello  12h12 hours ago
Drone video shows off Jordan-Hare Stadium, college football's largest video scoreboard http://ow.ly/QycLq 

The scoreboard wasn't working at the time of this filming.......... 

[jbcarol]

Kelsey Stein ‏@kelseymstein 22h22 hours ago

Legion Field getting new scoreboard for $1.4 million http://s.al.com/AoCrxxi  via @aldotcom


Birmingham Bowl