A Different Take on the New Skyboxes
There has been a lot of discussion on the added noise level created by the stadium additions (which, even as an old-fogie fan I love, by the way!). However, After watching the first two 3:30 games on TV, I've really been struck by the shadows and how quickly it gets dark inside the stadium. I'm starting to wonder what effect this will have on the temperature in say...mid-November. I can certainly recall being at games in the past and freezing my ass off and praying for the sun to come out. Did anyone go to games last year (such as Northwestern) and notice a big difference?
(sorry if this was already discussed last year, I'm still relatively new to the MGoBlog family)
September 16th, 2009 at 8:53 AM ^
Just drink more.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:56 AM ^
As if I needed an excuse for that. And just to be clear, I wouldn't complain if it made the stadium colder. I preversely sort of love the freezing cold snow-type games. I can't wait to see the spread-n-shred go nuts on a snowy field while our opponents flail around.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:54 AM ^
You will already be dressed for cold. I was always most shocked by that quick drop in temperature in the end of September and early October, about the time the leaves change.
I am more interested in what we will do to combat the shadows themselves, really. I could see some Yankee Stadium lights on the pressboxes - low profile, inobtrusive, hopefully doesn't make the Stadium look like the field at Pioneer (like those drive-in carts that they used to truck in).
September 16th, 2009 at 8:58 AM ^
I hear ya...I'm a Pioneer Grad actually (85') and always thought our stadium sort of sucked given it's prominent location across the street next to football Mecca.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:22 AM ^
Yeah, I would especially thought the football field would be really nice there with all the money they bring in from parking. What the hell do they spend it on??? Anyone know how much they bring in on a given Saturday?
September 16th, 2009 at 10:41 AM ^
Pioneer has to split the money with the other AA high schools (Huron, and now Skyline). AAP's geographic location is a massive advantage, and it would unfairly reward them for being right next door while unfairly punishing the other schools.
Not that they still don't get a nice chunk of change, though now I guess it's slightly smaller with Skyline being a new HS and sharing in the profits.
Actually, I don't know for certain that Skyline has been cut in, but I would assume they are seeing as Huron had been and it would only make sense.
Unfortunately, I don't know how much they take in, what it goes toward, etc.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^
Does it go just to the high schools? I thought it went into the general district budget, not just the high school budgets. I don't know why I thought that, but I did.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:15 PM ^
Yeah, I think you're right that the money goes to the district budget. I meant to say that in my post but I ended up just referencing the high schools specifically.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^
My friend is a teacher there, and I don't believe Pioneer gets any of that money - U of M does. I don't recall at the moment exactly what she said, so I may be wrong on this.
In any case, U of M definitely has operational control of that parking area - anytime there is a U of M game, U of M's wishes supersede anything Pioneer wants to do (e.g., closing part of the lot early on Friday for the RV crowd, no matter how many activities Pioneer has going on).
Whoever gets the money, it would be probably $250-350,000 a year (guesstimate based on 1,000 cars & RVs at $30 a pop ($100 for RVs?), 7 to 8 times a year).
September 16th, 2009 at 8:57 AM ^
What I have noticed is on the east side as the sun approaches the boxes the sun glare makes it difficult to see, even with a hat and sunglasses on. When the sun does go down, it feels 20 degrees cooler, which is nice now, but come November I will have to drink more.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:00 AM ^
i was in sec 5, row 13 right behind the ND band. we had direct sun the entire game. i thought we would get some relief from the boxes maybe in Q4 but it never happened. and as the sun gets lower in the sky thru the fall, the boxes should become less of a factor.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:00 AM ^
It's because there is this really neat invention called "lighting" that helps when it gets dark earlier and stuff. Oh yeah, it may look kind of odd, and UM will have to hire someone who knows how to turn the "light switch" on to get them to work, but these "lights" help the players see things on the field. Even if they are not "inobtrusive."
September 16th, 2009 at 10:39 AM ^
They Call This the 21st Century for a Reasonthe electric light was invented in the 19th century (patented by edison in 1879).
September 16th, 2009 at 9:27 AM ^
and I appreciated that my neck didn't get toasted. I really like the shade, but this week will be different. We'll probably get shade about halftime (or later). I was at the Northwestern game last year, and shade makes no difference when it's raining buckets. That game was so cold and miserable, it was the first time I ever thought about leaving a game early. My friend and I were jumping up and down to keep from dying. Shade makes no difference when it's that bad (clouds). I agree that you should drink more beers/shots then normal to account for the temp. difference.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:28 AM ^
archenemy of us old folk. But, there are weapons at our disposal. seat pads. chemcial foot and hand warmers. compression shirts and pants. wool socks. vodka. young womens. standing. screaming. punching out opposing fans like all those stupid ND fans claimed. zen. potato salad.
CAW!
September 16th, 2009 at 9:35 AM ^
The couch, a blanket, and a hooker
September 16th, 2009 at 10:07 AM ^
It won't make a huge difference late in the year, all the games start at 12 or 1. But they are going to have to put lights the boxes if they want to continue with the 330 games I don't think ABC has anywhere to put those portable lights except the endzones. If they kick the field goal and go in to a couple of OT's that game ends in darkness with no lights.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:16 AM ^
I thought I read the press boxes will be wired for lights, but it'll be up to the TV stations to bring the lights.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:45 AM ^
If ABC/ESPN wants a 3:30 start late in the season, make 'em responsible for providing (and rigging?) the lights. Put the onus on the people who dictate the start times.
Martin is a smart man.
(For the record, I love 3:30 games that end after dusk and under the lights (e.g., PSU 2005, MSU 2004, PSU 2002). I wouldn't even mind a night game. But I recognize that my opinion might be in the minority among the old guard Bluehairs.)
**EDIT:
From the stadium FAQ:
Q: Will you add lights? Yes, our plans call for the installation of lighting platforms on the top of the proposed sideline structures. It will be the responsibility of the TV networks to bring in temporary light racks for late afternoon games where lights are required.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:17 AM ^
The Northwestern game is probably a poor example in your question because the weather was rain and sleet for much or all of the game. There was no sun whatsoever.
With the new skybox on the west side being about 10 times the size of the current press box, it absolutely will and does block the sun earlier. If it is cold during the game and you are no longer sitting in the sunshine, it will be colder. Period. For fans that want to be out of the weather at the game, buy a suite. For ninety-nine percent of the crowd, we will deal with the weather, which is what football is supposed to be like.
Perhaps without knowing it you bring up another issue. You correctly stated that the field area will become darker sooner as the season progresses. It is customary that the games beginning at noon before the fall time change in early November will not usually need lights. Games scheduled for 3:30 after the time change will need lights. But with the enclosure of the buildings now blocking the sun earlier, I wonder if lights will be put in place for any 3:30 (or earlier) start times before the fall time change?
Also on the subject of lights, it is my understanding from a piece I read over a year ago that permanent lights may be installed on the four towers. Does anyone have any other information?
September 16th, 2009 at 10:44 AM ^
You are complaining about November in the Midwest?? There won't be a visible sun. Just dull gray skies. I'll gladly take the earlier shade afforded by the suites during the hot early season games in exchange for sunlight I was never going to get.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:48 AM ^
I thought the same thing...it was weird seeing half the field in darkness at 5pm.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:12 AM ^
Cold at football games?
45 degrees + gray sky + sweatshirts and several layers + football Saturday = life exactly as God intended.
For precisely these reasons you won't ever catch me moving to the South for any reasons outside of nuclear holocaust. 70 degrees in October and November is a crime against humanity and the natural world.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
I thought that too before I moved, but it's damn nice down here in Florida during the winter.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:44 AM ^
That's why I visit for bowl games. And it's certainly not nice in July and August. It's miserable hot and humid.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:24 PM ^
of all the people in the shade. It's hot when you are crammed next to a ton of people.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:53 AM ^
The guy who sat next to me for the WMU game had some serious rank BO. It didn't help that he was wearing a cutoff jersey-type shirt.
If I close my eyes and crinkle my nose just right, I can still smell it. *puke*
September 17th, 2009 at 9:54 AM ^
forgot my deodorant
September 17th, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^
I guess the closest comparison I can think of is a sleeveless basketball warmup jersey. It was, to borrow a phrase from Brian on WTKA this morning, suboptimal for everyone around him (you).