Michigan Stadium thoughts and theories

Submitted by Anonymous Coward (not verified) on

It's been on my mind quite often lately and I can't be the only one.

Is there a possibility with the massive boxes added on both sides of Michigan Stadium and the two very large score boards on each endzone, that Michigan Stadium could somehow expand capacity?

I found this article long ago by former over lord slave ruler Dave Brandon http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/29601474

Also out of curiousity, what did people on the board think about the expansions being added back in the time they were being added? What kinds of discussions were going on here?

Also, if anyone else finds anything regarding the issue I'm highly interested.

StephenRKass

December 19th, 2015 at 6:14 AM ^

Sure, it could be done, theoretically. The stadium could be expanded, and enclose the south end zone. But as the article you referenced says, it would have to be driven and paid for by demand. I haven't seen the evidence that there is demand for another 10,000 seats, and that this demain would pay for the increase. iirc, demand evaporated under Brandon's watch. And it will take a good while to build demand back up . . . the waiting lists I remember are no long there.

GrindToEat

December 19th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^

if the university really wanted to leverage the stadium (aside from adding seats) then YES!!

We should 100% have more food and tailgating options for both students and patrons to enjoy. Maybe would take away from some of the partying and could even make student section look less empty. 

Wolverine Devotee

December 19th, 2015 at 1:29 PM ^

WD is not a fan of doing further damage. Corporate suites are one thing, but I will declare hunger strike if a pro sports restaurant is added.

You go to the games to watch the games. 

I miss the original Big House. The one without the boxes hovering over it, ruining the bowl feel. 

Sue me. 

 

bluebyyou

December 19th, 2015 at 6:56 AM ^

With NCAA football attendance continuing its drop in 2015 for the fifth year in a row, I'd say it would be an expensive gamble to expand again.  On top of that, the town on game days is bursting at the seams with the influx of cars and people.  At some point, by adding more and more cars, you will reach gridlock and the experience will start being degraded.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/jon-solomon/25418087/co…

Don

December 19th, 2015 at 7:29 AM ^

I think the waiting list came back this year. Your larger points still stands, though—the year over year demand has to be there. If, God forbid, we go 8-4 next season, would demand slacken again, or is the mere presence of Harbaugh enough to sustain it? We'd all like to believe the latter, but hoping isn't the same thing as reality.

I think expansion would only occur after a decade or more of substantial waiting lists, and if the current overall trend throughout CFB of decreasing attendance continues, there might not be the need to expand simply to remain the biggest.

bluebyyou

December 19th, 2015 at 9:59 AM ^

What the B1G did to us with scheduling, as you pointed out, is ridiculous.  To wrong the right, two years in a row of MSU at Michigan Stadium would correct the situation, but I'm not sure the B1G would buy it.  It is an equitable solution but when did that ever matter.

I don't know about other folks, but while I love going to games at Michigan Stadium, blowouts are boring.  A nine game conference schedule will help, but I'd be up for scheduling at least one serious opponent each year.  Of  course, scheduling takes place so far in the future, that today's powerhouse team may be meh when you play them.

When you start adding up the costs of several people attending a game, even if you live in A2, it is a lot of money we are paying for entertainment.  It had damn well better be a quality show, particularly these days where 65 inch HDTV sets are eminently affordable and can be had for the cost of a single season ticket.

M-Dog

December 19th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^

MSU is actually in the exact same position as us . . . it has Michigan and OSU on the road every other year.  

Why don't we just switch with them?  It does not even impact league scheduling, just the location of this one particular game.

It would be to their benefit as well as ours.  They won't like the idea of playing us at the Big House 2 years in a row to get it sync'd up, but we played in EL 2 years in a row.  Maybe they could be given an extra ticket allotment that one year or something to make it more digestable.

It would make sense to do it.

mastodon

December 19th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^

You were't suggesting this, but does anybody think State would just quietly accept an away/away correction handed down by the conference, that resulted from an appeal of a reworked schedule that our AD was stupid/oblivious enough to signed off on? /breathes

There is no way we'd stand for that if the roles were reversed. To correct the phase of the State game, I think we'd have to instigate, and endure another consecutive-year away/away scenario. I don't see any other way that gets done. Anybody think it's worth that? (serious question)

UofMfanJJ (not verified)

December 19th, 2015 at 6:33 AM ^

As stated in the thread I linked to this one, when the winning comes back so will the people.

The atmosphere in the air at the Oregon State game was so tense you could cut it with a knife, It had something special about it.

At the Northwestern game, you could feel exactly how much fun Michigan Stadium can be and just how breathtaking it can be too.

Before the Ohio State blowout began, every third down you could feel the hate for the Buckeyes. Literally feel it, and while the game was a close score before they started taking off, I was sitting close to several buckeye groups and they honestly looked concerned and ready to shit their pants. It was not until they finally started scoring did the arrogant, shit talking fan come out.

Give Michigan a high ranking late in the season looking into a playoff picture and I promise you that student section will have more priorities than getting drunk before Staee or the Yuckeyes.

Indiana Blue

December 19th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^

The ONLY games I can remember a FULL student section at kickoff were the UTL games.  The student section wasn't even full at kickoff for ohio this year.  

SO compare that to Nebraska, Penn State and Iowa and probably even ohio (tho I don't watch ANY of their games) and their student sections are ALWAYS full.  Also IIRC this wasn't the case during the Carr years.  DB (douche bag ?) expanded the student section and threw the fans and students under the bus ... but I think the # of student tickets needs to be addressed.

Maybe it goes by student seniority.  My daughter went to PSU and if she forgot to have her student application for tickets in ON TIME, she did NOT get season tickets (which happened her senior season - but she found tickets from other students to go to games).  We have to get to a place where demand exceeds availability ... even at the student level.

And finally FUCK anyone selling their tickets - like what happened against ohio this year.  I hate hearing their FUCKING o - h - i -o cheer as they go around Michigan Stadium on EVERY side of the field.  It is PATHETIC

Go Blue!

acnumber1

December 19th, 2015 at 9:50 AM ^

I think the problem with student tickets is that students don't like to be told where to sit. If the athletic department were to initiate a general admission policy, allowing students to sit with the people they arrive with, it would increase attendance. Also, knowing that arriving earlier would result in better seats, the students would arrive earlier. To entertain the early arriving students, rawk music could be played loudly and maybe a firework display could be put on.

Just a few ideas, but I'm no expert athletic director.

DCGrad

December 19th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^

tried a general admissions policy before and it was a disaster as far as long wait lines go. Students want to drink before games and stumble into the stadium before kickoff. When all the students were forced to go to a single gate to get in the stadium it was terrible. It could work were it less stringent but Brandon tried and failed (not surprisingly).

Brimley

December 19th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^

AC was having a little fun at Brandon's expense (which we ALL should do more of).

That said, when I was a student, we had a de-facto general seating policy.  As long as you were in striking distance of seats (same section or within a hundred feet either way), it was all good.  Of course we didn't drink outside the stadium either.  We brought it in.  So we got there by kick-off every time.

So my half flippant answer to filling the student section is to allow alcohol and weed into the stadium.  Worked 35-40 years ago anyway.

Alton

December 19th, 2015 at 11:07 AM ^

I don't know why people keep using that phrase to describe the ticket policy of 2013.  It was actually the exact opposite of general admission.

In true general admission, people can find an unoccupied seat and sit in it.  In 2013, what happened was that students were assigned a specific seat when they arrived inside the stadium, and were forced to sit in it if they wanted to attend the game.  No moving was permitted.

They only called it "general admission" for PR reasons--it was assigned seating, and it was strictly enforced.  I think a true general admission policy could possibly be made to work, if there is buy-in prior to setting up the policy rather than a top-down enforcement from the Department.

SpikeFan2016

December 19th, 2015 at 5:36 PM ^

You are SO, SO, SO, SO wrong on this. 

 

I was at the Penn State game this year and their student section was LESS than half full at noon kickoff for their biggest home game of the season against us. 

 

Last year I was in Columbus and their student section wasn't full at The Game kickoff either. Student sections won't be full at noon games unless it's #1 vs. #2 or something crazy. 

 

Also, Iowa dropped their attendance this year despite going 12-0 because they couldn't retain any season ticket holders. 

 

If you think Michigan students have a problem you are OBJECTIVELY wrong. 

 

 

M-Dog

December 19th, 2015 at 8:24 AM ^

Thank You.  There were not 5,000 empty seats for the Ohio State game with Michigan still in a position to potentially win the Big Ten.  It only looked that way because they all stand and crowd down to the front.

Hell, if Dave Brandon were still here, he would try to sell those 5,000 virtual seats.  You would get them at a slight discount, but you would not be allowed in them until after the game started and the students have moved down.   

Katie

December 19th, 2015 at 8:51 AM ^

If you are in the stadium or see a photo of the student section, I can see how you would say it looks empty at the top - it is.  If you look closer though, the students are standing in the aisles for about the first 30 rows.  Students pack in tightly whereas in the general seating, if someone doesn't show up to the game, people spread out and occupy the seats leaving the appearance of fuller sections there.