Facility Fail during Weather Delay
So this is an objective post not related to anything on the actual field of play but more about the stadium itself and how I would like to see my ticket dollars spent in the future.
During the weather delay our beloved PA announcer was making regular updates to a completely empty stadium (some lolz) but the more serious problem is that under the cover of the canopy this could not be heard by anyone unless they were standing in the mouth of one of the entry portals...an undesirable position due to the heavy spray.
After wandering around for awhile waiting out a ride, hearing the noise of PA but not being able to comprehend any of it, my wife went into a family restroom and came back with a complete update (thinking this was radio guys piped in to the restrooms)
However, I feel like its a serious problem that needs to be addressed in the facility planning for the future. The crowd needs information and direction, and I for one, will do whatever benevolent Mr. Grapentine recommends but I'd like to be able to hear it also. What I'd like to see is a system to be able to switch gears (selector switch if you will) to broadcast Public Address under the covered areas of the stadium while under weather delay. We are bound to have more weather delays just by probability in the future and this would be really helpful as a fan attending the game. Note for clarity that I'm not asking for PA to be broadcast underneath for any other circumstances.
September 21st, 2014 at 7:58 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:11 AM ^
To me, nothing more accurately describes everything that happened yesterday than this .gif:
September 21st, 2014 at 8:16 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:18 AM ^
It's an interesting point and although I've never had the misfortune of having to evacuate due to inclement weather in the stadium's current configuration (just getting horrifically wet at 2012 Illinois), you would think that for emergency purposes there would an auxiliary system which broadcast through the entire stadium. We just fixed a similar issue at work actually - you could hear the building paging system everywhere except the most public areas.
I have to say that, even on a good day, if you're under the seats and in the concession area, it is sometimes difficult to understand the PA sometimes, although that could also be that often I have one or both children demanding those cheese fries which have some mysterious appeal.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:24 AM ^
Cheese and fries. The mystery is explained.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:26 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:44 AM ^
just like the CMU game a few years back. They all huddle under the seats and hide. This was a good diversion because .... we are NOT winning a Big 14 title, we are NOT improving, DG is NOT a QB ... but I spend alot of money and live for the tailgate. Thanks DB and L. Carr. Thanks for letting Bo down. Not sure who else to blame. Its not the fans.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:45 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:46 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
It wasn't Mary Sue Coleman on the PA, so you can sort of hear him.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:51 AM ^
The monitors at the vending stations just had generic message about the weather delay. Seems like they would be a great vehicle to deliver information like weather radar, when the last lightning strike was and therefore how long the 30 minute clock has left and any video or text info that might otherwise be helpful.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:54 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 21st, 2014 at 9:00 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 9:10 AM ^
Dave Brandon! From hell's heart, I stab at thee!!
September 21st, 2014 at 9:16 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^
Recognizing this won't happen. There should be an upper concourse around the endzones with big ramps to ground level. This would allow people to exit out of the top of the bowl in the endzones. Additional exit paths would mean quicker evacuation times. In addition, the upper concourses would provide additional shelter beneath them.
I suspect this is a $ thing, but what happened to making the exit aisles wider? I seem to remember that was the plan a few years back. The handrails they put in the aisles significantly slowed down traffic flow.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
Yep, you're right. Public safety is clearly less important than winning football.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 2:49 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
it could have been better. Although most people seemed to get the message. With having to wait at least a half hour after the last lightning strike it really isn't necessary to have instanious info is it?
However I thought some of the ushers were confused about a number of things, especially being told that if we went to Crisler we couldn't get back into the football stadium which is 1) wrong 2) patently absurd in that situation.
Also had an usher say the game had been called, which I knew to be false from listening to the radio guys.
Small things like this aren't a very big deal, but it sure seemed like some folks were getting very bad information.
Keep inperspective, this is only the second time this has happened in 120 years of football.