College football stadiums

Chester- Just answered your question. They had the upper-upper deck ready to go for the 2003 season; the luxury boxes were finished in time for the 2004 season.

 

I'll tell you a school that is crying for a new stadium: Rice.

A 70,000-seat stadium that's falling apart doesn't look good with 10,000 people in it.

 

I think they're planning to downsize and renovate that place as soon as they redo Autry Court.

 

Thanks, didn't see that before I posted.

 

Husky Stadium is in dire need of the renovation that has been planned. I love going to games there but man that place is in bad shape

 

I can't imagine they'd ever double-deck the open end zone (and hope they don't), but the architects who have done all the expansions (Herty?) have a model of exactly that configeration.

 

Maybe they could put a roof over one end zone and finally have a decent basketball arena.

 

Owen Field in Norman is one of the most underrated stadiums in the nation. In terms of noise, it doesn't quite compare to the SEC's best, but it is wonderfully designed, and with the addition of a new 3,000+ square foot jumbotron and sound system for the 2008 season, it should only be better.

 

I doubt it would happen too, but the athletic association knows that if they build the seats, the screaming drunk students, alumni and fans will come. There will never be a concern of not selling out a game.

 

Isn't that true of most places? Aside from my senior year of college, when they gave us good seats, I can only remember a couple of times in my life I've sat inside the 20s. Most seats in most bigger stadiums, especially ones without multiple decks, are in the corners or the end zone.

And, on the worst places list, the LA Coliseum, especially when you're there in the visiting team section, which might as well be in Pasadena.

Pittsburgh, by the way, plays in a new stadium they share with the Steelers. Not sure if they tore down their old one, but they don't play there any more.

 

My vote is for Michie Stadium at West Point. Beautiful views, great atmosphere.

Now, if only Army could win a few games. ...

 

Good point about colleges not being able to go the extortion route by threatening to leave.

Still -- and I'd hate to see it happen -- but I bet if even one SEC team decided to go the Jerry Jones Dome route, there'd be an arms race and within 20 years all the big, traditional stadiums would be replaced. ("We can't recruit against that new stadium!!")

College football is that insane.