DNF Expansion and Renovation Will Be Announced Tomorrow Night

[engie]

...aka architect. But Autozone Park, in New Jack City, looks as parrallel with the base line as DNF is. However, down the outfield foul line, almost to the track, they were able to turn those Autozone seats to have a good sight line. I am sure you could do the same at DNF.

This is actually the most similar comparison to Dudy Noble I've seen. Difference being, of course, Auto Zone's size... and the fact that it's got open concourses and is basically built into the ground. Judging by the looks of it, it appears that there are some pretty bad sightlines there in certain sections down the foul lines. I'd much rather be further from the plate in the "turn in" seats than one or 2 sections closer and getting a crick in my neck trying to see the plate...

AutoZone:

Dudy Noble:

 

[jeremyrbrown]

I don't think anyone is saying we have a premier facility. Everyone thinks we need upgrades. The only thing up for debate is what and how.

If you look at the line of sight from our grandstand, it's better than most. The entire grandstand is actually at an angle rather than parallel to the foul line. That means the people that are there every game have a great view. The problem that causes, though is it makes it hard to angle the bleachers without running them into the field. But why not just extend the grandstand out as far as you can without losing all of your foul territory? Then when you reach the point where you can't angle any further make the last view sections shorter, but at the same angle.

The two things that are more important to me than line of sight are having a good ticket exchange (something like the cws flash site would be great) and better/more bathrooms, concession areas. We need to figure out a good way to take care of that before we worry about extending the grandstand. Make the game easier for people to attend (in the grandstand) and make it to where you don't miss 1/2 inning to go get some food or go to the bathroom.

Sure they do. Why try to have a qualitative opinion in this if you don't know or realize what it's up against? I do. Todd does. MANY here still think we still have a premiere baseball facility and are simply f'n clueless of what we're up against. My point was to quantify what I realize to be true...

I can tell you this -- Dudy Noble is the 6th best stadium in the SEC WEST now -- and will be 7th when Bama renovates. Plainsman is nicer than Dudy Noble with much better sight lines, just alot smaller.

"Not really" means it's a bad idea that has been thought about in detail. Ok? I explained why the first time. "Better line of sight" is marginal at best -- still worse than everywhere else in our division -- and puts the fans the furthest from the field of any place we play. Simply makes the place bigger -- and NO better.

 

[Shamoan]

This is actually the most similar comparison to Dudy Noble I've seen. Difference being, of course, Auto Zone's size... and the fact that it's got open concourses and is basically built into the ground. Judging by the looks of it, it appears that there are some pretty bad sightlines there in certain sections down the foul lines. I'd much rather be further from the plate in the "turn in" seats than one or 2 sections closer and getting a crick in my neck trying to see the plate...

AutoZone:

Dudy Noble:

would this not solve the sight line issue?

we would lose the opportunity for lower chairbacks, but its not like we have no options. i think this option is do-able, but its an issue of whether or not it will make us a premier park or not. i want top notch, but i think this solves the sight line issue.

 

[00Dawg]

Anyone know what the options are for...

going up?
I don't know what kind of structural support such an endeavor requires, but other than bleacher sight lines and a few amenities, I still like the existing stadium.

 

[Todd4State]

We don't need a ticket exchange

I don't think anyone is saying we have a premier facility. Everyone thinks we need upgrades. The only thing up for debate is what and how.

If you look at the line of sight from our grandstand, it's better than most. The entire grandstand is actually at an angle rather than parallel to the foul line. That means the people that are there every game have a great view. The problem that causes, though is it makes it hard to angle the bleachers without running them into the field. But why not just extend the grandstand out as far as you can without losing all of your foul territory? Then when you reach the point where you can't angle any further make the last view sections shorter, but at the same angle.

The two things that are more important to me than line of sight are having a good ticket exchange (something like the cws flash site would be great) and better/more bathrooms, concession areas. We need to figure out a good way to take care of that before we worry about extending the grandstand. Make the game easier for people to attend (in the grandstand) and make it to where you don't miss 1/2 inning to go get some food or go to the bathroom.

There is simply not enough demand for it. We need a new seating policy. Sit where you want and if a season ticket holder comes up, you move. This can work since we fill the grand stand to about 30% capacity and the fact of the matter is most of the people in the bleachers move over any way. The fact that they allow you to move after the 4th inning or whatever it is is ridiculous.

And you know what would be the best way to get better bathrooms, concessions, amenities? Blow up the grandstand. That way we can build an open concourse. That's not possible with what we have now.

If you add on to the current grandstand, you run into another problem- the thing is built too freaking high as far as an angle goes. So, we're either going to have extended seats at the same high angle to match the current grandstand or a really weird looking slope between the grandstand and the new part of the stadium.

 

[Dawgpile]

If we blow it up and rebuild, we ought to move it....(rough photoshop)

A new stadium with a great facade, that you can actually see, would be fantastic.

 

[msu84grad]

Why not build somewhere else on campus?

The existing Dudy Noble has done remarkably well for a home field, but it was never meant to be a home field for a leading college baseball program. Before Paul Gregory came to coach the team, MSU baseball was pretty much just a club sport. When the old stadium was taken down to build Dorman Hall, there was so much concern about baseball that the team played their home games in Columbus for two years. Maybe it is time to stop having the LSU thought of repainting the old (for them, Alex Box) and build a new facility completely.

If you are going to spend the money to tear down the existing place, why not take the time to develop full plans for a new Dudy Noble Field at some other place on campus? You could always built a new stadium on the south side between Blackjack Road and the vet school. Or maybe take a spot along 182 on North Farm or on the east side of the 182 entrance road. What did they do with the former married student apartments across Hwy 12 (a walkway from there to the Palmeiro Center and adjacent parking would be an interesting possibilty). Then you take the old field and turn it over for student parking lots and RV lots for our expanding football program. With this plan you can not only build a top notch facility for an emerging program, but make sure it is designed for a leading baseball program.

file:///C:/new dudy noble.jpg

 

[Shamoan]

i could get behind that. i also like the idea of getting the stadium out of the shadows of the hump. if anything, the new dnf should be front and center. one thing we do NOT need to do is spend the cash on upgrades here and there just to tear it all down a few years later. that would be monumentally wasteful.

 

[RocketDawg]

We have the largest (I think) stadium in the SEC and one of the largest in the nation. And I think it's pretty nice as is. The current National Champion in baseball has a stadium that seats what ... maybe 1500?

Baseball tickets cost about 10% of what football tickets cost. Are we willing to pay $80/game for baseball? I doubt it. I know I'm not.

 

[engie]

We have the largest (I think) stadium in the SEC and one of the largest in the nation. And I think it's pretty nice as is. The current National Champion in baseball has a stadium that seats what ... maybe 1500?

Baseball tickets cost about 10% of what football tickets cost. Are we willing to pay $80/game for baseball? I doubt it. I know I'm not.

It's the largest on-campus facility in the country.
It's the 6th "nicest" in the division and will be the worst when Bama renovates -- and they've got a history of fast tracking -- while we've got a history of mothballing.

Why would anyone pay $80/game for baseball? There's a huge difference between 7 home games and 44 home games... Baseball will never be the money maker that football is. But there are examples all over the SEC of teams spending $20-$40 million on their facilities and managing to remain profitable while paying for those facilities. None of those teams brought any larger of a season ticket base when they moved than we do.

We need triple the premium seating we currently have for baseball. That's what pays a large portion of the bills. And yes, I'd gladly pay $10-$15 to sit in grandstand "general admission" seating -- and I wouldn't care if it was down the foul lines. But I'm never, ever paying $5 to sit in those bleachers again. That said, I'm pretty well set in the lounges when we're packed and a skybox when we're not -- but I wasn't always my first couple of years out of school...

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

no, you big dumb idiot this ISIS:

I thought you meant THIS Isis:

 

[MedDawg]

For another location...

I was thinking of the wooded area on the other side of the main roads into campus. Although looking at the campus map, it appears that's not even MSU land.

 

[Philly Dawg]

You could even open the grandstand to allow people in to sit once the game starts. If someone is running late, they may have to ask someone to move but that just doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

 

[drt7891]

When I was a student, I absolutely hated the policy of blocking the grandstands... and even as a season ticket holder, it is real annoying. Athletics took a big step in allowing students to sit in the grandstand, but it is still a massive waste of space. I venture to guess we could sell an additional 1,000+ season tickets if all seats were equal... in other words, if a graduating senior wanted to buy season tickets to baseball games, he wouldn't have to settle for bleacher seats. This point has been beaten into the ground, but I would not go to games if I had to sit out in the bleachers... they are that awful. I don't know anyone who owns a rig, either.

Trustmark, Turner, Bush, TD Ameritrade, hell, even Redbirds... outfield seats parallel to the foul lines are not bad at all. Ours are. Simply running more grandstand seats out that far, even slightly angled in would still make for a pretty miserable viewing experience.

I don't mind the height of the grandstands because it helps you see over the person in front of you. I really like the idea of an open concourse.