Football facilities and expansion

Charlotte 49er Football 🏈
1

[quote=“NinerWupAss, post:100, topic:30050”]Love the quote about facilities. I have heard it from players parents as well - that our facilities are very nice and on par with the best in the country. They just are not as big. Blitch’s parents said our weight room is head and shoulders above Wake Forest and some other ACC schools. Sledge’s parents said of all the places he visited our facility was tops. I know we all get caught up in the size of the stadium, but we need to remember that when it comes to recruiting size of stadium is only part of it.
[/quote]

D.O.B.A.

We need to expand in time…but there are many other more pressing priorities right now when it comes to football that needs our attention and our dollars!!

2

[quote=“TRLeader, post:1, topic:30091”][quote=“NinerWupAss, post:100, topic:30050”]Love the quote about facilities. I have heard it from players parents as well - that our facilities are very nice and on par with the best in the country. They just are not as big. Blitch’s parents said our weight room is head and shoulders above Wake Forest and some other ACC schools. Sledge’s parents said of all the places he visited our facility was tops. I know we all get caught up in the size of the stadium, but we need to remember that when it comes to recruiting size of stadium is only part of it.
[/quote]

D.O.B.A.

We need to expand in time…but there are many other more pressing priorities right now when it comes to football that needs our attention and our dollars!![/quote]

The only issues more pressing than an expansion are a recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. Each year we wait, that is another year we are behind.

3

[quote=“bleedsgreenandgold, post:2, topic:30091”][quote=“TRLeader, post:1, topic:30091”][quote=“NinerWupAss, post:100, topic:30050”]Love the quote about facilities. I have heard it from players parents as well - that our facilities are very nice and on par with the best in the country. They just are not as big. Blitch’s parents said our weight room is head and shoulders above Wake Forest and some other ACC schools. Sledge’s parents said of all the places he visited our facility was tops. I know we all get caught up in the size of the stadium, but we need to remember that when it comes to recruiting size of stadium is only part of it.
[/quote]

D.O.B.A.

We need to expand in time…but there are many other more pressing priorities right now when it comes to football that needs our attention and our dollars!![/quote]

The only issues more pressing than an expansion are a recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. Each year we wait, that is another year we are behind.[/quote]Recruiting coordinator could be filled internally, I don’t think it will be filled until this cycle is over.

4

clt has a new favourite panther.

5

Has CLT taken up residence over the pond? Or was the Zeppelin blown off course?

6

Has CLT taken up residence over the pond? Or was the Zeppelin blown off course?[/quote] I believe Clt lives in Birmingham.

7

[quote=“bleedsgreenandgold, post:2, topic:30091”][quote=“TRLeader, post:1, topic:30091”][quote=“NinerWupAss, post:100, topic:30050”]Love the quote about facilities. I have heard it from players parents as well - that our facilities are very nice and on par with the best in the country. They just are not as big. Blitch’s parents said our weight room is head and shoulders above Wake Forest and some other ACC schools. Sledge’s parents said of all the places he visited our facility was tops. I know we all get caught up in the size of the stadium, but we need to remember that when it comes to recruiting size of stadium is only part of it.
[/quote]

D.O.B.A.

We need to expand in time…but there are many other more pressing priorities right now when it comes to football that needs our attention and our dollars!![/quote]

The only issues more pressing than an expansion are a recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. Each year we wait, that is another year we are behind.[/quote]

I still don’t understand how expansion is a pressing need if there’s no demand for the extra seats?

And stop with the recruiting argument. Recruits don’t follow stadium size (see the tweet that started this thread…our facilities are a recruiting advantage as is). This is another example of how size is not as important as most like to believe. But if it is…is there a formula? 20,000 seats=4 star recruits and 6+ wins. 40,000 seats=5 star recruits and 10+wins? Hell…if so…let’s expand to a 200,000 seat stadium and get every 10 star recruit in the galaxy and win 50 games per year!!!

Butts in the seats is what matters and we do not have the demand for any expansion right this minute. We need to spend money on building demand…not building extra seats. A bigger stadium costs a lot of money and the increase in size produces NOTHING in return. Other than space.

I would argue that we could spend that money in other areas that produce an actual immediate return on investment. Spending money on improving the gameday experience/product would create the demand for the expansion. We need to continue to build and add to the band, spending more money to add to and enhance the gameday experience, increased marketing efforts to students/alumni and the community. Improving the gameday product can actually create demand and a need for expansion. THEN, an investment in expansion would create a return.

Expanding without a better gameday product first is pissing money away that could be better utilized at this time.

Again…We do need to expand eventually. But we have other priorities and issues that need to be addressed first.

8

Problem with expanding stadium would mean that someone would have to work to market the team to help sell the tickets. Right now with students and season ticket holders most of the seats are sold. If someone would actually market the team with alumni and corp sponsors it would be amazing what can be done with attendance.

9

[quote=“TRLeader, post:7, topic:30091”][quote=“bleedsgreenandgold, post:2, topic:30091”][quote=“TRLeader, post:1, topic:30091”][quote=“NinerWupAss, post:100, topic:30050”]Love the quote about facilities. I have heard it from players parents as well - that our facilities are very nice and on par with the best in the country. They just are not as big. Blitch’s parents said our weight room is head and shoulders above Wake Forest and some other ACC schools. Sledge’s parents said of all the places he visited our facility was tops. I know we all get caught up in the size of the stadium, but we need to remember that when it comes to recruiting size of stadium is only part of it.
[/quote]

D.O.B.A.

We need to expand in time…but there are many other more pressing priorities right now when it comes to football that needs our attention and our dollars!![/quote]

The only issues more pressing than an expansion are a recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. Each year we wait, that is another year we are behind.[/quote]

I still don’t understand how expansion is a pressing need if there’s no demand for the extra seats?

And stop with the recruiting argument. Recruits don’t follow stadium size (see the tweet that started this thread…our facilities are a recruiting advantage as is). This is another example of how size is not as important as most like to believe. But if it is…is there a formula? 20,000 seats=4 star recruits and 6+ wins. 40,000 seats=5 star recruits and 10+wins? Hell…if so…let’s expand to a 200,000 seat stadium and get every 10 star recruit in the galaxy and win 50 games per year!!!

Butts in the seats is what matters and we do not have the demand for any expansion right this minute. We need to spend money on building demand…not building extra seats. A bigger stadium costs a lot of money and the increase in size produces NOTHING in return. Other than space.

I would argue that we could spend that money in other areas that produce an actual immediate return on investment. Spending money on improving the gameday experience/product would create the demand for the expansion. We need to continue to build and add to the band, spending more money to add to and enhance the gameday experience, increased marketing efforts to students/alumni and the community. Improving the gameday product can actually create demand and a need for expansion. THEN, an investment in expansion would create a return.

Expanding without a better gameday product first is pissing money away that could be better utilized at this time.

Again…We do need to expand eventually. But we have other priorities and issues that need to be addressed first.[/quote]Spending money to promote a losing product is throwing money away. Nobody wants to engage with a loser.

I don’t know how much impact it truly has, but you have your head in the sand if you don’t think other schools aren’t using having the smallest FBS stadium against us in recruiting battles. Considering we have among the lowest rated classes in FBS and are seemingly struggling to even get commits right now, something is wrong with our recruiting. I’m sure losing Ratliff didn’t help there, but even before that, our recruiting has looked lackluster. Most of the guys we get commits from have few or no other FBS offers.

Getting Olsen was nice, and I feel like we can be a decent team this year if he’s a respectable QB, especially since we have Phillips, Bostick, and some other good receivers, but the cupboard looks pretty bare from my perspective for 2017 onward.

10

I agree that schools are using the stadium size against us. I think you will see most of the games sold out this coming year, but at some point we have to invest and at least build one upper deck. The recruiting issue still blows my mind. I do not understand why we cannot get more players coming to play for us when we are in a good conference with most all football related buildings brand new. I am not sure if Lambert is still on the Wake Forest mindset that we can only recruit certain players or not. We should be out recruiting Wake every year since we do not have the high standards to get in to school like they have. We need a real recruiting person who can sale the program.

11

So, per your suggestion, all we have to do is be able to tell recruits we have a stadium that seats 25,000+, and recruits will just form a line and beat down our door!!
Our recruiting problem is solved!!

You honestly think that adding 10,000+ empty seats to our stadium is the answer to that!? Really!?

12

clt says it would be brilliant if we keep this on track.

Let’s hope that Greg becomes and remains very involved with our program.

13

[quote=“woodniner, post:10, topic:30091”]I agree that schools are using the stadium size against us. I think you will see most of the games sold out this coming year, but at some point we have to invest and at least build one upper deck. The recruiting issue still blows my mind. I do not understand why we cannot get more players coming to play for us when we are in a good conference with most all football related buildings brand new. I am not sure if Lambert is still on the Wake Forest mindset that we can only recruit certain players or not. We should be out recruiting Wake every year since we do not have the high standards to get in to school like they have. We need a real recruiting person who can sale the program.[/quote]I think it’s a combination of him and the AD wanting to recruit “the right athlete.” If you want to compete in football, you rarely can have a good student, a good athlete, and a good person. There aren’t that many people that are the complete package. To be successful at this level, you’re going to have to take a lot of questionable players. I’d much rather be like Marshall than Wake Forest. Wake Forest is a terrible program.

14

I did not say to spend money to support a losing product, I said to spend money to enhance the gameday experience.

Going to a football game is not like going to a basketball game or a baseball game. If done right…it’s a full game day experience with a party like/festive atmosphere. The pageantry, electricity, fellowship and comradery is what brings out college football fans moreso than winning. Winning helps take it to another level…but if the gameday experience is special, people will come to be a part of it win or lose.

Then…that actual fan support is more of a selling point to a recruit than just having a large stadium with empty seats.

15

I did not say to spend money to support a losing product, I said to spend money to enhance the gameday experience.

Going to a football game is not like going to a basketball game or a baseball game. If done right…it’s a full game day experience with a party like/festive atmosphere. The pageantry, electricity, fellowship and comradery is what brings out college football fans moreso than winning. Winning helps take it to another level…but if the gameday experience is special, people will come to be a part of it win or lose.

Then…that actual fan support is more of a selling point to a recruit than just having a large stadium with empty seats.[/quote]

.500 football and a wonderful gameday experience is a home run. We do need more wins but we don’t need a bunch of them. A different QB and we would have been close to .500 this year. Football unlike the other sports does not require a team that wins all the time because of exactly what you say. It is an event - the game is just a catalyst, so we need the team to be good enough that people will come, but it doesn’t have to be world beaters. I think we are on the right track. I am not too concerned with turnout as we got screwed with some crappy weather on back to back games and then just struggled without a QB. I do think we need to expand sooner rather than later because I think our stadium size will hurt us in conference expansion and continuing to sign OOC games. I may talk crap about the AD but no way they sign some of the deals we have with our current size. This is a #stealth AD and I do think there is some sort of a plan. I also think though that our facilities match us up really well with recruiting. As for our classes - with so much influx new team, FCS team, FBS transition team, no conference, conference, no bowl games, etc I am not too concerned - I would like to see that pick up though as we are going to need to start plugging some holes how. Getting replacement for Ratliff will be critical.

16

Do we really want all this bickering about stadium size in this positive thread? Aren’t there about at least 4 oTHER threads about stadium size y’all can piss and moan in, other than this nice one?

17

We’re just a bit insecure about our size thats all

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I did not say to spend money to support a losing product, I said to spend money to enhance the gameday experience.

Going to a football game is not like going to a basketball game or a baseball game. If done right…it’s a full game day experience with a party like/festive atmosphere. The pageantry, electricity, fellowship and comradery is what brings out college football fans moreso than winning. Winning helps take it to another level…but if the gameday experience is special, people will come to be a part of it win or lose.

Then…that actual fan support is more of a selling point to a recruit than just having a large stadium with empty seats.[/quote]at the end of the day you have to win. Doesn’t matter how great the GameDay experience is because everyone doesn’t like tailgating. You’re always going to have a sizeable amount of people that only come for the game, and if your product sucks, they’re not going to come.

Our team was miserable this year and I left every home game except Presby before the final whistle. I would have stayed for fau, but I was at a wedding that weekend. It just wasn’t fun. I care more about the game than the event experience, so if the team sucks, for me, it all sucks.

Hopefully olsen is the right fit at qb this year and we will be fun to watch. A qb makes all the difference.

20

I did not say to spend money to support a losing product, I said to spend money to enhance the gameday experience.

Going to a football game is not like going to a basketball game or a baseball game. If done right…it’s a full game day experience with a party like/festive atmosphere. The pageantry, electricity, fellowship and comradery is what brings out college football fans moreso than winning. Winning helps take it to another level…but if the gameday experience is special, people will come to be a part of it win or lose.

Then…that actual fan support is more of a selling point to a recruit than just having a large stadium with empty seats.[/quote]

.500 football and a wonderful gameday experience is a home run. We do need more wins but we don’t need a bunch of them. A different QB and we would have been close to .500 this year. Football unlike the other sports does not require a team that wins all the time because of exactly what you say. It is an event - the game is just a catalyst, so we need the team to be good enough that people will come, but it doesn’t have to be world beaters. I think we are on the right track. I am not too concerned with turnout as we got screwed with some crappy weather on back to back games and then just struggled without a QB. I do think we need to expand sooner rather than later because I think our stadium size will hurt us in conference expansion and continuing to sign OOC games. I may talk crap about the AD but no way they sign some of the deals we have with our current size. This is a #stealth AD and I do think there is some sort of a plan. I also think though that our facilities match us up really well with recruiting. As for our classes - with so much influx new team, FCS team, FBS transition team, no conference, conference, no bowl games, etc I am not too concerned - I would like to see that pick up though as we are going to need to start plugging some holes how. Getting replacement for Ratliff will be critical.[/quote]

100% agree with what you said about the two bad weather games.

That was 33% of our home game time ruined, and both our night games at that.

Think about it guys.

Three years in and we still have not had a true night game that people could enjoy.

If the following things happen next year we will build support.

  1. Good luck with weather.
  2. Night games early in the year to avoid the heat.
  3. Few or no early games.
  4. At least average quarterback play.
  5. .500 record, with 5 of those 6 wins at home.

Is this possible? Obviously Olsen is the key. If he is as touted, he could really unlock all the offensive talent we have. Improved throwing game will take pressure off Kalif and the defense. General improvement could occur. .500 seems possible.