Alumni Stadium

[DoubleEagle68]

As soon as the football season was over, Tennessee started renovation work on the westside stands and scoreboard. I'm sure they have an Off-Season plan every year to improve the stadium. Does BC have any improvement plan each off-season? What I find interesting about Tennessee's stadium it's in the downtown area. Very limited space on campus. I they erected some 5-story parking garages. It also helps that the stadium is just off I-40 and the road along the river. They have have a long history of football excellence. We beat Tennessee in the 1942 Sugar. Afterwards, UT moved forward with their Football program. BC went back and continued as a SMALL COLLEGE playing in the Dust Bowl.

I'd like to see Kraft develop an improvement plan for Alumni with specific projects every off-season. What did they do this off season? They could move the Bubble and put it next to the Fish House. Then have room to work on the stands, the facilities under the stands, a new scoreboard over the back of the stands. Maybe even outdoor beer gardens above the stands in the corners. Luxury Boxes and Press Boxes above the Eastside stands. How about a 5-story Parking Garage by Alumni where the parking lot is now. Where we lack space go UP!

 

[CDB]

Micmon, I disagree about your theory that winning will solve the problems with the stadium. There was a period of 7-8 years where we dominated Notre Dame and went to bowls ever year -- nothing happened to the stadium -- BC was always rewarded the lesser bowl and the ACC cited BCs poor attendance records. ND woke up one day and said, we are getting beat by another Catholic college and that has to change and chance it did -- There is an old rule -- that no organization stays the same -- it always either growing or rotting -- we se it more clearly with great coaches as they age -- at first they do not win as much or when every other year or two -- and then finally, the program collapses -- most folks forget that the last few years of Bear Bryant's reign at Alabama he had many more losses -- even to BC -- it took 17 years before Stallings brought them another title -- and then the same after Stallings left until the GOAT arrived. BC went to 7-8 bowls and after Coughlan left (last time the stadium was improved) and nothing else has been done since. So, I do not see any evidence that your theory is correct. But there is a new urgency. There are forces pulling towards one super league in the next few years and many do not believe (with the exception of Notre Dame and perhaps 22-3 others), that private schools do not and will not put enough fans in the stadium to be considered as part of the new league. Why is there so much resistance to just coming up with a formal study of how best to improve both the stadium and the attendance records when the payoff is that BC will continue to reap the financial benefits of big time football and those benefits will increase greatly in a new power league. That money pays for a lot of things at BC -- not just maintenance of the football program. And since we have been playing football in this manner forever, there is no evidence that being part of big time football hurts or will hurt BC academically.

 

[CDB]

DE, I attended games in Knoxville and am familiar with the fan experience. The school has several garages set up for folks to park in when they attend football games. In the 3 I visited over the years -- the top floor of the parking lot (in the open sky area) was reserved for RVs and other rec vehicles. Folks rent those spaces by the season. They come in on Wednesday or Thursday morning and set up for Saturday's game -- there are electrical and water outlets for each vehicle space. The folks stay until either Sunday or Monday morning and let up there 4 or 5 day tailgate for each game. It is a completely different experience and folks navigate to various lots to join up with friends. It isn't just a few hour experience. I don't expect BC would ever have a similar experience. But Tennessee has been filling up the stadium despite not fielding good teams (last year was better and this year is expected to be top 25) for over 20 years.

 

[DoubleEagle68]

Micmon, I disagree about your theory that winning will solve the problems with the stadium. There was a period of 7-8 years where we dominated Notre Dame and went to bowls ever year -- nothing happened to the stadium -- BC was always rewarded the lesser bowl and the ACC cited BCs poor attendance records. ND woke up one day and said, we are getting beat by another Catholic college and that has to change and chance it did -- There is an old rule -- that no organization stays the same -- it always either growing or rotting -- we se it more clearly with great coaches as they age -- at first they do not win as much or when every other year or two -- and then finally, the program collapses -- most folks forget that the last few years of Bear Bryant's reign at Alabama he had many more losses -- even to BC -- it took 17 years before Stallings brought them another title -- and then the same after Stallings left until the GOAT arrived. BC went to 7-8 bowls and after Coughlan left (last time the stadium was improved) and nothing else has been done since. So, I do not see any evidence that your theory is correct. But there is a new urgency. There are forces pulling towards one super league in the next few years and many do not believe (with the exception of Notre Dame and perhaps 22-3 others), that private schools do not and will not put enough fans in the stadium to be considered as part of the new league. Why is there so much resistance to just coming up with a formal study of how best to improve both the stadium and the attendance records when the payoff is that BC will continue to reap the financial benefits of big time football and those benefits will increase greatly in a new power league. That money pays for a lot of things at BC -- not just maintenance of the football program. And since we have been playing football in this manner forever, there is no evidence that being part of big time football hurts or will hurt BC academically.

When the Flutie Effect happened, the scholars came, as well as the student/athletes! The whole university benefited.

 

[micmon]

TCU was drawing 25,000 when Franchione took over in '98. Three years later they have 10 wins, Franchione leaves for Bama and Patterson is TCU coach for the next 20 years. BC alums would care a lot more if BC had won 11 or more games 10 times in the 2000s like Patterson did.

Why don't we at least try winning on that level before we throw up our hands and say it's hopeless?

 

[CDB]

First, Flutie was here 40 years ago -- and academics improved to where we were ranked 30. Now most have us ranked at 36 -- so academics have gone down close to 20%.

Second, TCU did many focus studies with its fans who complained that they did not attend games because of the stadium. They listened and the new stadium addressed those concerns -- and it is not like it seats 100,000 -- the size is 47K but with everything one could imagine in a stadium.

Third, Texas school districts feature high schools with 1000's of students. Kids who play high school football (unless they are tremendously talented) regularly play together for 10 years or so -- via club football teams -- and they attend football camps. It is very difficult to shine in these systems -- there are many really good players who do not get scholarships to the major regional colleges (e.g. Texas, OK, LSU, AL, MS, MS State, Baylor, OK State, etc.). Gary Patterson knew how to do 2 things very well -- he could coach and he had great relationships with high school coaches -- and they would bring kids to his attention that they believed had the talent to play college football. They knew the system he ran at TCU and how much he relied on smaller but very quick players -- and he recruited them -- coached them up and had many teams. What seems to have happened to Gary is that kids now want to play in the more wide open offenses of the SEC, not Gary's system.

I love the fact that Coach Hafley is going to the states where kids like this are being developed and offering them scholarships to BC.

Whle I agree with you concerns; I still do not see why we cannot address the issue of the stadium weaknesses and the lack of attendance now rather than wait -- I see waiting as very risky.

 

[DoubleEagle68]

Let's get a picture of what Kraft plans to do over the next 5 years with a list ofe each projects to be completed each year. So far the only that's done each is to erect the bubble. The Basketball building shouldn't affect Alumni. They should already had a plan on what they were going to do.

 

[BCEagle74]

Let's get a picture of what Kraft plans to do over the next 5 years with a list ofe each projects to be completed each year. So far the only that's done each is to erect the bubble. The Basketball building shouldn't affect Alumni. They should already had a plan on what they were going to do.

BC will never ever tell you since they did once in the “Light the World” mission statements with what was their goals!

BC once posted how much was donated to specific Athletic sports and then me and another 74 class alum found out they diverted the funds elsewhere and said nothing.

Of course they pumped the world famous BC Excusa Train and said “BC loses money in Athletics diarrhea!”

BC is run by a much different culture, breed and type of hard core political and social Justice extremist group society.

These left wing radical extremist Puscadores have zero interest in sports and feign approval when a sport wins or does well.

The Admissions group also changed the criteria to a way more SJW emphasis which by its very selection process deemphasizes grades and other outside the scholastic arena outstanding non- SJW achievements which is to me unfair and imposing a heavy radical left wing agenda on the future demographics of the BC student body.

Academia should give everyone an equal chance based on balance and not skew the admissions to the views of the BC left wing Leaders and Trustees.

Add to this the new heavy recruiting of rich international students.

I don’t know the % of Catholics at BC but when I went it was very high.

 

[micmon]

Second, TCU did many focus studies with its fans...

BC absolutely should be doing this if they aren't already. Even an online study. They surely must have thee emails of current and past ticket holders.

I think we're making somewhat the same point, but from different perspectives. Obviously the product on the field matters greatly, but is far from the only thing that matters.

I don't disagree with what I think is your main point. Either you are all in all aspects to play at the top level or you're not.

 

[BCEagle74]

If you build it, they will come.

Yes, they will come.

 

[CDB]

And Prophet, remember God not only put up a dome when he created the world -- by the time of Noah and the Ark -- he had Noah release the doves to see if there was dry land and they were free to fly high above the water -- and what does this mean: The dome had a retractable roof and God had opened it up. Keep preaching, brother!

 

[BCEagle74]

And Prophet, remember God not only put up a dome when he created the world -- by the time of Noah and the Ark -- he had Noah release the doves to see if there was dry land and they were free to fly high above the water -- and what does this mean: The dome had a retractable roof and God had opened it up. Keep preaching, brother!

Genesis Chapter 9 Verse 18 (The lost Verse!)

 

[DoubleEagle68]

So what do we want BC to do to improve BC's Football stadium and the Fan Experience?

One of interesting website is the Stadium Journey website. It gives an outsider's view on the stadium and fan experience, including parking, tailgating, food, etc.

Alumni Stadium – Boston College Eagles

There’s been a great deal of debate over the years as to whether Boston College’s move to the ACC was a good one. While the team has enjoyed success on the gridiron, the school’s facilities don’t measure up to other schools in the circuit. Still, for football fans, heading to Boston in the fall...

www.stadiumjourney.com

I was inspired to start this forum after finding the Stadium Journey website. You can read their writeup on Alumni at the beginning of this forum.

 

[DoubleEagle68]

Ah Yes! "Build it they will Come!"

Once upon a time, BC built it and they came from all over. They even filled to capacity Sullivan Stadium whenever they played there. Cowboy Jack was the Builder. He built a team with Doug Flutie at quarterback. BC 's Football Team even was more popular than the Patriots. Nobody cared that Alumni Stadium was basically bleacher seating. They came because of the high entertainment value of seeing the greatest college quarterback ever. We never went away disappointed even in a losing game. In fact, the tougher the opponent, the more we'd see Flutie scramble! I always loved when BC was called for a penalty when it was 3rd & 1. That meant that Flutie would be involved in the next play. Whether it be a pass or a scramble. Fans could not get enough of seeing Flutie and the BC Team. Alumni was full for even the cupcakes as it was The Greatest Show in Town!

I truly believe that Building The Team is what will increase attendance and fill Alumni Stadium. With Flutie, BC realized "They needed a BIGGER BOAT!" So they scheduled some games at Sullivan Stadium. I am hoping that Hafley's teams can fill Alumni and BC will realize that they need a bigger, more-modern stadium.

 

[DoubleEagle68]

If you build it, they will come.

Yes, they will come.

In Field of Dreams, they Did Come. They came to see the greatest players from the past. It didn't matter if they had only bleacher seats or had to stand.