(06-06-2015 08:43 AM)rokamortis Wrote:  

(06-05-2015 01:49 PM)MJG Wrote:  Ok Coastal has higher attendance with a twelve year history and stadium that is half the size.
Playing a horrible home schedule of schools no one ever heard of.
Comparing the two it comes down to two things that are both unknown.
What will the expanded stadiums look like.
Also what kind of bump in attendance will FBS bring.
Coastal wins on most of the known criteria.
Will probably be able to schedule better out of conference.
Would be a great host site for conference tournaments.
The basketball tournament could be held at the convention center holds six thousand for basketball.
Two blocks from the beach and two blocks from the states biggest tourists attraction Broadway at the beach.

The people making decisions will see the plans for stadium expansion.

Just looking at the basketball tournament numbers - how big of an arena does the SBC really need? I looked up attendance of their tournament games and it didn't look like any drew more than 2,000 and some under 1,000. I didn't know if that was a mistake or not.

We've drawn better for the conference tournament but our idiot commisioner thinks the tournament has to be in New Orleans so he doesn't have to travel.

(06-05-2015 09:40 PM)LexColonel Wrote:  People keep putting words in our mouth.
No one said the OVC Is a powerhouse conference, that's WHY we want out. We are drowning there.
I have only mentioned our history because it's nothing to discount and doesn't everyone mention theirs....you just mentioned App State's AppMan. I never said it should make us an automatic shoe in, but I would rather have a successful history And PRIDE as to have none at all. And if you can't comprehend that, too bad.
I posted our RECENT W/L record vs the other schools mentioned under consideration. In case you chose to have selective reading it was as follows;
EKU 6 wins-JSU 6 wins
EKU 2 W- Liberty 0
EKU 1W- Mo State 1W
EKU 1W-CCU 1 W
You can selectively point out what ever you want, including twisting what I have said or maybe you just misinterpreted (?) what I have said to make your point.....you don't want us. That's fine, don't however, make out that I have said, implied or written things I have not.
I do think we are as good of a candidate as any other of those I mentioned above. We ALL (EKU, JSU, LU , MSU) have our strong points and of course weaknesses, just as many of you most likely did when considering a move. You CAN quote me on that.

I am assuming you were referring to my post. I was quoting a GSU fan, so there was no selective reading on my part. EKU just hasn't shown their fan base is willing to support the program in numbers necessary to make it in FBS. I know you guys want this in order to get back on the same level as WKU, but until your fan base shows otherwise, I'm not sold. After limited success, at best, in FCS the last 20 years will your fan base will embrace the prospect of watching their team get their tails handed to them week after week? Ultimately in all things conference it's all about potential. IMO, the prospect for growth is far greater with Coastal than EKU.

Plus it's at the beach... with over 100 golf courses nearby.

(06-06-2015 11:58 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-05-2015 09:40 PM)LexColonel Wrote:  People keep putting words in our mouth.
No one said the OVC Is a powerhouse conference, that's WHY we want out. We are drowning there.
I have only mentioned our history because it's nothing to discount and doesn't everyone mention theirs....you just mentioned App State's AppMan. I never said it should make us an automatic shoe in, but I would rather have a successful history And PRIDE as to have none at all. And if you can't comprehend that, too bad.
I posted our RECENT W/L record vs the other schools mentioned under consideration. In case you chose to have selective reading it was as follows;
EKU 6 wins-JSU 6 wins
EKU 2 W- Liberty 0
EKU 1W- Mo State 1W
EKU 1W-CCU 1 W
You can selectively point out what ever you want, including twisting what I have said or maybe you just misinterpreted (?) what I have said to make your point.....you don't want us. That's fine, don't however, make out that I have said, implied or written things I have not.
I do think we are as good of a candidate as any other of those I mentioned above. We ALL (EKU, JSU, LU , MSU) have our strong points and of course weaknesses, just as many of you most likely did when considering a move. You CAN quote me on that.

I am assuming you were referring to my post. I was quoting a GSU fan, so there was no selective reading on my part. EKU just hasn't shown their fan base is willing to support the program in numbers necessary to make it in FBS. I know you guys want this in order to get back on the same level as WKU, but until your fan base shows otherwise, I'm not sold. After limited success, at best, in FCS the last 20 years will your fan base will embrace the prospect of watching their team get their tails handed to them week after week? Ultimately in all things conference it's all about potential. IMO, the prospect for growth is far greater with Coastal than EKU.

Plus it's at the beach... with over 100 golf courses nearby.

Can't argue the beach!
We do have 4 golf courses in Richmond, another in northern Madison County, 2 in Berea. So if you want a day of golf you can get it here. If you want a golf/ beach vacation, well as I said no argument with that. Richmond /Madison County/Lexington/Fayette Co. has a lot to offer for a long weekend. As mentioned before Keenland in the fall for Thorobred racing season (one of the most beautiful tracks you'll see anywhere in the U.S.), horse farms, The KY Horse Park, historical Berea, White Hall and Fort Boonesboro. However, no ocean and no beach, so understand that appeal.
Understand, this potential move has little to do with keeping up with WKU. It is what is best to grow EKU. Sure we would love to renew that rivalry. Also play MTSU, we had a pretty decent rivalry with them at one time. Some EKU fans want to play Marshall again, makes sense because of the proximity of both schools to each other ( 2 hour drive). I am not sold on that one, pretty arrogant and disrespectful bunch. Playing App State and Ga Southern is a draw too.

My guess is both EKU and CCU get in just not at the same time.
One will be added for Oly sports right away with a timetable for football.
The other will be added in a couple of years.
One more will be added in the West between SHSU and Lamar for Texas ST.
Or Chattanooga is added and Texas ST stays on an island .

Idaho And NMSU get kicked out when CCU and EKU are ready 2019 is my guess.
UALR and UTA will get the boot when the next two full members are ready.

WEST

SHSU/ lamar
Tex ST
Ark ST
USA
ULL
ULM

EAST

Troy
GA SO
GA ST
EKU
APP ST
CCU

The twelve all sports members Benson mentioned.
Missouri ST and JMU either join the MAC or a new conference is formed .
MSU is a basketball school and won't leave the Valley to quickly.
JMU most likely ends up in the MAC with Stoney Brooke .

(06-06-2015 06:21 PM)MJG Wrote:  My guess is both EKU and CCU get in just not at the same time.
One will be added for Oly sports right away with a timetable for football.
The other will be added in a couple of years.
One more will be added in the West between SHSU and Lamar for Texas ST.
Or Chattanooga is added and Texas ST stays on an island .

Idaho And NMSU get kicked out when CCU and EKU are ready 2019 is my guess.
UALR and UTA will get the boot when the next two full members are ready.

WEST

SHSU
Tex ST
Ark ST
USA
ULL
ULM

EAST

Troy
GA SO
GA ST
EKU
APP ST
CCU

The twelve all sports members Benson mentioned.
Missouri ST and JMU either join the MAC or a new conference is formed .
MSU is a basketball school and won't leave the Valley to quickly.
JMU most likely ends up in the MAC with Stoney Brooke .

I really hope you are wrong. That's a mess! SHS and CC and EKU....ewwww.

Texas State will MOST LIKELY stay on an island, but not because it's some slight against Texas State. It's that at this time (or the foreseeable future) there's just no attractive options.

Sam Houston is probably at BEST 5 years away, and realistically longer than that. I haven't checked in on them for a while, but their football stadium was lacking big time, their basketball facilities were "meh" but their baseball facilities were nice. Attendance overall would need to probably double to be reasonable in the Sun Belt. Plus, I think their budget would have to double as well to be competitive in the Sun Belt.

Lamar has apparently some bad blood from the 80's (I'm going off memory here), and they are still trying to get their feet under them in the Southland.

I see absolutely no way the Sun Belt invites EKU or CCU purely for Olympic sports, even if it's got a timetable to move forward with football. While I believe they both will be in the Sun Belt eventually, it will be an all sports invite, not a piecemeal approach.

To me, if they are really talking about 12 Olympic members, it's a sign that NMSU all sports is forthcoming. It strengthens basketball, and with the change in scheduling, it could be enough to entice Missouri State to come on board as a package deal of CCU or EKU (with an Idaho dismissal).

(06-06-2015 08:01 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  Texas State will MOST LIKELY stay on an island, but not because it's some slight against Texas State. It's that at this time (or the foreseeable future) there's just no attractive options.

Sam Houston is probably at BEST 5 years away, and realistically longer than that. I haven't checked in on them for a while, but their football stadium was lacking big time, their basketball facilities were "meh" but their baseball facilities were nice. Attendance overall would need to probably double to be reasonable in the Sun Belt. Plus, I think their budget would have to double as well to be competitive in the Sun Belt.

Lamar has apparently some bad blood from the 80's (I'm going off memory here), and they are still trying to get their feet under them in the Southland.

I see absolutely no way the Sun Belt invites EKU or CCU purely for Olympic sports, even if it's got a timetable to move forward with football. While I believe they both will be in the Sun Belt eventually, it will be an all sports invite, not a piecemeal approach.

To me, if they are really talking about 12 Olympic members, it's a sign that NMSU all sports is forthcoming. It strengthens basketball, and with the change in scheduling, it could be enough to entice Missouri State to come on board as a package deal of CCU or EKU (with an Idaho dismissal).

I'm not aware of any bad blood in the 80's. Lamar joined with current SBC members UL, Arkansas State, and others to form the American South Conference in the mid 80's. It seems to me if there was bad blood, Lamar wouldn't have been part of that break-off group.

I think the main problem with Lamar was self inflicted. Some extremely bad leadership in the late 80's and into the 90's almost wrecked the university financially. Enrollment had dropped from around 11,000 to 7,800 in 1999. The university cleaned house, but it took a while to recover.

The good news is that is all water under the bridge. In spite of hurricanes hitting the area (Rita - 2005, Humberto - 2007, and Ike - 2008), enrollment is now at record levels with a fall enrollment of 14,895. The university now is classified as a national university by USN&WR and a Doctoral/Research University by the Carnegie Foundation. There are new on-campus dorms for 2,500+ students. Buildings have been renovated or newly constructed. For example, a new 45,000 sq ft Administration/Honors College building and an $11 million Innovation building across the street are under construction.
http://www.lamar.edu/newsletter/summer-2...ction.html
http://www.lamar.edu/news-and-events/new...llege.html

An on-campus softball stadium is nearing completion (650-1,000 capacity).
https://www.facebook.com/lamarathletics/...60/?type=1

Other athletics facilities are in very good shape thanks to major renovations and new construction over the last five years including a 54,000 sq ft athletic complex. The baseball stadium while servicable, needs updating. A $5.5 million renovation is planned for it. That program did get a 9,000+ sq ft indoor practice facility and renovated locker rooms in 2009, though. The track is getting a new resurfacing and runways for the vaulting and jumping pits are currently being rebuilt. https://www.facebook.com/LUTFXC

More improvements are on the horizon. The 2016-17 budget request includes a $72 million bond request of the planned $80 million new Science and Technology building.

The endowment increased from around $20 million to $101+ million according to the 2014 NACUBO study thanks to a giving campaign that started with a goal of $50 million but ended up raising $132 million. http://advancement.lamar.edu/campaign

As for the Southland and "trying to get their feet under them", even with one of the most disappointing baseball seasons in the program's history, Lamar finished 2nd in the SLC commissioners cup this year and also 2nd in both men's and women's sports. Since 2010, Lamar has been to post season play in baseball (1), men's basketball (NCAA 1), women's basketball (NCAA 1, NIT 2, WBI 1), men's golf (1), women's golf (3), and have multiple conference championships in both men's (4) and women's cross country (2). The football team tied for 3rd place this past season in a conference that sent three teams to the FCS playoffs. The team ended up with an overall record of 8-4 (missed 9-3 in a 3 point overtime loss). The softball team, in its third season since restarting the program, made it to the semi-finals in the conference tournament. The men's doubles tennis team finished the season ranked 7th in the state and 53rd in the country. http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...June_3.htm That's all just since 2010.

(06-06-2015 08:01 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  Texas State will MOST LIKELY stay on an island, but not because it's some slight against Texas State. It's that at this time (or the foreseeable future) there's just no attractive options.

Sam Houston is probably at BEST 5 years away, and realistically longer than that. I haven't checked in on them for a while, but their football stadium was lacking big time, their basketball facilities were "meh" but their baseball facilities were nice. Attendance overall would need to probably double to be reasonable in the Sun Belt. Plus, I think their budget would have to double as well to be competitive in the Sun Belt.

Lamar has apparently some bad blood from the 80's (I'm going off memory here), and they are still trying to get their feet under them in the Southland.

I see absolutely no way the Sun Belt invites EKU or CCU purely for Olympic sports, even if it's got a timetable to move forward with football. While I believe they both will be in the Sun Belt eventually, it will be an all sports invite, not a piecemeal approach.

To me, if they are really talking about 12 Olympic members, it's a sign that NMSU all sports is forthcoming. It strengthens basketball, and with the change in scheduling, it could be enough to entice Missouri State to come on board as a package deal of CCU or EKU (with an Idaho dismissal).

That is thirteen teams Benson has stated the long term goal is twelve all sports members.
MSU spent thirty million last year but didn't expand the stadium it is still seventeen thousand. I would think they might wait a few years before pumping more money into the stadium. They are a basketball school and the Valley is a good if maybe overrated basketball conference.

JMU everyone knows the deal they aren't coming .

So what you have is a collection of schools with potential but work to do.
So many schools in the footprint have recently moved up it will take time for more candidates to get ready. Tex ST,UTSA,Charlotte,APP ST,ODU,USA,GA ST and GA Southern . Random thought that would be a pretty good eight team conference.

SHSU is installing the biggest video board in FCS and the stadium looks to be easily expandable. My guess is five years from now they could be ready not next year or anything. That is true of CCU or EKU or any interested candidate not named Liberty or Jacksonville ST. Naming the school with the best proposal between CCU and EKU as an Olympic member makes sense. Gives that school an advantage in fundraising for stadium improvements. Solves basketball scheduling APP ST travel partner issues .

12 all sports members may be the goal, but it will NEVER happen.

UALR is NOT starting football, and they are NOT leaving the conference. So from the jump, the all sports goal is unattainable.

(06-07-2015 09:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  SHSU is installing the biggest video board in FCS and the stadium looks to be easily expandable. My guess is five years from now they could be ready not next year or anything. That is true of CCU or EKU or any interested candidate not named Liberty or Jacksonville ST. Naming the school with the best proposal between CCU and EKU as an Olympic member makes sense. Gives that school an advantage in fundraising for stadium improvements. Solves basketball scheduling APP ST travel partner issues .

The dimensions for the Sam Houston scoreboard are 32' X 79' 6". Not bad! That will give the Southland Conference two of the top five FCS scoreboards (unless there are more going in). Ours is currently #4. Based on the Wikipedia page, the SHSU scoreboard would be in the top 40 in an FBS stadium. Ours would come in at #70 just ahead of Duke's video board.

For an idea of what SHSU is installing, here's a link to the scoreboard at Lamar. http://www.daktronics.com/en-us/photos/d...n=WP-15634
The video portion of the board at Lamar is 26' x 51'...not too bad. The frame of the one at Lamar is 88' by 48'. Using our board as a comparison, SHSU's will be about the width of our frame (8' shorter) left to right and 16' shorter top to bottom.

(06-07-2015 01:58 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 09:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  SHSU is installing the biggest video board in FCS and the stadium looks to be easily expandable. My guess is five years from now they could be ready not next year or anything. That is true of CCU or EKU or any interested candidate not named Liberty or Jacksonville ST. Naming the school with the best proposal between CCU and EKU as an Olympic member makes sense. Gives that school an advantage in fundraising for stadium improvements. Solves basketball scheduling APP ST travel partner issues .

The dimensions for the Sam Houston scoreboard are 32' X 79' 6". Not bad! That will give the Southland Conference two of the top five FCS scoreboards (unless there are more going in). Ours is currently #4. Based on the Wikipedia page, the SHSU scoreboard would be in the top 40 in an FBS stadium. Ours would come in at #70 just ahead of Duke's video board.

For an idea of what SHSU is installing, here's a link to the scoreboard at Lamar. http://www.daktronics.com/en-us/photos/d...n=WP-15634
The video portion of the board at Lamar is 26' x 51'...not too bad. The frame of the one at Lamar is 88' by 48'. Using our board as a comparison, SHSU's will be about the width of our frame (8' shorter) left to right and 16' shorter top to bottom.

What in the name of all that is holy does a new scoreboard at SHSU have to do with EKU's stadium upgrade ?

(06-10-2015 01:38 AM)DawggoneEagle Wrote:  What in the name of all that is holy does a new scoreboard at SHSU have to do with EKU's stadium upgrade ?

Someone had mentioned SHSU and Lamar as potential additions at one point in this thread. I said they weren't ready from a facilities standpoint (SHSU). They were discussing SHSU's scoreboard as part of the facilities.

Gotcha !
SHSU's stadium has a lot of potential, just filling out the two hills would increase capacity greatly, but is there a demand for the seats.
Georgia Southern played their big rival Stephen F Austin in Statesboro for what became the third national championship for GS in 1989. That was Erk's final game as head coach. Best football game I've ever been too.


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(06-10-2015 01:38 AM)DawggoneEagle Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 01:58 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 09:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  SHSU is installing the biggest video board in FCS and the stadium looks to be easily expandable. My guess is five years from now they could be ready not next year or anything. That is true of CCU or EKU or any interested candidate not named Liberty or Jacksonville ST. Naming the school with the best proposal between CCU and EKU as an Olympic member makes sense. Gives that school an advantage in fundraising for stadium improvements. Solves basketball scheduling APP ST travel partner issues .

The dimensions for the Sam Houston scoreboard are 32' X 79' 6". Not bad! That will give the Southland Conference two of the top five FCS scoreboards (unless there are more going in). Ours is currently #4. Based on the Wikipedia page, the SHSU scoreboard would be in the top 40 in an FBS stadium. Ours would come in at #70 just ahead of Duke's video board.

For an idea of what SHSU is installing, here's a link to the scoreboard at Lamar. http://www.daktronics.com/en-us/photos/d...n=WP-15634
The video portion of the board at Lamar is 26' x 51'...not too bad. The frame of the one at Lamar is 88' by 48'. Using our board as a comparison, SHSU's will be about the width of our frame (8' shorter) left to right and 16' shorter top to bottom.

What in the name of all that is holy does a new scoreboard at SHSU have to do with EKU's stadium upgrade ?

I apologize for taking the thread a little more off track. I saw mention of the new video board and looked it up because I thought it was interesting. The intent was a short, quick aside similar to the Liberty, JSU, NMSU, and Missouri State references scattered in earlier posts in this thread without questioning comment.

To take it back to the EKU Stadium update, the renditions of the EKU stadium renovation look very nice. Reading about the project, it looks like the new section will be multi-purpose with class rooms as well as athletic facilities. I'm wondering how the cost of the $15 million project is split between athletic and academic purposes. Multi-purpose use may be a growing trend. Several stadium upgrades include non-athletic facilities like dorms, etc.

Has work begun, if so, why don't we have a picture of what it will look like or the number of seats it will have????

(06-10-2015 10:03 AM)Usajags Wrote:  Has work begun, if so, why don't we have a picture of what it will look like or the number of seats it will have????

According to the EKU athletics website, construction will begin before the 2016 season so it looks like it will be soon, but not now. Here's a link to the description with external rendition referenced by the athletics facilities page.

The description indicates a replacement; not an expansion, but it looks like it will definitely be a very nice improvement that EKU fans can be very proud of.

http://www.eku.edu/news/lead-gift-dizney...e-facility Here's a link to a related article published about two months later. The article provides a little more detail of the improvements which are planned.
http://www.richmondregister.com/news/pan...a4527.html

EKU also made an improvement to the Roy Kidd Stadium and Alumni Coliseum video boards in 2013. The football stadium video board looks like a nice size of 15' x 26'.
http://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsRe...onics.aspx

In addition to the Roy Kidd Stadium improvemnt, the tennis courts, baseball field, softball field are also receiving upgrades (lights, etc.) My understanding is that those upgrades are included in the $15 million capital improvement for the University.

As an outsider looking in, it looks like there are some very good things going on at EKU right now. I bet it is an exciting time to be a Colonels fan.

Sorry looks very FCSish

No one has seen a final rendering. A presentation was made, I think in May, to SUN Belt officials, not only of the athletic plans, but also the over all university. I did not see it, but was told the presentation was impressive and the plans for EKU in the coming years is awesome.
The construction has not begun, but the dismantling of the visitor side bleachers (ugh) is underway. That has to be done first. After the new side is built, the old concrete home side will be torn down and a new side built there. Honestly, no one, except those that need to know, know what the final product will look like. I am assuming, that last year, too much information was released about plans to apply for a FBS conference and we got tons of flack for moving too fast, wanting too much too soon, not being ready, blah, blah, blah! So guess the EKU Administration is playing it a little close to the vest now. As for the 15 million gift, no one expects that is enough to get the job done, we all know that as does the EKU powers that be.

(06-10-2015 11:30 AM)LexColonel Wrote:  No one has seen a final rendering. A presentation was made, I think in May, to SUN Belt officials, not only of the athletic plans, but also the over all university. I did not see it, but was told the presentation was impressive and the plans for EKU in the coming years is awesome.
The construction has not begun, but the dismantling of the visitor side bleachers (ugh) is underway. That has to be done first. After the new side is built, the old concrete home side will be torn down and a new side built there. Honestly, no one, except those that need to know, know what the final product will look like. I am assuming, that last year, too much information was released about plans to apply for a FBS conference and we got tons of flack for moving too fast, wanting too much too soon, not being ready, blah, blah, blah! So guess the EKU Administration is playing it a little close to the vest now. As for the 15 million gift, no one expects that is enough to get the job done, we all know that as does the EKU powers that be.

If you guys are going to be sitting on only one side for the next couple years, I'm going to say we will see no increase in attendance. that's going to hurt for those of us that like to watch those numbers.

(06-10-2015 10:43 AM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 10:03 AM)Usajags Wrote:  Has work begun, if so, why don't we have a picture of what it will look like or the number of seats it will have????

According to the EKU athletics website, construction will begin before the 2016 season so it looks like it will be soon, but not now. Here's a link to the description with external rendition referenced by the athletics facilities page.

The description indicates a replacement; not an expansion, but it looks like it will definitely be a very nice improvement that EKU fans can be very proud of.

http://www.eku.edu/news/lead-gift-dizney...e-facility Here's a link to a related article published about two months later. The article provides a little more detail of the improvements which are planned.
http://www.richmondregister.com/news/pan...a4527.html

EKU also made an improvement to the Roy Kidd Stadium and Alumni Coliseum video boards in 2013. The football stadium video board looks like a nice size of 15' x 26'.
http://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsRe...onics.aspx

In addition to the Roy Kidd Stadium improvemnt, the tennis courts, baseball field, softball field are also receiving upgrades (lights, etc.) My understanding is that those upgrades are included in the $15 million capital improvement for the University.

As an outsider looking in, it looks like there are some very good things going on at EKU right now. I bet it is an exciting time to be a Colonels fan.

I think the one at maverick stadium is larger and uta does not even have a football team. eku may want to go larger.