South Dakota St. looking to expand

[SouthDakotaGrizzly]

Just saw a blurb in the editorial column of the Rapid City Journal that said SDSU is looking to expand Coughlin-Alumni stadium from it's current capacity of 10,000 to 22,700 and possibly 40,000 (their numbers, not mine) in the future. Any Jack fans have any info on this? 22,700 seems reasonable, but I would think 40,000 is a stretch (and would seem to suggest SDSU has bigger plans in mind).

[i_got_a_fever]

See this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=12843

[Thumper 76]

Just saw a blurb in the editorial column of the Rapid City Journal that said SDSU is looking to expand Coughlin-Alumni stadium from it's current capacity of 10,000 to 22,700 and possibly 40,000 (their numbers, not mine) in the future. Any Jack fans have any info on this? 22,700 seems reasonable, but I would think 40,000 is a stretch (and would seem to suggest SDSU has bigger plans in mind).

I think the possible is just a long ways down the road sort of thinking. Like really long. I'm fairly sure that SDSU isn't leaving anytime soon from FCS. There is a lot of room for growth for the Jacks tho with Souix Falls being just 45 minutes south. With making the jump with NDSU its given the Jacks a huge step up on the Yotes for getting the states attention IMHO, and is in a position to take the lead as the states main football school, much like Iowa is with Iowa state (at least thats what I hope )

[jd of de]

40,000? Oh please! Who ever said 40,000 or wrote it is past dreaming and just flat delusional. Not realistic when you consider the population base within a two hour drive. One in 3 residents of Sioux Falls would need to attend games.

It is always good to see a FCS school with a 20,000 seat stadium and the support to fill it. But check the stadium size of BCS schools outside the Big Six Conferences. Boise State, with all their success just expanded to 32K and no MAC Conference school has a on campus stadium that exceeds 31,000. If you go BCS it not going to exceed MAC/WAC status.

Congrats on your success and the new 22,000 seats, but lets at least keep the dream real. See you in September.

[Thumper 76]

40,000? Oh please! Who ever said 40,000 or wrote it is past dreaming and just flat delusional. Not realistic when you consider the population base within a two hour drive. One in 3 residents of Sioux Falls would need to attend games.

It is always good to see a FCS school with a 20,000 seat stadium and the support to fill it. But check the stadium size of BCS schools outside the Big Six Conferences. Boise State, with all their success just expanded to 32K and no MAC Conference school has a on campus stadium that exceeds 31,000. If you go BCS it not going to exceed MAC/WAC status.

Congrats on your success and the new 22,000 seats, but lets at least keep the dream real. See you in September.

I'm sorry that they offended you so! How dare we dream big out in podunk SD. (Pssssst......Souix Falls isn't the only town around Brookings and such with population to have people go watch games). Besides its just there in case that happens to be needed, no one said it would be or will be needed.

[Evolution Prime]

That 40k number would be done in an expansion. We wouldn't build right away for 40k. Thumper is right. there are towns within a decent driving distance. Watertown being about 50 miles north. The Sioux Falls area is fairly large. Huron is about 80 miles away. That would be about the edge of decent driving distance. Plus all the little small towns in the area. Put a quality team on the field like we have been, fill the 23k seat stadium and then think about expansion after that. It would take a long time to get to that level.

[jd of de]

Please guys ..... come back to earth. No amount of fuzzy math has you filling a 40k stadium. You'll see 250 bu/acre wheat first. Filling 22,400 may even be a stretch, but a rising program deserves that level of commitment. Dream of filling a 22,400 and winning a FCS Championship. If you keep talking this BCS, big stadium stuff someone with suggest your best mode of transportation is a little yellow bus.

BSU enrollment - 18, 000 (SDSU - 12,000)
Metro Boise population - 600,000 (Metro Brookings - 20,000 + Metro SF - 180,00 = 200,000)
Bronco Stadium - 33,600 (SDSU @ 40k math don't fly)

[Thumper 76]

Please guys ..... come back to earth. No amount of fuzzy math has you filling a 40k stadium. You'll see 250 bu/acre wheat first. Filling 22,400 may even be a stretch, but a rising program deserves that level of commitment. Dream of filling a 22,400 and winning a FCS Championship. If you keep talking this BCS, big stadium stuff someone with suggest your best mode of transportation is a little yellow bus.

BSU enrollment - 18, 000 (SDSU - 12,000)
Metro Boise population - 600,000 (Metro Brookings - 20,000 + Metro SF - 180,00 = 200,000)
Bronco Stadium - 33,600 (SDSU @ 40k math don't fly)

Ok first off since your so smart, maybe you should start calling it FBS, its not BCS. Hell Boise isn't in a BCS conference as of now. Secondly, maybe no one said we wanted to go to FBS at all right now. All your doing is trying to talk down on us because you think that we don't have a chance to be as good as you, or filling our stadium, or getting a great fan base, cause we're from SD. All your doing is ragging on the population of South Dakota. No need to hate on having a dream for eons down the road. Hell we don't even have funding for this new stadium they did a study for yet, let alone additions. You're acting like we plan on going to 40k right out of the box. Jus take a breather, and let us alone eh? Looking forward to playing you guys this fall

[DJH]

im with jd on this one. That just isn't a realistic thought.

[Willie]

About as bad of an idea as Montana state expanding to 30,000.

[SouthDakotaGrizzly]

About as bad of an idea as Montana state expanding to 30,000.

I can think of one good reason for MSU to expand to 30K: more Griz fans in the stands for Griz-Cat in the Bozo years.

[dbackjon]

This thread is funny.

Just because they are doing a study that could lead some time down the road an expanded 40K stadium seems to make people go crazy.

If NAU ever got the funding to build a new stadium, I would sure hope they would plan it to be able to be expanded easily, if the need ever arose. Unlike the ungainly add-ons in many stadiums, some prior planning seems to be the best route. If the demand never materializes, then so be it. But if they plan for a a larger stadium, and expand it as needed, then all is good. No messy reconstructions needed.

[Willie]

About as bad of an idea as Montana state expanding to 30,000.

I can think of one good reason for MSU to expand to 30K: more Griz fans in the stands for Griz-Cat in the Bozo years.

Yeah it'll fill once every 2 years...if that.

[Benne]

Easy... I think the idea behind the stadium expansion is a design that could be expanded on to 40,000 if, and it's a very large if, there was ever a need. Wow.

"Nothing is F***ed here, Dude."

[jd of de]

Please guys ..... come back to earth. No amount of fuzzy math has you filling a 40k stadium. You'll see 250 bu/acre wheat first. Filling 22,400 may even be a stretch, but a rising program deserves that level of commitment. Dream of filling a 22,400 and winning a FCS Championship. If you keep talking this BCS, big stadium stuff someone with suggest your best mode of transportation is a little yellow bus.

BSU enrollment - 18, 000 (SDSU - 12,000)
Metro Boise population - 600,000 (Metro Brookings - 20,000 + Metro SF - 180,00 = 200,000)
Bronco Stadium - 33,600 (SDSU @ 40k math don't fly)

Ok first off since your so smart, maybe you should start calling it FBS, its not BCS. Hell Boise isn't in a BCS conference as of now. Secondly, maybe no one said we wanted to go to FBS at all right now. All your doing is trying to talk down on us because you think that we don't have a chance to be as good as you, or filling our stadium, or getting a great fan base, cause we're from SD. All your doing is ragging on the population of South Dakota. No need to hate on having a dream for eons down the road. Hell we don't even have funding for this new stadium they did a study for yet, let alone additions. You're acting like we plan on going to 40k right out of the box. Jus take a breather, and let us alone eh? Looking forward to playing you guys this fall

1) BCS = Bowl Championship Series. Here is the final BCS standings as of 12/09/09 as listed on ESPN. http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs Maybe you should contact ESPN and tell them they are getting it wrong.

2) And on said poll listed above, Boise State is listed at #6 and played in a BCS bowl. It appears they ARE part of the BCS and DO actually qualify. They just are not part of the AUTOMATIC conferences. But they are part of the BCS. MAC schools, WAC schools and MWC (TCU also played in a BCS game) are all BCS conferences.

3) At no point have I trashed your program or your state. I have only pointed out that programs that have transitioned to or have always been at the smaller levels of BCS, with successful programs, larger enrollments and population bases don't draw 40k.

4) You may well be better than us already. Your weight facility looks pretty state of the art.

Dream of drawing App State and Montana size crowds. Dream of winning 6 National Championships. Don't just dream about it, invest in it. Stadium expansion comes from University supporters, not taxpayers. If you want to gauge the level of support of your program just look at its fund raising results. But 40k stadiums just silly talk .....

[jd of de]

It seems the newspaper writer wasn't delusional: just someone along the rumor mill was.

Posted: Thursday, February 11, 2010 4:10 am | (0) Comments
A master plan for developing athletic facilities at South Dakota State University includes expanding the football stadium to more than double the seating capacity to 22,000 spectators.

Athletics director Justin Sell says the 20-year plan developed by a Kansas City firm is just a vision for now. He says it will help determine the cost of different projects and what the university can afford.

SDSU has played its football games at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium since it opened in 1962. Average attendance last season exceeded the seating capacity of 10,000 fans.
___
Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com

[txstatebobcat]

Ok first off since your so smart, maybe you should start calling it FBS, its not BCS. Hell Boise isn't in a BCS conference as of now. Secondly, maybe no one said we wanted to go to FBS at all right now. All your doing is trying to talk down on us because you think that we don't have a chance to be as good as you, or filling our stadium, or getting a great fan base, cause we're from SD. All your doing is ragging on the population of South Dakota. No need to hate on having a dream for eons down the road. Hell we don't even have funding for this new stadium they did a study for yet, let alone additions. You're acting like we plan on going to 40k right out of the box. Jus take a breather, and let us alone eh? Looking forward to playing you guys this fall

1) BCS = Bowl Championship Series. Here is the final BCS standings as of 12/09/09 as listed on ESPN. http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs Maybe you should contact ESPN and tell them they are getting it wrong.

2) And on said poll listed above, Boise State is listed at #6 and played in a BCS bowl. It appears they ARE part of the BCS and DO actually qualify. They just are not part of the AUTOMATIC conferences. But they are part of the BCS. MAC schools, WAC schools and MWC (TCU also played in a BCS game) are all BCS conferences.

3) At no point have I trashed your program or your state. I have only pointed out that programs that have transitioned to or have always been at the smaller levels of BCS, with successful programs, larger enrollments and population bases don't draw 40k.

4) You may well be better than us already. Your weight facility looks pretty state of the art.

Dream of drawing App State and Montana size crowds. Dream of winning 6 National Championships. Don't just dream about it, invest in it. Stadium expansion comes from University supporters, not taxpayers. If you want to gauge the level of support of your program just look at its fund raising results. But 40k stadiums just silly talk .....

Personally I think it is just good planning. I doubt it would cost a whole lot more to have additional expansion phases in place just in case the need arises. You can never really know the future and maybe South Dakota experiences a huge population boom and doubles or triples in size in 20 years. If that were to happen I bet the future administration would marvel at the foresight of their predecessors.