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An article in the Daily News Record reports that JMU will not be hosting a playoff game this season regardless of opportunity. Construction of the new Bridgeforth Stadium is scheduled very near the last home game, Towson. The article mentioned that moving the Towson game to Baltimore was discussed but that is no longer a consideration.

Capacity for the 2010 season will be roughly the same, 15,500. Further construction after the 2010 season (an upper deck on the west stands and perm seats in an endzone) will take capacity to 25,000. The article mentined that home playoff games after the 2010 season could be affected as well.

That really sucks for JMU's seniors, etc.

dbackjon wrote:That really sucks for JMU's seniors, etc.

Not only will this affect playoffs in 2009 and possibly 2010, but I was also wondering if the renovations would mess up graduation. Then that would really suck for the seniors as graduation is held in the stadium.

Looks like JMU is jumping ship to the fBS

Doesn't JMU need to worry about MAKING the playoffs first?

bandl wrote:Doesn't JMU need to worry about MAKING the playoffs first?

Yup, not to mention when we make the playoffs we usually get screwed out of home games anyway (minus last year) so this really isn't that big of a difference.

JMU DJ wrote:

bandl wrote:Doesn't JMU need to worry about MAKING the playoffs first?

Yup, not to mention when we make the playoffs we usually get screwed out of home games anyway (minus last year) so this really isn't that big of a difference.

We'll be happy to beat you in Missoula, too.

JMU DJ wrote:

dbackjon wrote:That really sucks for JMU's seniors, etc.

Not only will this affect playoffs in 2009 and possibly 2010, but I was also wondering if the renovations would mess up graduation. Then that would really suck for the seniors as graduation is held in the stadium.

They can move graduation. God, our High School Graduation was in a football stadium. Down here HS graduations are held at the Palmer Events Center on UT campus. I'm sure JMU has someplace that would accomodate.

Grizalltheway wrote:

JMU DJ wrote:

Yup, not to mention when we make the playoffs we usually get screwed out of home games anyway (minus last year) so this really isn't that big of a difference.

We'll be happy to beat you in Missoula, too.

Shouldn't MONTANA worry about making the playoffs first?? Oh wait, that's pretty much a guarantee in the Big Cupcake conference.

I don't think it's such a big deal this year, just making the playoffs should be an accomplishment. But if we're right, 2010 could be a big problem.

Our AD, Jeff Bourne, had initially said there was no chance of hosting the next two years, even if we were seeded. He said that the school hadn't even looked at an alternative site, like VMI (1 hr away), Liberty, or Richmond (both 2 hrs). This pissed off a lot of JMU fans and since then, he's backed off slightly and said JMU may be able to host in 2010. So it remains to be seen, but since I expect us to be in Boone first round this year, 2009's not that big of a loss.

CatMom wrote:
They can move graduation. God, our High School Graduation was in a football stadium. Down here HS graduations are held at the Palmer Events Center on UT campus. I'm sure JMU has someplace that would accomodate.

Trying to think of a place that accommodates around 4-5 thousand students + Family at JMU... still thinking... stilllll thinking... nope, nothing. Did your high school have 4,000+ graduating seniors? I just thought it was cool to be on the field... especially because Justin Rascati was sitting right behind me.

Sucks about the playoffs, but some of my best experiences were hitting the road in 2004.

They could do what most colleges I know do, graduation by field/school of study. UT does it. A&M does it, TXST does it... and I bet alot of others do too. It's not a hard thing for just a year or so. Also, even UT doesn't graduate in their stadium, they do it outdoors on their quad, in front of (or is ot behind?) the infamous UT Tower.

To answer your query though...no, we had just under 800 in my senior class but we also had just an old style football field/stadium. My HS stadium pales, excessively, in comparison to the ones they have around here.

Yup, that's how JMU does it. Except they have everyone get together in the stadium first for a commencement speech, valedictorian speech, blah blah blah etc. after which they split off to other locations by major. That was the cool part for me as I got to sit with all my roommates and friends from college in the stadium as opposed to the specific school graduation where everyone was everywhere else.

Then I suppose they should forgo all the hoopla for a year or 2 and have all the speeches at each specific graduation. That's how TXST does it. Then, of course, some of them (the daytime graduations) have a tradition of running and jumping into the San Marcos River. Strahan Coliseum, site of the commencements, sits on the edge of Sewell Park (which is part of and owned by the U) and that's where the river runs through. They take place over several days and several a day. (into the night) My daughter got night graduation both times so no river splash.

JMU campus is wired enough that I bet they could broadcast the commencement speech on big screens at each of the satellite major locations...

And besides, most of the grads could not give a shit about the commencement speech unless the speaker is really noteworthy. I was incredibly hungover at the beginning of my commencement, as were most of the people around me (I distinctly remember one girl puking into a grocery bag who was sitting a row ahead of me, which then started a small chain reaction among her sororislut sisters; god that was awesome to watch). But then I was incredibly hammered by the end of it (Hellllloooooo everclear and gatorade!!!).