BiG day for Falcon baseball!

[factman]

...........not only the game against OU but the announcement that will made just before the game! It is a "game changer" for the baseball program.

[Flipper]

C'mon...spill the bans already....

[FalconTurf]

I'm waiting impatiently too.

[Falcon Commander]

http://t.co/fda1rTmGMV" target="_blank

[Falcon Commander]

more detail . . .
http://t.co/MPGA4m2Azy" target="_blank

[Falconfreak90]

THIS IS AWESOME!!!! BG Baseball has done more with less than just about any program out there. Thank you Gary Haas! Just awesome.

[BGSU33]

I was at both the announcement and game on Saturday and also read the release posted by BGSU, but it didn't specify what exactly the donation would be put towards or used for. Factman, you and I touched base on this some (thanks again), and I also spoke to a player on Saturday who said there was a turf project discussed before the announcement of the gift was made and that it could taken place before next season (which would be awesome). He said it would be a complete turf field and and not just the infield. He also said that Haas wanted BG to build a "stadium" which made it sound like this gift may have been the one to get the ball rolling to get something more substantial finally built. Both of those projects coupled with the recent ones such as new dugouts and locker room would really put BG near the top of baseball facilities in the MAC. It would be huge!!!

[BGSU33]

I have been to every MAC baseball facility and IMO there are five "Tiers" of facilities in terms of what you would see as a fan entering the facility and walking around it (seating areas, concessions, restrooms, video/scoreboard) or a player playing in it (not taking into consideration other features such as locker rooms or batting cages, etc).

Tier 1: Ohio, Miami and CMU. These three all built new "stadiums" recently and are by far some of the best in the MAC. All three schools replaced what they had and separated themselves from the rest of the pack. I think OU has the nicest stadium of the three and has a very nice setting framed by the backdrop of the hills and campus over the fence. Nice seating sections, hillside seating, press and donor boxes, etc,. Miami has a great location tucked into campus and it's easy for students to walk to and has a nice enterance to its facility. CMU's is offset from campus but is also very nice. Seemed to have more seating than Miami. These three are the cream of the crop in the MAC.

Tier 2: Kent State. The Flashes have gradually made numerous improvements to an existing facility and it's tucked away in its own little plot of land. While it does have a few features others do not, it's ahead of the other eight schools but behind OU, MU & CMU.

Tier 3: WMU and EMU. Both were very similar to each other in design with their canopied grandstands. WMU's recent renovation cut most of the canopy away (let's face it, in the MAC you're often in search of sunshine for warmth during the season much more than you are seeking shade from the heat) and I think WMU it is for sure the nicer of the two now. But EMU's has more of a stadium feel and look than any of the six to follow.

Tier 4: BG, Ball State, NIU. These three are similar to one another in their setting. I would rank them in order of BG, BSU then NIU but I do like BG's the best of the three.

Tier 5: Akron, Toledo and Buffalo. You could argue some of these could be grouped with the three above, but with some of them having virtually no or very little seating (UA & UB), or being off the main portion campus area (UT, UB), I'd group them together here.

If BG were to do the improvements mention above, it would climb right up in there with Kent State at Tier 2. But to reach the trio of OU, MU and CMU, you're going to have to do exactly what they did and build it all new from scratch and do it all right.

[factman]

Very good synopsis of the stadiums/ fields, 33. I would agree, completely. What also needs to be included, in the program assessment , are the coaches salaries, scholarships, number of paid coaches, program budgets, etc , and BG needs to improve in all of those areas, also.
It takes time to undo all of the damage that was done to the program by the previous administration, but it is moving forward now, and Gary's gift will certainly speed up the movement.
Here's to another GREAT run in the MAC tournament for Falcon baseball!

[mscarn]

Phenomenal. Make those upgrades and make 'em quickly.

The "Frack Effect" (re: generosity that inspires others to give) at work?

[BGSU33]

I did see this today in the Sentinel Tribune article: What Haas’ donation will be used for is still being determined. Among the priorities are an artificial turf playing surface and adding a brick façade to the outside of Steller Field.

That goes right along with what Factman shared and what the player shared with me also. The existing seating (which isn't that old) is pretty nice actually and could be encased nicely with a brick facade. I would also hope we added a concession stand and restrooms as part of it when we do it.

I agree with some of the other things mentioned above, especially getting BG up to the scholarship limit. Adding three scholarships may not sound like a big deal, but being that most college baseball players are not on fill rides (most are getting partial aid), that additional three can go a very long way.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

I did see this today in the Sentinel Tribune article

I really hope there is no stupid letter to the editor in Wednesday's S-T from some disgruntled professor/former professor complaining about how Mr. Haas decided to use his money