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I’ll tell you what….as a huge fan of the MAC and an even bigger fan of BG, it’s great to see how many MAC schools have either improved or are in the process of improving their football stadiums within the last five years or so across the conference.

Obviously, we know what has been already been done recently (videoboard, sound system, lights, elevators, etc.) and what is currently ongoing (Sebo Center) at BG. But a closer look around the conference shows many other schools have or are doing the similar thing. Miami is putting together a terrific facility down there in Oxford as their stadium is very nice already after their improvements and the new fieldhouse they are going to build behind the endzone will be the icing on the cake. WMU has somewhat quietly developed a very nice stadium as they have a great complex there in Kalamazoo. Down in Athens, Ohio did a wonderful job upgrading/renovating Peden Stadium over the last few years and they are continuing improvements. OU is currently renovating the Peden Tower and look to be possibly adding an upper deck on the side across from the press box in the near future. Over in Muncie, Ball State has surpassed its $12 million dollar goal ($13.6 million) and had a similar donation as BG did with the Sebo family ($4 million) and will be doing a very nice renovation and stadium expansion. In Dekalb, Northern Illinois will be adding an endzone facility similar to BG. Akron is still in the planning stages of building a possible new stadium in downtown Akron next to the campus, and you figure it will happen at some time sooner than later. Other schools have future plans in the works and have done more minor projects such as replacing their turf, upgrading the seating, etc.

It makes me happy as a fan to see the conference working like this to improve their stadiums, and it makes me even more happy to see BG in the thick of things. The Sebo is going to be awesome, and I can’t wait to see what the next upgrade/improvement is after that.

BGSU33 wrote:I’ll tell you what….as a huge fan of the MAC and an even bigger fan of BG, it’s great to see how many MAC schools have either improved or are in the process of improving their football stadiums within the last five years or so across the conference.

Obviously, we know what has been already been done recently (videoboard, sound system, lights, elevators, etc.) and what is currently ongoing (Sebo Center) at BG. But a closer look around the conference shows many other schools have or are doing the similar thing. Miami is putting together a terrific facility down there in Oxford as their stadium is very nice already after their improvements and the new fieldhouse they are going to build behind the endzone will be the icing on the cake. WMU has somewhat quietly developed a very nice stadium as they have a great complex there in Kalamazoo. Down in Athens, Ohio did a wonderful job upgrading/renovating Peden Stadium over the last few years and they are continuing improvements. OU is currently renovating the Peden Tower and look to be possibly adding an upper deck on the side across from the press box in the near future. Over in Muncie, Ball State has surpassed its $12 million dollar goal ($13.6 million) and had a similar donation as BG did with the Sebo family ($4 million) and will be doing a very nice renovation and stadium expansion. In Dekalb, Northern Illinois will be adding an endzone facility similar to BG. Akron is still in planning stages of building a possible new stadium in downtown Akron next to the campus, and you figure it will happen at some time sooner than later. Other schools have future plans in the works and have done more minor projects such as replacing their turf, upgrading the seating, etc.

It makes me happy as a fan to see the conference working like this to improve their stadiums, and it makes me even more happy to see BG in the thick of things. The Sebo is going to be awesome, and I can’t wait to see what the next upgrade/improvement is after that.

Kent didnt even look bad last year,although I got stuck in an endzone instead of BG section.
Course after driving in from MD,the sparse crowd had its advantages.

Akron will be building a new 24,000 seat stadium...

I too got an endzone seat, but the fanbase for that game was quite sparse, although I think BG easily had more fans than Kent.

Kent's stadium was not bad, and they don't usually get many people from what I hear, but I don't like the lobsidedness of the stadium. One side was nicely built (almost Doyt-esque) and the other was a high school bleacher section.

They do serve beer though.

BGpoly wrote:I too got an endzone seat, but the fanbase for that game was quite sparse, although I think BG easily had more fans than Kent.

Kent's stadium was not bad, and they don't usually get many people from what I hear, but I don't like the lobsidedness of the stadium. One side was nicely built (almost Doyt-esque) and the other was a high school bleacher section.

They do serve beer though.

The endzone I was in was so sparce,I spent most of the game talking to a BG fan and we were almost by ourselves.
Seeing just how few people were in that area on the telecast was quite amusing

When the Sebo Center is completed, will there be anyone in the MAC with both a "football-centered" facility AND an indoor practice facility like BG? I don't believe so.

Also, in regards to Akron's new stadium, hovercrafts are in the "planning stages." I'll believe it when they break ground. It'll probably take more than getting past BG divisionally on a third tiebreaker every 30 years to awaken their long dormant fan base. I just don't see the resources in place to get it done other than via state money, but then Kent will be screaming for one as well.

Miami's Indoor Practice facility will open in late 2007 or in early 2008

JoeFalcon wrote:When the Sebo Center is completed, will there be anyone in the MAC with both a "football-centered" facility AND an indoor practice facility like BG? I don't believe so.

Also, in regards to Akron's new stadium, hovercrafts are in the "planning stages." I'll believe it when they break ground. It'll probably take more than getting past BG divisionally on a third tiebreaker every 30 years to awaken their long dormant fan base. I just don't see the resources in place to get it done other than via state money, but then Kent will be screaming for one as well.

I agree with JoeFalcon about Akron's new football stadium. They've been talking about that for almost a decade now and it will be at least another 5-10 years before ground breaks...if it ever does. UA just spent a ton of jack on their new training facility and other campus projects and I don't see where the $$$ would come from for a new stadium. We'll see...