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I was thinking this weekend about the things I'd want to address ASAP if I came in to the AD role at BG and was curious what everyone thought the priorities should be for the new person. I came up with the following list (which does NOT take into account the current financial state of the department, since I don't have specific numbers).

In no particular order, though the big ones are generally near the top:
- Take a look at the head coaching roles in Football and Men's Basketball
- Assess facility upgrades to the Ice Arena
- Assess facility upgrades to baseball
- Address staffing issues in ticketing, operations and athletics fundraising
- Feasibility study into a complete redesign/rebuild of the the football stadium (I have a LOT of thoughts on this)
- Address lack of fan experience at on-campus events
- Improve quality of concessions, especially at Doyt Perry
- Improve marketing of events to people in Northwest Ohio to draw in more casual sports fans in the region

I'm sure I'm missing a ton, but this was like a 10 minute random brainstorm session. Would love to hear what else you'd like to see a new AD address in their first couple of years.

I agree with your last one. We have two of the more popular hockey alums from the past decade playing with the Walleye this season (Craggs brothers). Furthermore, there are usually 1-2 Falcons joining the Walleye each spring for the final few weeks of the season. Tons of opportunity to cross-promote both organizations. Something as simple as scoreboard mentions ("Head to the Huntington Center to watch Lukas and Sam," Head down to BG to see future Walleye in action"). All it takes is some creativity.

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm
- Assess facility upgrades to the Ice Arena

This is actually in process, with a current fundraising campaign. Quite possible there were conversations involved in the process that led to Moose getting axed.

TalonsUpPuckDown wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:59 pm I agree with your last one. We have two of the more popular hockey alums from the past decade playing with the Walleye this season (Craggs brothers). Furthermore, there are usually 1-2 Falcons joining the Walleye each spring for the final few weeks of the season. Tons of opportunity to cross-promote both organizations. Something as simple as scoreboard mentions ("Head to the Huntington Center to watch Lukas and Sam," Head down to BG to see future Walleye in action"). All it takes is some creativity.

There is definitely a missed opportunity there. Even so much as doing a BGSU hockey night at the Huntington Center on a weekend BG is off and the Walleye play would be smart. Bring the Falcon hockey players down for an autograph session, postgame hang out at the upstairs bar. Get their names and faces out there.

NIL is a big issue that needs to be figured out. Alumni should have a way to be able to help support and attract student-athletes that is separate from the Falcon Club. Other MAC schools (Toledo & Kent) are already ahead of the game on this.

The rest you listed are all very legitimate concerns, especially staffing. Hockey team has a home game vs. a B1G school in 12 days and single game tickets aren't even on sale yet...

jpfalcon09 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:28 pm

TalonsUpPuckDown wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:59 pm I agree with your last one. We have two of the more popular hockey alums from the past decade playing with the Walleye this season (Craggs brothers). Furthermore, there are usually 1-2 Falcons joining the Walleye each spring for the final few weeks of the season. Tons of opportunity to cross-promote both organizations. Something as simple as scoreboard mentions ("Head to the Huntington Center to watch Lukas and Sam," Head down to BG to see future Walleye in action"). All it takes is some creativity.

There is definitely a missed opportunity there. Even so much as doing a BGSU hockey night at the Huntington Center on a weekend BG is off and the Walleye play would be smart. Bring the Falcon hockey players down for an autograph session, postgame hang out at the upstairs bar. Get their names and faces out there.

NIL is a big issue that needs to be figured out. Alumni should have a way to be able to help support and attract student-athletes that is separate from the Falcon Club. Other MAC schools (Toledo & Kent) are already ahead of the game on this.

The rest you listed are all very legitimate concerns, especially staffing. Hockey team has a home game vs. a B1G school in 12 days and single game tickets aren't even on sale yet...

The athletic department makes purchasing tickets a chore. I tried buying football tickets a few weeks before homecoming and the ticket system allowed me to pick seats but I couldn't purchase the item. I tried calling, no answer.

Last week I was planning on buying football and hockey tickets when MSU comes to town so I could bring my oldest son who I know would have a great time. Single game tickets weren't available for purchasing. You have to give out of town fans an opportunity to get a hotel, etc. It's the same thing year after year. They make it hard to be a fan and attend games. Every surrounding college is begging for our fandom. BG doesn't make it a priority. I don't want my son being an OSU fan but they make the experience easier and it's like you are a part of something special (It pains me to say that). It shouldn't be a struggle to get tickets.

My additions would be to REVAMP the staff and RAISE $$$$$$!

pdt1081 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:28 pm

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm
- Assess facility upgrades to the Ice Arena

This is actually in process, with a current fundraising campaign. Quite possible there were conversations involved in the process that led to Moose getting axed.

Right, I should have been more clear. I know about the current campaign, but I'm saying the AD needs to assess where it stands and make sure timelines are being met through the process.

the BOT just approved the design and pre construction phase last Friday, renovations according to the bid should start this coming April.

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm - Feasibility study into a complete redesign/rebuild of the the football stadium (I have a LOT of thoughts on this)

Why rebuild the football stadium? I assume (or hope at least) it is structurally sound. That would be a very expensive project.

Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:53 am

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm - Feasibility study into a complete redesign/rebuild of the the football stadium (I have a LOT of thoughts on this)

Why rebuild the football stadium? I assume (or hope at least) it is structurally sound. That would be a very expensive project.

Probably just a selfish wish on my part. I believe that the stadium is outdated in many ways, including its design. Would love to see a 22-25k seat stadium that forms a U-shape on the existing site, with the Sebo closing in the open end.

Some stadiums I think we could use as inspiration:
- Hancock Whitney Stadium (South Alabama)
- Yulman Stadium (Tulane)
- Bridgeforth Stadium (JMU)
- PNC Stadium (Houston Dynamo MLS)
- Subaru Park (Philadelphia Union MLS)

Very much an expensive, long-term view, but one I think BG needs to look at if they actually plan on fielding a competitive football team in the future.

BillyLP wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:52 pm

Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:53 am

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm - Feasibility study into a complete redesign/rebuild of the the football stadium (I have a LOT of thoughts on this)

Why rebuild the football stadium? I assume (or hope at least) it is structurally sound. That would be a very expensive project.

Probably just a selfish wish on my part. I believe that the stadium is outdated in many ways, including its design. Would love to see a 22-25k seat stadium that forms a U-shape on the existing site, with the Sebo closing in the open end.

Some stadiums I think we could use as inspiration:
- Hancock Whitney Stadium (South Alabama)
- Yulman Stadium (Tulane)
- Bridgeforth Stadium (JMU)
- PNC Stadium (Houston Dynamo MLS)
- Subaru Park (Philadelphia Union MLS)

Very much an expensive, long-term view, but one I think BG needs to look at if they actually plan on fielding a competitive football team in the future.

It seems to me what you describe could be accomplished by installing (non-pink) chairbacks throughout the current structure and filling in the south end zone with a bowl. That would keep capacity about where it is now since the chairbacks would take up more space.

An alternative I'd prefer to filling in the south end zone would be to build more rows along one sideline along with a stairway enabling people to get to their seats from the top of the stadium (a la NIU's stadium, but less Byzantine). This would be more expensive, and it might mean moving the light standards, but the new seats would have a very good view of the action.

What do you see as outdated? If we were building from scratch, I'd probably increase the slope of the seats so that it is easier to see and follow the game action from the first few rows. But I'm not sure that's worth bringing in a demo crew and starting over.

Speaking of pink seats: The Rose bowl has rose-colored seats, which I suppose is to be expected. But it is the only time I've ever seen chairbacks that were anywhere close to the color of ours.

Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:10 pm

BillyLP wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:52 pm

Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:53 am

BillyLP wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm - Feasibility study into a complete redesign/rebuild of the the football stadium (I have a LOT of thoughts on this)

Why rebuild the football stadium? I assume (or hope at least) it is structurally sound. That would be a very expensive project.

Probably just a selfish wish on my part. I believe that the stadium is outdated in many ways, including its design. Would love to see a 22-25k seat stadium that forms a U-shape on the existing site, with the Sebo closing in the open end.

Some stadiums I think we could use as inspiration:
- Hancock Whitney Stadium (South Alabama)
- Yulman Stadium (Tulane)
- Bridgeforth Stadium (JMU)
- PNC Stadium (Houston Dynamo MLS)
- Subaru Park (Philadelphia Union MLS)

Very much an expensive, long-term view, but one I think BG needs to look at if they actually plan on fielding a competitive football team in the future.

It seems to me what you describe could be accomplished by installing (non-pink) chairbacks throughout the current structure and filling in the south end zone with a bowl. That would keep capacity about where it is now since the chairbacks would take up more space.


What do you see as outdated? If we were building from scratch, I'd probably increase the slope of the seats so that it was a bit easier to see and follow the game action from the first few rows. But I'm not sure that's worth bringing in a demo crew and starting over.

I like the chairback idea with closing in one side as a cheaper solution, for sure, but I don't think it fixes everything. Again, I want to reiterate that this is probably more a personal bugaboo than an actual priority, but if I were in the position, I'd want to do a feasibility study on it.

I think the overall design is a bit outdated with the two grandstand model, and hasn't been used in 3 or 4 decades. It results in a very open, somewhat high school, under-the-grandstand look, that also results in a ton of empty space that could be expanded offices, locker rooms, workout facilities, etc. if it were a more complete structure. It also leads to the terrible concession stand design, without much they can do to remedy it. I'd also like a more substantial press box with indoor/outdoor suites, which is seen in any newer stadium.

Adding chairbacks and closing in the south end zone with bleachers would definitely be an improvement, though. It'd definitely make the stadium louder, and would create a more natural student section. If they added a nice structure to one side to build a press box, it could have a similar look to North Texas's Apogee stadium, which I also wouldn't oppose.

BillyLP wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:54 pm I think the overall design is a bit outdated with the two grandstand model, and hasn't been used in 3 or 4 decades. It results in a very open, somewhat high school, under-the-grandstand look, that also results in a ton of empty space that could be expanded offices, locker rooms, workout facilities, etc. if it were a more complete structure. It also leads to the terrible concession stand design, without much they can do to remedy it. I'd also like a more substantial press box with indoor/outdoor suites, which is seen in any newer stadium.

Are you suggesting that concessions are set up to fail because of architecture? That's been my hunch, but I'm not sure I have any idea why this is. Is it a lack of indoor space nearby to store food, or something?

How hard can it be to clean house, find quality replacements, redefine the mission and philosophy of the Department and for once create the impression that the people in the Department give a crap about something other than the resume they're polishing?

Flipper wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:53 pm How hard can it be to clean house, find quality replacements, redefine the mission and philosophy of the Department and for once create the impression that the people in the Department give a crap about something other than the resume they're polishing?

It is mind numbing to me. Especially since you are at a large university….. you have an endless supply of bright minds at your disposal to carry the load of the work: you can easily parlay all of the sports management, marketing, hospitality management, etc majors into your “staff”, with just a little coordination and planning.