MAC football stadium upgrade news

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:52 pm

Over the past few years, it has been a busy time for stadium upgrades throughout the MAC. Obviously, BG opened the Sebo Center, added a new videoboard/scoreboard and put in FieldTurf. Ball State added a new press tower, overhauled its north endzone and added FieldTurf. Ohio added FieldTurf and recently completed the renovations to the insides of Peden Tower. Miami added a new grandstand structure on the east side of the stadium, added new north endzone seating, added a new videoboard/scoreboard tower, put in FieldTurf, finished its south endzone plaza and announced plans for a north endzone fieldhouse facility. Northern Illinois opened the Yordon Center (NIU’s version of the Sebo Center). Central Michigan renovated its press tower/suites, added FieldTurf and added new videoboard towers. Western Michigan built its Seelye Athletic Center (fieldhouse/endzone facility). Akron built the Stile Fieldhouse, put in an new playing surface at the Rubber Bowl and is building the brand new InfoCision Stadium set to open next year in 2009. (I love how WMU, Akron and Miami’s future facility are right outside of their endzones). Kent State put in FieldTurf and started the first phase of its stadium renovations and put an overhang roof over its press box. Eastern Michigan added FieldTurf and announced it was going to build an endzone facility. I'm sure I am missing a few other things as well, but it goes to show how much work is being done and how nearly all MAC facilities are improving which is good for the conference as a whole.

Here are some more recent updates for football facilities in the MAC this year (for Akron and Kent State):

As if Akron's new stadium wasn't nice enough to begin with, it looks like some more money was added to increase the project some more. This place is going to be the gem of the MAC next year. I also loved the quote from Akron's athletics director Mack Rhoades who said, “You only get to build a new stadium once and we wanted to do it right,” I hope we feel the same about the Stroh Center. Here's the Akron update:
http://www.uakron.edu/stadium/news/newsbrief_81307.php

Kent State is undergoing Stage II of its stadium upgrade:
http://www.kentstatesports.com/ViewArti ... ID=1414465

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Thu May 01, 2008 8:57 am

Kent State's efforts are like putting lipstick on a pig.Akron on the other hand is going to have a whopper of a football facility.

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Thu May 01, 2008 10:07 am

redskins4ever wrote:Kent State's efforts are like putting lipstick on a pig.Akron on the other hand is going to have a whopper of a football facility.

LOL! I wasn't going to say it, but since you mentioned it....

Seriously though, at least Kent State is doing something and it will improve their facility. And yes, I agree, Akron will by far have the top facility when the new stadium is done.

As for Miami, I was just back in Oxford last weekend and I love the upgrades and renovations to Yager. I’m down there about every two years or so. In fact, IMO, Miami has the nicest facilities all the way around the in MAC. The new Goggin Ice Arena (I know, CCHA, but no MAC school in the CCHA can touch it) is one of the nicest hockey facilities in the country by far. It's a palace! The place is amazing! The baseball and softball facilities are excellent. Yager Stadium is one of the nicest football facilities in the conference, and when they get finished with the future project, could arguably be second to Akron when done. The swimming facility at the rec center is very nice, and the track, soccer and field hockey complexes are decent as well. Millett Hall has its ups and downs. I actually like the concourse area but I’m not too big fan of a fan of the seating/floor/overall feel inside. But it’s certainly better than many other venues I’ve been in. Other than that tennis is okay too. All in all, Miami has some very nice venues and many of them will/could serve as models for other conference schools to follow.

VDub26Falcon · Post by **VDub26Falcon** » Thu May 01, 2008 10:11 am

redskins4ever wrote:Kent State's efforts are like putting lipstick on a pig.Akron on the other hand is going to have a whopper of a football facility.

I have a Whopper...in my pants!

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Thu May 01, 2008 11:10 am

mmmm, Whoppers

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Thu May 01, 2008 11:24 am

As long as Kent State continues to sell beer inside the stadium during the games they are still one of the best away gameday experiences! Plenty of parking and seats.... and.... BEER!

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Thu May 01, 2008 12:33 pm

Did somebody mention Whoppers?

BGorDeath · Post by **BGorDeath** » Thu May 01, 2008 3:37 pm

Flipper wrote:Did somebody mention Whoppers?

Once again, I have a strange desire for canteloup.

BGFalconfromCincy · Post by **BGFalconfromCincy** » Thu May 01, 2008 8:49 pm

BGSU33 wrote:Millett Hall has its ups and downs. I actually like the concourse area but I’m not too big fan of a fan of the seating/floor/overall feel inside.

I agree with you about that when it comes to Millett

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Thu May 01, 2008 10:54 pm

Millett isn't perfect, but it will be there for a while so I guess we will have to live with it.

The Niz · Post by **The Niz** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:25 am

BGSU33 wrote:
redskins4ever wrote:Kent State's efforts are like putting lipstick on a pig.Akron on the other hand is going to have a whopper of a football facility.
LOL! I wasn't going to say it, but since you mentioned it.... Seriously though, at least Kent State is doing something and it will improve their facility. And yes, I agree, Akron will by far have the top facility when the new stadium is done.

As for Miami, I was just back in Oxford last weekend and I love the upgrades and renovations to Yager. I’m down there about every two years or so. In fact, IMO, Miami has the nicest facilities all the way around the in MAC. The new Goggin Ice Arena (I know, CCHA, but no MAC school in the CCHA can touch it) is one of the nicest hockey facilities in the country by far. It's a palace! The place is amazing! The baseball and softball facilities are excellent. Yager Stadium is one of the nicest football facilities in the conference, and when they get finished with the future project, could arguably be second to Akron when done. The swimming facility at the rec center is very nice, and the track, soccer and field hockey complexes are decent as well. Millett Hall has its ups and downs. I actually like the concourse area but I’m not too big fan of a fan of the seating/floor/overall feel inside. But it’s certainly better than many other venues I’ve been in. Other than that tennis is okay too. All in all, Miami has some very nice venues and many of them will/could serve as models for other conference schools to follow.

Maybe it was the tornado/monsoon/hurricane we went through three years ago to watch the game down there, but I hated everything about that stadium. Especially the long muddy walk between the arena and the stadium that we had to make like five times.

JoeFalcon · Post by **JoeFalcon** » Fri May 02, 2008 2:20 pm

Two thoughts:

1. Miami's facilities will remain incomplete until they actually begin serving wine and cheese at the concession stands.

2. Unfortunately for Akron, they measure football attendance by a show of hands. They didn't even publicly report the attendance for their last home game with CMU because it was so low. The stadium should give them an initial bump, but it could be fleeting unless they give people a product worth coming back for once they've tested out the new bathrooms.

falconfan1999 · Post by **falconfan1999** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:02 pm

I think I remember hearing last year sometime, that believe it or not, Eastern Michigan has plans to update Rynearson Stadium. They are planning on building an indoor practice facility and adding onto the home locker rooms. I wish I could remember more specifics, but EMU is going all out to make that part of campus their intercollegiate athletics area. Now, if more people would attend their events, they'd be all set!

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:31 pm

Well they'd have to do more than just double the attendance at games to make significant progress.

bgsufalcon24 · Post by **bgsufalcon24** » Sun May 04, 2008 10:38 pm

falconfan1999 wrote:I think I remember hearing last year sometime, that believe it or not, Eastern Michigan has plans to update Rynearson Stadium. They are planning on building an indoor practice facility and adding onto the home locker rooms!

How about a bathroom with toilets that flush and sinks that don't have yellowish-brown water coming out of the taps? Get a clue EMU