Lax only stadium - can't wait for the day it's built

[jaydogsmooth1]

What a crowd last night. Lots of tailgating, pumped from the jump, large and in charge.
Imagine that crowd in a lax only facility, not a 50k seat stadium with yard lines built for football

I can't wait for the day until we have a lax only, 5k seat stadium ala Buckeye, Nitts and Michigan

I'd imagine more people would get season tickets, and the place would regularly be packed

I realize FB/BB is likely first on the RU facilities priority, but how many years are we away from this being a reality?

Is it a donor funded option only?
If so, is there an active fundraising project in the works for this?

Between that and the Rodkin Center, the program will certainly be elite for years to come

 

[Caliknight]

Crown looked great on tv.

 

[dconifer]

Is there any reason why Yurcak (sp?) can't be upgraded/used as the permanent lacrosse facility, since I assume it is not used in the spring? That playoff game held there recently was amazing.

I know it's real grass, but there are plenty of teams that play on that, such as Virginia.

I remember driving past it every time I went to Busch Campus and wondering what the heck it was...

 

[rufamily]

B&G would not let Lacrosse play on the field prior to April 1st and soccer does not want them turfing the field, which means men and women's lacrosse a kind of homeless right now.

 

[RUnTeX]

Is there any reason why Yurcak (sp?) can't be upgraded/used as the permanent lacrosse facility, since I assume it is not used in the spring? That playoff game held there recently was amazing.

I know it's real grass, but there are plenty of teams that play on that, such as Virginia.

I remember driving past it every time I went to Busch Campus and wondering what the heck it was...

The namesake is a RU men's lax alum, yet the soccer programs appear to call the shots. If a new facility gets done, I wonder if the Yurcak name gets transferred to it (unless some bigwig donor funds all or a sizable portion of the new one and they put that person's name on it instead). Current Yurcak could then revert to a generic name until a soccer donor comes along.

 

[bigmatt718]

I read online that last night's game was the 2nd largest attended lax game in the entire nation this season. Obviously Hopkins-Maryland will draw close to double that next weekend but still hosting what will amount to the 3rd best attended regular season game in the nation all season is damn impressive.

 

[ru66]

The namesake is a RU men's lax alum, yet the soccer programs appear to call the shots. If a new facility gets done, I wonder if the Yurcak name gets transferred to it (unless some bigwig donor funds all or a sizable portion of the new one and they put that person's name on it instead). Current Yurcak could then revert to a generic name until a soccer donor comes along.

Yurcak was married to a good friend of our family and many should know he was an honored Vietnam War vet. He died way too young.

 

[SF88]

I was at the B1G tourney last year, 2 years ago?, at PSU and was amazed at how small Panzer stadium is. The capacity is only 1300. OSU and Mich are 2,100 and 2,000. UVA is at 3,600 with an overflow hill. UNC is 4,200 and Duke is 4,500. What are we planning if it gets done? I would hope for a 5-6,000 capacity with an overflow section like last years Harvard game. I've briefly seen a rendering. IMO, we should do back to back with soccer and use the common middle for concessions/restrooms/gameday lockers/Hall of Fame and share the terrace/TV/lighting on top. That would also save some of the blue lot, as there's a bunch of unused space behind Yurcak right now

 

[mattkamish]

I was at the B1G tourney last year, 2 years ago?, at PSU and was amazed at how small Panzer stadium is. The capacity is only 1300. OSU and Mich are 2,100 and 2,000. UVA is at 3,600 with an overflow hill. UNC is 4,200 and Duke is 4,500. What are we planning if it gets done? I would hope for a 5-6,000 capacity with an overflow section like last years Harvard game. I've briefly seen a rendering. IMO, we should do back to back with soccer and use the common middle for concessions/restrooms/gameday lockers/Hall of Fame and share the terrace/TV/lighting on top. That would also save some of the blue lot, as there's a bunch of unused space behind Yurcak right now

I’ve been at a lot of stadiums the last few years

I agree in that Panzer and UM are too small IMO…I’ve been to Arlotta at ND as well…not huge but has opposite side overflow like UVA

RU needs a bigger footprint because they will touch 4-5K once or twice a year…RU can’t build a stadium that is smallish like UM, PSU, and OSU

IMO, the few gold standards are the following in no particular order:

UNC
Ridley-Loyola
ND - because of overflow grass
UVA - because of overflow grass

I think UNC is fantastic and I think Ridley is a fantastic venue.

RU will definitely need to be bigger than the other big ten lax only stadiums…

 

[bigmatt718]

I’ve been at a lot of stadiums the last few years

I agree in that Panzer and UM are too small IMO…I’ve been to Arlotta at ND as well…not huge but has opposite side overflow like UVA

RU needs a bigger footprint because they will touch 4-5K once or twice a year…RU can’t build a stadium that is smallish like UM, PSU, and OSU

IMO, the few gold standards are the following in no particular order:

UNC
Ridley-Loyola
ND - because of overflow grass
UVA - because of overflow grass

I think UNC is fantastic and I think Ridley is a fantastic venue.

RU will definitely need to be bigger than the other big ten lax only stadiums…

RU from like late March on has to be Top 5 in the nation in average attendance. We've had several games over 5K recently. That is why I'm a big advocate for moving the season back to a March start and going through June instead of February and ending MDW. We would easily average 4-5K every home game with a March through June men's lax season.

 

[patk89]

Build something like we intend to be a Top 10 program for both men and women. Lacrosse is in Rutgers' DNA. Long history. B1G program located in a hot bed of talent second only to Maryland. Don't be cheap.

 

[bigmatt718]

Build something like we intend to be a Top 10 program for both men and women. Lacrosse is in Rutgers' DNA. Long history. B1G program located in a hot bed of talent second only to Maryland. Don't be cheap.

I fully expect it to be a lax palace that also will have the ability to host NCAA Elite 8 games as a neutral site as well as the NJ HS State Boys and Girls Lax Championships.

 

[mdk01]

I was at the B1G tourney last year, 2 years ago?, at PSU and was amazed at how small Panzer stadium is. The capacity is only 1300. OSU and Mich are 2,100 and 2,000. UVA is at 3,600 with an overflow hill. UNC is 4,200 and Duke is 4,500. What are we planning if it gets done? I would hope for a 5-6,000 capacity with an overflow section like last years Harvard game. I've briefly seen a rendering. IMO, we should do back to back with soccer and use the common middle for concessions/restrooms/gameday lockers/Hall of Fame and share the terrace/TV/lighting on top. That would also save some of the blue lot, as there's a bunch of unused space behind Yurcak right now

1,300? What incredibly poor planning. The combined soccer/lacrosse facility at Dartmouth opened almost 25 years ago, in a rural area and 1/6 the number of students (1/10 undergrads) as PSU and seats 1,600. And they don't let the frats bring in kegs, which might keep attendance down. With it's location and surrounding population Rutgers needs at least 5,000 plus an overflow area.

 

[mattkamish]

RU from like late March on has to be Top 5 in the nation in average attendance. We've had several games over 5K recently. That is why I'm a big advocate for moving the season back to a March start and going through June instead of February and ending MDW. We would easily average 4-5K every home game with a March through June men's lax season.

My time is almost done being at games every week (I’ll be at Ridley tonight), but I’m with you. I’m sick of sitting in crap cold wet weather…and with no kid playing I won’t go until April

 

[Wagram97]

One thing I would like for a new lacrosse only venue, is the option to also walks around. Really like those fields where you see folks strolling around, taking looks from different parts of the field (just like the playoff game against Harvard at Yurcak). Stadium is great, but you are stuck in there - be nice to be able to walk around. Maybe different vendor food and drink trucks could be in different areas.

 

[mattkamish]

One thing I would like for a new lacrosse only venue, is the option to also walks around. Really like those fields where you see folks strolling around, taking looks from different parts of the field (just like the playoff game against Harvard at Yurcak). Stadium is great, but you are stuck in there - be nice to be able to walk around. Maybe different vendor food and drink trucks could be in different areas.

This ^

 

[Jimpeg]

I was at the B1G tourney last year, 2 years ago?, at PSU and was amazed at how small Panzer stadium is. The capacity is only 1300. OSU and Mich are 2,100 and 2,000. UVA is at 3,600 with an overflow hill. UNC is 4,200 and Duke is 4,500. What are we planning if it gets done? I would hope for a 5-6,000 capacity with an overflow section like last years Harvard game. I've briefly seen a rendering. IMO, we should do back to back with soccer and use the common middle for concessions/restrooms/gameday lockers/Hall of Fame and share the terrace/TV/lighting on top. That would also save some of the blue lot, as there's a bunch of unused space behind Yurcak right now

..the back to back stands (soccer and lacrosse) scenario with shared services is what the proposed images for baseball and softball facility on livingston. i agree there would be sufficent space without significantly impacting the blue lot building next to Yurchak...i noticed that Texas is building a new football practice facility and one of the practice fields is above a parking deck..i guess if you have the money you can design anything..

 

[jreinsdorf]

Anything under 5K is incredibly shortsighted imo. I say that because I'm looking at the macro. What I mean is that in 5-10 years I am supremely confident that the average attendance figures at an RU lax game will be inflated (greatly) compared to today's already respectable figures. This sport is growing from the youth levels up...not the other way around...again...JMO. And it's growing FAST.

 

[DowntownT_Brown]

It will be short sighted if we do not build the new stadium with options for expansion down the road. With the sport growing as it is and the national championship(that's my best RutgersAl impression) we are going to win in a few years it will be inevitable.

 

[Caliknight]

I was at the B1G tourney last year, 2 years ago?, at PSU and was amazed at how small Panzer stadium is. The capacity is only 1300. OSU and Mich are 2,100 and 2,000. UVA is at 3,600 with an overflow hill. UNC is 4,200 and Duke is 4,500. What are we planning if it gets done? I would hope for a 5-6,000 capacity with an overflow section like last years Harvard game. I've briefly seen a rendering. IMO, we should do back to back with soccer and use the common middle for concessions/restrooms/gameday lockers/Hall of Fame and share the terrace/TV/lighting on top. That would also save some of the blue lot, as there's a bunch of unused space behind Yurcak right now

The plans I saw were for roughly 6,000 with the capacity to move to 8-10K in hopes of hosting quarterfinal games.

Maryland this year, Harvard last year, when the weather is nice and a good opponent is on the field, NJ comes out. We need to keep building. Something really special is happening.

A bigger lacrosse stadium than the aforementioned is needed.

 

[Caliknight]

The namesake is a RU men's lax alum, yet the soccer programs appear to call the shots. If a new facility gets done, I wonder if the Yurcak name gets transferred to it (unless some bigwig donor funds all or a sizable portion of the new one and they put that person's name on it instead). Current Yurcak could then revert to a generic name until a soccer donor comes along.

The working title, which I think is going to stick, is "Alumni Stadium".

Also, there is some talk about changing the Friendship Cup which we play Penn St. for to the Tom Hayes Cup, for obvious reason.

 

[bigmatt718]

The working title, which I think is going to stick, is "Alumni Stadium".

Also, there is some talk about changing the Friendship Cup which we play Penn St. for to the Tom Hayes Cup, for obvious reason.

I always laughed at the name of the Friendship Cup considering how much Rutgers and PSU players, fans, and alums despise each other.

 

[Caliknight]

I always laughed at the name of the Friendship Cup considering how much Rutgers and PSU players, fans, and alums despise each other.

Yea, I don't know who came up with that name but it's the dumbest thing ever. Trust me, there is no friendship.

Outside of Princeton, there wasn't a team Coach wanted to beat more than Penn St.

He may have went to Penn St., but Rutgers was obviously school

 

[mattkamish]

The working title, which I think is going to stick, is "Alumni Stadium".

Also, there is some talk about changing the Friendship Cup which we play Penn St. for to the Tom Hayes Cup, for obvious reason.

Love the name Alumni Stadium. Great sound to it

 

[Roy_Faulker]

If building new and to do it right they should look at some of the lower level, English soccer team stadiums. All the stands are covered with a roof. It not only protects fans from the elements but also amplifies noise.

I personally think they should build a small stand on the other side of Yurcak for tv and overflow. To make it work add heating elements to the field like Arrowhead Stadium to melt snow. They can play on grass year round.

 

[Caliknight]

That’s where it’s going.

 

[jaydogsmooth1]

I assume they'll have a seat selection process for all current season ticket holders when it's time

Have to imagine the last year playing at SHI will have an uptick of season ticket holders as people will want to have priority seating and not get shut out of the new stadium

 

[Caliknight]

We have to get it done first. Contribute anything you can.

 

[Tango Two]

 

[Roy_Faulker]

Needs to be grass with heated turf

If the chiefs can do it so can we.

 

[Caliknight]

It’s going to be turf.