OT: Cost--Facilities--Wrestling and Soccer

[koleszar]

Season ticket sales are HUGE my friend. You have income in-hand, even if in a not-so-great season, that also assures parking and concessions of a certain $$$ value for each match. The more you sell, btw, typically the more people will want to get them for the following season. Build, build, BUILD!

There fixed it. Happy friendo. You build a wrestling facility get them out of the basement of the barn you'll get the better NJ recruits and get those precious season ticket sales. One decent season in the B1G has already proved that this could become a revenue generator. Not much but be one less sport which is a burden on the all mighty subsidy which academia and the media like to hold against athletics.

 

[Caliknight]

I am curious too.

There is no rational reason the Soccer Programs would/could "block" the Lacrosse programs from playing at Yurcak. Their sports are played at different times in the year and have practically no overlap.

What I suspect is that the BTN asked the Rutgers Lacrosse program to play as many games as possible at Rutgers Stadium to assist in broadcasting the games, since Yurcak's infrastructure is subpar for their needs. Unfortunately soccer's season coincides with Football and must stick with Yurcak despite the subpar facilities.

Meanwhile, in typical Rutgers fashion, a wealthy alum/donor is selfishly butthurt and more interested in letting everyone know that he wouldn't have donated those funds 20 years ago if he had only known then that 20 years later the lacrosse team might be asked to play their games at a nicer field so that their games could be broadcast in HD for national TV.

First off, the man who you are disparaging, for doing nothing more than having donated more money than probably everyone on this board, is dead. He isn't "butthurt (so lame)". His family rightfully has questions. He played lacrosse at Rutgers. He donated money with the idea that the team would play in the stadium with his name on it.

Soccer claims it rips up the field to play on it unless the conditions are perfect. In NJ, that means maybe the last two games of the season. My senior year was the first year of its existence. We played 1 game on it.

While the stadium might be better for tv, it is sort of an odd environment for lacrosse, considering 2K people might as well be 2. Bottom line is Yurcak should be upgraded like most other schools do. If you need to fix it for tv, do it.

 

[TonyLieske]

What "questions" do they have? Do they feel they have some say in who plays on the field? That appear to be what you implying, but that is preposterous.

Are you saying the "it" that "Soccer" claims rips up the field is Lacrosse? I still don't understand that. The Soccer season starts well after the Lacrosse season is over and the Soccer season ends well before the Lacrosse season begins. What is the connection you are trying to imply exists between the two programs?

 

[AreYouNUTS]

[QUOTE="Caliknight, post: 1007030, member: 588"

While the stadium might be better for tv, it is sort of an odd environment for lacrosse, considering 2K people might as well be 2. Bottom line is Yurcak should be upgraded like most other schools do. If you need to fix it for tv, do it.[/QUOTE]

This, I hated watching those games last year in a stadium that was 99% empty. Once the money is available, you put in a top-notch filtration system, et al, under the grass (get rid of the clay for crying out loud...), and play a 2nd-half-of-the-season heay home schedule, if need be, for both lax AND soccer to help things out (maybe?).

 

[RUsojo]

Lot of points in this thread being made about things I don't know about so I'll stay away.

On the soccer grass/turf debate, which really shouldn't be a debate, Rutgers needs a grass field for soccer. The MLS comparison is silly, seeing as the pros playing on turf are primarily happy they are in the pros and the field is a secondary choice. These are kids with literally hundreds of colleges to choose from. All else equal any soccer player of any caliber would choose to play on grass for the next four years of their life over turf. Considering Rutgers is typically behind the rest of the playing field, let alone equal, why go to turf and add another negative.

On separate point it's also bad for the game itself and is a worse product to watch.

 

[_dave_]

Wrestling is supposed to get a new practice facility on top of the future parking garage. Basketball and volleyball too. Hopefully the funds are raised this century to begin the project.

 

[e5fdny]

Lot of points in this thread being made about things I don't know about so I'll stay away.

On the soccer grass/turf debate, which really shouldn't be a debate, Rutgers needs a grass field for soccer. The MLS comparison is silly, seeing as the pros playing on turf are primarily happy they are in the pros and the field is a secondary choice. These are kids with literally hundreds of colleges to choose from. All else equal any soccer player of any caliber would choose to play on grass for the next four years of their life over turf. Considering Rutgers is typically behind the rest of the playing field, let alone equal, why go to turf and add another negative.

On separate point it's also bad for the game itself and is a worse product to watch.

Fine, then don't complain/make a stink about LAX using it during their season.

(Not saying YOU RUsojo, but the soccer crowd in general).

Again, why is this an issue in the first place? Why isn't this piece of grass used as a laboratory by those on Cook to make some sort of super grass?

"Yurcak Field...grass so strong it can handle the Division 1 B1G Rutgers M and W Soccer along with M and W LAX programs. If it's good enough for them it's good enough for your lawn. Pick up a bag of Yurcak seed today!

...Brought to you by the Turf Grass Management Program at Rutgers University. A leader in modern turf grass management."

Fix that, do some sightline work for TV and jazz up the locker rooms underneath.

 

[Caliknight]

What "questions" do they have? Do they feel they have some say in who plays on the field? That appear to be what you implying, but that is preposterous.

Are you saying the "it" that "Soccer" claims rips up the field is Lacrosse? I still don't understand that. The Soccer season starts well after the Lacrosse season is over and the Soccer season ends well before the Lacrosse season begins. What is the connection you are trying to imply exists between the two programs?

It isn't preposterous at all. That is what is happening. I am telling you it has been that way for a long time. In 1994, we had play on the practice football field, while that shiny new stadium was sitting there with nothing going on. Only for the last game did they allow us to play on it. I has nothing to do with television. This has been going on for decades. Lacrosse rips up the field when it isn't nice out. That is what we were told. The remedy would be to put turf on it, but soccer doesn't want that. Credit to Julie and Flood for allowing the lax team to play in the stadium and not the horrible practice field.

Either way, the guy who donated the most money, expected his program to be able to use it. Does his position really surprise you?

 

[TonyLieske]

I will have to take your word for it. Cannot get my head around how lacrosse games in the spring could ruin the grass in August, but i guess anything is possible.

 

[e5fdny]

I will have to take your word for it. Cannot get my head around how lacrosse games in the spring could ruin the grass in August, but i guess anything is possible.

Tony,

We have had this same discussion on the Wrestling, Soccer and Lax Board for years.

And you are correct, it is a tough one to wrap your head around. Makes no sense IMO.

 

[Scarlet16E]

I believe that the so-called genius turf guys at Cook were responsible for the horrible grass playing surface in "new" Rutgers stadium before they changed it to Field Turf. I remember games in the rain where it looked like a cow pasture.

 

[StyleKnight]

Anyone that thinks soccer should be played on turf has never played the sport. And has no idea what a slide tackle is.

Yes the "MLS" plays "some" games on turf, the 50th best soccer league in the world. The top 49 leagues in the world all use grass.

Turf would drive soccer recruits away from Rutgers just as we are gaining momentum.

 

[e5fdny]

I believe that the so-called genius turf guys at Cook were responsible for the horrible grass playing surface in "new" Rutgers stadium before they changed it to Field Turf. I remember games in the rain where it looked like a cow pasture.

Not sure about that.

 

[e5fdny]

I believe that the so-called genius turf guys at Cook were responsible for the horrible grass playing surface in "new" Rutgers stadium before they changed it to Field Turf. I remember games in the rain where it looked like a cow pasture.

I believe it also had to do where the field ended up and the new depth of it.

 

[e5fdny]

I believe that the so-called genius turf guys at Cook were responsible for the horrible grass playing surface in "new" Rutgers stadium before they changed it to Field Turf. I remember games in the rain where it looked like a cow pasture.

I believe it also had to do with the new depth of it.

 

[BeKnighted]

And yet the games went on.

Agree. But only if there are no other options.

But again, as a Cook grad why can't we do something IN HOUSE and make the pitch/field itself state of the art. I would prefer it to stay grass.

[I know there's probably a way to get the whole post here, not just the parts where e5fdny is replying to people, but I don't know what it is.]

I think we're actually pretty much in agreement that grass is more desirable, which really was my point. And as a fellow Cook grad, I think you're spot on about looking to the turf grass people at RU. The field could even be a bit of a test ground/promotional effort for what they do.

 

[Caliknight]

I agree, it makes no sense that the lax team can't use it. Especially considering whose name is on it. But, that is where we are. Look at any year since it was built. If the team is lucky they play two games a season on it.

 

[PSU_Nut]

I will have to take your word for it. Cannot get my head around how lacrosse games in the spring could ruin the grass in August, but i guess anything is possible.

Soccer has a spring schedule. So not being familiar with Rutgers facilities is there other facilities for the soccer teams to use in the spring? I can see an issue with that overlap. In addition there is a major push to move to a split season starting in the fall and ending in the spring. They would have a winter break. They want more time between games so they have less injuries. This would require separate facilities for lacrosse and soccer.

 

[Caliknight]

Soccer has a spring schedule. So not being familiar with Rutgers facilities is there other facilities for the soccer teams to use in the spring? I can see an issue with that overlap. In addition there is a major push to move to a split season starting in the fall and ending in the spring. They would have a winter break. They want more time between games so they have less injuries. This would require separate facilities for lacrosse and soccer.

There are numerous grass fields that the soccer team can and does use for practice.