SHI Stadium - what will it look like in 10/15 years?

[PSU_Nut]

While sitting here sipping coffee waiting anxiously for college FB camp to start (while not wishing summer away), it got me thinking what SHI will look like in 10-15 years. Here are my thoughts, in no particular order:

1. Seat backs for all bleachers (or replaced with actual stadium seats, absent of the student section)
2. Luxury boxes on west side
3. Aisle removed in between rows 10 and 11 to allow for more seats
4. End zone opposite students moved closer to field with seats
5. Outside brick façade classing the place up
6. Upper deck above end zone section opposite students
7. Total capacity - 62/65k

Any other thoughts / ideas

1. Seat back I could see happening. Attendance is trending down in college football and in sports in general. The focus of is going to be fan experience.
2. Could see happening. That is where the payback is.
3. Why? Rutgers 20,212 season tickets last year...the most since 2015. There is absolutely no justification for more seats especially with current trends nationally.
4. Unless Rutgers finds some billionaire who donates 100 million or so it is never going to happen. How do you justify spending $150+ million to move fans 15 feet closer? Even if it did add seats the payback is simply not there.
5. See #4...complete waste of money.
6. See #3...simply no demand.
7. Why? Rutgers has averaged 44,038 per game since expansion(Excluding 2020 season). That is over 8k under the present capacity. There is no way they will be adding 10k-12k seats in the next 10-15 years especially with college football attendance trending downward.

The bottom line is any changes in the next 10-15 years will all about improving game experience to maintain/increase attendance at present capacity. Things like more technology, comfortable seats, better concessions ect will be done. Not adding seats.

 

[PSU_Nut]

Funny comments here. Fact is they're more likely to tarp the upper decks, one side, the other or both than they are to add more seats. #6 is particularly amusing. Upper deck over the EZ....LOL!

That is true no just at Rutgers but in college football in general. Sports in general are huge attendance decline and college football is seeing the some of the biggest losses. This has been going on for several years even before covid. Even places like Penn State there are talks in reducing capacity in exchange for better fan experience.

 

[yesrutgers01]

It is interesting that we have 3 non Rutgers fans with the most comments. All assuming that Rutgers will be a 2nd class citizen for the next 10-15 years.

While I do believe it is more about fan experience- hell, that is what I am selling more than any technology in business- CX
But, I don't feel using our past 8 years or so as a fair barometer.

 

[RU-05]

They will never reduce capacity. Never.

What they will probably do, especially once the team starts becoming successful and the crowds start growing, is redo the press box to put in a much more up-to-date press box AND to build in luxury boxes, which will be a cash cow.

The next 2 items on the list may happen within 15 years: 1) rebuilding the North Endzone so it mimics the South Endzone and is closer to the field - I've heard that will add ~2000 seats; 2) building an upper deck over the South Endzone - I can't recall if that's supposed to add 6K or 8K.

Never is a strong word. Most places are decreasing seating in favor of wider seats or more premium seating options. I fully expect more premium seating areas to become available, even if it's at the expense of regular seats. See section 118 for basketball...

My first thought is in line with DJ. Why would you spend money to decrease capacity? That doesn't make sense.

But, oh, yeah, by adding more luxury seating. That does make sense, IF you are sure those can be sold. Empty seats in the middle of the field is not a great look, even if they are all wide and comfy.

Another benefit of adding more luxury seating, and decreasing capacity is it also fills up more of the stadium, which is much more of a concern then needing to add additional seating. I feel we are forever away from needing to add an upperdeck over the student section.

 

[RUBOB72]

I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic here. That was already done with the last expansion. Seems like you are talking about the RAC more than the football stadium.

The concourse if I’m correct was not expanded nor were additional bathrooms instituted . Don’t believe new physical , brick and mortar concessions were implemented ? The last home game we were actually at was in 2019 since Ash and pandemic. I believe I’m correct on those things.

 

[RU-05]

Ah, the good old days back in the '70's when we had wooden bench seats, men's room with troughs and A concession stand (I think). The corners of the end zones were some sort of rough brush.
Come a Looooooong way baby.

A lawn seats section would be cool.

 

[RUBOB72]

I still have splinters in my ass from back in the 70‘s

 

[RUskoolie]

Club seats on the West Side make money. Anything else should be about improving fan experience. I am fine reducing capacity slightly if the stadium amenities are better.

 

[rutgersfan1766]

Club seats on the West Side make money. Anything else should be about improving fan experience. I am fine reducing capacity slightly if the stadium amenities are better.

We can easily go back to 48K with wider cushion seats at the 50yd line on both sidelines and a west side club. Understand our stadium can support expansion but the way things are going it's not necessary.

 

[RU-05]

You forgot about the Death Star.

What's this?

 

[PSU_Nut]

It is interesting that we have 3 non Rutgers fans with the most comments. All assuming that Rutgers will be a 2nd class citizen for the next 10-15 years.

While I do believe it is more about fan experience- hell, that is what I am selling more than any technology in business- CX
But, I don't feel using our past 8 years or so as a fair barometer.

In reality the past 8 years are more norm of Rutgers history and the 6 or so years of success under Schiano is more of an anomaly. I am not saying Rutgers will be a second class citizen for the next 10-15 years but nothing points to reason to believe Rutgers will need to add seats any time soon.

 

[PSU_Nut]

My first thought is in line with DJ. Why would you spend money to decrease capacity? That doesn't make sense.

But, oh, yeah, by adding more luxury seating. That does make sense, IF you are sure those can be sold. Empty seats in the middle of the field is not a great look, even if they are all wide and comfy.

Another benefit of adding more luxury seating, and decreasing capacity is it also fills up more of the stadium, which is much more of a concern then needing to add additional seating. I feel we are forever away from needing to add an upperdeck over the student section.

Improving fan experience is the biggest thing. The goal is to retain fans and have them spend more money. The trend is fewer younger people want to attend live sporting events. When they do they want more from the experience. They don't want to sit on metal bleachers eating hot dogs and fries. They want comfortable seats, technology, upscale food options and overall comfort. Have you been to the movie lately? Movie Theaters gone through the same thing over the past two decades. Gone are the large theaters with tightly packed seats. They switch to recliners, upscale concessions, rumble seats ect. Gone are the days where simply a good movie or team will fill a theater or stadium. You also need to maximize revenue from those fewer fans with more offerings. Another huge advantage to decreasing capacity is with less supply you can raise prices and create more demand. When was the last time people were shut out of a big game? If you have so many extra seats people don't fear being shut out. They are more likely to drop season tickets.

 

[tico brown]

You’re not going to have the state expand Rutgers Stadium any further any time soon without the usual bitch and moan fest from nj dot com, Bergen County politicians, Politicians who are Penn St fans in South Jersey, etc.

Install stadium seats at least either in whole the lower deck or as premium seats in lower deck between the 20s. Reduce capacity, make the experience comfortable without having to squeeeze people in. Increase demand like before south expansion.

Speaking of comfortable, fix the sound system so that your head won’t explode.

 

[Section124]

The concourse if I’m correct was not expanded nor were additional bathrooms instituted . Don’t believe new physical , brick and mortar concessions were implemented ? The last home game we were actually at was in 2019 since Ash and pandemic. I believe I’m correct on those things.

You would be incorrect. The concourse was widened on the East side about 5-10 years ago. The last expansion added bathrooms and concessions. Have you been to the stadium since the last expansion?

 

[RUBOB72]

No …it was expanded but not to the point of what was being discussed during 2015-2019. Those conversations included the inclosing of the North End zone and the suggestion to have escalators on both sides up to the upper mezzanines. Now if you think that expansion helped expedite entering and existing a game you are sadly mistaken.Perhaps I’ll see that occur in the future but I ain’t holding my breath. I have followed this program for 55 years . If Gruninger( a golf coach/ AD) had any sense he would have joined the original BE. He ( Freddie) listening to JoePa was a monumental error of the nth degree.

 

[beaced]

Ah, the good old days back in the '70's when we had wooden bench seats, men's room with troughs and A concession stand (I think). The corners of the end zones were some sort of rough brush.
Come a Looooooong way baby.

Loved that old place.Had season tickets for many years. ZZ 45 yd line.Used to run the steps. Was there when they were putting in the ''New Track"The track coach came over once,and asked me jokingly if I had any eligibility left.Younger Buck,good times.

 

[JayDogSmooth]

Some good points here - ill concede a few but think these need to happen in no particular order

1. Brick on outside of stadium - makes it look nicer
2. New stadium seats instead of bleachers
3. West side luxury boxes / club seats

 

[Leonard23]

They will never reduce capacity. Never.

What they will probably do, especially once the team starts becoming successful and the crowds start growing, is redo the press box to put in a much more up-to-date press box AND to build in luxury boxes, which will be a cash cow.

The next 2 items on the list may happen within 15 years: 1) rebuilding the North Endzone so it mimics the South Endzone and is closer to the field - I've heard that will add ~2000 seats; 2) building an upper deck over the South Endzone - I can't recall if that's supposed to add 6K or 8K.

The thing is- we currently have a low capacity. It isn’t like we could reduce fro 65k to 55k

if…we win, we will have more need. Add those seats above the student section, luxury seats and upgrade. Call it a day with a 58-60k stadium that sits on top of the field

We've been discussing this on here for probably 7-10 years. There's absolutely no need to expand capacity and the trend is instead to reduce capacity, like ASU (from 74,865 to 65,870 to 53,599) and Stanford did (from 85,500 to 50,424), and focus on improving amenities and game day experience. We need:

1. Club seats/suites/boxes on the west side, as that's all that will generate new revenue.

2. Giant videoboard over the North entrance. Our existing videoboard is only 68'x38'. MD's new videoboard is 120'x54'. We should go bigger, like Oregon 186'x66' and Auburn 190'x57'.

4. Distributed sound system.

5. More comfortable seats.

6. Better concessions and mobile POS system.

7. Brick facade and new all the way around and new North entrance (very low priority).

 

[WhiteBus]

Rutgers is still paying a lot for the last expansion which was totally unnecessary. Waisted a lot of money for a lot of unused seats. Miss the open end, the beautiful hill where the cannon was and the giant men's room behind section 101 where nobody had to wait in line.

 

[RUBOB72]

“

Some good points here - ill concede a few but think these need to happen in no particular order

1. Brick on outside of stadium - makes it look nicer
2. New stadium seats instead of bleachers
3. West side luxury boxes / club seats

All good suggestions which have circulated for many years by this board and others in the media. Unless we find several sugar daddy’s or miraculously we see donations sky rocket we’ll have to piece meal WHEN it is feasible. Schiano still needs an all season indoor practice facility which is deemed a priority of his and the future . It isn’t happening soon and with the next 2 year predictions for our “ WORLD” economy and recession coming ( actually here) highly doubtful this occurs anytime soon. The call by some in the state is for our Billion dollar yearly subsidy for the University should cease . Not sure I totally disagree seeing how much it now costs for a college experience. I’m not for student loan forgiveness when that will certainly impact the average state residents ability to live . Not counting on B1G monies to solve the issues facing Rutgers sports.

 

[RU-05]

Another hug advantage to decreasing capacity is with less supply you can raise prices and create more demand. When was the last time people were shut out of a big game? If you have so many extra seats people don't fear being shut out. They are more likely to drop season tickets.

Good point, but I'll add, if you're going for a hug advantage, you should go for a kiss advantage as well.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Rutgers has an interesting problem in that if we ever did make it very near the top then the demand will be there as people in this area will look to jump on the bandwagon... however, those fans would be very fickle. So the dilemma is if Rutgers chases the new money at the expense of the older more modest money.. and what would happen when the inevitable change in fortunes occurs. It would not take long to see empty bleachers again in this area. People will walk away from their financial and emotional investments in Rutgers football. We saw this with Flood and Ash.

You piss off the people who stayed through Shea, Flood and Ash... it will come back to bite you. Though, I suppose, the regular payments from the Big Ten mitigate that.

 

[Morrischiano]

Capacity isnt going to be increased

The only increased seating I'd be in favor of is some sort of premium "on the field" seats, which is a trend in pro football and baseball stadiums.

 

[DJ Spanky]

We will have to agree to disagree. We couldn’t even sell out with Schiano back post Covid.

Really? You think adding a coach is going to sell out a stadium, after having 6 seasons where we didn't win more than 4 games, where we'd have seasons with multiple blowouts, where the stadium would clear out during the 3rd quarter? 2012 (9-4, 49188) and 2014 (8-5, 50632) are far better barometers of what stadium attendance can be once the program gets competitive.

But, oh, yeah, by adding more luxury seating. That does make sense, IF you are sure those can be sold.

Club seats on the West Side make money.

Pretty sure that if we hadn't had the mortgage crisis in 2008-2010 it's possible we might have gone forward with adding luxury boxes while reworking the press box. At the time those were projected to be easy to sell and very profitable.

In reality the past 8 years are more norm of Rutgers history and the 6 or so years of success under Schiano is more of an anomaly.

Says a non-fan.

Rutgers has an interesting problem in that if we ever did make it very near the top then the demand will be there as people in this area will look to jump on the bandwagon...

And that's the key. Hell, we don't even need to reach the heights of 2006 to jumpstart demand in this area. We just need to win.

 

[WhiteBus]

The only increased seating I'd be in favor of is some sort of premium "on the field" seats, which is a trend in pro football and baseball stadiums.

People do pay a lot for what is the worst seats in the house. Awful views, can't see anything

 

[RU-05]

In reality the past 8 years are more norm of Rutgers history and the 6 or so years of success under Schiano is more of an anomaly. I am not saying Rutgers will be a second class citizen for the next 10-15 years but nothing points to reason to believe Rutgers will need to add seats any time soon.

And that's the key. Hell, we don't even need to reach the heights of 2006 to jumpstart demand in this area. We just need to win.

Does raise the question of can Rutgers raise their floor to a level where 2-9 seasons no longer happen?

Maybe we never get to the point where we are in the Conf title mix year after year, but can we get to the point where 5 wins is the low end?

 

[RU-05]

People do pay a lot for what is the worst seats in the house. Awful views, can't see anything

Was talking about this in regards to some luxury bar seats which lead to ice level views for Rangers games at MSG.

My thought was, I don't want to pay a premium for that. And I mean that from a game viewing perspective, not a Rag's hating one.

 

[WhiteBus]

Was talking about this in regards to some luxury bar seats which lead to ice level views for Rangers games at MSG.

My thought was, I don't want to pay a premium for that. And I mean that from a game viewing perspective, not a Rag's hating one.

I know what you're talking about. The Cowboys have them. They get to see the players run out onto the field then watch the game on TV in their box.Field level for watching sports is the worst in all of sports view except watching football at Yankees Stadium

 

[DJ Spanky]

Does raise the question of can Rutgers raise their floor to a level where 2-9 seasons no longer happen?

Maybe we never get to the point where we are in the Conf title mix year after year, but can we get to the point where 5 wins is the low end?

I believe we can as long as we can keep Schiano in the fold. He wants to be here: hopefully the administration can keep the promises they made when he was brought back on board.

 

[NickRU714]

It is interesting that we have 3 non Rutgers fans with the most comments. All assuming that Rutgers will be a 2nd class citizen for the next 10-15 years.

While I do believe it is more about fan experience- hell, that is what I am selling more than any technology in business- CX
But, I don't feel using our past 8 years or so as a fair barometer.

Check out the NIL threads.

According to most we are more likely to end up 1-AA in 10-15, years and the AD will be making peanuts since we'd be out of the high level athletics business.

 

[rutgersfan1766]

Check out the NIL threads.

According to most we are more likely to end up 1-AA in 10-15, years and the AD will be making peanuts since we'd be out of the high level athletics business.

I don't think thats true either. The B1G media rights deal will keep us well ahead of anyone besides the SEC. Getting to the B1G was huge for the future trajectory of RU.

 

[SouthJerseyRU]

What's this?

If serious, it is a running board joke from the time that the stadium expanded the endzone. There was a mockup of all the Rutgers stadium new features showing and someone photoshopped a Death Star in the sky, and no one noticed for a while.

 

[DJ Spanky]

There was a mockup of all the Rutgers stadium new features showing and someone photoshopped a Death Star in the sky, and no one noticed for a while.

You forgot to mention the castle and moat!

 

[Section124]

I am still waiting for the set of women's legs to be added to the players entrance.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

I do think they should move the President's house down the road to that property on the corner of Hoes Lane and RR... then use that whole property for a hotel/conference center... with some easy on/off to route 18. Make it look like a castle and death star if that's your thing. Or better yet, get ATT to sponsor the stadium and put their death star logo on it.

 

[Steveriknight]

I am still waiting for the set of women's legs to be added to the players entrance.

Hahahaha. As in, the birthplace of college football?

 

[Knight Shift]

Improving fan experience is the biggest thing. The goal is to retain fans and have them spend more money. The trend is fewer younger people want to attend live sporting events. When they do they want more from the experience. They don't want to sit on metal bleachers eating hot dogs and fries. They want comfortable seats, technology, upscale food options and overall comfort. Have you been to the movie lately? Movie Theaters gone through the same thing over the past two decades. Gone are the large theaters with tightly packed seats. They switch to recliners, upscale concessions, rumble seats ect. Gone are the days where simply a good movie or team will fill a theater or stadium. You also need to maximize revenue from those fewer fans with more offerings. Another huge advantage to decreasing capacity is with less supply you can raise prices and create more demand. When was the last time people were shut out of a big game? If you have so many extra seats people don't fear being shut out. They are more likely to drop season tickets.

Do you go to games at Penn State? Did you go in the past 3-4 years? The guy running the game day experience for the last 2 years was at Penn State for a while. Just wondering if Penn State fans like the nonstop barrage of blaring music, noise and not a moment of silence or allowing the marching band time to play during the game.

 

[Knight Shift]

I am still waiting for the set of women's legs to be added to the players entrance.

Hahahaha. As in, the birthplace of college football?

In Sedona, AZ there is a cave called the Birthing Cave because of it's shape. Maybe the players could run out of tunnel shaped like the birthing cave? That may not go over so well.

 

[JayDogSmooth]

I do think they should move the President's house down the road to that property on the corner of Hoes Lane and RR... then use that whole property for a hotel/conference center... with some easy on/off to route 18. Make it look like a castle and death star if that's your thing. Or better yet, get ATT to sponsor the stadium and put their death star logo on it.

This x 10000

 

[letitrip2]

Improving fan experience is the biggest thing. The goal is to retain fans and have them spend more money. The trend is fewer younger people want to attend live sporting events. When they do they want more from the experience. They don't want to sit on metal bleachers eating hot dogs and fries. They want comfortable seats, technology, upscale food options and overall comfort. Have you been to the movie lately? Movie Theaters gone through the same thing over the past two decades. Gone are the large theaters with tightly packed seats. They switch to recliners, upscale concessions, rumble seats ect. Gone are the days where simply a good movie or team will fill a theater or stadium. You also need to maximize revenue from those fewer fans with more offerings. Another huge advantage to decreasing capacity is with less supply you can raise prices and create more demand. When was the last time people were shut out of a big game? If you have so many extra seats people don't fear being shut out. They are more likely to drop season tickets.

Really - Having a serious problem taking advice from a PSU fan - your dump is the worst stadium I have ever been in - and that is saying something. Just a horrible mess - 12 inch seats and forced to sit next to ........ nevermind.