UofL expanding PJCS to 65,000

[PushupMan]

How are the fans of my favorite football foe from the Big East days doing?

I am seriously considering a trip up the highway (about 30 miles for me) to Bloomington when the Scarlet Knights pay the IU Hoosiers a visit this year. The only way I won't do that is if I score some tickets to Louisville's game at Florida State on the same day.

Anyway, I wanted to brag just a little about my Cardinals and their latest expansion plans. Probably will be ready for 2019, but maybe as early as 2018. How about a home-and-home between the Knights and Cardinals? Looks like we could squeeze one in around 2020-21 or 21-22. Good luck this year, Knights - I will be rooting for you!

http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082815aac.html

 

[Arizona Knight]

How are the fans of my favorite football foe from the Big East days doing?

I am seriously considering a trip up the highway (about 30 miles for me) to Bloomington when the Scarlet Knights pay the IU Hoosiers a visit this year. The only way I won't do that is if I score some tickets to Louisville's game at Florida State on the same day.

Anyway, I wanted to brag just a little about my Cardinals and their latest expansion plans. Probably will be ready for 2019, but maybe as early as 2018. How about a home-and-home between the Knights and Cardinals? Looks like we could squeeze one in around 2020-21 or 21-22. Good luck this year, Knights - I will be rooting for you!

http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082815aac.html

Looks good. Would like to renew the series for sure. I hope it happens.

 

[Knight Shift]

How are the fans of my favorite football foe from the Big East days doing?

I am seriously considering a trip up the highway (about 30 miles for me) to Bloomington when the Scarlet Knights pay the IU Hoosiers a visit this year. The only way I won't do that is if I score some tickets to Louisville's game at Florida State on the same day.

Anyway, I wanted to brag just a little about my Cardinals and their latest expansion plans. Probably will be ready for 2019, but maybe as early as 2018. How about a home-and-home between the Knights and Cardinals? Looks like we could squeeze one in around 2020-21 or 21-22. Good luck this year, Knights - I will be rooting for you!

http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082815aac.html

Hey Pushupman. I remember you--great poster. If you want to relive the old days, the Big Ten Network is replaying RU v. Louisville's 2006 game at 6:30 tonight!

 

[PushupMan]

Yeah, not one of my favorite UofL games. I liked the 2007 game a lot better.

It was a classic football game, I will say that. I may have to tune in for the first half!

 

[Knight Shift]

Yeah, not one of my favorite UofL games. I liked the 2007 game a lot better.

It was a classic football game, I will say that. I may have to tune in for the first half!

There was a great YouTube video a UofL fan posted to the tune of Everything Fell Apart. Obviously, that game is a RU fan favorite.

What's the feeling for UofL this year in winning the ACC?

 

[Arizona Knight]

There was a great YouTube video a UofL fan posted to the tune of Everything Fell Apart. Obviously, that game is a RU fan favorite.

What's the feeling for UofL this year in winning the ACC?

Search for "it fell apart" in YouTube. Still the greatest Rutgers Video ever. It was a Rutgers fan who created it btw. Not a Louisville fan.

 

[StyleKnight]

I'd love to beat up on UL in home and home

 

[Knight Shift]

Search for "it fell apart" in YouTube. Still the greatest Rutgers Video ever. It was a Rutgers fan who created it btw. Not a Louisville fan.

Thanks for that. Great video. Here it is:

 

[PiscatawayMike]

Rutgers and Louisville had a real rivalry brewing. Rutgers handed Louisville its most depressing defeat in its history, preventing the Cardinals from playing for the national championship in 2006. UL handed Rutgers its most depressing loss, beating the Scarlet Knights in 2012, preventing RU from playing in a BCS bowl game.

 

[sct1111]

Nothing but respect for Louisville. Always rooting for you guys last year and thought you'd pull the upset vs FSU.

I honestly see the Louisville athletics department as a model for Rutgers.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Push-up

The original papa John's expansion to the low 50s in capacity had the footprint to expand the stadium to close to 80k

Did they scrap the plan or is this expansion part of that framework

Unfortunately...our sxhedule is booked for a while...we have 9 big ten games starting next year and we have the following home and home series schedules

2016-2017 Washington
2018-2019 Miami
2020-2021 UCLA
2022-2023 Virginia tech

Miami wants out of the above series, we won't let them out unless they can find us a sec opponent to replace that for the same dates

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Thanks for that. Great video. Here it is:

View embedded media

I got goose bumps when Ito looked up at the camera!! What a game.

 

[RUSK97]

Really like the planned addition. It's a unique way - "The Diamond" to close the open end. Is it connected to the rest of the lower tier via concourse?

 

[PushupMan]

Push-up

The original papa John's expansion to the low 50s in capacity had the footprint to expand the stadium to close to 80k

Did they scrap the plan or is this expansion part of that framework

It could get to the 80k capacity, but to do so they would have to remove the party deck in the South End zone and replace it with a second deck of end zone seats. Second decks are the most costly to construct, and the end zone upper deck seats would be the least lucrative seats you could add. You could probably add some end zone luxury suites and club seats to make it a little more cost effective.

I think we will stick to 65-67k for the foreseeable future.

 

[PushupMan]

Really like the planned addition. It's a unique way - "The Diamond" to close the open end. Is it connected to the rest of the lower tier via concourse?

Yes, it's kind of hard to see it in the renderings, but there is a connection to both the east and west side of the stadium. If you look really close you can see the one connecting the east side to the new structure in the north end zone.

 

[PushupMan]

There was a great YouTube video a UofL fan posted to the tune of Everything Fell Apart. Obviously, that game is a RU fan favorite.

What's the feeling for UofL this year in winning the ACC?

I don't have super-high expectations for us this year ... another winning season in ACC play would be a great accomplishment this year, as far as I am concerned. With 16 players from last year's team in NFL camps (10 drafted), I am skeptical of our depth at some key positions (OL, RB, WR, and DB, primarily).

How are the Knights looking this year?

 

[Knight Shift]

I don't have super-high expectations for us this year ... another winning season in ACC play would be a great accomplishment this year, as far as I am concerned. With 16 players from last year's team in NFL camps (10 drafted), I am skeptical of our depth at some key positions (OL, RB, WR, and DB, primarily).

How are the Knights looking this year?

Tough schedule. Strong RB core, and great WRs. The big question marks are OL, QB and defensive secondary. Some fans have us at 8-4 and some have as at 3-9. We shall see.

 

[PushupMan]

Yep, just as I thought .. the first half was really good! Then I went out grocery shopping during the second half and switched over to the Vikings-Cowboys NFL game (you guys probably don't like the Vikings nearly as much as I do these days, do you?)

Good luck this season - just took a peak at your schedule, and it's no cakewalk, that's for sure. As fans, you have to love the opportunities to play historic programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Penn State. UofL fans are getting the same kind of enjoyment out of frequent matchups with Florida State, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame.

I see what you are saying about 3-9 to 8-4. Three games that would seem to be out of reach (Ohio State, @Wisconsin, and Michigan State). Four that one would think you should win (Norfolk State, Wazzu, @Army, and Kansas). And five more where a win is possible, to varying degrees (@PSU, @IU, @Michigan, Nebraska and Maryland).

As an outsider looking at the Big Ten, I will be interested to see what Franklin and Edsall can accomplish this year at Penn State and Maryland. Can they repeat the successes they had at Vandy and UConn, respectively? And how much success they have will have some impact on the Rutgers 2015 football season.

 

[mdk01]

How are the fans of my favorite football foe from the Big East days doing?

I am seriously considering a trip up the highway (about 30 miles for me) to Bloomington when the Scarlet Knights pay the IU Hoosiers a visit this year. The only way I won't do that is if I score some tickets to Louisville's game at Florida State on the same day.

Anyway, I wanted to brag just a little about my Cardinals and their latest expansion plans. Probably will be ready for 2019, but maybe as early as 2018. How about a home-and-home between the Knights and Cardinals? Looks like we could squeeze one in around 2020-21 or 21-22. Good luck this year, Knights - I will be rooting for you!

http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082815aac.html

Sounds like you're financing it with donations and football revenue. Well done.

 

[srru86]

Nice. PJS has come a long way since my first visit in 2005.

 

[PushupMan]

Sounds like you're financing it with donations and football revenue. Well done.

I think that's the goal. During the press conference on Friday, our AD Tom Jurich was asked specifically about financing some of it with state bonds, and he did not rule that out. I do think we will try to do it without relying on bonds just because of the political angle: UK just downsized their stadium to 62,000 from 67,000, and their fans will no doubt object to any state funding that would make UofL's stadium capacity bigger than UK's. Sad, but true ... those objections will make it tough to get enough legislative support for more bonding authority.

 

[RUSONIC]

How are the fans of my favorite football foe from the Big East days doing?

I am seriously considering a trip up the highway (about 30 miles for me) to Bloomington when the Scarlet Knights pay the IU Hoosiers a visit this year. The only way I won't do that is if I score some tickets to Louisville's game at Florida State on the same day.

Anyway, I wanted to brag just a little about my Cardinals and their latest expansion plans. Probably will be ready for 2019, but maybe as early as 2018. How about a home-and-home between the Knights and Cardinals? Looks like we could squeeze one in around 2020-21 or 21-22. Good luck this year, Knights - I will be rooting for you!

http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082815aac.html

How is it that our 10k seat expansion cost $100 million and theirs is only $55? Only in NJ

 

[knightfan7]

Yep, just as I thought .. the first half was really good! Then I went out grocery shopping during the second half and switched over to the Vikings-Cowboys NFL game (you guys probably don't like the Vikings nearly as much as I do these days, do you?)

Good luck this season - just took a peak at your schedule, and it's no cakewalk, that's for sure. As fans, you have to love the opportunities to play historic programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Penn State. UofL fans are getting the same kind of enjoyment out of frequent matchups with Florida State, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame.

I see what you are saying about 3-9 to 8-4. Three games that would seem to be out of reach (Ohio State, @Wisconsin, and Michigan State). Four that one would think you should win (Norfolk State, Wazzu, @Army, and Kansas). And five more where a win is possible, to varying degrees (@PSU, @IU, @Michigan, Nebraska and Maryland).

As an outsider looking at the Big Ten, I will be interested to see what Franklin and Edsall can accomplish this year at Penn State and Maryland. Can they repeat the successes they had at Vandy and UConn, respectively? And how much success they have will have some impact on the Rutgers 2015 football season.

Franklin just by getting to a bowl last year scored some major points. This year their schedule is very favorable. Don't leave the state till game #7. Could see a 9-3 if all breaks their way.

I may be in the minority but I see UMd replacing Edsall. They may be pretty bad this year. If '16 isn't very good I think he'll be shown the door. JMO.

 

[PushupMan]

How is it that our 10k seat expansion cost $100 million and theirs is only $55? Only in NJ

As I recall, what you had to do to your stadium to upgrade involved an upper deck construction on both sides of the stadium as well as loge seats and luxury suites on one side. By comparison, what UofL will be doing with this expansion will be a lot simpler. First, we will only be constructing in one spot. Second, that spot will be at ground level - not upper deck construction like you had to deal with.

UofL's first expansion added 13,000 upper deck seats, luxury suites, and a club with loge seating, and patio deck in the south end zone (but physically connected to the eastside club and loge seats.). It cost $72 million. But once again, that was simpler than what Rutgers had to do because it was basically all in one spot (the east side of the stadium for the new deck, club/loge and suites). It was more costly than this second expansion will be primarily because of the upper deck construction.

FWIW, UK is completing a downsizing of their stadium from 67k to 62k by adding a new press box, loge box seats, club seats, recruiting room, suites, concourses, bathrooms, lights and exterior facade work. The cost of their renovation was $110 million.

 

[theRU]

we had a ton of excavating and a massive scoreboard in our project. Oh and the unions... lol

 

[RUsSKii]

How is it that our 10k seat expansion cost $100 million and theirs is only $55? Only in NJ

The last expansion of HPSS not only closed in the stadium's south end with seats, but also included the foundation and structural support work necessary in order to support a future second deck of seats behind the south end zone. It is without a doubt cheaper to have done that work in advance, than to have to modify the foundation and structure in the future.

 

[dconifer]

I may be in the minority but I see UMd replacing Edsall. They may be pretty bad this year. If '16 isn't very good I think he'll be shown the door. JMO.

Sorry to derail, and congrats to Louisville for continuing to build their athletics program into a powerhouse. Their facilities are incredible, and getting incredibler.

As for Maryland, it's unlikely that Edsall is going anywhere. He's done an amazing thing at Maryland, and it's already starting to show in the two-deep. He's worked his butt off to repair the local recruiting pipelines and has turned the school into a desirable landing spot for local talent. This is crucial in a talent-rich zone like the DMV. (Turgeon has done the same for basketball, which had also fallen off for quite a few years in large part for the same reason, although it's far more complicated than what happened in football). Not just the recruits but also their parents see College Park as a good place to send their kids. That wasn't always the case over the past decade or so.

Nobody is claiming that Edsall is the second-coming of Lombardi once the opening whistle blows, but what he's done to rebuild the program is pretty impressive. And it's only going to get better after they break ground and convert Cole to the indoor practice facility.

I live in Jersey now and follow Rutgers pretty closely. I'm hoping that Rutgers, also in a talent-laden area, can do the same thing. I think somebody said in another thread that just pulling the top X (I forgot the exact number) NJ football recruits would create a top five recruiting glass. No school in any state will ever accomplish that, but it's something to shoot for.

 

[RUSONIC]

The last expansion of HPSS not only closed in the stadium's south end with seats, but also included the foundation and structural support work necessary in order to support a future second deck of seats behind the south end zone. It is without a doubt cheaper to have done that work in advance, than to have to modify the foundation and structure in the future.

$50 million for foundation work, I don't think so

 

[RUsSKii]

$50 million for foundation work, I don't think so

Foundation AND structural work.The additional structural steel, connections, and high-strength concrete required to support the loads imposed by a stadium's upper deck are significantly more complex and costly than those required for a single level.

Look, I agree that the cost of the work was still too high (due to prevailing labor wage rates, high cost of steel at the time, etc.). But let's not underestimate what was actually done.