_ichigan Stadium (bomb ann arbor now!)

[aesculus glabra]

I thought they were not widening the seats at all according to the local talk radio in Ann Arbor.

I guess we'll all have to buy more lube...and/or go on a diet.

 

[BretGoBlue]

Seat Width

I've heard seats will be each have two additional inches when the renovation is done.

 

[Thump]

I've heard seats will be each have two additional inches when the renovation is done.

Thank god!

So how much will that reduce capacity, 20,000!!!

 

[BretGoBlue]

Capacity

It should reduce the bowl seating by around 4,500 seats. After all the luxury boxes and club seats are sold, the overall capacity will go up around 1,000 total.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Uh, Bret, nice user title...

 

[Dryden]

From Ivan Maisel's 3-Point Stance for May 18:

So the Big House is getting bigger. While I appreciate the new press box, my first wish would be for the architects to figure out a way to trap the noise in the old bowl. You've never heard 110,000 people be as quiet as they are in Ann Arbor. Except when they're complaining about Lloyd.

 

[BLASKO]

I thought they were not widening the seats at all according to the local talk radio in Ann Arbor. Many of the fans are against any changes at all and are quite hostlie about it. The best thing for them to do would be to add more bathrooms. If you go to the bathroom line at half you will be lucky to get back before the 10 minute mark of the 3rd quarter...it's pretty rediculous.

I have driven by the stadium several times in the last few weeks and nothing is going on. Also I heard that the cash has been set aside for years to update the stadium. Every offseason they bring this topic back up in the Ann Arbor news just to have something to talk about.

They are definitely working on it, you just can't see it from outside the stadium. My son is attending the UM camp in June and we have already been told that the boys will not have access to the stadium because of the renovation.

I'm extremely happy that they are adding inches to the width of each seat. When you get a few heavy loads in one row like myself and my two sons, the space is used up quickly. Every year that we go to the game we get a lot of dirty looks from the UM fans because we are impeding on their space.

 

[CleveBucks]

Funny story that illustrates the true crappiness of mich. stadium...

Last year's game, in the OSU section, OSU fans were advised not to stand on the benches, because some of them had already collapsed during the PSU game. I guess that's what happens when you cram 25 people into a space designed for 18-20. The visiting section must be the only one where fans actually stand.

 

[MightbeaBuck]

...I wonder if they are only going to widen the seats in certain areas of the stadium (i. e. where the large contributors sit) ...

Will they even need to enlarge it where the normal size contributors sit? And they can make up the area taken by the large contributors fannies with some narrowing of small contributors seats. And should a small contributor put on weight, just make him pay for two seats, like they do on an airliner.

 

[OhioExile]

The final design and construction contracts still require board approval.
The target for completion of work on the home of the Wolverines is 2010. About 83 suites and 3,200 club seats will be added, the university said, while widening seats and aisles will cut seats in some parts.

I doubt the same day they vote for the construction they start tearing things up. Not Michigan who loves their tradition with all of their Maize and Blue hearts...the quote above supports that.

I disagree with the above posts...


OBTW don't believe everything that comes out of Drew Sharpes mouth.

 

[G-FORCE]

The joint was quite a dissapointment when I went to it last year for the NIU game.

I can see why you call it the shit house.

 

[cincibuck]

I haven't been to a game at Michigan since the mid-seventies. I've been on the sidelines as a photog (see my avatar) I've been in several seating areas including 5 rows from the top of the southwest end zone and about half way up on the 20 of the "home" side. I've never had a bad sight line and if the place was tight, it didn't feel any tighter than Ohio Stadium.

The fact remains that given a superior initial design concept, Michigan could expand by adding another ring all the way around the top, ala Notre Dame. OSU would have to put in enormous support columns to make a "super C deck."

The question in my mind is who are the people in the luxury boxes at either stadium? Are they alums? Seems like the games transcended being principally for the students and the alums some time ago.

 

[BretGoBlue]

Construction

Construction going on now isn't for the renovation discussed on this thread. None of the concrete in the stadium had been replaced since the stadium was built and they've been replacing the concrete in sections over the past three seasons. Right now they are doing the last section and then putting the bleachers back on until the renovation starts in 2008.

 

[jwinslow]

<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol -->

http://sportspickle.com/features/volume5/2006-0524-michigan.html

Michigan Expanding Big House to Meet Fans’ Insatiable Desire to Watch an 8-3 Football Team

The University of Michigan announced plans on Tuesday to expand historic Michigan Stadium – already the largest football stadium in the country – from 107,051 to 108,251, in addition to adding new luxury boxes.

Athletic director Bill Martin says the move comes from the growing – and somewhat peculiar – demand of Michigan fans, students and alumni to take in some mediocre, disappointing football by a 7-4 or 8-3 team.

“Our fans can’t get enough of this team,” said Martin. “At the end of every season we look at our final record and think: ‘Hmm, I wonder how we’re going to fill 107,000 seats six times next season.’ I mean, most teams like us who consistently fall short of expectations have trouble selling tickets. But sure enough, we send out our season ticket renewals and everyone signs back up. It’s amazing.”

Many Michigan fans say it’s the team’s mediocrity that brings them back year after year after year.

“With a lot of top teams that we’re theoretically in the same realm as, you pretty much know that they’re going to win all of their home games. It gets boring, it gets repetitive. No one wants to watch that,” said longtime season ticket holder Mike Laurey. “But with us, you know we’re going to change things up a bit. No matter who we’re playing, you know there’s a decent chance we could lose. That uncertainty keeps me coming back.”

Others say it’s the memories that make them such diehard fans.

“I don’t want to say I wasn’t there when we have one of our patented, soul-crushing losses to Ohio State,” said season ticket holder Larry Reynolds. “That’s the kind of stuff you tell your grandkids about. Plus, it’s cool to be able to say that you saw future NFL stars play in college, back when they were poorly coached and didn’t have all of their talents drawn out of them yet. It’s amazing to see their growth from their Michigan days to the pros. I mean, jeez – look at Tom Brady. Think how good he would have been in college at a school where they know how to coach quarterbacks.”

No matter the reason for the unyielding fan support, head coach Lloyd Carr said he knows he is lucky to coach a team that has ardent backers no matter what happens on the field.

“No one cares how badly we fall short of our goals, they still come out and cheer,” said Carr. “And that’s the kind of support we’ll need in the future, because the longer I’m here, the more of a chance there will some 6-5 and 5-6 seasons, or even worse, mixed in. Heck, I could go 3-8 in a year or two, and we’d still probably add on another 1,000 seats to Michigan Stadium.”

 

[OhioExile]

“No one cares how badly we fall short of our goals, they still come out and cheer,” said Carr. “And that’s the kind of support we’ll need in the future, because the longer I’m here, the more of a chance there will some 6-5 and 5-6 seasons, or even worse, mixed in. Heck, I could go 3-8 in a year or two, and we’d still probably add on another 1,000 seats to Michigan Stadium.”

Lloyde...maybe go 8-3 or 9-2 so you can keep your job...as long as one of the losses is against us.

I would hate to lose the best player on our team! :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: