If you could (realistically) make changes to The War...

[McPeachy]

I think a smaller fairly easy add on would be ribbon board along the bottom of the upper decks. Cosmetically and informatively it would really add to the stadium and really update it.

It would bring a little pizzaz and flash that the stadium has been lacking for awhile. The field is amazing but as for the stadium itself it needs a little flash too.

Agree 100%. I put some samples up a few months ago on this board, when we discussed the same topic. Tie it in with a better sound system (similar to Sports Authority) and the in-game experience would greatly improve.

 

[BackHarlowRoad]

Take out the bush league tuff sheds in the south end zone and add a ground level beer garden with inspiration from the new Coors Field roof-top bar. They won't do it though because the administration doesn't want to acknowledge that people drink beer in Wyoming regardless of whether they were to buy it from the University at god-awful margins or from someone else at god-awful margins.

I was interested, so I looked it up. Only 11 college-owned, on-campus stadiums sell beer. At least 4 of those 11 sell beer in the suites only. That was from 2012, I think a couple more have started since then (Minnesota).

Potential cons that I see...what percentage of fans at UW football games either: A) are underage, or B) have to drive X number of miles to get home after the game? I'd say higher than most schools.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

Take out the bush league tuff sheds in the south end zone and add a ground level beer garden with inspiration from the new Coors Field roof-top bar. They won't do it though because the administration doesn't want to acknowledge that people drink beer in Wyoming regardless of whether they were to buy it from the University at god-awful margins or from someone else at god-awful margins.

I was interested, so I looked it up. Only 11 college-owned, on-campus stadiums sell beer. At least 4 of those 11 sell beer in the suites only.

Please provide the source as that seems way low and must just be FBS.

Most D2 games I have been to absolutely sold beer.

 

[McPeachy]

I was interested, so I looked it up. Only 11 college-owned, on-campus stadiums sell beer. At least 4 of those 11 sell beer in the suites only. That was from 2012, I think a couple more have started since then (Minnesota).

Potential cons that I see...what percentage of fans at UW football games either: A) are underage, or B) have to drive X number of miles to get home after the game? I'd say higher than most schools.

I think those numbers will change (and may have already changed) - but are accurate for 2012-ish. It is a revenue source that many schools are pondering.

Personally, I think it would cut down on the massive binge drinking that goes on prior to UW home football games, and actually afford UW better control.

 

[BackHarlowRoad]

Take out the bush league tuff sheds in the south end zone and add a ground level beer garden with inspiration from the new Coors Field roof-top bar. They won't do it though because the administration doesn't want to acknowledge that people drink beer in Wyoming regardless of whether they were to buy it from the University at god-awful margins or from someone else at god-awful margins.

I was interested, so I looked it up. Only 11 college-owned, on-campus stadiums sell beer. At least 4 of those 11 sell beer in the suites only.

Please provide the source as that seems way low and must just be FBS.

Most D2 games I have been to absolutely sold beer.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/07/10/good-question-how-many-colleges-sell-beer-at-sports-stadiums/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes those are out of FBS schools.

 

[aranderson]

Beer is a great idea but I am pretty sure that the Pres., Burman, and the BOT have reviewed, contemplated, talked and talked about it on numerous occasions. They have obviously not found enough positives to put beer into the stadium.

 

[kansasCowboy]

If we do seats, especially wider seats then we need to add end zone seating. I'm sick of losing capacity. We're already under 30,000 (29,181) from a stadium that once proudly held 33,500 ( a respectable number). We need to stay at or around 30,000. We used to scoff at USU for having a stadium at 25,000.
I just think of the record crowds we could've had, had we not lost seating. Virginia, Texas, Boise and Nebraska to name a few. Our sellout crowds of 30 and 31,000 could have easily surpassed our current record of 34,745 in 97 with CSU. Those games could've been 35,000+.
I do think it would be nice to have an "area" with seating, where those who prefer to sit the entire game can. I'm sick of people telling me to sit down. I, like most sit during change of possessions and before kickoffs and in between quarters or halves, otherwise we stand.

Why would we expand if we can't fill as it stands? 7k average or something from Oct - December I believe.. The sell-outs you listed above are once a year!

That is not expanding. That would keep it where it is with the amount of seating you would lose bringing in chairs.
I for one would not be proud to say I was at a sellout crowd of 25,000.
The smaller we make our stadium, the smaller we cap ourselves off at being called mediocre. Shoot, USU has had two good years in 20 years and they are talking about expanding. I, for one do not wish to be known as the smallest stadium in the conference. Or even in the FBS! I would also like to know that we didn't drop our capacity down to that of your top FCS programs. But that's just me.
When we win consistently people come, attendance rises and I would like to know, when that day comes again ( and it will) that we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot with small time thinking. What do I mean by that? No matter how good we are and how well we do winning on a consistent basis, you will never be getting looked at by top recruits when they see that even there biggest game at home would only be 25,000. Kids want to be seen.
We've had several seasons where we avged 24 to 25,000 and then had one or two games due to weather (8 to 12,000) that caused us to drop our season total average back down to 20 to 22,000.
My point is, if you are going to take seating away somewhere in the stadium, replaces it somewhere else and keep our capacity up. This is not expanding, it is equalizing.
30,000 is a good marker. Anything less and you're putting your name in with Western Kentucky, Buffalo, FAU, FIU and Idaho and pretty much every MAC school.
Just in our conference, AFA has dropped from 52,123 to 46,900. (Still a respectable number)
BSU has expanded from 30,000 to 37,000. CSU has dropped from 34,500 to 32,500. Fresno has maintained at 41,031. Hawaii has maintained at 50,000. Nevada has maintained at 30,000 ( even in their erector set of a stadium). New Mex expanded from 30,118 to 38,600. SJSU has maintained at 31,127. SDSU has rented out more sections of Qualcomm Stadium going from 32,000 to 40 to 45,000. UNLV has expanded from 32,000 to 36,800 ( mostly due to its Bowl game). USU has maintained at 25,513 and are looking to expand. WYO has dropped from 33,500 to 29,181 and with what everyone is saying we should drop some more...Despicable! Out of the three schools to drop capacity ours already sticks out the most. So let's make it worse, why don't we!?

 

[BackHarlowRoad]

As VisorHair already pointed out, it's not all the administration's decision. State legislature has ultimate say.

 

[joshvanklomp]

The smaller we make our stadium, the smaller we cap ourselves off at being called mediocre. Shoot, USU has had two good years in 20 years and they are talking about expanding. I, for one do not wish to be known as the smallest stadium in the conference. Or even in the FBS! I would also like to know that we didn't drop our capacity down to that of your top FCS programs. But that's just me.
When we win consistently people come, attendance rises and I would like to know, when that day comes again ( and it will) that we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot with small time thinking. What do I mean by that? No matter how good we are and how well we do winning on a consistent basis, you will never be getting looked at by top recruits when they see that even there biggest game at home would only be 25,000. Kids want to be seen.
We've had several seasons where we avged 24 to 25,000 and then had one or two games due to weather (8 to 12,000) that caused us to drop our season total average back down to 20 to 22,000.
My point is, if you are going to take seating away somewhere in the stadium, replaces it somewhere else and keep our capacity up. This is not expanding, it is equalizing.
30,000 is a good marker. Anything less and you're putting your name in with Western Kentucky, Buffalo, FAU, FIU and Idaho and pretty much every MAC school.

Completely agree.

Right now, according to Wikipedia, War Memorial is the 16th-smallest capacity stadium in FBS football. They are ahead of nine MAC stadiums, three Sun Belt stadiums, two Conference USA stadiums, and one Mountain West stadium.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/07/10/good-question-how-many-colleges-sell-beer-at-sports-stadiums/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes those are out of FBS schools.

Thank you!

This quote jumps out at me "Last season was West Virginia University’s first season selling beer throughout its stadium. According to the Associated Press, that move brought in nearly $520,000 in beer money in the first year." Clearly there is good money to be made at Wyoming.

I agree with McPeachy that beer in the stadium will likely promote safety. We all see many students/younger crowd downing a bottle of Jack at halftime. Reasonably priced beer sales will greatly curtail this stupidity (some minors may still make poor choices).

Also, we see an exodus at half time of many games for folks looking to get a drink and often times these people just decide not to re-enter the stadium. Beer sales will keep some of these folks in their seats when we need them to be loud in the 4th quarter.

From my experience at Mines, there was no down side to beer sales in the stadium. Hell, we had people show up to watch games (who otherwise could care less about football), just so they could enjoy a few $2 beers and a nice saturday afternoon.

 

[VisorHair]

As VisorHair already pointed out, it's not all the administration's decision. State legislature has ultimate say.

Thanks.

Spoke with McKinney at length about this before. Bc of past gov's wives big emphasis on youth drinking.. was a lose lose. State Leg would have to approve and we all pretty much know their stance on underage drinking and such. Doesn't help CU lost their rights the way they did, too close to home. Minny fans almost rioted when they found out they only served it in suites like Wyo - had tons of backlash. The OFF-Campus stadiums can get away with it because they are owned by a separate entity ie the city, etc. The school's who get away with it on-campus are few and far between and usually have a story, unfortunately.

 

[WestWYOPoke]

I understand what you are saying regarding the underage drinking. I know that this isn't necessarily your view, just relaying what you've heard from other sources.

To those that think that is a legitimate excuse, I feel they need some education on how things ACTUALLY work at the War on a Saturday. All those kids that you are worried about underage drinking when their 21 year old buddy buys them a beer...they are gonna drink whether its sold there or not. Furthermore, since they are sneaking it in, it isn't gonna be beer, its going to be a pint or flask of something a lot stronger which means a much higher chance of over intoxication. If I were lobbying the state/administration to allow beer sales, one of my key arguments would be that if these kids are going to be drinking, better a couple beers than a pint of vodka. They're gonna drink one way or the other; whether they are 25 or 15, where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[aranderson]

Back to improvements I have always thought that enclosing both endzones by connecting and wrapping the bottom decks around and leaving a sweet tunnel for them to run through while touching the statue. I don't mean for a significant capacity increase either a simple 6000 to 8000 seats. Air Force sure as heck don't fill there's all the time, only about 50-60% on most occasions. Colorado doesn't fill their stadium to capacity either and countless other schools. Expand to 35,000-40,000 and I'd be happy. May not fill it all the time but just maybe the tool itself would lend a hand to a better on the field product and increase its attraction ten fold. Everyone would be surprised I believe.

Now understanding the argument for "we don't fill the one we have!". We may not fill it every game but the ones we do fill for guess what! Those extra 6 or 8 thousand seats would be put to use and somewhat make up for the potential 13,000 attendance game. You also know that people will want to come to see the stadium as well. Make it an attractive venue and people will also come as with a good product on the field. Cpnversley as someone stated earlier a nice stadium and attractive one also attracts recruits. So it may seem silly but it is definitely not something that should be continually overlooked.

As for losing seats due to renovations that's fine but the idots that are continually doing so and not making up the difference else where is just plain stupid.

 

[joshvanklomp]

Back to improvements I have always thought that enclosing both endzones by connecting and wrapping the bottom decks around and leaving a sweet tunnel for them to run through while touching the statue.

Is the stadium footprint big enough for that?

 

[WyoBrandX]

I like the idea of Wyoming serving beer at the stadium. The administration needs to ask themselves "Do we want to play mommy and daddy to everyone in the stadium - or do we want to make extra cash and allow fans to enjoy themselves without breaking the rules."

 

[BJC]

I know I always bring this up but the biggest obstacle is distance and weather. Bus/travelpackages....etc
slightly off topic :deadhorse1:

 

[aranderson]

Back to improvements I have always thought that enclosing both endzones by connecting and wrapping the bottom decks around and leaving a sweet tunnel for them to run through while touching the statue.

Is the stadium footprint big enough for that?

Well I think things could potentially be moved a little such as the road by the south end. Cut onto the practice fields a little then re route the road and you have room on that end. Then on the north you really wouldn't need to make it huge but if you made the new wrap around stands slight smaller than the south I think you could get away with it.

 

[VisorHair]

I understand what you are saying regarding the underage drinking. I know that this isn't necessarily your view, just relaying what you've heard from other sources.

To those that think that is a legitimate excuse, I feel they need some education on how things ACTUALLY work at the War on a Saturday. All those kids that you are worried about underage drinking when their 21 year old buddy buys them a beer...they are gonna drink whether its sold there or not. Furthermore, since they are sneaking it in, it isn't gonna be beer, its going to be a pint or flask of something a lot stronger which means a much higher chance of over intoxication. If I were lobbying the state/administration to allow beer sales, one of my key arguments would be that if these kids are going to be drinking, better a couple beers than a pint of vodka. They're gonna drink one way or the other; whether they are 25 or 15, where there's a will, there's a way.

I agree 100%. I've snuck a flask on Jack a time or two.

 

[Bryoming]

I agree 100%. I've snuck a flask on Jack a time or two.

Hell, there have been MAYBE a game or two that I HAVEN'T snuck a flask in

 

[WyoExpat]

Four words.

Let. The. Band. Play.

They are talented kids that put a ton of work in to their shows and music. And then they have to sit there while the subpar video board and sound system show stupid clips that no one can hear. College football is about the atmosphere, and the band is one of the best ways to create that atmosphere.

Let the band play. I promise no one will regret it.

GO POKES!

Ditto this. There is no reason for all of the other fake musical stuff that they copy from minor league baseball.