NDSU to AAC prepare theyself.

[Professor Chaos]

Maybe, but that would be really unfortunate. I mean I've watched Rice highlights over the past couple of years and they wouldn't have filled up a 10k seat stadium in any game I've seen. Hawaii is playing on a soccer field because their usual football stadium was required to be condemned it was in such bad shape. Why force NDSU to pay money to make the same mistake?

Our money could be so much better spent making our program better for the conference in other ways. The Fargodome fits perfectly for what we'd need right now. A full 20k seat stadium with a great atmosphere is so much better than a 30k seat stadium with 20k in the stands. Worlds different.

We can build a 30k+ stadium when it makes sense with our budget, fan base and condition of the FargoDome.

The Fargodome may seem right sized based on demand for tickets but the big issue I still have with it is there's no room for entry level seats/prices. There are plenty of factors that have led to decreased ticket demand but I still say price is the main issue. Beyond the price keeping people away the lack of entry level price points also doesn't allow the program to cultivate younger fans to replace aging fans whose life situations are changing and are dropping tickets. Someone is far more likely to pony up for more expensive seats if they've gotten a taste of it in the cheap seats versus never going to games at all.

The only way they can get entry level price points for NDSU football tickets now would lead to a reduction in ticket revenue - at some point they'll likely have no choice as selling tickets for something will be better than leaving them unsold but, in my opinion, the venue isn't right-sized in a market the size of Fargo if there's no room for cheap seats.

[OrygunBison]

The Fargodome may seem right sized based on demand for tickets but the big issue I still have with it is there's no room for entry level seats/prices. There are plenty of factors that have led to decreased ticket demand but I still say price is the main issue. Beyond the price keeping people away the lack of entry level price points also doesn't allow the program to cultivate younger fans to replace aging fans whose life situations are changing and are dropping tickets. Someone is far more likely to pony up for more expensive seats if they've gotten a taste of it in the cheap seats versus never going to games at all.

The only way they can get entry level price points for NDSU football tickets now would lead to a reduction in ticket revenue - at some point they'll likely have no choice as selling tickets for something will be better than leaving them unsold but, in my opinion, the venue isn't right-sized in a market the size of Fargo if there's no room for cheap seats.

The math you seek does not exist. It'll make no sense to build new (more) seats in order to increase the number of cheap seats. That would be very poor management of the facilities budget.

[Professor Chaos]

The math you seek does not exist. It'll make no sense to build new (more) seats in order to increase the number of cheap seats. That would be very poor management of the facilities budget.

Isn't that how everyone does it? SDSU didn't need a 19k seat stadium when they built the Dykhouse. NDSU didn't need 19k when they built the Fargodome. If your goal is to grow the fan base you need venues that can accommodate that. The Fargodome isn't going to grow NDSU's fan base any more than it already has and I'd argue that it has already choked that growth.

[EndZoneQB]

The math you seek does not exist. It'll make no sense to build new (more) seats in order to increase the number of cheap seats. That would be very poor management of the facilities budget.

The idea wouldn't be to make money on the seats, it's to make money on the butts being in the seats spending money in the stadium, especially beer.

With that said, the price isn't the concern to me as a blanket statement...the price is a concern based on the product we are playing on the field. I don't really want to pay $1k to see us play WIU or ISUb and *maybe* get one or two good games, depending on the year. Beyond that, the fan experience hasn't changed much in years - the screens were the last thing I remember really changing the experience, and beer is a start - but it's been fairly stagnant. I know the FD has money...it'd be great if they spent some of it.

[OrygunBison]

The idea wouldn't be to make money on the seats, it's to make money on the butts being in the seats spending money in the stadium, especially beer.

With that said, the price isn't the concern to me as a blanket statement...the price is a concern based on the product we are playing on the field. I don't really want to pay $1k to see us play WIU or ISUb and *maybe* get one or two good games, depending on the year. Beyond that, the fan experience hasn't changed much in years - the screens were the last thing I remember really changing the experience, and beer is a start - but it's been fairly stagnant. I know the FD has money...it'd be great if they spent some of it.

This is a really, really expensive endeavor. We're not going to demolish a building objectively worth $150-200M to spend $350-500M so that we can get 5,000 cheap seats in addition to the really good ones that currently exist. It's impossible to make that up in concessions and ticket sales in a way that makes business sense.

[56BISON73]

This is a really, really expensive endeavor. We're not going to demolish a building objectively worth $150-200M to spend $350-500M so that we can get 5,000 cheap seats in addition to the really good ones that currently exist. It's impossible to make that up in concessions and ticket sales in a way that makes business sense.

Correct. The ROI just isnt there.

[SFBisonFan]

It isn’t about butts in seats but rather eye balls on TVs that matter.

When Teammakers is building up scholarship funds to account for the increase in scholarships, the move has to be in the works when the right opportunity comes up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grizzled]

Isn't that how everyone does it? SDSU didn't need a 19k seat stadium when they built the Dykhouse. NDSU didn't need 19k when they built the Fargodome. If your goal is to grow the fan base you need venues that can accommodate that. The Fargodome isn't going to grow NDSU's fan base any more than it already has and I'd argue that it has already choked that growth.

Sporting event attendance is dropping all over the country…..does a new stadium solve that?

[Mr Meaty]

Sporting event attendance is dropping all over the country…..does a new stadium solve that?

It does for a while only if the product on the field is worth it. Then the product on the field dictates the perceived value to the attendee. The Ralph will be 22 years old this fall. How do people feel about that venue as a whole. Nothing much has changed there with the exception of new scoreboard. But it has very nice suites for viewing games. Does a new larger stadium with improved suites and "cheap seat" help you maximize revenue while expanding your base of fans. It is still a huge financial outlay for the new building but it can be offset with the added features that people are wanting. I had buddies that attended a Vikings game this year and were in a lounge area with all kinds of things going on in it with all food and beverages. They got exclusive early entry into the game. Their comments were that is the only way they would like to go to a game vs just sitting in a seat. That all brings value and the game that day.

[NDSU92]

It does for a while only if the product on the field is worth it. Then the product on the field dictates the perceived value to the attendee. The Ralph will be 22 years old this fall. How do people feel about that venue as a whole. Nothing much has changed there with the exception of new scoreboard. But it has very nice suites for viewing games. Does a new larger stadium with improved suites and "cheap seat" help you maximize revenue while expanding your base of fans. It is still a huge financial outlay for the new building but it can be offset with the added features that people are wanting. I had buddies that attended a Vikings game this year and were in a lounge area with all kinds of things going on in it with all food and beverages. They got exclusive early entry into the game. Their comments were that is the only way they would like to go to a game vs just sitting in a seat. That all brings value and the game that day.

There's just no way the benefits of building a new stadium match spending that kind of money. Not yet at least. We still need to endow scholarships and take care of some other things inside the athletic department annual budget.

Let the Dome age another 5 years. Get us to a legitimate FBS conference. Invest in the program that we can be successful in said conference. Get the fans back to selling out the Dome game-in/game-out to show that we actually are missing out on having a bigger stadium.

Then you build a stadium. Harold Hamm Field at Scheels Stadium. I'll walk through the Burgum Concourse and my kids will sit in the Scheels Student Section. See, we're already 25% of the way there.