Any truth to this story?

[bang]

I'm not a believer in this story, but my brother told me this last week. He tells me (not a source, funny ha) that there is some ex sioux football player who is a highly successful businessman in Canada (possibly oil sands related), who is considering a 30 plus million dollar donation to build a new football stadium. I don't want to talk about the pros and cons of a new stadium or if NDSU fan thinks this is a joke. I just want to know if someone else has heard this and if there is any validity to the tale.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I'm not a believer in this story, but my brother told me this last week. He tells me (not a source, funny ha) that there is some ex sioux football player who is a highly successful businessman in Canada (possibly oil sands related), who is considering a 30 plus million dollar donation to build a new football stadium. I don't want to talk about the pros and cons of a new stadium or if NDSU fan thinks this is a joke. I just want to know if someone else has heard this and if there is any validity to the tale.

I had heard the same thing, his name is Dave Fennell (allegedly), he played at UND in the early 1970's and went on to become a Canadian League hall of famer. I believe he went on to become CEO of a couple of gold mines in Canada. This rumor has been floating around for almost a year and although nothing substantial has come of it yet, I do think it's a possibility. My question is, will $30 million build a stadium nice enough for a growing UND (not that I wouldn't be grateful for that much of a donation), it would seem that additional funds would need to be raised on top of that amount. I really hope this rumor is true and that we get a nice new stadium at UND named after one of our most successful players, the Alerus is a horrible place to watch football.

[bang]

I had heard the same thing, his name is Dave Fennell (allegedly), he played at UND in the early 1970's and went on to become a Canadian League hall of famer. I believe he went on to become CEO of a couple of gold mines in Canada. This rumor has been floating around for almost a year and although nothing substantial has come of it yet, I do think it's a possibility. My question is, will $30 million build a stadium nice enough for a growing UND (not that I wouldn't be grateful for that much of a donation), it would seem that additional funds would need to be raised on top of that amount. I really hope this rumor is true and that we get a nice new stadium at UND named after one of our most successful players, the Alerus is a horrible place to watch football.

I wouldn't even bring up the subject but I remember in 1995 or 96 when my dad was telling me about Ralph donating 50 or 60 million for a new rink. I said he was dreaming and then the guy ends up donating double that amount. So anything is possible. My brother also told me where the proposed site is at, but I can't remember what he said now.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I wouldn't even bring up the subject but I remember in 1995 or 96 when my dad was telling me about Ralph donating 50 or 60 million for a new rink. I said he was dreaming and then the guy ends up donating double that amount. So anything is possible. My brother also told me where the proposed site is at, but I can't remember what he said now.

I would hope they would build at the Memorial Field on campus, it would be a great location!

[GeauxSioux]

This has been a topic of conversation for a few years. Instead of posting the links. See my post from last fall showing the links to the long term plans for UND athletics.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Thanks GeauxSioux! I have been looking for those renderings everywhere on the net! It's a shame the horse shoe stadium isn't in the plan anymore it's a beautiful looking facility. The only thing I don't like about the retractible roof stadium (other than cost) is that it only seats 25,000 seats. Although it would be sufficient for a while, UND is sure to outgrow it once making the jump to a bigger FBS conference. I wish we were going with the horse shoe

[bincitysioux]

.........................the Alerus is a horrible place to watch football.

Just curious why you don't like it.............................I think it is a great place to watch football...............

[IrishSiouxFan]

It has no culture to it, it feels like it was thrown together very quickly without thought to design and expansion (speaking about the seating area). The outside of the building is very nice, but when you get to the arena area it's just a bleacher on one side and a bleacher on the other (like a high school field). I think UND deserves something nicer than this, something that feels like UND football has arrived. College football should never be played off campus, it just feels wrong.

[krangodance]

And green indoor / outdoor carpet for turf.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

Thanks GeauxSioux! I have been looking for those renderings everywhere on the net! It's a shame the horse shoe stadium isn't in the plan anymore it's a beautiful looking facility. The only thing I don't like about the retractible roof stadium (other than cost) is that it only seats 25,000 seats. Although it would be sufficient for a while, UND is sure to outgrow it once making the jump to a bigger FBS conference. I wish we were going with the horse shoe

I don't think UND would ever need a stadium that holds more than 15,000 for the forseeable future. You are not going FBS anytime in the next 10 years. Name a conference that is looking for a team that RIGHT NOW, isn't very good. The conferences will snatch up the bigger onces (like Montana, Appalachian St., Jacksonville St., Villanova, etc.) Your team averaged what, like 7,000 fans this year. I'm sorry to rain on the parade but UND simply doesn't have the football demand or program right now for some 25,000 person stadium. FBS is a really tough thing from what I've been reading, schools UND/NDSU size actually lose money almost everytime they go to a bowl game. Just be happy in the Big Sky once your in and once you are competitive again.

Btw, whoever said the Alerus is bad for football is right. Bad atmosphere, bad design, should have continued playing at Memorial Stadium. Maybe spend a big donation on re-doing the old stadium?

Sorry for the rant but seeing someone upset about a 25,000 fan stadium when you only get 7-10 thousand fans usually, makes me a little fired up. Sioux people know hockey, I know football, and UND can't fill up a stadium that size for now.

[Risky]

Just curious why you don't like it.............................I think it is a great place to watch football...............

I agree with you. I think the Alerus is a great place to watch football. I have never really heard anybody complain about the actual watching of a football game at the Alerus. That comment surprises me.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I don't think UND would ever need a stadium that holds more than 15,000 for the forseeable future. You are not going FBS anytime in the next 10 years. Name a conference that is looking for a team that RIGHT NOW, isn't very good. The conferences will snatch up the bigger onces (like Montana, Appalachian St., Jacksonville St., Villanova, etc.) Your team averaged what, like 7,000 fans this year. I'm sorry to rain on the parade but UND simply doesn't have the football demand or program right now for some 25,000 person stadium. FBS is a really tough thing from what I've been reading, schools UND/NDSU size actually lose money almost everytime they go to a bowl game. Just be happy in the Big Sky once your in and once you are competitive again.

Btw, whoever said the Alerus is bad for football is right. Bad atmosphere, bad design, should have continued playing at Memorial Stadium. Maybe spend a big donation on re-doing the old stadium?

Sorry for the rant but seeing someone upset about a 25,000 fan stadium when you only get 7-10 thousand fans usually, makes me a little fired up. Sioux people know hockey, I know football, and UND can't fill up a stadium that size for now.

Bison fans were saying the same thing about the REA while it was being built, that we could never fill it and it was a waste of money. UND has a much larger fan base than NDSU, it's not even close. We could easily have attendance well over 25,000 in the right conference, with a good team, and a great facility. I'm so sick of Bison fans coming to our boards to spit poison on our potential. UND is the flag ship institution in the state of North Dakota and that name recognition is extremely attractive to expanding conferences, it's the main reason the Big Sky sent us an invitation and sent you a rejection letter. We have to start building toward the future and that involves bringing football back to campus in a stadium that will be the toast of FCS. We have to think bigger because we are better! Please go troll somewhere else.

[bang]

Bison fans were saying the same thing about the REA while it was being built, that we could never fill it and it was a waste of money. UND has a much larger fan base than NDSU, it's not even close. We could easily have attendance well over 25,000 in the right conference, with a good team, and a great facility. I'm so sick of Bison fans coming to our boards to spit poison on our potential. UND is the flag ship institution in the state of North Dakota and that name recognition is extremely attractive to expanding conferences, it's the main reason the Big Sky sent us an invitation and sent you a rejection letter. We have to start building toward the future and that involves bringing football back to campus in a stadium that will be the toast of FCS. We have to think bigger because we are better! Please go troll somewhere else.

Wow, easy there I don't want to turn this into a Sioux vs. Bison thing. Although I did ask nicely to start with that NDSU fans not comment so I geuss if you want you can bite there head off its justified.

Anyway my dad was in on some of those meetings in 07 that Geaux has linked about the future stadium. He thought 25,000 was a bit too big but 15,000-18,000 might be more feasible. It kind of has that if you built they will come feel. I agree about the REA everyone thought that was too large and Ralph actually wanted the thing to be 15,000 cap. but was talked out of it. Also my brother told me the location he had heard about for a new stadium would be Ray Richards Golf course. I thought that was a bit odd.

[Johnny Five]

25,000 AVERAGE attendance? Shoot for the stars.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

Bison fans were saying the same thing about the REA while it was being built, that we could never fill it and it was a waste of money. UND has a much larger fan base than NDSU, it's not even close. We could easily have attendance well over 25,000 in the right conference, with a good team, and a great facility. I'm so sick of Bison fans coming to our boards to spit poison on our potential. UND is the flag ship institution in the state of North Dakota and that name recognition is extremely attractive to expanding conferences, it's the main reason the Big Sky sent us an invitation and sent you a rejection letter. We have to start building toward the future and that involves bringing football back to campus in a stadium that will be the toast of FCS. We have to think bigger because we are better! Please go troll somewhere else.

Big Sky came down to NDSU vs. Northern Colorado, they got it, we didn't. At the time, they were doing really well in football, we were only doing ok. Its all good. Their athletic program isn't doing so good, ours is doing much better.

Lik Johnny5 said, 25,000 is pretty well impossible. I wouldn't even venture to say UND has a MUCH LARGER FAN BASE, although having hockey probably does give them the edge, if you do football fans, NDSU is probably going to have more, I think attendence figures will suggest that.

UND is also not really the flagship anymore, kinda 1a. and 1b. sort of thing. That name recognition is the exact same as NDSU's, which is only average. I think most of you can agree with me on that, people from outside of North Dakota get us two schools confused all of the time. I've had people tell me that NDSU hockey sure brought a lot of fans to St. Paul, obviously thats incorrect. My friends have had people say it was cool to see North Dakota do well in the FCS playoffs. Don't try and convince yourself that UND is the next Boise or anything, because neither UND nor NDSU is.

I was not trolling bud, simply said 25,000 seems a little out of the question. 15-18,000 like that one of you suggested seems a lot more reasonable. First things first however, get a team that people want to come watch. Unless the product on the field improves, people don't come watch. I don't know a lot about where that golf course is. Is it near campus?

[bang]

Big Sky came down to NDSU vs. Northern Colorado, they got it, we didn't. At the time, they were doing really well in football, we were only doing ok. Its all good. Their athletic program isn't doing so good, ours is doing much better.

Lik Johnny5 said, 25,000 is pretty well impossible. I wouldn't even venture to say UND has a MUCH LARGER FAN BASE, although having hockey probably does give them the edge, if you do football fans, NDSU is probably going to have more, I think attendence figures will suggest that.

UND is also not really the flagship anymore, kinda 1a. and 1b. sort of thing. That name recognition is the exact same as NDSU's, which is only average. I think most of you can agree with me on that, people from outside of North Dakota get us two schools confused all of the time. I've had people tell me that NDSU hockey sure brought a lot of fans to St. Paul, obviously thats incorrect. My friends have had people say it was cool to see North Dakota do well in the FCS playoffs. Don't try and convince yourself that UND is the next Boise or anything, because neither UND nor NDSU is.

I was not trolling bud, simply said 25,000 seems a little out of the question. 15-18,000 like that one of you suggested seems a lot more reasonable. First things first however, get a team that people want to come watch. Unless the product on the field improves, people don't come watch. I don't know a lot about where that golf course is. Is it near campus?

I agree with just about everything you're saying. As far Ray Richards golf course's location it is straight north about a half mile from the Alerus and across the street at the corner of Demers and 42nd street.

[star2city]

I'm not a believer in this story, but my brother told me this last week. He tells me (not a source, funny ha) that there is some ex sioux football player who is a highly successful businessman in Canada (possibly oil sands related), who is considering a 30 plus million dollar donation to build a new football stadium. I don't want to talk about the pros and cons of a new stadium or if NDSU fan thinks this is a joke. I just want to know if someone else has heard this and if there is any validity to the tale.

$30 + million would yield a very nice indoor practice /training / study facility, which is exactly what we need now. If done right, it could form the east grandstand for an eventually refurbished Memorial Stadium.

[IrishSiouxFan]

You people have no passion or vision beyond the sport of hockey (which I love), our swear our fans have a defeatist attitude when it comes looking toward the future. We could easily sell 25,000 tickets for hockey against certain teams, we practically own the Excel Center (Ralph East) during tournament time. We most certainly have a much larger fan base than NDSU without a question. I have been all over the US and Canada and it never ceases to amaze me how many people I see wearing Fighting Sioux shirts and hats. I was in Vegas a couple of months ago and must have seen at least 30 people wearing UND merchandise (no lie) Does NDSU have a national television deal? (NO) How many Olympic athletes came out of NDSU, let alone still attend there? UND is ranked 159 in the country academically along side Maine, Texas Tech, and Hawaii. We outrank (academically) schools like Louisville, West Virginia, Bowling Green, and NDSU (191). So yes, UND is the flag ship institution in North Dakota, not NDSU. A 15,000-18,000 seat stadium may be fine for 5 years or so, but it will not accommodate our growth down the road. I hope our athletic director is more optimistic than our fans, or we will never be anything more than a hockey school.

[star2city]

You people have no passion or vision beyond the sport of hockey (which I love), our swear our fans have a defeatist attitude when it comes looking toward the future. We could easily sell 25,000 tickets for hockey against certain teams, we practically own the Excel Center (Ralph East) during tournament time. We most certainly have a much larger fan base than NDSU without a question. I have been all over the US and Canada and it never ceases to amaze me how many people I see wearing Fighting Sioux shirts and hats. I was in Vegas a couple of months ago and must have seen at least 30 people wearing UND merchandise (no lie) Does NDSU have a national television deal? (NO) How many Olympic athletes came out of NDSU, let alone still attend there? UND is ranked 159 in the country academically along side Maine, Texas Tech, and Hawaii. We outrank (academically) schools like Louisville, West Virginia, Bowling Green, and NDSU (191). So yes, UND is the flag ship institution in North Dakota, not NDSU. A 15,000-18,000 seat stadium may be fine for 5 years or so, but it will not accommodate our growth down the road. I hope our athletic director is more optimistic than our fans, or we will never be anything more than a hockey school.

The issue lately is that football hasn't been winning. The best advertising possible for UND football is winning.

UND has a larger alumni base than NDSU, UND's alumni have more money, and UND's alumni are much more heavily outside ND/Minn than NDSU. All NDSU alumni have ever had to hold there hat on is football: so that's largely why they get larger crowds.

Make UND football an event, against name opponents, and win regularly, and fans/alumni will come to football, as well as hockey.

[Ole in MSP]

The issue lately is that football hasn't been winning. The best advertising possible for UND football is winning.

UND has a larger alumni base than NDSU, UND's alumni have more money, and UND's alumni are much more heavily outside ND/Minn than NDSU. All NDSU alumni have ever had to hold there hat on is football: so that's largely why they get larger crowds.

Make UND football an event, against name opponents, and win regularly, and fans/alumni will come to football, as well as hockey.

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. This is why this program needs to win, increase its exposure in the midwest, and play up to the big midwest universities. My money is sitting and waiting for this opportunity, but I am not getting any younger. I want UND to play big schools in the midwest now, not 10 years from now.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Has anybody heard of any rumors that they might renovate the Alerus? Maybe if they took one of the end zones and made a horse shoe out of it would be okay. That could tied us over for a while, though as much money as Grand Forks is losing on that place it's highly unlikely they would renovate it.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

I agree with just about everything you're saying. As far Ray Richards golf course's location it is straight north about a half mile from the Alerus and across the street at the corner of Demers and 42nd street.

Nice to meet a Sioux fan who kind of understands the whole process of football and UND's current situation regarding it. I hate everything about UND (specially this idiot trying to say UND can rock a 25,000 stadium right now), but someone not spouting off on me for saying UND really doesn't have what it takes at this point in time to put 25,000 people in a stadium is always nice.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Nice to meet a Sioux fan who kind of understands the whole process of football and UND's current situation regarding it. I hate everything about UND (specially this idiot trying to say UND can rock a 25,000 stadium right now), but someone not spouting off on me for saying UND really doesn't have what it takes at this point in time to put 25,000 people in a stadium is always nice.

If you hate everything about UND then why do you devote so much of your time trolling UND boards being negative about a school that NDSU doesn't play. I actually feel sorry for you and other NDSU trolls on these boards, go start a real rivalry with SDSU and USD, troll their boards for a while, that would actually make sense.

[Vegas_Sioux]

Just remember the triple headers when we where D-2 Basketball Hockey Football Basketball and Hockey those where some fun weekends.

[BobIwabuchiFan]

If you hate everything about UND then why do you devote so much of your time trolling UND boards being negative about a school that NDSU doesn't play. I actually feel sorry for you and other NDSU trolls on these boards, go start a real rivalry with SDSU and USD, troll their boards for a while, that would actually make sense.

Exactly what the trolls need to do...we don't need those guys...go bother someone in SD or in Northern Iowa that gives a rats ass about Fargo and the Herd terds....Seriously, you really thought we would care what you have to say about our future in the Big Sky...really?

BobIwabuchiFan