Any truth to this story?

[IrishSiouxFan]

Does anybody know if the Englestads will be donating anymore money to UND? I realize Ralph played hockey but would they be interested in helping build a premier football team?

[Johnny Five]

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

Fact. People on both sides can sit here and say "we don't care about UND/NDSU" but I am one who misses the weeks, games and friendly smack for all sports.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

Fact. People on both sides can sit here and say "we don't care about UND/NDSU" but I am one who misses the weeks, games and friendly smack for all sports.

Yeah, you guys with the exception of this guy assume everyone who isn't a UND fan on here is a troll. A troll tries to make people mad and ruin there day, I have yet to do that so far(especially on this thread), so as for trolling, I think it'd be safe to say the way you guys are talking about NDSU that would make you guys trolling on this thread, as NDSU really doesn't have much to do with UND possibly receiving a nice big donation for the football program.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Yeah, you guys with the exception of this guy assume everyone who isn't a UND fan on here is a troll. A troll tries to make people mad and ruin there day, I have yet to do that so far(especially on this thread), so as for trolling, I think it'd be safe to say the way you guys are talking about NDSU that would make you guys trolling on this thread, as NDSU really doesn't have much to do with UND possibly receiving a nice big donation for the football program.

So making the statement "I hate everything about UND" on a UND board doesn't make you a troll? Seriously, I'm not going to be negative to anyone on Easter, but you know why you come to the boards and it isn't with good intention. Just go troll a summit league opponent's board for a while.

[bigskyvikes]

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.

Plus +1

[darell1976]

2 things: 1. What would cost more upgrading Memorial Stadium into the "FBS" type stadium or tearing down all of Memorial Stadium and building a whole new stadium on the same site, and second who would have thought we could have gone from a 6,067 seat REA to a 12,000+ new REA and have sellout after sellout. You put a good product on the field people will come. If you are a cellar dweller (E. Michigan type) people won't show. I think 25,000 would be a good number.

[Johnny Five]

Yeah, you guys with the exception of this guy assume everyone who isn't a UND fan on here is a troll. A troll tries to make people mad and ruin there day, I have yet to do that so far(especially on this thread), so as for trolling, I think it'd be safe to say the way you guys are talking about NDSU that would make you guys trolling on this thread, as NDSU really doesn't have much to do with UND possibly receiving a nice big donation for the football program.

I'm a Bison fan and season ticket holder man. However I respect UND and am one fan (I guess one of very few for some reason) that thinks it's better for our area to have each school good/competitive and not want to measure wieners everytime Bison/Sioux comes up in any sport.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

2 things: 1. What would cost more upgrading Memorial Stadium into the "FBS" type stadium or tearing down all of Memorial Stadium and building a whole new stadium on the same site, and second who would have thought we could have gone from a 6,067 seat REA to a 12,000+ new REA and have sellout after sellout. You put a good product on the field people will come. If you are a cellar dweller (E. Michigan type) people won't show. I think 25,000 would be a good number.

I'm not trying to be a hater....but I will say it again, 25,000 isn't in the cards for UND. Start selling out the Alerus before you put too much thought into a new stadium(unless you receive a nice big check, in which case, do something fun with it.)

[darell1976]

I'm not trying to be a hater....but I will say it again, 25,000 isn't in the cards for UND. Start selling out the Alerus before you put too much thought into a new stadium(unless you receive a nice big check, in which case, do something fun with it.)

Maybe more fans will turn out at a better stadium than the Alerus.

[the green team]

Fans will turn out if we win, The Alerus is fine. I don't know why we would need another football facility. Other than a multi-purpose training & practice facility. To be honest, I think it's great that no matter what the elements are outside I can go to the game and enjoy it. The Alerus provides that. I've stated time & time again on this board that people have short memories & love to believe in this stadium utopia, but I remember when even big games at Memorial where crowds were stifled due to horrible weather. When we were lucky to have a thousand people there. This town is a front runners town when it comes to the sport of football especially. If they win, they will come. If they lose- good luck, if they play outside & they win- the fans may show(but don't hold your breath...hey the track record is there) if they win and they play inside- the place becomes bonkos. imho

[bincitysioux]

Fans will turn out if we win, The Alerus is fine. I don't know why we would need another football facility. Other than a multi-purpose training & practice facility. To be honest, I think it's great that no matter what the elements are outside I can go to the game and enjoy it. The Alerus provides that. I've stated time & time again on this board that people have short memories & love to believe in this stadium utopia, but I remember when even big games at Memorial where crowds were stifled due to horrible weather. When we were lucky to have a thousand people there. This town is a front runners town when it comes to the sport of football especially. If they win, they will come. If they lose- good luck, if they play outside & they win- the fans may show(but don't hold your breath...hey the track record is there) if they win and they play inside- the place becomes bonkos. imho

What he said.................

[darell1976]

How about a 25,000 seat stadium with a retractable roof located where Memorial Stadium sits. If only dreams can come true!

[IrishSiouxFan]

How about a 25,000 seat stadium with a retractable roof located where Memorial Stadium sits. If only dreams can come true!

I like the retractable roof stadium, I would like to know how much it will cost and if can it expand to seat more than 25,000 as the university grows.

[UND-1]

I like the retractable roof stadium, I would like to know how much it will cost and if can it expand to seat more than 25,000 as the university grows.

How about we try to fill the Alerus consistently, then worry about filling a 15-18k seat stadium, then we talk about 25k.

[IrishSiouxFan]

You're right, we shouldn't be allowed to day dream 10-20 years down the road until we fill up the Alerus. UND and the fans shouldn't be allowed to imagine what a new football stadium and training facility might look like and what it would take in terms of donations to make it happen. We get it, we need to raise attendance at the Alerus, that will happen once we start Big Sky play. Until then, let us enjoy mapping out a strategy to bring UND football home to campus.

[Goon]

How about a 25,000 seat stadium with a retractable roof located where Memorial Stadium sits. If only dreams can come true!

I could have sworn that I saw a plan for something like that a couple of years ago.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I could have sworn that I saw a plan for something like that a couple of years ago.

http://grandforkslife.blogspot.com/2007/12/und-is-planning-for-future.html

[Goon]

http://grandforkslife.blogspot.com/2007/12/und-is-planning-for-future.html

I didn't realized that it's been almost 4 years ago since that came out.

[darell1976]

I didn't realized that it's been almost 4 years ago since that came out.

I love looking at those pics and hope it becomes a reality one day.

[jodcon]

Not to sound negative (or like a Bison fan), but I think Sioux football has to walk before it can run.

Joining the Big Sky is a good first step, but talk about a 25k retractable roof stadium isn't realistic at this point.

I don't think the Alerus is the cause of lower than desired attendance as much as the quality of play and the attractiveness of opponents has been. When you're losing to teams like Sioux Falls (I was at that game unfortunately) it's hard to get people back the next week, no way around it.

I think the timeline for Sioux football has to look something like this:

1) Get into a good conference. Done.

2) Promote to get people back into the seats to watch the Sioux play the new teams. I don't care how...give tickets away, give 4-wheelers away, tie it in with a concert, give them a pop and a bratwurst, autograph sessions...whatever it takes. And get the students back in the building, the last 2 times I was there the student section was almost empty, it was terrible. Do what it takes to get them there, regardless of hassle or cost, their energy makes the place alive. Schedule games at logical times, not Halloween night or early after a hockey game, guess what...kids party after hockey games, they won't come until 1 or 2 because they are sleeping, it's not hard to figure out.

3) Become competitive again. Obviously easier said than done, but nothing brings people like winning, and being able to compete with teams like EWU and the Montanas will bring people to watch, as will beating anybody else on the schedule. Win and they will come.

When UND gets to this point and has a winning program again and is filling the Alerus, then maybe we can talk about a different stadium, I personally like the drawing of the horseshoe Memorial, but until the team gets to that point I think any stadium chatter is just that.

[Goon]

I like this plan

[jodcon]

I like this plan

Yeah that's the one I liked too.

[Cratter]

Depending on the finishes that building would cost 150-200 million.

Need a lot more than 30 million.

The practice facility is the next priority for UND. A sizeable donation would probably be for that.

[GeauxSioux]

Yeah that's the one I liked too.

Oddly, that is not the one that was selected as part of the long term plan according to JLG. I say oddly, as I'm sure it faaaar less expensive. I guess if we are dreaming, we dreaming big.

My name is Lonnie Laffen and my firm - JLG Architects completed the Athletics Facilities Master Plan for UND. The current plan allots space for a new football stadium back on campus at a future time when the Alerus Center can no longer meet the needs of UND's Football program (20 years?). The plan allows for a new stadium of 25,000 seats with a retractable roof. The recently completed parking facility and a matching counterpart would be directly linked by skywalk. The master plan saves and integrates the existing Memorial Stadium seating section into the new stadium

[IrishSiouxFan]

Not to sound negative (or like a Bison fan), but I think Sioux football has to walk before it can run.

Joining the Big Sky is a good first step, but talk about a 25k retractable roof stadium isn't realistic at this point.

I don't think the Alerus is the cause of lower than desired attendance as much as the quality of play and the attractiveness of opponents has been. When you're losing to teams like Sioux Falls (I was at that game unfortunately) it's hard to get people back the next week, no way around it.

I think the timeline for Sioux football has to look something like this:

1) Get into a good conference. Done.

2) Promote to get people back into the seats to watch the Sioux play the new teams. I don't care how...give tickets away, give 4-wheelers away, tie it in with a concert, give them a pop and a bratwurst, autograph sessions...whatever it takes. And get the students back in the building, the last 2 times I was there the student section was almost empty, it was terrible. Do what it takes to get them there, regardless of hassle or cost, their energy makes the place alive. Schedule games at logical times, not Halloween night or early after a hockey game, guess what...kids party after hockey games, they won't come until 1 or 2 because they are sleeping, it's not hard to figure out.

3) Become competitive again. Obviously easier said than done, but nothing brings people like winning, and being able to compete with teams like EWU and the Montanas will bring people to watch, as will beating anybody else on the schedule. Win and they will come.

When UND gets to this point and has a winning program again and is filling the Alerus, then maybe we can talk about a different stadium, I personally like the drawing of the horseshoe Memorial, but until the team gets to that point I think any stadium chatter is just that.

I agree with you entirely, but if a wealthy donor(s) wants to put the cart before the horse and build us a new stadium and a training facility, I say go for it! Our recruiting would go up exponentially with facilities like that.