Seating For Football At The Alerus

[SiouxMD]

Seems UND's parking ramp lone tower bears a striking resemblance to one at Central Oklahoma:

That will never do! Where is the retractable roof?

[The Sicatoka]

That will never do! Where is the retractable roof?

Retracted?

[SiouxMD]

Retracted?

[The Sicatoka]

The steel for a bridge to a tower in an empty parking lot is on site and being assembled.

[Rick]

The steel for a bridge to a tower in an empty parking lot is on site and being assembled.

That's good to hear. Now we know that the bridge to no-where is at least going somewhere.

[GeauxSioux]

New meaning to the term "sky boxes".

[bincitysioux]

I got a call from the ticket office today saying that my seats were being moved. Not a big deal to me because my new seats will actually be a little better than my old ones. Here's the deal though: I have been sitting on the 15 yard line on the visitors' side for 3 years right next to the band. I was told today that the NCAA has told UND that the band cannot be in between the 20 yard lines, so they're being moved to my section. But I always thought the NCAA didn't have a say until it was an NCAA-sponsored event like a playoff game for which the band and students have always been moved from their regular spots the last few years? And if that is the case, after this year, there won't be any NCAA-sponsored events in the Alerus until 2012 at the earliest. So why the change now?

Oh yeah.......this season I will have the band to my left, and the students to my right. Pray for me!

[Hammersmith]

I got a call from the ticket office today saying that my seats were being moved. Not a big deal to me because my new seats will actually be a little better than my old ones. Here's the deal though: I have been sitting on the 15 yard line on the visitors' side for 3 years right next to the band. I was told today that the NCAA has told UND that the band cannot be in between the 20 yard lines, so they're being moved to my section. But I always thought the NCAA didn't have a say until it was an NCAA-sponsored event like a playoff game for which the band and students have always been moved from their regular spots the last few years? And if that is the case, after this year, there won't be any NCAA-sponsored events in the Alerus until 2012 at the earliest. So why the change now?

Oh yeah.......this season I will have the band to my left, and the students to my right. Pray for me!

Reading through the NCAA rules for football as well as the DI and DII championship rule books, this is what I've found: There is no rule forcing UND to move the band for non-playoff games, nor are there any rule changes recently enacted that would do the same. Also, DII championship rules would force the band outside the 25, not the 20, and only if the band is on the visitor's side. Additionally, that rule only applies to DII playoffs; DI playoffs do not have that rule. Finally, DI playoffs do not allow a student section(which a band might be considered part of) to be situated within the 25's unless there is track or a 10 row buffer between the visiting team's bench and the students. That rule does not apply to regular season games.

My guess is that someone within the UND athletic department or the Alerus does not want to deal with moving season ticket holders around for playoff games, so they're going to do it now and blame the NCAA(since Sioux fans hate them already anyway). Either that, or there was a miscommunication between the decision-makers and the person you talked to. The NCAA should not be to blame for this one. It could also be a business decision to free up the better seats in preparation for a FSC fee level increase.

[Goon]

My guess is that someone within the UND athletic department or the Alerus does not want to deal with moving season ticket holders around for playoff games, so they're going to do it now and blame the NCAA(since Sioux fans hate them already anyway).

Works for me...

[PCM]

The NCAA should not be to blame for this one.

You could be right. However, it wouldn't be the first time that the NCAA misapplied or misinterpreted its own rules.

[The Sicatoka]

From another thread:

A brief story which stated that if UND outgrows the Alerus Center then Memorial Stadium could be expanded to seat 25-35k by adding onto both ends.

UND still has a one year contract with the Alerus.

More talk of Alerus and capacity. And what better place to put it than into the "bridge to nowhere" thread.

[PartTime]

From another thread:

More talk of Alerus and capacity. And what better place to put it than into the "bridge to nowhere" thread.

Usually when I see a thread that I have little to no interest in, I glance over it and go on or just not even go into it. Yet, there are others that feel they must respond just for the sake of whatever reason.

What I found interesting about it was up untill yesterday, I had heard that the long range plans were for a new 25,000+ seat stadium where Memorial stadium sits with the end zones running East & West. What they were talking about yesterday is to expand the current Memorial stadium. Is this something that will happen regardless of Alerus expansion? It was this spring or last fall (maybe even a little before that), when the subject of trying to expand the Alerus center for football was mentioned to city council president Hal Gershman, he mentioned something to the fact that if it could, before the city would pump a lot of money into the Alerus center for expansion, they would need a long term commitment from UND.

[darell1976]

Usually when I see a thread that I have little to no interest in, I glance over it and go on or just not even go into it. Yet, there are others that feel they must respond just for the sake of whatever reason.

What I found interesting about it was up untill yesterday, I had heard that the long range plans were for a new 25,000+ seat stadium where Memorial stadium sits with the end zones running East & West. What they were talking about yesterday is to expand the current Memorial stadium. Is this something that will happen regardless of Alerus expansion? It was this spring or last fall (maybe even a little before that), when the subject of trying to expand the Alerus center for football was mentioned to city council president Hal Gershman, he mentioned something to the fact that if it could, before the city would pump a lot of money into the Alerus center for expansion, they would need a long term commitment from UND.

So would they tear out the historic west side of the stadium which has been up since like 1927 and rearrange the stadium for a east-west field or would they leave that and just add seats to the north and south ends of the stadium plus move the very crappy scoreboard.

[bincitysioux]

So would they tear out the historic west side of the stadium which has been up since like 1927 and rearrange the stadium for a east-west field or would they leave that and just add seats to the north and south ends of the stadium plus move the very crappy scoreboard.

The WDAZ story the other night said that the west side would stay in tact, perhaps some remodeling, but would not be torn down. A horseshoe on one endzone or even seating in both endzones could possibly be added.

[bincitysioux]

So would they tear out the historic west side of the stadium which has been up since like 1927 and rearrange the stadium for a east-west field or would they leave that and just add seats to the north and south ends of the stadium plus move the very crappy scoreboard.

The WDAZ story the other night said that the west side would stay in tact, perhaps some remodeling, but would not be torn down. A horseshoe on one endzone or even seating in both endzones could possibly be added.

[spearman]

The WDAZ story the other night said that the west side would stay in tact, perhaps some remodeling, but would not be torn down. A horseshoe on one endzone or even seating in both endzones could possibly be added.

If the city won't add a practice facility at the Alerus and also add seats to the dome, like 10,000 then UND will go back on campus and add an east stadium and close the south to make a 25,000 seat horseshoe. Old REA would go down and become indoor practice facility. The east end of the surface lot would become soccer and another ramp is slated for the west end of the surface lot connecting via the new skyway to the new Swanson ramp.

Actually I think that Canad Inns will end up buying the Alerus dome/ConCen. for $80 mill and build the practice facility and add the necessary seats for football. Their attempt at building a new Bluebomber stadium fell through so they are in the market for a domed facility to increase their revenues in GF.

[The Sicatoka]

... add a practice facility at the Alerus and also add seats to the dome, like 10,000 ...

Where would you put either in/on/at the existing facility?

[SiouxMD]

Alerus Center looks at $5.4 million upgrade - GF Herald

If the City Council gives the go-ahead, the center would spend $5.4 million to jazz up the building

[GeauxSioux]

Alerus Center looks at $5.4 million upgrade - GF Herald

I thought the 10-year agreement was already signed a while back.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

I wonder if it would be possible to play the first couple of home games at memorial (when the weather is nice) and then the later ones at the Alerus? Just an idea...

[GeauxSioux]

I'm looking forward to the new stadium.

[GeauxSioux]

Where did that come from? It looks awesome!!

Dream home for Division I

Facilities Future

[SiouxMD]

Alerus Center looks at $5.4 million upgrade - GF Herald

Alerus Center upgrade planned - www.kxmb.com

Grand Forks City Council members say they'll spend $665,600 to upgrade the city's events center if the University of North Dakota signs a 10-year contract to play Football there.

The city has had no long-term contract with UND since the Alerus Center opened in 2001.

$665,600 IF UND signs a 10-year contract? How many upgrades (from a football standpoint) can one do for $665,600?

[RD17]

The Alerus Center is not big enough long-term for D-I football... with only 12,500 permanent seats there simply isn't enough room. Now before anyone jumps down my throat and says "the games aren't selling out now" keep in mind that the building was only 1,000 short of capacity in the opener against TAMUK and if the attendance patterns of neighboring schools that have moved up are any indicator, the demand for 15,000+ seats will be there within 3-4 years.

Commiting to anything long-term with the Alerus would be a mistake IMO, unless the facility is looking at expansion. If you ask me, the University must commit itself to finding a solution to the football seating problem or risk handicapping itself during the D-I move.

[The Walrus]

The Alerus Center is not big enough long-term for D-I football... with only 12,500 permanent seats there simply isn't enough room. Now before anyone jumps down my throat and says "the games aren't selling out now" keep in mind that the building was only 1,000 short of capacity in the opener against TAMUK and if the attendance patterns of neighboring schools that have moved up are any indicator, the demand for 15,000+ seats will be there within 3-4 years.

Commiting to anything long-term with the Alerus would be a mistake IMO, unless the facility is looking at expansion. If you ask me, the University must commit itself to finding a solution to the football seating problem or risk handicapping itself during the D-I move.

I agree...

My question would be how do you see us increasing attendance? Marketing? Opponents? Then if we can achieve the growth in attendance will it hold in a outdoor stadium in North Dakota? My fears have always been the population growth has not been great enough to support. We have what I consider a aging population. We will need to grow the population base (imo) and also Market better in the surrounding communities to come and enjoy a Football experience. It will be more difficult however, if it is outside in below zero weather.