It's a critical move either way, and at absolutely a critical time in college athletics history. This is when the haves and have nots are separating and we're fortunate to be in the "haves" category for now. We have to invest like a Big Ten program and all the money invested in facilities to this point shows that and the stadium rebuild will complete our facilities buildout...I think the new stadium project should move forward. I think it will be a boon to NU, the communities and to the BigTen.
The demolition of the old Qualcomm Stadium and new Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley here in San Diego is a good example of the positives of a new stadium hosting many events and teams besides college football including professional women’s soccer and professional men’s rugby. It’s a beautiful new stadium that replaced an aged facility. I’m hopeful NU can move forward with this project esp. with the new management changes requested by the communities. It’s a long-term move NU needs to make if it wants to stay in the BigTen.
No you're not; they went with the almost absurdly high ask and planned to bring it down the whole time. That was the first thing I thought when I saw it "oh this is a much more reasonable ask".Am I too conspiracy-theorist to think they planned to make these concessions all along, and started high so they could look like good-faith negotiators here?
Part of me also wonders if they announced or offered up the Wrigley Neighbors model (where basically anyone in or adjacent to Wrigleyville gets a presale for every concert and event they hold there...nearly a 100% guarantee that you can get tickets to everything you want).
No you're not; they went with the almost absurdly high ask and planned to bring it down the whole time. That was the first thing I thought when I saw it "oh this is a much more reasonable ask".
Made perfect sense with the expected opposition. Big portion of the opposition wouldn't have been satisfied unless Ryan Field is permanently closed.So they negotiated well?
Should include a sports book.
Must I? Those towns are like islands in an ocean of corn?Try Des Moines and Iowa City.
Amana Colonies are fun to visit.Must I? Those towns are like islands in an ocean of corn?
This is an ignorant, uninformed statement. Neighbors are not against the stadium. They’re opposed to rezoning a residential neighborhood into an entertainment district.Made perfect sense with the expected opposition. Big portion of the opposition wouldn't have been satisfied unless Ryan Field is permanently closed.
Ignorant? Uninformed? That’s what we do, and we do it with gusto.This is an ignorant, uninformed statement.
Don’t worry the NU Administration will cave in to the Public pressure and reduce seating to 2000.No you're not; they went with the almost absurdly high ask and planned to bring it down the whole time. That was the first thing I thought when I saw it "oh this is a much more reasonable ask".
I don't think NU has a choice on that. It's not just about the $800 million cost, of which I suspect $200-250 million will be debt born by the AD that needs to be paid off over the next 20 years.This is an ignorant, uninformed statement. Neighbors are not against the stadium. They’re opposed to rezoning a residential neighborhood into an entertainment district.
He is just pointing out that some of the opposition would not be satisfied with anything other than getting rid of it completely and they generally tend to be the most vocal. In a big enough group, there is always a group with an extreme view that nothing will satisfyThis is an ignorant, uninformed statement. Neighbors are not against the stadium. They’re opposed to rezoning a residential neighborhood into an entertainment district.
The athletic tide is moving against schools such as Northwestern, Duke, Vandy, etc. It's all about the big bucks now. NU is probably OK for a few years, but football will eventually move to a super league model. I'm old, and with the elimination of divisions, Northwestern likely will not be in another B1G title game in my lifetime. The odds of the Cats getting in the title game by beating out all but one of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and even Wisconsin and Iowa in a given year are probably about the same as my chances of winning a million in a lottery drawing.I don't think NU has a choice on that. It's not just about the $800 million cost, of which I suspect $200-250 million will be debt born by the AD that needs to be paid off over the next 20 years.
It's also about competing in the Big Ten.
With our attendance levels (and a 35k seat max), our revenue levels just pale in comparison to most. This is the only way to get revenue levels to where they need to be to compete, especially if we get to a pay-for-play kind of world where the AD is shifting money directly to athletes out of conference distributions.
If 20-25% of the conference distributions get shifted to players eventually (a realistic possibility), that gap has to be made up somewhere else. Definitely won't be made up in the 6-7 FB home games.
And it doesn't even seem likely that Evanston will allow this (given 3-4 of the board are already on record against it), so we'll see what happens.
I think you're right about this, especially when it comes to football. Medium-sized, nationally-based private schools can compete in D1 basketball as shown by Duke. But I can imagine a day when Northwestern, Stanford, Vandy, Cal and Duke may be forced out of the Power 4? and will need to create their own conference, at least for football. We could stay Div 1 for all of the other sports.The athletic tide is moving against schools such as Northwestern, Duke, Vandy, etc. It's all about the big bucks now.
I think you mean the Global Hub, not the Allen Center.Northwestern has imposed limits on itself after the mass overages on the Allen Center (Kellogg) and the Field House.
Entertainment District? Hardly.This is an ignorant, uninformed statement. Neighbors are not against the stadium. They’re opposed to rezoning a residential neighborhood into an entertainment district.
At least you have a far lesser chance to be shot/robbed etc..Must I? Those towns are like islands in an ocean of corn?
Sure it will be that big?? At least there should be enough parkingDon’t worry the NU Administration will cave in to the Public pressure and reduce seating to 2000.
Would not go that far. They have not got it done yetSo they negotiated well?
That’s what the text amendment to the land use board is requesting.Entertainment District? Hardly.
It's fair to have doubt (I have plenty myself), and a lot will change over the next 10-15 years. Not even clear what "top level" CFB will look like in a decade: at some point the players will be getting paid directly by the universities or out of conference distributions to the universities.The athletic tide is moving against schools such as Northwestern, Duke, Vandy, etc. It's all about the big bucks now. NU is probably OK for a few years, but football will eventually move to a super league model. I'm old, and with the elimination of divisions, Northwestern likely will not be in another B1G title game in my lifetime. The odds of the Cats getting in the title game by beating out but one of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and even Wisconsin and Iowa in a given year are probably about the same as my changes of winning a million in a lottery drawing.
They built a beautiful $200 million-plus practice facility on the lake that was supposed to be a big boost in recruiting with the result that they've gone 3-9 and 1-11 the last two seasons and become embroiled in a major controversy. All hazing allegations aside, Fitz likely would have been on thin ice at most programs not named Northwestern for the way the team has totally collapsed the past two seasons. The hiring of that defensive coordinator was on him, and the offense hasn't really shown any spark since the Justin Jackson days.
So I wish them the best and hope the new $800 million edifice works, but it's safe to say I have my doubts.
Why is it going to die? The big boys aren’t going anywhere and neither are their alumni/donors.If schools start paying athletes directly (the introduction of NIL has already tainted it for me), I suspect college football as we know it will also start to die, and a new stadium will eventually be moot.
The NFL doesn't have a minor league. So they have guys preparing in college. Most of those guys don't belong in college, but have nowhere else to go to pursue their (brief) careers.Why is it going to die? The big boys aren’t going anywhere and neither are their alumni/donors.
The athletic tide is moving against schools such as Northwestern, Duke, Vandy, etc. It's all about the big bucks now. NU is probably OK for a few years, but football will eventually move to a super league model. I'm old, and with the elimination of divisions, Northwestern likely will not be in another B1G title game in my lifetime. The odds of the Cats getting in the title game by beating out all but one of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and even Wisconsin and Iowa in a given year are probably about the same as my chances of winning a million in a lottery drawing.
They built a beautiful $200 million-plus practice facility on the lake that was supposed to be a big boost in recruiting with the result that they've gone 3-9 and 1-11 the last two seasons and become embroiled in a major controversy. All hazing allegations aside, Fitz likely would have been on thin ice at most programs not named Northwestern for the way the team has totally collapsed the past two seasons. The hiring of that defensive coordinator was on him, and the offense hasn't really shown any spark since the Justin Jackson days.
So I wish them the best and hope the new $800 million edifice works, but it's safe to say I have my doubts.