https://247sports.com/college/florida-state/Board/36/Contents/Alabama-set-to-reduce-total-capacity-120746715/
You all are exactly right about behavior changing. While FSU reduced capacity two years ago, it was not for the sake of reducing capacity rather to add amenities that fans are demanding.
When we brought architects into Doak Howser Stadium we didn't say we wanted to reduce capacity, we asked the architects to imagine a better Doak and what they all showed us were wider seats, deeper rows to accommodate chairbacks, wider aisles with hand rails, and more congregating areas which are all seat killers.
When we brought architects into Doak Howser Stadium we didn't say we wanted to reduce capacity, we asked the architects to imagine a better Doak and what they all showed us were wider seats, deeper rows to accommodate chairbacks, wider aisles with hand rails, and more congregating areas which are all seat killers.
After all the plans were done we had a net seat loss of about 3500 seats.
The Champions Club was the first phase of re-imagining Doak. The next phases -- which will happen down the road a little -- will imagine the sideline bowl and a further reduction in capacity. The sketches I've been a part of imagine a mid level concourse, with the upper 30-35 rows of seats cantilevered about 6-8 rows over the lower level sections (like it is in the Champions Club) which ads some additional capacity and nice covered rows.
The preliminary sketches imagine a capacity of slightly more than 70,000.
The key thing is to create experiences fans want which means a variety for us to enjoy as we move through the age cycle. When we are young, we enjoy roughing it, a mosh pit, meeting people, etc. As we age and have children, our spouses are looking for something more family friendly and a clean restroom to take the kids into. Before you know it, one of you can't climb stairs and needs an elevator and an easier path to your seat.
It happens. And a good stadium needs to have all of those experiences available. We have some of each right now but we need to keep evolving which is what Bama is doing right now and not just reducing capacity.
One side benefit of reduced capacity is fewer cars and therefore less traffic on the streets and in the parking lots, concessions and bathrooms. All that stuff makes the experience more fun.
And finally... I think nothing beats the game day experience with all the pageantry, seeing old friends (and great looking college kids), marching chiefs, Osceola and Renegade and all the traditions. How many good people you are happy to see do you run into at a home game? Dozens.
I get the man cave and the big screen TV but I am too social of a person to seclude myself on the most-exciting weekends of the year. I want emersion. I don't want to cut the lawn before the game. Or have the family pulling at me to do this or do that. I want to be all in on game day, at the stadium, in the crowd, the whole deal.
Nothing beats the family re-union that is a home game. My two cents.
more amenities...
Jerry Kutz is Sr. VP of Seminole Boosters and was co-founder and columnist of the Osceola. Contact jkutz@admin.fsu.edu or 850-644-4612.
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