MTU field renovations

[champgymusa]

Re: MTU field renovations

Interesting take.

I highlighted two segments: First, you point out that "needs and resources vary widely" in D2. Then, you ask if "average attendance at MTU games is proportional to their enrollment". In my mind, if one truly understands and accepts that needs and resources vary widely, then there is no presumption of an accepted "proportion" of attendance to enrollment. What is said proportion, and by whom is it set/created? The varying needs of each school, program, student body, local community, etc. make such an axiom impossible to assert...not to mention irrelevant.

It's like saying that one understands that families have different incomes, needs, religions, etc., but then asserting that they all have to live in the same type of house and when they update the house they have to commit a certain amount of resources to doing it and it has to have a certain level of "impressiveness". Doesn't work that way.

For a program that was nearly disbanded 15 years ago to now have enough strength to warrant any kind of upgrade to its facilities is terrific. Add in that they average less than 2000 fans per game, have a decidedly limited population locally from which to pull fans, AND that they are really a hockey school, and I'd say that anything they can and are willing to do in this realm is pretty neat.

You're absolutely welcome to be "underwhelmed"...not telling you what opinion to have. Just offering another way of viewing things.

Well said Tony...I think many of us remember the battle at the Big House as part of the fund raising to help Tech keep the program. I wish they had a visitor locker room that a little closer but this is a really nice upgrade for the Huskies. Tech also has a great home game vibe with their band too. I know GVSU took pop ups to the game and did half time on the sidelines. The new shorter NCAA half time rules really hurt at Tech. Hope they get the snow gone and the buildings up!!

[MTUHusky1]

Re: MTU field renovations

Well said Tony...I think many of us remember the battle at the Big House as part of the fund raising to help Tech keep the program. I wish they had a visitor locker room that a little closer but this is a really nice upgrade for the Huskies. Tech also has a great home game vibe with their band too. I know GVSU took pop ups to the game and did half time on the sidelines. The new shorter NCAA half time rules really hurt at Tech. Hope they get the snow gone and the buildings up!!

Tech wishes they had a Home locker room a little closer :laugh:

[MTUHusky1]

Re: MTU field renovations

While this renovation looks to be a major upgrade over the current facilities at MT, I have to say that I'm pretty underwhelmed by the design shown in the renderings. Most major DII football stadium renovations that I have seen over the past 5 years or so are both larger and more aesthetically pleasing than what is presented by these renderings. I understand that needs and resources vary widely among DII football programs and their fanbases but I would expect that an institution with an enrollment around 7000 like MTU would aim a little higher when embarking on a major stadium renovation such as this. I know that this is largely a matter of opinion but I wonder if anyone else has a similar reaction to the renderings. Is average attendance at MTU football games not proportional to their enrollment?

I'm sure the majority of other fans will think this is an underwhelming upgrade, which may be the case for their school, but for Tech it is huge. If they went any bigger it would just be empty seats, which creates a negative atmosphere. The enrollment of 7000 is mostly engineering students, grad students and foreign students so not exactly the rabid sports fan base other schools might have. The community is a combined population of less than 10,000 people so there isn't a huge pool to draw from there either. Also, with the distance of travel to Houghton, there are very few visiting fans. Like Tony mentioned, the program was canceled 15 years ago before being saved last minute and, ever since, been mostly running on alumni donations and fundraising. All that being said, Tech still manages to produce a highly competitive team which keeps the deeply loyal small fan base coming game after game no matter sun, wind, rain, snow, snow or more snow. So as minor as the upgrade may seem to the outside, it is long overdue and will increase the game day atmosphere 10X for the fans attending and the players as well.

[TheCommissioner]

Re: MTU field renovations

I think the only way Tech can grow the attendance at football games is if they built an indoor stadium and had a winning team. Late in the season when the weather turns to crap and there's nothing to play for but pride, the interest really drops off. The fans tend to move indoors to the hockey arena. HEY! Wait a minute....there's a idea! Let's start Arena Football in the GLIAC!

[bigmrg74]

Re: MTU field renovations

I think the only way Tech can grow the attendance at football games is if they built an indoor stadium and had a winning team. Late in the season when the weather turns to crap and there's nothing to play for but pride, the interest really drops off. The fans tend to move indoors to the hockey arena. HEY! Wait a minute....there's a idea! Let's start Arena Football in the GLIAC!

Yeah, I don't think that MTU and Keweenaw Area could really handle having an indoor football stadium. The Yooper Dome in Marquette sits 8,000 for football and gets a lot of assorted events there.

[bigmrg74]

Re: MTU field renovations

Really hope that all of the rain they got up there in the Keweenaw there didn't mess up the field any. I've seen a lot of pictures of it from up there today and it looks like a disaster up there with a lot of washed out roads and some sinkholes as well.

[dvaara]

Re: MTU field renovations

Really hope that all of the rain they got up there in the Keweenaw there didn't mess up the field any. I've seen a lot of pictures of it from up there today and it looks like a disaster up there with a lot of washed out roads and some sinkholes as well.

I'm sure the field is fine

[champgymusa]

Re: MTU field renovations

I'm sure the field is fine

I was worried about all the loose dirt above with run off and all the stuff down the hills...I love going to play up there, its a long haul but they always play ya tough and the band is nuts...we did pop ups last year for half time and that worked out well...lots of Lakers pulling for the folks from Tech!!

[bigmrg74]

Re: MTU field renovations

I'm sure the field is fine

Yeah, but they had some ridiculous amount of water dumped on it in a hurry. Somewhere somebody said that they had like about an inch of water fall in about 5 minutes up there at one measuring station. That's like tropical storm/hurricane type of rain.

[MTUHusky1]

Re: MTU field renovations

Just heard the field is fine. We sure took a hit up here though! 60 sink holes and many washed out roads!

[dvaara]

Re: MTU field renovations

Yeah, but they had some ridiculous amount of water dumped on it in a hurry. Somewhere somebody said that they had like about an inch of water fall in about 5 minutes up there at one measuring station. That's like tropical storm/hurricane type of rain.

we had about 8 inches in 3 hours...I've never seen anything like it....the field is at the top of the hill which obviously helps

[dvaara]

Re: MTU field renovations

Just heard the field is fine. We sure took a hit up here though! 60 sink holes and many washed out roads!

bridges too....theyre worried about the canal run w sweedetown bridge wiped out....what happened in Hubbell is insane....Ripley got hit hard too....of course agate st and Sharon by taco Bell r horrific

[champgymusa]

Re: MTU field renovations

bridges too....theyre worried about the canal run w sweedetown bridge wiped out....what happened in Hubbell is insane....Ripley got hit hard too....of course agate st and Sharon by taco Bell r horrific

It is really heartbreaking as I am sure many of the structural issues will take a ton of time to fix and then of course the insurance companies will fight claiming you should have had flood insurance, ect...please let me know if anyone starts up a donation drive to help out...

[dvaara]

Re: MTU field renovations

It is really heartbreaking as I am sure many of the structural issues will take a ton of time to fix and then of course the insurance companies will fight claiming you should have had flood insurance, ect...please let me know if anyone starts up a donation drive to help out...

thanks...there r plenty of those going on.... people throughout the u.p ..have shown up to help dig mud out of basements or whatever else...the local radio is saying they have more volunteers than there is need for...we yoopers r a little crazy at times but when sh## hits the fan we drop everything to help thise in need.... even w a little old Milwaukee flowing:wink:

[champgymusa]

Re: MTU field renovations

thanks...there r plenty of those going on.... people throughout the u.p ..have shown up to help dig mud out of basements or whatever else...the local radio is saying they have more volunteers than there is need for...we yoopers r a little crazy at times but when sh## hits the fan we drop everything to help thise in need.... even w a little old Milwaukee flowing:wink:

O I know...Darling daughter lived there for 6 years...still has a summer place in Copper Harbor...best kind of nuts in the world up there!!