Stadium Expansion for 2012

[bobbyake]

I'm wondering if it's in the works to expand the reserved seating capacity again like they did last year. The entire reserve section was sold out for 2011 and the only way to get reserved seats is through season tickets.

[zen]

here's your expanded seating.

move the football team out to first energy field

[bobbyake]

I remember someone saying that it's not possible because of the dimensions. On Google Maps, the soccer field isn't built yet but the practice field has the soccer lines.

I took a screen capture of the practice field and placed it into Infocision using the same size. There's plenty of room to fit a soccer field.

[bisbee]

here's your expanded seating.

move the football team out to first energy field

Now THAT'S a plan

[robh91]

I remember someone saying that it's not possible because of the dimensions. On Google Maps, the soccer field isn't built yet but the practice field has the soccer lines.

I took a screen capture of the practice field and placed it into Infocision using the same size. There's plenty of room to fit a soccer field.

I could be wrong, but isn't the actual field a lot wider than the practice field? I remember hearing that Porter had it expanded when they were working on the field to fit Akron's style better. I haven't been able to find any dimensions online though...

[Kiel Fleming]

I could be wrong, but isn't the actual field a lot wider than the practice field? I remember hearing that Porter had it expanded when they were working on the field to fit Akron's style better. I haven't been able to find any dimensions online though...

You're correct. Akron's soccer field plays at the maximum width and length, which I think is 120 yards long by 80 yards wide. Football fields are only 53 1/3 yards wide. Even with the added space on the sidelines It wouldn't fit.

[bobbyake]

I could be wrong, but isn't the actual field a lot wider than the practice field? I remember hearing that Porter had it expanded when they were working on the field to fit Akron's style better. I haven't been able to find any dimensions online though...

You're correct. Akron's soccer field plays at the maximum width and length, which I think is 120 yards long by 80 yards wide. Football fields are only 53 1/3 yards wide. Even with the added space on the sidelines It wouldn't fit.

technically, they could reduce the pitch a little to fit. There is no standard, just guidelines.

Pitch dimensions

Find out the size details of a football pitch.

Did you know that not all pitches are the same size?

The length of a pitch must be between 100 yards (90m) and 130 yards (120m) and the width not less than 50 yards (45m) and not more than 100 yards (90m).

And what about where most of the action happens - the penalty box?

It is also known as the 18-yard-box, with the smaller area - marked out inside it - called the six-yard-box.

This is where some of the world's best strikers earn their living.

And for all you penalty takers - or savers - out there, the most famous spot in football sits 12 yards (11m) from goal.

Last, but not least, that wooden thing at each end of the pitch they call the goal.

Think you know how big it is? It's eight feet high (2.44m) and eight yards wide (7.32m).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/r...ent/4200666.stm

[Let'sGoZips94]

I remember someone saying that it's not possible because of the dimensions. On Google Maps, the soccer field isn't built yet but the practice field has the soccer lines.

I took a screen capture of the practice field and placed it into Infocision using the same size. There's plenty of room to fit a soccer field.

Just move the walls back a little bit. Mission accomplished.

[Zip_ME87]

I could be wrong, but isn't the actual field a lot wider than the practice field? I remember hearing that Porter had it expanded when they were working on the field to fit Akron's style better. I haven't been able to find any dimensions online though...

You're correct. Akron's soccer field plays at the maximum width and length, which I think is 120 yards long by 80 yards wide. Football fields are only 53 1/3 yards wide. Even with the added space on the sidelines It wouldn't fit.

I'm unsure of the length, but I believe Cub Cadet Field is only 77 or 78 yards wide...not the full 8o yards.

[Z.I.P.]

Thanks guys. We can dream, can't we?!

[fknbuflobo]

Bobert,

Thanks for the interesting refresher on field dimensions. I have heard this parlance (seemingly) my entire life: The 6- yard box, the 12-yard spot, the 18-yard box, the D, the circle, touchline, etc.

Diminishing First Energy field dimensions is an extraordinarily bad idea. There is a very good reason Porter specified the size of the new field. He wants to recruit a certain type of player for a certain playing style. A narrow field necessitates a typical Big10 roster to play a direct style with lots of long ball and heading. Remember that Porter wants to change American soccer in order to compete better internationally.

Field dimensions really hurt Zips vs. Charlotte. A very narrow pitch enabled 49ers to easily clog the middle with larger, slower, less agile, more physical players. Zips could not play the ball into the Midfield. Can someone get the dimensions to TransAmerica? The touch looked really close to the box.

[bobbyake]

Bobert,

Thanks for the interesting refresher on field dimensions. I have heard this parlance (seemingly) my entire life: The 6- yard box, the 12-yard spot, the 18-yard box, the D, the circle, touchline, etc.

Diminishing First Energy field dimensions is an extraordinarily bad idea. There is a very good reason Porter specified the size of the new field. He wants to recruit a certain type of player for a certain playing style. A narrow field necessitates a typical Big10 roster to play a direct style with lots of long ball and heading. Remember that Porter wants to change American soccer in order to compete better internationally.

Field dimensions really hurt Zips vs. Charlotte. A very narrow pitch enabled 49ers to easily clog the middle with larger, slower, less agile, more physical players. Zips could not play the ball into the Midfield. Can someone get the dimensions to TransAmerica? The touch looked really close to the box.

google maps doesn't have Cup Cadet built or else I could play around with this for a comparison.

I don't think we're serious about moving into Infocision. Are we?? Just showing that it's actually possible to play soccer in it.

To stay on topic though, I think First Energy Stadium could use an expansion on the reserved side.

[akzipper]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

[bobbyake]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

I would rather see Akron end the football program than trade in our National Championship. No one cares about soccer outside of Akron? Sounds like you're living in the past. Soccer is growing rapidly in the US. http://zipsnation.org/forums//index.php?showtopic=24678

[bobbyake]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

did you know your statement is up for the Dumbest Statement on Zipsnation for The Year award? are you looking to add another?

Awesome, wonderful news.

Has this been the worst couple days to be a Zips fan ever? For anyone not keeping track, the soccer team was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. After much hype, Tressel will not be coming to Akron. The basketball team got destroyed the other day, and now this. We still don't know what happened to Rico and how long he will be out, hopefully he will be back soon, but I don't expect the same from Tree after this Can't-esque behavior.

Welcome to NE Ohio.

Are you new here?

We haven't had anything good happen for us since 1964, it's not changing anytime soon.

Dumbest statement of the year??

2005

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

There's plenty more.

[fknbuflobo]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

YOU are the embarrassment. OUR school is sick of YOU. Please exit in an orderly fashion.

About the ONLY thing the entire world cares about simultaneously is soccer. Globalization already happened. Sorry you missed the memo.

Is there really a Dumbest ZNO Statement of The Year award? How can we vote? Is some sort of temporary banishment involved?

[Z.I.P.]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! How cute. Sounds like someone's still upset that they had their toy coach taken away from them!

And I don't know where akzipper comes from, but on the planet where I live, football (or "soccer" as he terms it) is the biggest sporting and cultural event in the lives of most of our people. At one time religion held sway over the lives of common men, but we have now replaced that with football. Still, we seem to have maintained a certain magnanimous humility about our sporting/cultural lives, at least compared to those civilizations for which sport still is a proxy for warfare. We were surprised that when we eliminated our armies, our athletes actually began to exhibit less hostility to opposing teams, and sportsmanship has overflowed. Now our sporting clubs are exemplars of the cooperative attitude that underlies our international trade alliances. Sports has become a tool for maintaining peace and sharing in our planet's sustainable prosperity.

Just kidding. Ahhhhhhhhh! How I would love to live on THAT planet.

[akzipper]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! How cute. Sounds like someone's still upset that they had their toy coach taken away from them!

And I don't know where akzipper comes from, but on the planet where I live, football (or "soccer" as he terms it) is the biggest sporting and cultural event in the lives of most of our people. At one time religion held sway over the lives of common men, but we have now replaced that with football. Still, we seem to have maintained a certain magnanimous humility about our sporting/cultural lives, at least compared to those civilizations for which sport still is a proxy for warfare. We were surprised that when we eliminated our armies, our athletes actually began to exhibit less hostility to opposing teams, and sportsmanship has overflowed. Now our sporting clubs are exemplars of the cooperative attitude that underlies our international trade alliances. Sports has become a tool for maintaining peace and sharing in our planet's sustainable prosperity.

Just kidding. Ahhhhhhhhh! How I would love to live on THAT planet.

If you're referring to Tressel, I said from the day Ianello was fired that we had ZERO chance of getting him.

[Z.I.P.]

Put ever cent into hiring a football coach, I don't care about soccer and no one outside of Akron does either. I'm sick of our school being an embarrassment. I'd trade that damn National Championship for a .500 record in a heartbeat

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! How cute. Sounds like someone's still upset that they had their toy coach taken away from them!

And I don't know where akzipper comes from, but on the planet where I live, football (or "soccer" as he terms it) is the biggest sporting and cultural event in the lives of most of our people. At one time religion held sway over the lives of common men, but we have now replaced that with football. Still, we seem to have maintained a certain magnanimous humility about our sporting/cultural lives, at least compared to those civilizations for which sport still is a proxy for warfare. We were surprised that when we eliminated our armies, our athletes actually began to exhibit less hostility to opposing teams, and sportsmanship has overflowed. Now our sporting clubs are exemplars of the cooperative attitude that underlies our international trade alliances. Sports has become a tool for maintaining peace and sharing in our planet's sustainable prosperity.

Just kidding. Ahhhhhhhhh! How I would love to live on THAT planet.

If you're referring to Tressel, I said from the day Ianello was fired that we had ZERO chance of getting him.

Well then, I apologize! You have to excuse me, as I've been doing everything in my power to avoid the American football coaching discussion. Those minor sports can really get in the way of supporting the best and cleanest team in NCAA men's soccer. Have a nice day!

[Zip_ME87]

Those minor sports can really get in the way of supporting the best and cleanest team in NCAA men's soccer.

+1

As I've told Caleb Porter, I have front row seats to the GREATEST show in college sports!

[g-mann17]

Ok, this whole thing is stupid. Someone send an e-mail to the athletic department and ask about continued expansion.

As for soccer/olympic sports/non revenue vs. football.

Soccer supporters - like it or not you are in the US, football is king here, it likely always will be.

Football purests - that soccer national championship did more for this school then the football program has done since the MAC championship (look at fundraising, this past year was the highest fundraising totals since 2006).

The real bottom line is that the programs aren't competing with each other, and we are better off having as much success in as many sports as possible. Anybody that roots against any Akron program, for any reason, is not a real Zip.

[zen]

Soccer supporters - like it or not you are in the US, football is king here, it likely always will be.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

I have been a fan of american football since I was 10 years old.

I doubt anything would ever replace the deeply ingrained involvement I developed for football, but that is just me, and I could easily see Soccer growing in my sports world. Right now, you can find football all over the TV on saturdays and sundays. Soccer is something you have to search for. That is an advantage that will go away some day.

And I am just a generation. It may take a few generations, but I could see soccer on the top of the heap in the U.S. eventually.

[Zip_ME87]

Ok, this whole thing is stupid. Someone send an e-mail to the athletic department and ask about continued expansion.

As for soccer/olympic sports/non revenue vs. football.

Soccer supporters - like it or not you are in the US, football is king here, it likely always will be.

Football purests - that soccer national championship did more for this school then the football program has done since the MAC championship (look at fundraising, this past year was the highest fundraising totals since 2006).

The real bottom line is that the programs aren't competing with each other, and we are better off having as much success in as many sports as possible. Anybody that roots against any Akron program, for any reason, is not a real Zip.

Ok, since I don't want to be misinterpreted...I took ZIP's statement "Those minor sports can really get in the way of supporting the best and cleanest team in NCAA men's soccer." in the way I believe he meant it, facetiously. I root for all Zips' sports. I'm not able to attend them all, but I certainly don't root against any of them. I love it when any of our athletes/teams are successful. Yours or anyone's opinion on soccer's popularity in the US vs American Football doesn't matter to me. Thanks to our Mens Soccer team, I personally have come to appreciate and love soccer more than American Football. That's my opinion and that's all it is. Go Zips!

[Crew8]

I wish all the success to Akron's other sports programs, but the fact is I don't follow other sports like I do soccer. Its soccer 24/7 for me. I never visit another board on zipsnation.org, my bookmark is connected directly to here. I'm having withdraw right now with no MLS or Akron Zips to follow during the evenings. The weekend, its morning to afternoon filled with Serie A, EPL, A-League, etc. I don't have time to watch college football or NFL. Doesn't mean I don't support Akron's other sports programs, but soccer is my addiction. Its my way of life.

[Zip_ME87]

I wish all the success to Akron's other sports programs, but the fact is I don't follow other sports like I do soccer. Its soccer 24/7 for me. I never visit another board on zipsnation.org, my bookmark is connected directly to here. I'm having withdraw right now with no MLS or Akron Zips to follow during the evenings. The weekend, its morning to afternoon filled with Serie A, EPL, A-League, etc. I don't have time to watch college football or NFL. Doesn't mean I don't support Akron's other sports programs, but soccer is my addiction. Its my way of life.

Wow am I with you! Can't wait until the GA offers start flowing in December (so we know who is most likely leaving/staying) and the MLS draft in January. Followed by MLS in March, US U23 qualifying, and Zips Soccer Spring schedule.