Stadium Mock-up from Osborne Design

[Z.I.P.]

I wanted to bring this thread over to soccer which was mentioned under the JAR Arena and downtown arena thread.http://www.osportsarch.com/Portfolio.aspxClick on Master Planning and UA Soccer Stadium links on left of page (then download the adobe window on right for view of stadium area). In my opinion, this drawing shows a stadium that would be too small for what the program is going to need after we become consistent national title contenders. It only appears to seat maybe 2000-2500 on one side of the field - without the hill or space for blankets/folding chairs on the other. Dollars are obviously at a premium at this time, but maybe they should wait another year to get it right. What do you long-time Zip footballers think?

[Zippysgotagun]

I wanted to bring this thread over to soccer which was mentioned under the JAR Arena and downtown arena thread.http://www.osportsarch.com/Portfolio.aspxClick on Master Planning and UA Soccer Stadium links on left of page (then download the adobe window on right for view of stadium area). In my opinion, this drawing shows a stadium that would be too small for what the program is going to need after we become consistent national title contenders. It only appears to seat maybe 2000-2500 on one side of the field - without the hill or space for blankets/folding chairs on the other. Dollars are obviously at a premium at this time, but maybe they should wait another year to get it right. What do you long-time Zip footballers think?

Design looks ok to me. 2500 is a decent grandstand number with the bermed seating areas able to catch overflow (including the goal patrol!). I just want to know where they're going to put it. Will it be built over the current "stadium" site?

[ZippyRulz]

Those drawings show it at the current site. I don't see how Osborne would get $10,000,000 (8 figures) as shown in the PDF just for the architecture/planning for that facility. I'm disappointed if the U. can't shop around for a better offer than that.

[Buckzip]

Those drawings show it at the current site. I don't see how Osborne would get $10,000,000 (8 figures) as shown in the PDF just for the architecture/planning for that facility. I'm disappointed if the U. can't shop around for a better offer than that.

That amount is more than the entire project should cost.

[skip-zip]

I'm really curious about something, if someone who is really knowledgable about college soccer can help me.After being a big supporter of Zips athletics over the past few decades, I must admit that I never attended a soccer game until last season. On a very nice fall night, I went to the Michigan game. because I felt that a premier college "name" would be the game to go to. I had a great time...much more exciting than I expected from a 1-0 soccer game. And I'd guess that there was maybe 500-1,000 people there that day. But I could be wrong. My question is....does anyone know what the attendance numbers are for some of the other good soccer programs in the country? Not that I expect us to draw like an ACC school, but what can we reasonably expect? It would seem to me that with the limited interest in Akron Soccer, even being a good program year after year, that 2,500 seats is more than enough to handle even the biggest crowds we would get.

[Blue & Gold]

I was curious about the same thing. I would be willing to bet that our administration doesn't really know how big to build the stadium because of the on-going evolution of soccer in the U.S.I am absolutely NO expert, but soccer seems to be a bit of an enigma in the U.S. right now. I'd say for the past 6-8 years I've known more little kids playing youth league soccer as opposed to youth football. So is soccer blowing up in our country, or not? Are all these little kids, some of whom aren't so little anymore, going to be college and MLS soccer fans? Watching the Seattle Sounders game was very impressive - I'll bet there were 40,000 people at that game.Is our country still fragmented when it comes to soccer? Is it more popular in some regions as opposed to other regions?Perhaps a good question for our athletic department's planning would be how many people Indiana averages for their soccer matches? IU may be a good, successful mid-western program by which to gauge our progress? Additionally, IU is probably Caleb Porter's default setting when it comes to measuring the Zips' program.

[ndzeigler]

There were a few thousand people at the home opener this year. A lot of people like to sit up on the hill though; not in the bleachers. I imagine there will be a huge turnout when we play the Columbus Crew in April.

[ziptrumpet87]

Story about soccer attendance records.NCAA soccer attendance records

[a-zip]

I was curious about the same thing. I would be willing to bet that our administration doesn't really know how big to build the stadium because of the on-going evolution of soccer in the U.S.I am absolutely NO expert, but soccer seems to be a bit of an enigma in the U.S. right now. I'd say for the past 6-8 years I've known more little kids playing youth league soccer as opposed to youth football. So is soccer blowing up in our country, or not? Are all these little kids, some of whom aren't so little anymore, going to be college and MLS soccer fans? Watching the Seattle Sounders game was very impressive - I'll bet there were 40,000 people at that game.Is our country still fragmented when it comes to soccer? Is it more popular in some regions as opposed to other regions?Perhaps a good question for our athletic department's planning would be how many people Indiana averages for their soccer matches? IU may be a good, successful mid-western program by which to gauge our progress? Additionally, IU is probably Caleb Porter's default setting when it comes to measuring the Zips' program.

2,500 would be a VERY nice stadium. Our attendance is pretty good.2007 Numbers 2007 Soccer Attendance2008 Attendance Numbers2088 AttendanceSt Johns Stadium is roughly 2,300St. JohnsUniversity of Maryland - 4,500 seatingMarylandLouisville Soccer Stadium ;-)LouisvilleInfo on Indiana college soccer attendanceMen's Soccer Ranks Among National Leaders in AttendanceFeb. 22, 2006BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The seven time NCAA Champion Indiana men's soccer team continued to demonstrate itself as one of the top draws in college soccer. Last season, the Hoosiers ranked second in average attendance and third in total attendance in the attendance figures released by the NCAA. The Hoosiers also were involved in three of the top 10 attended games in college soccer during the 2005 season. "It is an honor for our guys to have the opportunity to play in front of such great crowds like we have at Indiana," Indiana head men's soccer coach Mike Frietag said. "Our players love to perform in front of our home fans. We have the best fans in the country. Not only are they loud and proud, but they are some of the most knowledgeable. Indiana soccer prides itself on its tradition and part of that tradition includes our great fan base." Every year since the NCAA began tracking men's soccer attendance in 2001, the IU program has ranked among the top three in at least one of the two categories and has never ranked lower than sixth in any category. Indiana led the nation in average attendance in 2004 and in total attendance in 2003. In 2005, along with New Mexico, IU topped the national record for average attendance. The Hoosiers and Lobos are the only two programs to ever average over 3,000 fans per contest during a season. Indiana drew 28,013 total attendance during the 2005 campaign, an average of 3,112 per match. The previous national record was 2,779 by Saint Louis in 2003. New Mexico led the country in both total (36,228) and average (3,629) attendance a year ago. Indiana ranked second in average attendance, while national champion Maryland was second in total attendance at 33,121. The Hoosier-Terrapin matchup, which was called the top contest of the college season by Soccer America, drew 6,203. The number was not only a school record for Maryland, but the top attended regular-season affair during the 2005 season. The contest ranked fourth overall behind both sessions of the College Cup and the quarterfinal matchup between Creighton and Clemson. Indiana drew two of the top crowds to Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium in 2005. The Nov. 3, 2005, matchup between then-No. 1 Akron and the Hoosiers was the seventh-largest crowd during the season with 4,884 fans in attendance.[/color] The Hoosiers handed the Zips their only loss of the season with a goal by Brian Plotkin five minutes into overtime. The crowd also was the sixth largest in school history. The Indiana-Penn State affair on Sept. 30, 2005, drew the ninth-largest single-game crowd of 2005 with 4,585 fans in attendance. The game was one of eight nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel. The game also was the eighth-largest crowd in the history of the facility.

[a-zip]

Corrected link for University of MarylandMaryand

[tbozeglav]

One thing Id like to point out about a few of those links is that many soccer "stadiums" are also multi-purpose in that they hold track and field events as well, whereas we're looking at a soccer only facility.

[Blue & Gold]

Look at how beautiful Dayton's soccer stadium area is...U of Dayton soccer stadiumAs an aside, those multi-purpose track/soccer stadiums are not very appealing. The spectators are far too far from the field. Our soccer-only stadium would be much more desirable.

[BostonZip]

Nice to have some cover from the elements. Creighton soccer stadium

[ziptrumpet87]

Nice to have some cover from the elements. Creighton soccer stadium

Very nice! Kinda reminds me of the Info. Wonder if they had the same architect.

[BostonZip]

Very nice! Kinda reminds me of the Info. Wonder if they had the same architect.

Yes, a design such as this would nicely complement the Info.DLR Group was the architect. DLR Group stadium pageMany more photos

[a-zip]

Nice to have some cover from the elements. Creighton soccer stadium

I want this one.

[tbozeglav]

A bit excessive, IMO, but still would be amazing to have built

[72 Roo]

That's a great looking soccer stadium. Better than what we plan IMO. But I understand money is tight, so I'll take and love what we plan. But Creighton has a cool place going up.

[WinZip]

Wow that Creighton stadium is nice way to get me drooling...+=amazing.seems to match quite beautifullyDoubt we have that kinda money and we need some class space first, but hey: I can dream right?!

[Z.I.P.]

Damn! That is a nice stadium at Creighton. No wonder kids from Hawai'i want to go there. So why do they all come back as dentists?Any who, I firmly believe that Akron needs a minimum of 3000 and preferably 4000 seats to grow into the type of program we want to be. Anyone think Caleb's team can't fill that for an NCAA quarterfinal versus say, Maryland, or Cowlumbus State. BUT, did anyone notice that that team outdrew Akron in soccer above? Yikes!

[Blue & Gold]

Damn! That is a nice stadium at Creighton. No wonder kids from Hawai'i want to go there. So why do they all come back as dentists?Any who, I firmly believe that Akron needs a minimum of 3000 and preferably 4000 seats to grow into the type of program we want to be. Anyone think Caleb's team can't fill that for an NCAA quarterfinal versus say, Maryland, or Cowlumbus State. BUT, did anyone notice that that team outdrew Akron in soccer above? Yikes!

I did notice that. That made me wonder whether Columbus State doctors their figures because from all the reports I've heard their crowd was lame when we beat them in Columbus. In fact, the story was that our Rowdies outnumbered their students... in Columbus!

[ZachTheZip]

They must sell season ticket packages or something. That's not a bad idea: sell a year-long season ticket package to all the non-revenue sports combined which pumps up the "counted' attendance across the board. Or make it a package with football.Look into that, marketing team. I give you permission to take that idea from me. In fact, I encourage it.

[meatwad]

Damn! That is a nice stadium at Creighton. No wonder kids from Hawai'i want to go there. So why do they all come back as dentists?Any who, I firmly believe that Akron needs a minimum of 3000 and preferably 4000 seats to grow into the type of program we want to be. Anyone think Caleb's team can't fill that for an NCAA quarterfinal versus say, Maryland, or Cowlumbus State. BUT, did anyone notice that that team outdrew Akron in soccer above? Yikes!

I agree that it would be nice to get up to 4000, but I don't know that is realistic. Think about the jump that is from our average of about 900 this year.I'd almost be happy with anything at this point. I do however agree with the point that others have made about the soccer and track and field facilities being at the same place being a bad idea. It keeps the fans way too far away, and it impedes drainage of the field as well (which we all know will be important going forward). Either way, I'm excited about the prospects of the soccer team getting an upgrade.

[Buckzip]

Damn! That is a nice stadium at Creighton. No wonder kids from Hawai'i want to go there. So why do they all come back as dentists?Any who, I firmly believe that Akron needs a minimum of 3000 and preferably 4000 seats to grow into the type of program we want to be. Anyone think Caleb's team can't fill that for an NCAA quarterfinal versus say, Maryland, or Cowlumbus State. BUT, did anyone notice that that team outdrew Akron in soccer above? Yikes!

I did notice that. That made me wonder whether Columbus State doctors their figures because from all the reports I've heard their crowd was lame when we beat them in Columbus. In fact, the story was that our Rowdies outnumbered their students... in Columbus!

When did we ever play Columbus State in Soccer? I am confused. Columbus State is a community college. I didn't even know they had a soccer team..

[72 Roo]

Figures for attendance at OSU may be greater than ours, but not in actual bodies in the stands. In that case we blow them away. I live in Columbus and follow both programs. Ours is better on all counts. For whoever posted that we had a larger crowd for our game in columbus this past Fall, you are correct. I was there and talked to OSU officials afterwards. They were absolutley jealous with our team, our fans and the Rowdies. They were stunned we outnumbered them in their own stadium 2 to 1.BTW, I like our new stadium but want Creighton's. It's better.