For TV, the field will show up very nicely. They still need to work on making the fan experience for the "average fan" (those donating less than $1500), a more rewarding experience. Upgrading the facade and new concessions don't compare to putting in acceptable video boards and sound system.
The video boards would be okay if they didn't have half their space taken up with adds all the time.
Even without the ads, the boards are still some of the smallest in Conference. Ours compare to Alabama's, but they have 4, not two. Even Vandy has a video board superior to UK's without the ads. But, if you are a school that has to decrease capacity to fill the stadium, you need to do all you can to improve the quality of the fan experience. It has to be a better experience than sitting home on the couch if your objective is to fill the seats you have. Right now ever dollar spent appears to have been for the benefit of concessionaires, high dollar boosters, and the sponsors and advertisers. Even the SEC TV crew last year was lamenting the loss of prime seating for the top reaches of the new press box. The recruiting room is a big boost for the program, something we should have done 7 or 8 years ago. My only point on the video boards and sound system is, if you are spending this much on a new stadium those pieces of infrastructure should be in place. It's a shame to spend over $100M and not have a complete remake of the stadium infrastructure.
Even without the ads, the boards are still some of the smallest in Conference. Ours compare to Alabama's, but they have 4, not two. Even Vandy has a video board superior to UK's without the ads. But, if you are a school that has to decrease capacity to fill the stadium, you need to do all you can to improve the quality of the fan experience. It has to be a better experience than sitting home on the couch if your objective is to fill the seats you have. Right now ever dollar spent appears to have been for the benefit of concessionaires, high dollar boosters, and the sponsors and advertisers. Even the SEC TV crew last year was lamenting the loss of prime seating for the top reaches of the new press box. The recruiting room is a big boost for the program, something we should have done 7 or 8 years ago. My only point on the video boards and sound system is, if you are spending this much on a new stadium those pieces of infrastructure should be in place. It's a shame to spend over $100M and not have a complete remake of the stadium infrastructure.
Lots here to agree with. The fan experience simply *has* to be made better and that is not just at UK, that is everywhere. But fortunately, I have the solution, something I have mentioned previously. And it's a very simple solution. You simply play the game without commercial interruptions. If they want to insert advertisements on the televised broadcast, fine. Simply hit "pause" on the dvr, show all the ads you want, and 15-20 minutes later when you want to show live sports again, just hit play and pick right up where you left off. No reason for the people in the stadium to have to sit there for nothing. No one has yet to give me a reason why this is not a brilliant plan.
As to the recruiting room, I remember being at a faculty consortium on sports marketing sometime around 2002 or so and Barnhart met with the group at Nutter Fieldhouse and was talking about a recruiting room even then.
The stadium looks nice. I really hope they can find a way to shoot as much as possible from the non-UK side so that the cameras pick up the suites/broadcast booths because that side looks pretty impressive.
For me, my experience will be upgraded significantly if we start winning more games and I think that is what is missing for most fans. I think the size or number of the video boards is a very small concern.Jimmy Brumbaugh just said that fans will be blown away by the stadium once it's completed so we'll see. He says the recruits are already blown away by it. The fan experience for me too, would be much improved if I didn't have to listen to all that noise they call music I guess, but I'm 100 years old, so what do I know, LOL
I'm sure it's not going to be perfect but I remember when the renovations were announced the reason given for the money spent was to improve the fan experience, that was #1. When I see it and take all of it in then I can make an informed opinion. I've head and seen lots of nit picky complaints like:The UK in the center of the field is too small, some wanted the old Power K in the center, some are mad because they wanted Kentucky in one end zone and Wildcats in the other, not just Kentucky in each. Some wanted an outline of the state in the center, some hate it that we no longer have real grass, etc, etc. I also would imagine that we will have the ability to expand the stadium should we need it in the future.
Articles by Category
KSR Twitter Feed
vBulletin Message