Philly mayor-elect wants to know more about Pitt-Steelers@Heinz

[JED_72]

http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/news/politics&id=361335641

They mayor-elect of Phila wants Temple to get a "better deal" at Lincoln Financial before committing to build a 35,000 sear stadium on its North Philly campus.
He also wants TU to explore relationship between the Steelers and Pitt in the use of Heinz Field and the UPMC sports training complex.

Seems to make sense before jumping to build an on campus stadium in a congested area of North Philadelphia.

 

[ClarkLotTgate]

Clearly he knows nothing of Pitt's relationship (or lack there of) with the Steelers.
-we may have a joined building and some parts of that building, but that's about it....
-and Pitt and Heinz field is certainly not the best situation.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

But it would be interesting to explore the financial terms involved with Pitt's use of Heinz in comparison to the gouging the Eagles subject Temple to. The incoming mayor's point is that the premise behind the state's commitment of public funds toward the building of the two stadia was that the pro teams would be partners with the local state universities in terms of access to the stadia. The incoming mayor is the first local politico with the balls to call the Eagles out for failing to live up to that bargain.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Don't go for it Temple. Don't do it.

 

[QuitCallingMeWanny]

Clearly he knows nothing of Pitt's relationship (or lack there of) with the Steelers.
-we may have a joined building and some parts of that building, but that's about it....
-and Pitt and Heinz field is certainly not the best situation.

Clearly you don't either

 

[Pittx9]

Pitt is extremely lucky. It would be damn near impossible to "share" a stadium with an NFL team and get as good of a deal out of it as Pitt does. Maybe Miami is better idk, hard to tell when they get 30,000 less fans than us per game.

 

[bobfree]

Clearly you don't either

Enlighten us...

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Clearly he knows nothing of Pitt's relationship (or lack there of) with the Steelers.
-we may have a joined building and some parts of that building, but that's about it....
-and Pitt and Heinz field is certainly not the best situation.

Untrue. Pitt's deal at Heinz is extremely good in comparison with other teams playing im NFL stadiums, probably the best.

A Massachusetts newspaper did a study ok this a few years ago when UMass was contemplating going D1 and playing in the Patriots' stadium. I remember Temple's deal being pretty bad.

Someone can google this.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

It's all about fiscal responsibility. Temple is competitive right now, but who knows how long that will last. They could be back to drawing 10K again in no time, and that stadium would be an expensive anvil around their necks.

 

[HailtoPitt]

The Philly mayor-elect should travel to an average Pitt game next year first.

Temple can easily fund a $100M stadium on their campus. They have identified the space. They own the land. They can fundraise. They can use naming rights, luxury suites and club seating to generate revenue to pay for the annual debt. They have an opportunity to strengthen the ties of academics and athletics and create a better overall experience for students.

With that being said... it benefits Pitt (and other schools) for Temple to stay at the Linc, which magnifies that they are 'small time' to everyone paying attention.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Don't go for it Temple. Don't do it.

Maybe SP is working as a consultant for the Philly mayor. If yes he'll be looking for a football stadium to destroy and there'll be plans for a basketball complex where the football stadium was or should be.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

The Philly mayor-elect should travel to an average Pitt game next year first.

Temple can easily fund a $100M stadium on their campus. They have identified the space. They own the land. They can fundraise. They can use naming rights, luxury suites and club seating to generate revenue to pay for the annual debt. They have an opportunity to strengthen the ties of academics and athletics and create a better overall experience for students.

With that being said... it benefits Pitt (and other schools) for Temple to stay at the Linc, which magnifies that they are 'small time' to everyone paying attention.

The only thing I'm skeptical about is that it can be done for $100 million . . . in Philadelphia, of all places.

 

[PittInMissouri]

yeah def not for $100 million in philly. And there have already been community protests. People think it is as easy as buying some land and getting some money together and voila - stadium. That is actually the easy part...

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The only thing I'm skeptical about is that it can be done for $100 million . . . in Philadelphia, of all places.

Its going to be super cheap, no frills. Pretty much like a HS stadium with 30K seats. They can do that for $100 million.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Do that, sell beer and cheesesteaks. Done.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Its going to be super cheap, no frills. Pretty much like a HS stadium with 30K seats. They can do that for $100 million.

They don't need a stadium with frills, and neither does anybody else. Temple justed played in the U of Houston's $128M 40,000 seat stadium. It looked nice to me, and fans give it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Yelp.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

They don't need a stadium with frills, and neither does anybody else. Temple justed played in the U of Houston's $128M 40,000 seat stadium. It looked fine to me.

Agree, for them, a 30K seat HS-esque stadium is fantastic. For us, it would have to be a minimum of $300 million not including land acquisition. Pitt would need a first-class stadium not just a stadium for the sake of having one.

 

[Teh Teh]

The pitt-steelers relationship is really great for recruiting. Awesome tgat the pitt players get so much face time with NFL players.

As for temple getting donations to help with the stadium I doubt that will happen with all of bill cosby's funds being as incapacitated as his dates

 

[HailtoPitt]

Agree, for them, a 30K seat HS-esque stadium is fantastic. For us, it would have to be a minimum of $300 million not including land acquisition. Pitt would need a first-class stadium not just a stadium for the sake of having one.

We've had this discussion recently on here. Pitt could acquire and prepare a 30 acres site in Oakland for an estimated $73M, and build a new stadium similar to Houston's with slight more seats for $150M, giving a total cost of $263M.

The most important factor is the amount Pitt could receive from private contributions. They would need enough to make the yearly debt payments feasible.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

We've had this discussion recently on here. Pitt could acquire and prepare a 30 acres site in Oakland for an estimated $73M, and build a new stadium similar to Houston's with slight more seats for $150M, giving a total cost of $263M.

The most important factor is the amount Pitt could receive from private contributions. They would need enough to make the yearly debt payments feasible.

Could be $73 million for land acquisition though I think you'd have to budget for $100 million.

And I dont want Houston's cheapo stadium. I want Baylor's. That thing is beautiful.

 

[UPitt '89]

In today's world of HD 80-inch TVs, you can't have a stadium with "no frills". You need large video boards, comfortable seats with backs (no bleacher seats), good food options, great sight-lines, and lots of free wifi bandwidth. You need easy access and plentiful parking too.

A "high school stadium with 30,000 seats" will quickly be rendered useless, and nobody is going to go to games without at least the things I mentioned.

 

[HailtoPitt]

In today's world of HD 80-inch TVs, you can't have a stadium with "no frills".

Sure you can. Has anyone stopped to think that perhaps the reason people choose to stay home is because stadiums are focusing on everything but the game?

 

[UPitt '89]

Sure you can. Has anyone stopped to think that perhaps the reason people choose to stay home is because stadiums are focusing on everything but the game?

No.

That's why, after years of resistance, Notre Dame added a video board to their stadium. People at the games WANT to be able to see replays.

That's why MSU and other schools have begun swapping out bleacher seating and replacing it with individual seating with chairbacks and cupholders. Hell, the stadium we're playing at in 2.5 weeks recently did this, and there's very few places with more tradition than the Naval Academy.

 

[HailtoPitt]

No.

That's why, after years of resistance, Notre Dame added a video board to their stadium. People at the games WANT to be able to see replays.

That's why MSU and other schools have begun swapping out bleacher seating and replacing it with individual seating with chairbacks and cupholders. Hell, the stadium we're playing at in 2.5 weeks recently did this, and there's very few places with more tradition than the Naval Academy.

Yet they have filled their stadiums without those things.

And for the record, I don't consider a video board a frill. That has been pretty standard for decades. ND just refused to add one because of tradition.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

In today's world of HD 80-inch TVs, you can't have a stadium with "no frills". You need large video boards, comfortable seats with backs (no bleacher seats), good food options, great sight-lines, and lots of free wifi bandwidth. You need easy access and plentiful parking too.

A "high school stadium with 30,000 seats" will quickly be rendered useless, and nobody is going to go to games without at least the things I mentioned.

We're talking Temple. They will average 10k-20k in their cheapo stadium.....which is better than 10k-20k at the Linc.

 

[dooz3]

Its going to be super cheap, no frills. Pretty much like a HS stadium with 30K seats. They can do that for $100 million.

Wrong about everything. Congrats. World's biggest loser and it's not your weight....

 

[palpitt]

Wrong about everything. Congrats. World's biggest loser and it's not your weight....

No matter what the deal it still would be in north Philly. You don't ever want to go there!

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

We're talking Temple. They will average 10k-20k in their cheapo stadium.....which is better than 10k-20k at the Linc.

The average this year for the games not involving Penn State and Notre Dame was in the 30-35K range.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

As for temple getting donations to help with the stadium I doubt that will happen with all of bill cosby's funds being as incapacitated as his dates

I thought my other alma mater was better than BWI-esque comments.

 

[palpitt]

I thought my other alma mater was better than BWI-esque comments.

Sorry. Temple is a good school but I am not a big fan of north Philly at night.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

yeah def not for $100 million in philly. And there have already been community protests. People think it is as easy as buying some land and getting some money together and voila - stadium. That is actually the easy part...

Actually, it would be on existing land, the current Geasey Field, which used to be where the football team practiced before the current Edberg-Olson complex was built, and now is used for phys ed/recreation purposes. Since it is adjacent to the Liacouras Center, at least some of the existing parking infrastructure would be used on game day.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

No.

That's why, after years of resistance, Notre Dame added a video board to their stadium. People at the games WANT to be able to see replays.

That's why MSU and other schools have begun swapping out bleacher seating and replacing it with individual seating with chairbacks and cupholders. Hell, the stadium we're playing at in 2.5 weeks recently did this, and there's very few places with more tradition than the Naval Academy.

Bingo! If Pitt built a stadium "on the cheap", the same people who are wanting the stadium will be the first ones complaining that it was built "on the cheap", with no frills or creature comforts that Heinz Field now has.

 

[smileyguy]

Yeah, $100 million is probably just the graft in most cities.

The only thing I'm skeptical about is that it can be done for $100 million . . . in Philadelphia, of all places.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They don't need a stadium with frills, and neither does anybody else. Temple justed played in the U of Houston's $128M 40,000 seat stadium. It looked nice to me, and fans give it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Yelp.

Akron thought the same thing when they built their 30,000 seat, no frills stadium. They even moved from a stadium a few miles off campus to one right on campus. And their stadium has turned into a money pit that is costing them millions per year in debt service and upkeep.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The average this year for the games not involving Penn State and Notre Dame was in the 30-35K range.

I'm talking actual attendance not numbers inflated by administration (which every school does).

 

[Jpripper88]

Sure you can. Has anyone stopped to think that perhaps the reason people choose to stay home is because stadiums are focusing on everything but the game?

Lol

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

I'm talking actual attendance not numbers inflated by administration (which every school does).

I'm talking about actual attendance, not somebody's hazy memories of a bygone era.

 

[Z #2]

http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/news/politics&id=361335641

They mayor-elect of Phila wants Temple to get a "better deal" at Lincoln Financial before committing to build a 35,000 sear stadium on its North Philly campus.
He also wants TU to explore relationship between the Steelers and Pitt in the use of Heinz Field and the UPMC sports training complex.

Seems to make sense before jumping to build an on campus stadium in a congested area of North Philadelphia.

Here's the scoop. Mayor elect is beholden to the City Council President who is the councilman to the district for the Temple Stadium. He's also beholden to IBEW. The Linc is partially city owned. The shyster owners of the Eagles have been raping Temple Football for years on the rent. The reason the Mayor moved so fast is because Temple has $75,000,000 raised and has the site controlled. Temple will need some small variances but The Council President can hold up the show. That's politics! Lololol

 

[ClarkLotTgate]

Akron thought the same thing when they built their 30,000 seat, no frills stadium. They even moved from a stadium a few miles off campus to one right on campus. And their stadium has turned into a money pit that is costing them millions per year in debt service and upkeep.

They are losing money because attendance has been low, not because of the cost of building.
-and attendance has been low because they have been a crappy team (and the Pitt rain mess)
2015 7-5
2014 5-7
2013 5-7
2012 1-11
2011 1-11
2010 1-11
2009 3-9
Going 24-61 = you'll lose money.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They were a crappy team before they built the new stadium too. The new stadium was supposed to be the panacea that was going to change all that. It didn't work. The reason why it didn't work is the same reason why the numbers usually don't work in cases like this. Because to make the numbers work schools assume that the new stadium is going to boost the teams fortunes and boost attendance. If (when) that doesn't happen the numbers don't work anymore. Or even come close to it. Akron could sell 10,000 more tickets per game and it still wouldn't even come close to fully paying for the debt service and the upkeep on the stadium. In fact if the reported numbers are true, at the current prices Akron charges for tickets they could sell every seat in the house for every game they play, and they still won't come close to fully paying for the debt service and upkeep on the stadium.

It's just like when we were discussing play calling earlier this year. When you make decisions based on the assumption that what is going to come next is the best case scenario you are almost always going to make the wrong decision.