Naming rights and CSU Stadium

[Loyal Coug]

Wow - can't believe I missed this over the last year, and the new naming rights deals make it current (hey and on-topic for this site! )
First the links:

CSU's stadium site. This thing is really cool. And at $220 million for 41,500 seats, not that much more than WSU spent on Martin Stadium/FOB (reducing seating capacity along the way). Yes there isn't an FOB at CSU, but for cost comparison there are classrooms, alumni center, etc that certainly cost more than a few smackers.
https://stadium.colostate.edu/

Good 'ol Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_State_Stadium

Now this is cool - a New Belgium "party deck" in the North end zone. Kind of like the little party zone that existed for a season or so where the FOB is now. Except really cool and no blue tarps. But read this article - it talks about athletics and university fundraising. Let's just say that both are WAY more than WSU has seen recently.
https://source.colostate.edu/csu-ne...ating-new-belgium-porch-at-on-campus-stadium/

Finally - a great article about the new 37 million naming rights agreement - with a nice chart on other recent agreements. Good article to hang onto and compare to what WSU ends up with.
https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sp...rights-five-times-more-boise-state/534160002/

Ok - so they get a $20 million anonymous donation to keep the name "Sonny Lubick Field", plus the $37 million for the stadium. Plus the New Belgium deal - another $4 million. Windfall+great business deals. The various stadium nooks and crannies are interesting.

Now granted it is a lot easier to start from scratch in the middle of the Colorado desert/plateau and throw something together than piecemeal around and on top of an existing, already shoe-horned in stadium such as ours. But wow. And frankly, it makes, in my humble opinions, the decision to put the FOB where it is a poor logistical decision. Could have put it where the field house is...?

Finally, I see another rumor about Darigold over at you know where. Are they that secretly tuned in to Bohler Gym?

 

[BraindeadCoug]

I believe the Field House is some type of special/historic building and it’s footprint cannot be altered.

 

[CougPatrol]

I believe the Field House is some type of special/historic building and it’s footprint cannot be altered.

But it can, and should be renovated.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

I believe the Field House is some type of special/historic building and it’s footprint cannot be altered.

It could easily be torn down if there was will to do so. Any "historic" building can be removed if there is enough support and a legitimate reason to do so. For some reason, people are in love with that old piece of crap.

 

[CPtheCoug]

We need that party deck over the east endzone!!!!

 

[dgibbons]

It could easily be torn down if there was will to do so. Any "historic" building can be removed if there is enough support and a legitimate reason to do so. For some reason, people are in love with that old piece of crap.

The new IPF would need to be built before that happens. The Fieldhouse is used by a lot of the non-revenue sports during the winter and early spring.

 

[95coug]

We need that party deck over the east endzone!!!!

Forget it. There will be no beer for the masses in Martin Stadium.

 

[Coug95man2]

Forget it. There will be no beer for the masses in Martin Stadium.

Spot on. The State of Washington does not feel like they want to cross that imaginary line of open alcohol consumption. The high end seats are very restricted, thus the ability to serve. That is why other states, like Oregon State, have the ability but we don't.

 

[CPtheCoug]

Spot on. The State of Washington does not feel like they want to cross that imaginary line of open alcohol consumption. The high end seats are very restricted, thus the ability to serve. That is why other states, like Oregon State, have the ability but we don't.

Things change, officials come and go, I remain hopeful.

 

[95coug]

Things change, officials come and go, I remain hopeful.

Officials come and go, but the university's aversion to risk lives forever.

 

[CPtheCoug]

Officials come and go, but the university's aversion to risk lives forever.

Was that the story? My recollection was the problem was with the state, not the uni.

 

[Loyal Coug]

We need that party deck over the east endzone!!!!

Forget it. There will be no beer for the masses in Martin Stadium.

I'm not seeing this the same way. It appears to me that the CSU party deck is self-contained. It's not "the masses". Correct me if I'm wrong (rare ) but WSU's proposal was to allow alcohol in the entire stadium?

Does anyone but me remember when they had a little beer garden set up where the FOB is now? I stood right in the endzone behind the seats, beer in hand. Just a railing between me ad the seats.

So the FOB is there now, with that little section of seats. Poo on that. So here it is. Take that little grassy unoccupied section - where the flags are - and create a little decked, outdoor beer garden. Or build the east endzone deck and make the whole thing a 4,000 seat party zone.

 

[CPtheCoug]

I'm not seeing this the same way. It appears to me that the CSU party deck is self-contained. It's not "the masses". Correct me if I'm wrong (rare ) but WSU's proposal was to allow alcohol in the entire stadium?

Does anyone but me remember when they had a little beer garden set up where the FOB is now? I stood right in the endzone behind the seats, beer in hand. Just a railing between me ad the seats.

So the FOB is there now, with that little section of seats. Poo on that. So here it is. Take that little grassy unoccupied section - where the flags are - and create a little decked, outdoor beer garden. Or build the east endzone deck and make the whole thing a 4,000 seat party zone.

The deck could also double as your standing room only section. $20 to get into the stadium/deck direct from Stadium Way. Put in slightly overpriced beers and bar food and a fun/party atmosphere and that sucker could really rake in the $$$.

 

[Coug95man2]

Was that the story? My recollection was the problem was with the state, not the uni.

That's what I've understood, as well. Now what has changed between now and when all of us stood behind the West Side end zone with beer in hand? Don't know. From afar, I'd say the one massive change in WA and the Control Board (aka liquor board) has been the legalization of dope. How that would change anything, I don't know. But I do know, with pretty good authority, that it was the WA state board that has put the nix on this whole thing.

Just throwing something out there. As I was typing/thinking aloud above. I was about to hit the "post reply" button when it clicked... With dope being legalized, it going through the same board and similar processes for distribution as alcohol... could that be the real issue? If they allow alcohol, they think it would "open the flood gates" to having a dope bar on campus? In the stadium? that kind of thing?

Completely winging it here but it entered my head, I typed it...

 

[Loyal Coug]

The deck could also double as your standing room only section. $20 to get into the stadium/deck direct from Stadium Way. Put in slightly overpriced beers and bar food and a fun/party atmosphere and that sucker could really rake in the $$$.

That's what I've understood, as well. Now what has changed between now and when all of us stood behind the West Side end zone with beer in hand? Don't know. From afar, I'd say the one massive change in WA and the Control Board (aka liquor board) has been the legalization of dope. How that would change anything, I don't know. But I do know, with pretty good authority, that it was the WA state board that has put the nix on this whole thing.

Found a picture of the short-lived WSU endzone beer tents. If we could get away with that, we could get away with a beer deck. Of course, Pullman does not have a brewery like New Belgium in town, with an alum for a CEO. How about a Chateau St. Michelle Washington wines section? This may be getting a little silly, but the East endzone does have possibilities. It butts right up to the luxury boxes.

Again, in hindsight plopping the FOB right against the field looks cool and all, but it really hemmed us in.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mar...QsAQIQA&biw=1904&bih=955#imgrc=T2IIJ7inDzfx1M:

 

[425cougfan]

Said since I saw the first rendering of the FOB that, at a bare minimum, they should contemplate the possibility of a party / VIP area on the roof, if not some additional suites or club seating. Seating or suites would be expensive--but potentially worth it, especially since existing suites were pretty much sold out since the beginning if I recall correctly--but even if we couldn't do that, it seems that the incremental costs would be low to just have a VIP standing or basic standing/seating combo area of some sort. Just need to have enough elevator capacity, have the roof suitable for standing around on (with a clear plexiglass surround, or maybe a railing), some means for shade / cover, and other basic stuff. Has always seemed like a massive waste just having an unused roof like that.

 

[95coug]

That's what I've understood, as well. Now what has changed between now and when all of us stood behind the West Side end zone with beer in hand? Don't know. From afar, I'd say the one massive change in WA and the Control Board (aka liquor board) has been the legalization of dope. How that would change anything, I don't know. But I do know, with pretty good authority, that it was the WA state board that has put the nix on this whole thing.

Just throwing something out there. As I was typing/thinking aloud above. I was about to hit the "post reply" button when it clicked... With dope being legalized, it going through the same board and similar processes for distribution as alcohol... could that be the real issue? If they allow alcohol, they think it would "open the flood gates" to having a dope bar on campus? In the stadium? that kind of thing?

Completely winging it here but it entered my head, I typed it...

There were multiple issues, both within the university and without. One of the big issues was that the university pushed the idea way down the road before someone realized that nobody asked WSLCB.

It's obviously possible to have beer in the stands in Washington. After all, the Mariners do it. There's a significant control issue though - particularly when you look at the difference between the typical Mariners crowd and the crowd at a WSU game (or any other college game). I don't think WSLCB was sold on WSU's ability to keep alcohol out of the hands of underage consumers. And, cooler heads within WSU weren't sold on the idea of having people drinking their fill and navigating the stairs, absorbing a loss, etc. Plus, there's already enough mess (including cups and alcohol bottles) in the stadium post-game.

Something like the deck, or a controlled area of the stadium (not sure the east endzone would work without some physical changes) where the under 21's could be reliably excluded, should satisfy WSLCB and could probably fly. But I think that within WSU, the moment has passed.

As for pot, there's zero chance of a dope bar on campus/in the stadium, especially while Trump is in office. Allowing anything like that would put the campus at risk of losing federal funding, which they're not going to do. After the legalization initiative passed, it took about 12 seconds for the university to push out a blanket announcement that yes, it's legal in Washington, but you still can't do it on campus. One research group at WSU just this week terminated some promising research into a marijuana breath test over fears of jeopardizing federal funds. The official WSU party line is that pot is verboten, and the soonest I see the potential for change is January 2021.

 

[Loyal Coug]

There were multiple issues, both within the university and without. One of the big issues was that the university pushed the idea way down the road before someone realized that nobody asked WSLCB.

It's obviously possible to have beer in the stands in Washington. After all, the Mariners do it. There's a significant control issue though - particularly when you look at the difference between the typical Mariners crowd and the crowd at a WSU game (or any other college game). I don't think WSLCB was sold on WSU's ability to keep alcohol out of the hands of underage consumers. And, cooler heads within WSU weren't sold on the idea of having people drinking their fill and navigating the stairs, absorbing a loss, etc. Plus, there's already enough mess (including cups and alcohol bottles) in the stadium post-game.

Something like the deck, or a controlled area of the stadium (not sure the east endzone would work without some physical changes) where the under 21's could be reliably excluded, should satisfy WSLCB and could probably fly. But I think that within WSU, the moment has passed.

As for pot, there's zero chance of a dope bar on campus/in the stadium, especially while Trump is in office. Allowing anything like that would put the campus at risk of losing federal funding, which they're not going to do. After the legalization initiative passed, it took about 12 seconds for the university to push out a blanket announcement that yes, it's legal in Washington, but you still can't do it on campus. One research group at WSU just this week terminated some promising research into a marijuana breath test over fears of jeopardizing federal funds. The official WSU party line is that pot is verboten, and the soonest I see the potential for change is January 2021.

Yes WSU shut down it's "pot breathalyzer" research because it needed human subjects to continue it. Which should be fine with any smokers who then need to drive to Taco Bell or the store for munchies.

Speaking of munchies, WSU continues it's research on pot-induced munchies, but since they are using rats it is OK. Hope the animal rights people don't get mad.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/27/the-science-behind-the-munchies-wsu-researcher-aim/#/0

And I don't think the moment has passed for a beer deck or something like that. The entire stadium? That was kind of a dumb idea from the get-go in my humble opinion.