Yes, need to get back to work and will respond a bit later. This year three games on campus and three at Gillette.

(03-26-2015 08:10 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(03-26-2015 07:36 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 07:53 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  Noticed that 6 away games are scheduled for 2016 so far. Several home dates yet to be filled with no marquee names yet. What's the outlook there?

5 out of the first 6 calls AD Ryan Bamford made, were about schedule after hearing the news on Sunday. We have a P5 team that wants to play us at Gillette with a return game in 2022/3. We mutual cleared the Sept 24 game with FCS Rhode Island. Not sure if that was for the unnamed P5 team or for another prime OOC spot. Think we'll get it done at the cost of having to play most games at Gillette instead of a true home game on campus.

What's the word on the on campus stadium? Any plans to get away from Gillette?

We are paying for not deciding to going 1A in the late 70's, McGuirk was built in 1965 and is very small for FBS football. Expanding via south endzone will be easy, quick and not too expensive. The existing stands are an issue and some favor blowing up the home side and starting from scratch.

Prioritizing is the key for us and we have built top notice facilities in the Football and Basketball facilities (60M). We have also spent around 25M for the student exercise facilities and coming near to the end of a 2 Billion construction boom at the flagship campus.

With the top notch academic and student athlete facilities, we'll be able to recruit good talent and have good coaches in place, especially with Whipple. Winning will be the key to building brand name.

The football building, with hospitality suite and deck over looking the end zone looks great and fits in well. The next thing to be addressed will be capacity and the south endzone will be completed into a nice horseshoe design. We need to sellout the seats this year as good or better than last year for that to go forward.

If you want to argue against us you can point to the current seating capacity of 17k and immediate future capacity of 23-25K. There will also be some issue that will not be addressed until the next phase of expansion.

We have the academic profile and working on building the FBS Football brand name and hope Blake stays health. If so, we will be bowling this year.

Would love, even for a buy game going to Greenville, but not sure how visitor fans are treated.

(03-25-2015 12:16 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Probably want to skip to the 7:40 mark in this 25 min video from yesterday.
Note the fun 14:40 comment on the ACC.
The interview is less than 8 minutes and talks more about football.

UMass has its athletic future hanging in its balance and you're entrusting that guy to be the savior?

Hope UMASS fans are prepared to take on a LOT of debt and have some questionable (and late) scheduling.

FCS in 2 years.....

We'll do very well in 2015 and take our lumps in 2016. 2017 scheduling looks pretty good. We are an optimistic bunch with some pessimistic, throwing stones bb fans against football. You guys are are mild. GTS, our objective of going FBS was not to loss more money than FCS in 5 years. 2016 is dicey, but a strong 2015 should set things up. We never dreamed of making a profit. Debt does not happen, believe the goal is to level out around 67% state aid along with $410 in student fees.

Did read the scheduling wonder thread on one of the GS sites and no-one can blame Ryan for the second FCS game since Army cancelling late. You still had the #14 strongest schedule, correct. We may have to have 2 FCS game, time will tell but it would not be Ryan's fault.