As a Pirates fan, I would like to endorse that statement. Regarding stadium naming rights, whatever new investor/operators Randy Lerner and Brad Friedel decide to name the new stadium is fine by me.
i think top of the list at a new stadium should be to have team benches like the ones at old trafford (and i think red bull arena) built up into the stands with the comfortable seats simply bc they would cool and certainly would show that we are a massive club!
I'd prefer a more baseball style dugout. I've seen a few like that in Latin America that look bad ass, plus it's a more 'american' twist on the whole thing.
Interestingly, Spartan Stadium had one of those, but only because their field was about 49 yards wide. The English-style team bench probably wouldn't work. Why would the FO give those seats to the team when they could sell them to fans?
Id like to see digital sign boards on the field and across the front of the upper decks. I know they are just for advertising but I think they look cool and have always envisioned a yellow strobe effect when the crew score.
i havent seen this mentioned anywhere, here's a stadium related question from Shawn Mitchells blog asked to Clark Hunt: Are you at the point where you are simply waiting on some help from local business and political leaders to help with some of the facility improvements you would like to see? “I wouldn’t say we’re waiting on it. That’s something that’s very important for us to cultivate. Ultimately, sports franchises belong to the communities they play in. From a fan standpoint, a corporate standpoint, a political standpoint, we need people to understand our value to the city. We haven’t yet gone throughout the difficult process of building a publicly-supported facility. That’s probably something the franchise is going to need to stay in Columbus. That’s our home, but at some point in the future we’ll have to cross that bridge.” I hadnt seen HSG put this out there before, did they attempt this in Dallas?
The usually superb Mitchell must have mis-quoted him. Hunt is on record as saying the Crew will be in Columbus for the next 50 years. When he said that there were no caveats about public-private partnerships for a new stadium. Personally, I think there's nothing wrong with our current pad.
I think Pizza Hut Park was financed by the county, the city, and the local school district without HSG funds.
Stadium talk is fine. The thing that pissed me off was the quote from the Dispatch "rumblings" section that stated had the players gone on strike, NE and The Crew would have been shut down.
Can casino tax windfall save Blue Jackets? Columbus Business First If the Jackets get a cut of casino money to pay for Nationwide then the Crew must make their case and get a cut of that Casino money too. That money would be an important part of financing any future Crew stadium.
Crew part aside, people in Columbus will be hard-core angry if that money is used in that manner. Plus, how big of a set do you have to have to, along with the city, demand the casino be moved out of the Arena District, and then ask to use casino money for the Arena District?
if you need casino revenue to help run a private sports franchise, you are only wasting your money. CBJ should be bringing money into the city's financed not dipping into them. if they can't support themselves then they have no business being here.
They have no business being here.... I love hockey. I love the Blue Jackets. But if a team is going to spend nothing on their overall team salary, they're never going to compete. I was surprised we kept Nash, but this team can hardly compete with the rest of the league. What I DO like about the Blue Jackets is that you can go there and get a $10 ticket an hour before the game. Normal tickets there are about 50 bucks.
Not very subtle of the Jackets, trying to stake a claim to money they have nothing to do with generating. Of course, every other lobby in the county will have their hands out too. I don't see any reason why the city or county should subsidize the hockey team. Do the Clippers turn a profit? I know they are county owned but are they subsidized consistently?