Big things happening at Delaware - a large stadium in the FCS (1-AA) division is only getting bigger. I'd have to imagine they're looking at moving up to FBS if this project is being considered.

Story:

University officials have publicly released for the first time sketches showing the planned expansion of Delaware Stadium and have provided new details about several planned construction projects, including the former Chrysler Assembly Plant and new East Campus residence halls.

University President Patrick Harker unveiled the plans Saturday at a town hall-style meeting with alumni during the Forum & Reunion Weekend.

Delaware Stadium expansion

Delaware Stadium will undergo renovations and expansion to include more seats, luxury boxes and a new press box, according to conceptual drawings released Saturday. The project will add an estimated 8,200 seats to the stadium, which currently seats 22,000.

Athletic Director Bernard Muir announced the plans in a videotaped message shown to alumni at the town hall meeting.

The sketches show a 7,500-seat addition to the North End Zone, configured in a horseshoe shape and bordered by red brick.

A 50,000-square-foot, multi-story addition to the home-side stands will house 17 luxury suites, 700 club-level seats, a club lounge and new press facilities.

Other improvements to the 58-year-old stadium will include widening of aisles, installation of handrails and construction of new bathrooms and concession stands. In front of the stadium will be an expanded plaza area, intended to entice fans to spend time around the stadium before game time.

In addition, a 96,000-square-foot student performance center will be built under the North End Zone and will house a strength and conditioning center and sports medicine facility, to be used by all student athletes. The building will also contain football team locker rooms, team meeting areas and a university athletics hall of fame.

Also part of the university’s South Campus plans is a 51,000-square-foot addition to the Bob Carpenter Center that will house two gymnasiums and additional team meeting areas. The addition is intended to give the varsity basketball and volleyball teams more space to practice and provide gym space to club sports.

The addition to the Carpenter Center is expected to begin later this year and could be finished as early as Fall 2011. The project will be funded by a $100-per-semester increase in the Comprehensive Student Fee, which was approved by the Board of Trustees last month.
Less clear, however, is the timetable and cost estimate for the other improvements to athletic facilities. Muir touched on neither during his presentation Saturday, but has indicated previously that the timetable will depend largely on when large financial donations can be secured.

“This is only a snapshot of what the future can hold for UD athletics,” Muir said in the video. “With your financial assistance we can build a first-class athletic program, one that UD student athletes and fans deserve.”

http://www.udreview.com/polopoly_fs/1.1489714!/image/314908963.jpg

http://www.udreview.com/polopoly_fs/1.1489710!/image/533096756.jpg

Did you mean FCS or is Delaware planning a move up to 1-A? Either way, it looks really nice.

Yeah, I meant FCS. Let me edit that.

Delaware is one of those schools where it has always seemed to me as only a matter of time before they move up to the FBS. They're a FCS power and there isn't a whole lot to gain there anymore. I think they could absolutely go straight into the Big East and be respectable pretty quickly.

The proposed renovation looks good; would love to see more on this as it comes out.

They gotta be looking to move up; MAC probably to act as a travel partner with Temple.

Big East here they come. I doubt they would seriously consider the MAC when in a few years they could be pretty competitive in the Big East.

Big East here they come. I doubt they would seriously consider the MAC when in a few years they could be pretty competitive in the Big East.

Big East, yeah right. They're not gonna just let Delaware come in when much larger programs like Marshall, ECU, UCF and Memphis have been trying for years to get in. You don't just get to choose your conference, you have to get invited and Delaware offers nothing to the BE. If they do go 1A, it'll be the MAC, they're a perfect travel partner with Temple. Mark my words

Big East, yeah right. They're not gonna just let Delaware come in when much larger programs like Marshall, ECU, UCF and Memphis have been trying for years to get in. You don't just get to choose your conference, you have to get invited and Delaware offers nothing to the BE. If they do go 1A, it'll be the MAC, they're a perfect travel partner with Temple. Mark my words
MAC or Sun Belt.

Memphis' basketball, ECU's football, and UCF's location/facilites offer far more than UD at this point.

MAC or Sun Belt.

Memphis' basketball, ECU's football, and UCF's location/facilites offer far more than UD at this point.

That may be true, but what they don't have is a presence in the Philadelphia media market. If we've learned anything during the latest rounds of conference musical chairs., it's prospective money you bring to the table that matters more than the quality of any particular athletic program.

Might sound strange, but I was actually a big fan of the Hens before I went to college. When I was coming up they ran the 'Delaware Wing-T', which was an ultra balanced version of the Wing T to the point that many called it innovative. My high school and middle school ran it, so we'd watch their film every week. Awesome offense, and they were probably my favorite unis in college football at the time.(Think Michigan's unis with a lighter blue being the only difference) Good to see them wanting to move on to bigger things.

Big East, yeah right. They're not gonna just let Delaware come in when much larger programs like Marshall, ECU, UCF and Memphis have been trying for years to get in. You don't just get to choose your conference, you have to get invited and Delaware offers nothing to the BE. If they do go 1A, it'll be the MAC, they're a perfect travel partner with Temple. Mark my words

There's no reason why the Big East has to add only one school.

Big East, yeah right. They're not gonna just let Delaware come in when much larger programs like Marshall, ECU, UCF and Memphis have been trying for years to get in...

Marshall will never gain BCS-AQ status so long as the current norm holds true. All of the current AQ schools are state flagships, prestigious private schools or premier urban research institutions. All of them except ND and BC are very research oriented and have academic curricula based on large varieties of doctoral degree programs.

Marshall is a regional, masters level school whose mission is different from the State's flagship, WVU. They're a good school but one with a different role from all the other AQ schools. WVU would never want them as a conference peer for this reason, just as you will never see the likes of UL-Monroe or Fresno State added to the existing AQ conferences.

If CUSA or another conference gains AQ status then the others will live with that, but the existing AQ conferences will never add to their rosters a school that is considered one rung lower on the ladder of academic missions. That's part of how the existing power programs save themselves from having to compete with programs that can offer easier enrollments and course loads.

Delaware, however, fits the definition of an AQ school nicely. Like UMass they've simply lacked the financial support to move up, especially after factoring in increases in scholarships, facility enhancement, etc. They've a solid endowment and several nationally recognized doctoral programs. If the BE football members do breakaway they will almost certainly want to retain a strong presence in Philly and to maintain a northeastern regional character, and as such a Delaware showing the same ambition of UConn would receive serious consideration.

Nova has limited funds and a neighborhood that doesn't want a large stadium. Temple is landlocked as a campus (in a poor neighborhood, no less), cash poor and playing in a venue that treats them like second class citizens. IF UD was promoted ahead of those it's not inconceivable that they could eventually rise above the other Philly schools in terms of local publicity and support. Nary 10 years ago Rutgers was considering dropping down in classification, and look at them now!

I realize the rendering is but a back-of-the-envelope concept, but I'm surprised about the general form of the proposed end-zone addition. It appears they're shunning the idea of bowling in the main tier in favor of luxury seating, but risk creating a form that is both disjointed and less conducive to future expansion. And why the wrap around of the upper tier only at one corner?

As a graduate and fan of the school with arguably the most disjointed stadium in college (see below), I'd hate to see another venue compromise too much integrity and grace in exchange for forcing the largest capacity possible. If they need to work around other buildings then do so, but please have a long term vision for something larger and more appealing then some half-arsed idea of throwing bleachers hither and yon.

http://sports-venue.info/sitebuilder/images/Bobby_Dodd_Stadium_2-378x256.jpg

That may be true, but what they don't have is a presence in the Philadelphia media market. If we've learned anything during the latest rounds of conference musical chairs., it's prospective money you bring to the table that matters more than the quality of any particular athletic program.
They do have a presence in the Philly market: it's called Villanova basketball.

Football-wise, people in Philly only care about the Eagles. Why would they start caring about UD?

That may be true, but what they don't have is a presence in the Philadelphia media market. If we've learned anything during the latest rounds of conference musical chairs., it's prospective money you bring to the table that matters more than the quality of any particular athletic program.

Temple had the Philly market and were actually kicked outta the BE. Philly is Penn State territory, no one in Philly gives a hoot about Delaware.

They do have a presence in the Philly market: it's called Villanova basketball.

Football-wise, people in Philly only care about the Eagles. Why would they start caring about UD?

Philadelphia may not care about anything but the Eagles, but the Big East and their executives will. As long as they can claim that they have presence in a particular market, and convince network executives and advertisers that there is potential, the prospective eyes on the product are all that matter. Having previously lived in Philadelphia, the majority of the networks proudly boast of their market penetration throughout the Tri-State Area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The game has changed: the conferences don't necessarily care about members' performances, they care more about how much prospective money they bring to the table. Otherwise, Utah and Boise State would have been members of the PAC 10 years ago and there are plenty of other small schools that would find themselves in better conferences.

Villanova basketball only lasts for part of the year and has not nearly the cache of major Division I FBS football. Unless they're planning on moving up from FCS themselves the market has untapped potential. Delaware is positioned as much as anyone in the area to bring it to them.

Marshall will never gain BCS-AQ status so long as the current norm holds true. All of the current AQ schools are state flagships, prestigious private schools or premier urban research institutions. All of them except ND and BC are very research oriented and have academic curricula based on large varieties of doctoral degree programs.

All of them?

Let's see:

Arizona State
Washington State
Oregon State
Kansas State
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Florida State
South Florida
Louisville
Cincinnati
the entire SEC except Florida and Vanderbilt

don't exactly meet the criteria outlined above.

Marshall is a regional, masters level school whose mission is different from the State's flagship, WVU. They're a good school but one with a different role from all the other AQ schools. WVU would never want them as a conference peer for this reason, just as you will never see the likes of UL-Monroe or Fresno State added to the existing AQ conferences.
WVU wouldn't want them as a conference member because they haven't been any good recently.

They've gone down the shitter since Bob Pruett retired and they left the Easy MAC conference.

If CUSA or another conference gains AQ status then the others will live with that, but the existing AQ conferences will never add to their rosters a school that is considered one rung lower on the ladder of academic missions. That's part of how the existing power programs save themselves from having to compete with programs that can offer easier enrollments and course loads.
Most AQ programs already offer those for athletes anyway, in the form of "jock majors."

Delaware, however, fits the definition of an AQ school nicely. Like UMass they've simply lacked the financial support to move up, especially after factoring in increases in scholarships, facility enhancement, etc. They've a solid endowment and several nationally recognized doctoral programs. If the BE football members do breakaway they will almost certainly want to retain a strong presence in Philly and to maintain a northeastern regional character, and as such a Delaware showing the same ambition of UConn would receive serious consideration.
Again, UD football doesn't carry the Philly market like Memphis basketball does the TN/MS/AR region or ECU football does the eastern NC/southern VA area. They might draw well if they win but they'll always be a side course to the Eagles.

Not only that, UCF brings just as much to the table, if not more. They have the third-largest enrollment of any college campus, are located in the middle of a recruiting hotbed and premier tourist destination, and are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on athletic facilities, including a new football stadium and basketball arena, soccer/track and field stadium, tennis complex, athletics center, and expansion to the baseball stadium and training center, among many other things. Expansion to the football stadium is expected within the next 5-10 years, and is virtually guaranteed should the program receive a Big East invite.

Nova has limited funds and a neighborhood that doesn't want a large stadium.
That doesn't prevent them from fielding a football team no less successful than UD's.

I don't see why they couldn't build a larger stadium on the footprint of the current site, either:
http://www.villanova.edu/library/assets/images/archives/cases/case_14/File0334.jpg

If they took out the track and built the new grandstands that much closer to the field, it could easily seat 30k.

Temple is landlocked as a campus (in a poor neighborhood, no less), cash poor and playing in a venue that treats them like second class citizens.
Temple was kicked out of the Big East, so they're a non-issue to begin with.

IF UD was promoted ahead of those it's not inconceivable that they could eventually rise above the other Philly schools in terms of local publicity and support. Nary 10 years ago Rutgers was considering dropping down in classification, and look at them now!
Only if they sustain the same success at the FBS level.

If Nova continues to excel in the FCS and UD struggles to finish bowl-eligible, it could even hurt them.

All of them?There might be one or two strays but otherwise "Yes, all of them." If you follow the Carnegie Classifications (http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/) you'll find they all have comparable designations, meaning these institutions are the highest within their respective state university systems. This isn't to say they're all academically equal or producing the best possible students, but their missions with respect to their roles for their states are the same. More importantly, they're missions are all discernibly different than that for Marshall, which was my point.

So while they may have differing fields of study available and no one should confuse say, Washington State, with having the same academic quality as a UVA or Texas, their respective roles within their states are the same: Provide the advanced research demanded by the state, provide the highest levels of education within the state, and serve as coordinating program leaders for the university system.

Most AQ programs already offer those for athletes anyway, in the form of "jock majors."No disagreement there, but the scale and form of opportunities for those differs depending on the institution, as well. Easy classes at Michigan might be fewer and more difficult than those at, say, FIU.
Again, UD football doesn't carry the Philly market like Memphis basketball does the TN/MS/AR region or ECU football does the eastern NC/southern VA area. They might draw well if they win but they'll always be a side course to the Eagles.The BE may not need someone to carry the market, but merely to create the presence for the conference as a whole. BC doesn't carry the Boston market, but their presence allows the ACC exposure to media markets and populations they don't otherwise have. If the BE football schools break away and thus lose Nova, Seton Hall, etc, it might behoove them to have a school in Philly for the additional assurances of exposure, and for more than just football.
Not only that, UCF brings just as much to the table, if not more.No doubt UCF is high on the list, and arguably among the three "givens" of any near-term expansion the BE might pursue. However, if the break away occurs (as might be necessary in order to expand in football) then there's something to be said for reinforcing the northeastern footprint as opposed to being scattered so far and amidst the territory of so many ACC and SEC schools.
That doesn't prevent them from fielding a football team no less successful than UD's.No, but Nova is a small private school with even less potential to draw 30k fans plus, let alone find the volume of big money donors needed to upgrade facilities. Whereas at least UD has a larger student body and alumni base and access to State funds. Add in Temple's lease that restricts options for use of Lincoln Financial Field and Nova has a more difficult ceiling than UD. Great season for them last year, but UD is a proven brand among AA schools.
I don't see why they couldn't build a larger stadium on the footprint of the current site, either:I'll search for the link but it wasn't long ago the local residents complained about the size of the existing facility and quelled enthusiasm for improvements to the site.

Even if they did the need arguably isn't there (http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2009/Internet/attendance/FCS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf). Last season they averaged just over 7k fans per game, compared with UD's traditional 20k.
Temple was kicked out of the Big East, so they're a non-issue to begin with.New administration and facilities since then, and Temple hoops is still relevant. Especially if the FBS schools break away that might become valuable for TV contracts versus not having a Philly team.
Only if they sustain the same success at the FBS level.

If Nova continues to excel in the FCS and UD struggles to finish bowl-eligible, it could even hurt them.FBS programs tend to be more about draws and financial returns than simple success. UCF's done wonders with their facilities despite very humble success, similar things with ECU.

Should UD move up without BE support? Doubtful. But I trust them to make their moves knowing full well what they'll likely achieve, BE or no BE. There's no delusions of supplanting PSU in Newark!

Cheers.

Again, UD football doesn't carry the Philly market like Memphis basketball does the TN/MS/AR region or ECU football does the eastern NC/southern VA area. They might draw well if they win but they'll always be a side course to the Eagles.


While much of Delaware is in the Philadelphia TV market (and the other parts in the Baltimore or Salisbury TV markets), UD will likely never get interest from the Philadelphia metro. Delaware is a state school and appeals to Delawareans, and that's it. Philadelphia college football means Penn State, and if any team were to become a serious college football program and become the true local team, then Temple has the best chance.

By the way, some misnomers about this thread: this project is an expansion on the current Delaware Stadium (originally built 1952), and the project has not started yet.

Are they going to build it in phases during the offseasons, or is Delaware going to move its home games (to Chester?)

Are they going to build it in phases during the offseasons, or is Delaware going to move its home games (to Chester?)
Doubt they'd have to move any games. As far as I know the stadium is currently four independent stands (http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/delaware/newark_delaware.shtml), so they'd merely be renovating the one endzone and building the new suites/press box behind the existing west(?) stands. I'm sure they'd have most, if not all, of the work done within one off season and shouldn't interrupt play.

Are they going to build it in phases during the offseasons, or is Delaware going to move its home games (to Chester?)

PPL Park soccer (and thus, football) capacity: 18,500
Delaware Stadium without its little stand: 19,000

Why add to where almost 1/3 of your seating is in the endzone? I can see those seats eventually filling in over the building in the endzone, but start with an upper deck over the sidelines, not the endzone. If there is a hiccup in expansion plans, or momentum of the program, you are stuck with a 30,000 seat stadium that has almost 10,000 seats in a poor location.

Are they going to build it in phases during the offseasons, or is Delaware going to move its home games (to Chester?)

Moving games to Chester would not make sense at all. It would be like moving UConn basketball games to Rhode Island, or something similar. They would complete it in phases or all at once in the offseason(s).

Doubt they'd have to move any games. As far as I know the stadium is currently four independent stands (http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/delaware/newark_delaware.shtml), so they'd merely be renovating the one endzone and building the new suites/press box behind the existing west(?) stands. I'm sure they'd have most, if not all, of the work done within one off season and shouldn't interrupt play.

Correct about the independent stands, so work could definitely be in phases.

Why add to where almost 1/3 of your seating is in the endzone? I can see those seats eventually filling in over the building in the endzone, but start with an upper deck over the sidelines, not the endzone. If there is a hiccup in expansion plans, or momentum of the program, you are stuck with a 30,000 seat stadium that has almost 10,000 seats in a poor location.

That land at the north end zone is the most unused land. I also think that adding luxury boxes and a real media box (the current one on the west side is a joke) would cost too much, and building a whole new structure on the end zones would be too much as well. I have to double-check that. But, on the east side is the outdoor track and practice area for some teams, and the west side is much-needed parking and service roads for Delaware Stadium and the adjacent Bob Carpenter Center. The north end zone is next to the football team's practice fields, but a decent-sized restricted parking area (inside a somewhat restricted access area) is where the new section would go.

Big things happening at Delaware - a large stadium in the FCS (1-AA) division is only getting bigger. I'd have to imagine they're looking at moving up to FBS if this project is being considered.

They are doing this because they think the can get the funding for it. The student fee is already handling the other facility.

Currently, the NCAA has a moratorium on teams moving up to FBS level. The moratorium is scheduled to expire August 9, 2011, prior to the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year. They cannot file to reclassify until 2011 at the earliest then if/when they do, they need a conference ready to take all of their sports. They easily meet the requirements for women's sports.

Institutions may not begin the exploratory year of the provisional or reclassification process during the moratorium. Institutions may start an exploratory year beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year. Petitions to begin the exploratory year during the 2011-12 academic year should be received in the NCAA national office not later than June 1, 2011. Nobody can even talk about it.

If Delaware submitted applications and accompanying fees prior to the adoption of the moratorium (which was 2007) will not be impacted, and may continue to move through the transition process in accordance with current requirements.

As far as I know, Delaware has indicated that they like winning a lot at their current level, and they do not intend to move up to the FBS. This could change, and some in UD have left that possibility open.

Personally, I think that UD would be a good ACC school. They would provide some good football competition in a conference that has not been as strong as the SEC and Big 12 in recent years. UD's basketball program is terrible even by CAA standards, though, so they would get massacred in a big conference.

Been watching the playoffs, two home games in a row on TV for Delaware. Haven't heard them mention expansion at all.

They've been talking about it for a long time as far as I know, but it's become more pressing of late seeing JMU and ODU expand and sell out whereas UD has done very little expansion. They didn't have to because they were the biggest in the conference, but not for long. Even W&M has added an end-zone structure and Richmond, while it is reallllly small (and indicative of wanting to stay FCS) has built a top-notch facility.

Expansion of the Bob Carpenter Center will come first.