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Culpeper Hokie
Joined: 10/27/1998
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Pure fantasyland wishful thinking: IF VT manages to get into SEC or B1G...

... do you think that we would ever look into finding a way to fit an additional 4,368 or more seats into Lane Stadium to push the capacity over 70,000? If you're going to compete in those leagues, you need to have BIG stadiums. In the SEC, Texas A&M - 102,733; LSU - 102,321; Tennessee - 101,917; Texas - 100,119; Alabama - 100,077, etc. At our current 65,632, we would have the 12th largest stadium, only ahead of Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt. In the B1G, Michigan - 107,601; Penn State - 106,572; Ohio State - 104,944; UCLA - 92,542; Nebraska - 87,000, etc. At our current 65,632, we would have the 11th largest stadium, only ahead of Purdue, Illinois, Oregon, Indiana, Minnesota, Rutgers, Maryland, and Northwestern. Now, I don't have any expectation that we would jump up to an 80,000 seat stadium shortly after becoming a member of one of these two conferences, but it certainly would be nice to break that 70,000 seat threshold, and move up from the bottom 25% in stadium size in each of them. Of course, the demand would have to be there in order for it to even be considered. But, consider this - Even with the poor records we've been having the last few years, and operating in a perceived low-interest conference, we have been regularly selling out Lane for most games. You'd have to think that participating in one of the perceived "super conferences" and with improved play, there might certainly be sufficient demand to add 5 - 10 K additional seats. I'm sure all of these dream scenarios have been discussed internally within our Athletic Department, but it might be a fun exercise to discuss here. Have at it.
Posted: 10/31/2024 at 01:08 PM ET

Thread Replies (55)

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Pure fantasyland wishful thinking: IF VT manages to get into SEC or B1G...
Culpeper Hokie 10/31/24 01:08 PM ET
Anything is possible, even expanding the stadium or reducing seating such
anotherdamnyankeehokie 11/05/24 02:00 PM ET
Has anyone established that stadium seats are physically possible? The
Femoyer Hokie 11/06/24 01:05 PM ET
Good point, I know that on the west side, the bleachers at the top were
anotherdamnyankeehokie 11/06/24 01:11 PM ET
Why do you want to go 2-6 each year in conference?
SpeakToDamien 11/03/24 01:00 PM ET
That's what, 1-2 games worse than now?**
WestyHokie 11/05/24 02:07 PM ET
We would probably hire better coaches with that additional money.**
EDGEMAN 11/04/24 06:52 AM ET
Scared money don't make money. VT probably will take its lumps in the
VTHokie2000 11/04/24 07:17 PM ET
We will not be great again until Nit Whit heads off into the sunset
MrBayAreaHokie 11/05/24 09:52 AM ET
I agree that VT will need a different AD. However, VT may not have the
VTHokie2000 11/05/24 04:25 PM ET
Is there reallydemand for tickets that will fill more seats
PadrosWindup 11/02/24 11:31 AM ET
Thoughts on additional parking?**
EDGEMAN 11/01/24 04:55 PM ET
Parking garages built over existing parking lots is the most likely I think**
anotherdamnyankeehokie 11/05/24 02:17 PM ET
Stadium Woods? Too soon?**
Femoyer Hokie 11/01/24 09:21 PM ET
Sharpen up those chain saws...lol**
EDGEMAN 11/02/24 08:26 AM ET
We could have the “Bruce Smith Firewood Sale” fundraiser to
Femoyer Hokie 11/02/24 08:30 AM ET
High Rise Parking that looks like a mountain 🤣**
Stech 11/01/24 09:02 PM ET
If I'm designing any expansion
Victor Tango 11/01/24 04:08 PM ET
Absolutely think the 4 corner video boards could easily be worked out. Love
anotherdamnyankeehokie 11/05/24 02:53 PM ET
+1 for the cannon on top of the bridge!**
Femoyer Hokie 11/02/24 07:29 AM ET
I don’t think that’s a big deal at all
I85Hokie 11/01/24 10:26 AM ET
You can't just compare us to schools that are massively bigger enrollments
HokieAl 11/01/24 09:13 AM ET
GT has 48K students? Really?
EDGEMAN 11/01/24 04:52 PM ET
They have a massive grad student population **
HokieAl 11/01/24 06:08 PM ET
Including a ton of online students**
Pylons 11/04/24 07:24 PM ET
Great chart but I think you've entirely misunderstood what I was getting at
Culpeper Hokie 11/01/24 01:47 PM ET
This isn't discouraging as VT seems to be on the cusp based
VT757to276 11/01/24 09:29 AM ET
Are we considering Liberty an institution of higher learning at all?**
RVAHokie05 11/01/24 09:37 AM ET
Pretty sure no one considers them that. Receipt inside...
Culpeper Hokie 11/01/24 03:37 PM ET
Sorry, receipt here...**
Culpeper Hokie 11/01/24 03:44 PM ET
But they sure know how to spend money
HokieAl 11/01/24 06:10 PM ET
I think you have things reversed.
Pylons 11/01/24 08:30 AM ET
KU was vetted by the Big 10 when all of those moves were being made. Now
Big12 guy 11/01/24 06:51 AM ET
Our fans don’t care about that. They 1) Want to be in Blacksburg &
hokieZ71 11/03/24 03:20 PM ET
KU needed a modern facility
Big12 guy 11/05/24 08:59 AM ET
I'd expect a s stadium expansion if we end up in the P2. 72k minimum.
Maroon Baboon 11/01/24 01:09 AM ET
I believe the road that runs between the stadium and practice field is a
VTHokie2000 11/01/24 04:43 PM ET
Would that add another 8K seats over what's there now?
EDGEMAN 11/01/24 06:10 AM ET
I'm not sure why VT would do this.
Baltimore_Hokie 10/31/24 05:16 PM ET
Yeah, funnel THAT $ into NIL**
ombandit 10/31/24 11:27 PM ET
Way down the list of expansion priorities.
LonghornHokie 10/31/24 05:09 PM ET
A couple of things here from "Whit' perspective
1947Sunbowl 10/31/24 03:26 PM ET
Whit isn’t the only one, just about all if not all r going towards premium
Stech 11/01/24 09:22 AM ET
Actually I heard UVA is in non-public study on premium seating
1947Sunbowl 11/01/24 03:14 PM ET
They tend to follow UNC who reduced, so not surprising if true.**
Stech 11/01/24 09:00 PM ET
Is all this somewhere in the Babcock manifesto?**
ombandit 10/31/24 11:29 PM ET
Not a fantasy, but not guaranteed either, my bet is So end zone like No end
Stech 10/31/24 03:24 PM ET
oh BTW in regards closing in the corners, I heard Lane has some code issues
1947Sunbowl 10/31/24 03:33 PM ET
Now you mention it, I remember something like that too, premium seating is
Stech 10/31/24 05:03 PM ET
yes I remember that too. temp bleachers n the gaps
1947Sunbowl 10/31/24 07:17 PM ET
Well they wouldn’t have a choice, it would be huge boost to Southwestern Va
Stech 11/01/24 12:17 AM ET
Even if we get into the P2, I still think the current capacity
RVAHokie05 10/31/24 01:37 PM ET
stadium expansions are a LOT less important then they were 10, 20, 30 years
Vippie1 10/31/24 04:33 PM ET
yeah, if anything, they'll try and find a way for more premium seating.**
reestuart 10/31/24 02:02 PM ET
make the seats MORE comfortable and double the cost per ticket
Windows NT 10/31/24 08:32 PM ET
I've been to a few NFL games the past few years. There is a ton to be said
reestuart 11/01/24 11:07 AM ET