Scott Stricklin chat transcript

[CadaverDawg]

Why in the hell not? This type of "oh boo hoo, we can't afford it so just give up" thinking just pisses me off.

Look objectively at what Arkansas, LSU, UM, and Texas A&M have and now what Bama is about to have. How in the hell are we supposed to compete with these team for recruits in the facilities arms race without tearing down the outdated and poorly designed grandstand that we currently have? When Miss. State has an opportunity to make ourselves a national power in one of the major sports, we have to jump all over that chance and cut no corners. That means no polishing of turds when it comes to DNF. Windows of opportunity like this don't come around very often for us in any sport, so we must do everything we can to elevate our program ASAP while we are still in the national spotlight. Baseball is OUR thing damnit. We take a backseat to NO ONE.

Everyone knows how I feel, and we have been over this many times. I really don't feel like getting into it too deep again.

You are 100% on the money

[Homedawg]

Only an idiot has no plans for a facility that has been in need of a serious upgrade for years. On top of that Cohen was promised an upgrade when he came. Its been five years and tere are zero plans available. What have they been doing during this time? Plans are he cheapest thing we can do so that should have been already done and fundraising eshould be either in the silent phase or set to begin. As far as the ticket holders, pay the big sums to keep your seat or get the hell over to the bleachers. Basketball was first, football will be reseated after the season and baseball should be next. Sorry that we live in the highly competitive SEC but the days of the good ole boy sweetheart deals are over.

Ok that's fine, you want it to go to priority- fine. That will bring even better crowds to the games. And actually very little more money. Look it's not like you are kicking me to the bleachers. I'm fine. Plus there wont be bleachers anyway. They will be gone. As far as good ole boy deals, im all for pony up- webhave enough free loaders, and a shit pile on this board and all they do is bitch! As far as Cohen and his upgrade, he has gotten everything, everything he has asked for. Make that wanted.

[Homedawg]

So should we just give up trying to have nice facilities?

Look, nobody is expecting this thing to happen overnight. What I (and I assume others here) want is for us to have designs for a new, state-of-the-art, open concourse grandstand w/ skyboxes and a nice pressbox and announce this ASAP to capitalize on our CWS run. Really, these designs should have been done a long time ago, since this has been a known problem for at least a few years now. Now, do I expect us to raise the funds in one month? Hell no, but the sooner we get this out there, the sooner the money will be raised.

I'd MUCH rather us take a few years longer to raise money, build, etc. something done right and state-of-the-art, than watch Stricklin grin like he's done something special while announcing plans for simply polishing a turd. We would save money in the long run, and have a much nicer facility in 8-10 years than we would if we just renovated.

What many people also don't seem to get is this is an investment in the future of our program. We are leaving so much money on the table on premium seating alone that it's not even funny. That doesn't even include the additional revenue we'd get from people who'd normally be sitting in the bleachers actually buying season tickets and gameday tickets. This new grandstand would not be wasted money; it would pay for itself and then some over time. Try not to see it as a burden now, but instead see this new grandstand as an asset for the future. Try to look ahead at this as a visionary.

Why is open concourse so important? I don't get it can we not just greatly improve what we have? Just for giggles, if we build a new stadium, what are we supposed to do in the year we are building it? Play every game in Jackson? Because we will have an entire season without a stadium unless we move it from its current place.

[engie]

We make money on baseball. Have since the 80s. THAT was the real "modernization of SEC baseball" that Polk brought. We proved it was more than a money pit -- and that's when LSU fell in line among others. AND if we aren't MAKING money right now, that just shows how MUCH bigger the problems are with Dudy Noble than people are admitting -- because LSU, USCe, OM, and Arky are all churning a nice profit...and I imagine aTm is as well...

Again -- you can say that nobody is making money on this stuff -- but "come on engie you are better than this" really? Ok -- so does the extra revenue for tripling the premium seating just get flushed down the tubes? I just gotta know...

IF it wasn't financially feasible and responsible to build these palaces, NOBODY would build them... Period... Arguing that these teams are spending the $$ on "money pits" is STILL devoid of logic. Why spend big money to continually lose money PERIOD? The same EXACT principle still holds true with the softball analogy -- losing money is losing money. The fact that "baseball doesn't lose as much as softball does yearly" is negligible by your reasoning that a stadium is a one-time expense.

And on OM:

Baseball Stadium Expansion

Following the multi-million dollar renovations prior to the 2009 season, gameday at Swayze Field continues to provide fans one of the best experiences in all of college baseball.

The $20 million renovation included: box and grandstand seats extending down the first and third baselines; the Diamond Club area, including 880 club seats; additional concessions and restroom facilities; a state of the art locker room and team meeting room; and a new playground for families to enjoy.

[engie]

Why is open concourse so important? I don't get it can we not just greatly improve what we have? Just for giggles, if we build a new stadium, what are we supposed to do in the year we are building it? Play every game in Jackson? Because we will have an entire season without a stadium unless we move it from its current place.

Why we can't "greatly improve what we have":
1) The angle the grandstand is built at prevents decent sightlines down the foul lines. There is nothing that we can reasonably do to remedy this that still looks/functions decent.

2) We need more premium seating. The existing skyboxes are half ass. We need a new press box as well. Also need a club level.

3) We need additional chairbacks. A bunch of them. See #1. Do you think LSU, Ole Miss, and Arky are kicking our ass in actual attendance? No. They are selling more season tickets -- because they have more season tickets to sell. We've got 4300 chairbacks. We sell roughly 6k season tickets. NO ONE is buying season tickets to sit in those bleachers. No one will buy season tickets multiple times to sit in a chairback that gives them a crick in their neck down the foul lines. We need 6500 overall chairbacks... conservatively...

4) We need to get out of the lifetime seating licenses. That's a huge problem with the stadium right now. And my uncle has 4 seats...so I know all about that side of the coin.

5) We fancy ourselves the JONESES in baseball. We're the only team in the country currently with a fullfledged baseball IPF. We've got fan support like no other -- practice facilities like no other -- and a stadium that, when it was built, was like NO OTHER(in 1986), but is currently like MANY others -- and is a whole generation behind in design.

This stadium situation is a STATEMENT either way. Either we're fine with being second rate in a sport that we've ALWAYS been first rate. Or we still want to be FIRST RATE and play with the big boys. The stadium, as it currently exists, has been slowkilling fan support for a decade plus. When you visiting these facilities for the first time, you can sit in the bleachers at MSU and get a crick in your neck. OR you can bring in beer at Ole Miss and party in the outfield with hot girls. You tell me which is going to be more attractive. As an "outsider", they kick our ass. Have for awhile. We've GOT to evolve DNF to be more "inclusive" instead of the currently divided "exclusivity". And I say that as someone that has season tickets, can go to the skyboxes anytime I want outside of about 2 weeks a year, and have free reign in 2 rigs in the outfield... So "I" get to see the great side of DNF -- but I'm fully aware of all the people that don't.

[Homedawg]

We make money on baseball. Have since the 80s. THAT was the real "modernization of SEC baseball" that Polk brought. We proved it was more than a money pit -- and that's when LSU fell in line among others. AND if we aren't MAKING money right now, that just shows how MUCH bigger the problems are with Dudy Noble than people are admitting -- because LSU, USCe, OM, and Arky are all churning a nice profit...and I imagine aTm is as well...

Again -- you can say that nobody is making money on this stuff -- but "come on engie you are better than this" really? Ok -- so does the extra revenue for tripling the premium seating just get flushed down the tubes? I just gotta know...

IF it wasn't financially feasible and responsible to build these palaces, NOBODY would build them... Period... Arguing that these teams are spending the $$ on "money pits" is STILL devoid of logic. Why spend big money to continually lose money PERIOD? The same EXACT principle still holds true with the softball analogy -- losing money is losing money. The fact that "baseball doesn't lose as much as softball does yearly" is negligible by your reasoning that a stadium is a one-time expense.

And on OM:

No we haven't made money on baseball since the mid 80's you would be bad wrong. Have we ever? Yes. Yearly and now no. Do the math. And if you think ole miss is you are drinking the kool aid. Period. Lsu maybe. Ark maybe but doubt it. The rest hahahahahahhahahahahha.

[Homedawg]

We make money on baseball. Have since the 80s. THAT was the real "modernization of SEC baseball" that Polk brought. We proved it was more than a money pit -- and that's when LSU fell in line among others. AND if we aren't MAKING money right now, that just shows how MUCH bigger the problems are with Dudy Noble than people are admitting -- because LSU, USCe, OM, and Arky are all churning a nice profit...and I imagine aTm is as well...

Again -- you can say that nobody is making money on this stuff -- but "come on engie you are better than this" really? Ok -- so does the extra revenue for tripling the premium seating just get flushed down the tubes? I just gotta know...

IF it wasn't financially feasible and responsible to build these palaces, NOBODY would build them... Period... Arguing that these teams are spending the $$ on "money pits" is STILL devoid of logic. Why spend big money to continually lose money PERIOD? The same EXACT principle still holds true with the softball analogy -- losing money is losing money. The fact that "baseball doesn't lose as much as softball does yearly" is negligible by your reasoning that a stadium is a one-time expense.

And on OM:

I said the stadium is a one time expense? No I didn't. Where?

[messageboardsuperhero]

Why we can't "greatly improve what we have":
1) The angle the grandstand is built at prevents decent sightlines down the foul lines. There is nothing that we can reasonably do to remedy this that still looks/functions decent.

2) We need more premium seating. The existing skyboxes are half ass. We need a new press box as well. Also need a club level.

3) We need additional chairbacks. A bunch of them. See #1. Do you think LSU, Ole Miss, and Arky are kicking our ass in actual attendance? No. They are selling more season tickets -- because they have more season tickets to sell. We've got 4300 chairbacks. We sell roughly 6k season tickets. NO ONE is buying season tickets to sit in those bleachers. No one will buy season tickets multiple times to sit in a chairback that gives them a crick in their neck down the foul lines. We need 6500 overall chairbacks... conservatively...

4) We need to get out of the lifetime seating licenses. That's a huge problem with the stadium right now. And my uncle has 4 seats...so I know all about that side of the coin.

5) We fancy ourselves the JONESES in baseball. We're the only team in the country currently with a fullfledged baseball IPF. We've got fan support like no other -- practice facilities like no other -- and a stadium that, when it was built, was like NO OTHER(in 1986), but is currently like MANY others -- and is a whole generation behind in design.

This stadium situation is a STATEMENT either way. Either we're fine with being second rate in a sport that we've ALWAYS been first rate. Or we still want to be FIRST RATE and play with the big boys. The stadium, as it currently exists, has been slowkilling fan support for a decade plus. When you visiting these facilities for the first time, you can sit in the bleachers at MSU and get a crick in your neck. OR you can bring in beer at Ole Miss and party in the outfield with hot girls. You tell me which is going to be more attractive. As an "outsider", they kick our ass. Have for awhile. We've GOT to evolve DNF to be more "inclusive" instead of the currently divided "exclusivity". And I say that as someone that has season tickets, can go to the skyboxes anytime I want outside of about 2 weeks a year, and have free reign in 2 rigs in the outfield... So "I" get to see the great side of DNF -- but I'm fully aware of all the people that don't.

Thank you.

90% of the people who argue for renovation rather than rebuilding are old-time season ticket holders who think DNF is fine. Well, guess what? For them, it is totally fine. They get their great box seat behind the dugout, see everything from where they're sitting, and think all is well for everyone else in the stadium. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate all they have done for MSU baseball. I realize their support has been huge. I really do. But at the same time, these people don't understand how difficult it is for people without a hook-up to get a decent seat/spot to watch the game. The atmosphere is terrible for someone who is just trying to get into MSU baseball, therefore it has been difficult for us to attract newer/younger fans. Cohen has talked repeatedly about how we must continue to attract a new/younger audience. That's not to say we don't appreciate the older fans, because we do. In order for MSU baseball to grow though, we must be inclusive.

With a new grandstand with good sightlines, everyone who wants to come to a game can have a great seat and a good experience without having to know someone. As for the importance of an open-concourse, that is just the way good stadiums are designed today. All the extra space and better views that it provides really open up the ballpark to the point that there is really no comparison between it and a closed concourse.

The entire purpose of us building the PDS grandstand in the 80s in the first place was for us to have the best stadium in college baseball. While it was just that for a while, it simply isn't anymore, and the only way for it to be would be to totally start over from scratch. So why would that original mission of having the best and nicest baseball stadium change now 25 years later?

[messageboardsuperhero]

No we haven't made money on baseball since the mid 80's you would be bad wrong. Have we ever? Yes. Yearly and now no. Do the math. And if you think ole miss is you are drinking the kool aid. Period. Lsu maybe. Ark maybe but doubt it. The rest hahahahahahhahahahahha.

If you honest to God don't think LSU is making money off of baseball, then you just can't be helped. Why in the hell would they spend $37 mil. on a new stadium if they weren't making money off of it? And the same goes with South Carolina and their $35 mil. stadium.

All the other bigger SEC baseball schools probably are too (State, Arkansas, UM, etc.), but there is absolutely no doubt that LSU and USCe both make a good bit of money off of baseball.

[Homedawg]

Why we can't "greatly improve what we have":
1) The angle the grandstand is built at prevents decent sightlines down the foul lines. There is nothing that we can reasonably do to remedy this that still looks/functions decent.

2) We need more premium seating. The existing skyboxes are half ass. We need a new press box as well. Also need a club level.

3) We need additional chairbacks. A bunch of them. See #1. Do you think LSU, Ole Miss, and Arky are kicking our ass in actual attendance? No. They are selling more season tickets -- because they have more season tickets to sell. We've got 4300 chairbacks. We sell roughly 6k season tickets. NO ONE is buying season tickets to sit in those bleachers. No one will buy season tickets multiple times to sit in a chairback that gives them a crick in their neck down the foul lines. We need 6500 overall chairbacks... conservatively...

4) We need to get out of the lifetime seating licenses. That's a huge problem with the stadium right now. And my uncle has 4 seats...so I know all about that side of the coin.

5) We fancy ourselves the JONESES in baseball. We're the only team in the country currently with a fullfledged baseball IPF. We've got fan support like no other -- practice facilities like no other -- and a stadium that, when it was built, was like NO OTHER(in 1986), but is currently like MANY others -- and is a whole generation behind in design.

This stadium situation is a STATEMENT either way. Either we're fine with being second rate in a sport that we've ALWAYS been first rate. Or we still want to be FIRST RATE and play with the big boys. The stadium, as it currently exists, has been slowkilling fan support for a decade plus. When you visiting these facilities for the first time, you can sit in the bleachers at MSU and get a crick in your neck. OR you can bring in beer at Ole Miss and party in the outfield with hot girls. You tell me which is going to be more attractive. As an "outsider", they kick our ass. Have for awhile. We've GOT to evolve DNF to be more "inclusive" instead of the currently divided "exclusivity". And I say that as someone that has season tickets, can go to the skyboxes anytime I want outside of about 2 weeks a year, and have free reign in 2 rigs in the outfield... So "I" get to see the great side of DNF -- but I'm fully aware of all the people that don't.

1- sight lines I hear that all the time- the bleachers won't be there when we renovate so that's not an issue. As it is now the only time it is an issue is sbw and when the wagon gets on for regionals.
2- I think there will be more premium seating after the renovation. Feel comfortable saying that.
3-we have sold almost 6k season tickets the last 2 years. So obviously people somewhere are buying tickets for something other than the grandstand. We don't need 2k more empty grandstand seats for most games.
4-that's fine. So I ask again, do you want to go by priority? If so there will be more empty seats and this will make the hump re-seating look like a small thing as far as pissing people off. Like I said these people literally help paynforbthe building. But as I said I don't care. Stricklin will piss more people off by doing this than anything he can do- other than completely shutting down the lounge.
5-you can bring in beer at DNF I can't supply the chicks for u!

[Todd4State]

I'm not referring to tailgating. I'm talking about a trailer falling down and people, lots of people being hurt. And if you think most of those rigs have engineers and architects involved then u haven't been out there much. As far as your insurance remark- I don't know but insurance won't be enough to cover someone who does because of negligence. And truly that's what this is- I'm sorry. An I repeat- I stay in the outfield, I don't want it to go away! I'm sure our insurance really lives the Doyle Bryan case. And that was on the bleachers!!!!!

You totally missed my point- you don't do away with something just because something bad "might" happen. No offense, but you sound like my Mom. "Todd- don't get on that rig- it might fall apart and kill you!"

I'll tell you what I do know about this though-

1. In the over 40 years of having rigs, we've NEVER had one fall apart.

2. People have to drive said rigs TO Dudy-Noble Field which means that they have to be able to hold up under speeds of at least 45 MPH.

3. The only thing that has ever collapsed out there was the deck that the school built- as someone already mentioned. And I do have to wonder if that was built shoddily on purpose to try to do away with the LFL which WAS something that LT wanted to do.

4. I don't know what the Bryan situation was, but it obviously happened in the bleachers- which means based on track record that the bleachers are at least as dangerous and possibly moreso than any rig in the LFL. Other than said deck.

5. I know of at least two people that have died at MLB games by falling off of upper decks/higher levels within the past ten years. When that guy at the Rangers game died- and they were negligent in that they didn't have a high enough rail up- did they close off the higher deck? Did that guys family sue the Rangers until they owned Yu Darvish? NO.

And hey, if I get on something rickity or that might be unsafe and it falls apart and I die- no one was forcing me on the thing. There's some fault on my part as well. There's nothing on the ticket that says I have to sit on any rig. The easy solution is just have the rig owners sign forms that say that they are liable and that the rigs aren't owned by MSU. Done.

[Homedawg]

If you honest to God don't think LSU is making money off of baseball, then you just can't be helped.

All the other bigger SEC baseball schools probably are too (USCe, State, Arkansas, UM, etc.), but there is absolutely no doubt that LSU makes a good bit of money off of baseball.

I said maybe as in-probably. But we don't. And I can assure u ole miss doesn't. Do the math. 6k season tickets. Coaching staffs of over a million bucks. Travel, recruiting, etc. for goodness sake we lost 150k by going to omaha for 12 days! You can argue with me all you want. I don't care. However, you would be wrong.

[messageboardsuperhero]

1- sight lines I hear that all the time- the bleachers won't be there when we renovate so that's not an issue. As it is now the only time it is an issue is sbw and when the wagon gets on for regionals.

The sight lines are bad whether the bleachers are here or not. That's just the way the grandstand was designed in the 80s. It doesn't allow for any more seats down the line to be angled towards home plate, so all those people sitting in the new extension of the grandstand would essentially be stuck staring at the CF wall.

[Todd4State]

1- sight lines I hear that all the time- the bleachers won't be there when we renovate so that's not an issue. As it is now the only time it is an issue is sbw and when the wagon gets on for regionals.
2- I think there will be more premium seating after the renovation. Feel comfortable saying that.
3-we have sold almost 6k season tickets the last 2 years. So obviously people somewhere are buying tickets for something other than the grandstand. We don't need 2k more empty grandstand seats for most games.
4-that's fine. So I ask again, do you want to go by priority? If so there will be more empty seats and this will make the hump re-seating look like a small thing as far as pissing people off. Like I said these people literally help paynforbthe building. But as I said I don't care. Stricklin will piss more people off by doing this than anything he can do- other than completely shutting down the lounge.
5-you can bring in beer at DNF I can't supply the chicks for u!

1- Better sightlines = better experience for fans. Including the ones with lifetime contracts. I guess they never considered that.

4- Why do people assume that the re-seating means that we're going to totally screw over our big doners? Isn't that the whole point in re-seating? If they helped pay for the building, I would assume that they are probably donating pretty well to the Bulldog Club. Now, if you have a lifetime seating contract and you haven't donated to MSU since 1988, well, you might get screwed then.

[Todd4State]

I said maybe as in-probably. But we don't. And I can assure u ole miss doesn't. Do the math. 6k season tickets. Coaching staffs of over a million bucks. Travel, recruiting, etc. for goodness sake we lost 150k by going to omaha for 12 days! You can argue with me all you want. I don't care. However, you would be wrong.

Are you really suggesting that the only revenue for baseball comes from season ticket sales?

[Homedawg]

1- Better sightlines = better experience for fans. Including the ones with lifetime contracts. I guess they never considered that.

4- Why do people assume that the re-seating means that we're going to totally screw over our big doners? Isn't that the whole point in re-seating? If they helped pay for the building, I would assume that they are probably donating pretty well to the Bulldog Club. Now, if you have a lifetime seating contract and you haven't donated to MSU since 1988, well, you might get screwed then.

Wtf are you talking about? Who said anything about big donors getting screwed? Big donors would get the seats if done by priority. Lots of small donors however would if you went by priority.

[Homedawg]

Are you really suggesting that the only revenue for baseball comes from season ticket sales?

Todd, where do you think revenue comes from? Ticket sales??? Just maybe.

[Homedawg]

The sight lines are bad whether the bleachers are here or not. That's just the way the grandstand was designed in the 80s. It doesn't allow for any more seats down the line to be angled towards home plate, so all those people sitting in the new extension of the grandstand would essentially be stuck staring at the CF wall.

All of what people? No one sits there except 2 times a damn year. Wait and see what is done with it before u bitch about it OR write a check and build us a new stadium.

[engie]

No we haven't made money on baseball since the mid 80's you would be bad wrong. Have we ever? Yes. Yearly and now no. Do the math. And if you think ole miss is you are drinking the kool aid. Period. Lsu maybe. Ark maybe but doubt it. The rest hahahahahahhahahahahha.

So, you are saying that Dudy Noble is basically screwing us.

Your logic is lacking on this. You know it -- I know it.

Please tell me what we did with the revenue from 60k tickets we sold for regionals plus concessions? Please tell me again how we didn't and don't make money on baseball -- because it's foolish -- and IF we don't, it shows how moronic our athletics department has been while they sat idly by and let LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and South Carolina surpass us...

[engie]

If you honest to God don't think LSU is making money off of baseball, then you just can't be helped. Why in the hell would they spend $37 mil. on a new stadium if they weren't making money off of it? And the same goes with South Carolina and their $35 mil. stadium.

All the other bigger SEC baseball schools probably are too (State, Arkansas, UM, etc.), but there is absolutely no doubt that LSU and USCe both make a good bit of money off of baseball.

Yeppp