UAB getting new stadium

[SCKnight]

4 years after being shut down UAB will be playing in a new stadium. the City of Birmingham is going to build a stadium to replace the dump that is legion field. Nice break for the Blazershttps://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/7/17/17583662/uab-new-stadium-birmingham

 

[HammerB08]

Makes the Birmingham Bowl a slightly more attractive option.

 

[CBlackwellRN]

Good for them! I will always support their program after what happened to them a few years ago.

 

[knight_tracker]

Good for them! I will always support their program after what happened to them a few years ago.

Yes I agree, What a great story after shutting the program down.

 

[MechaKnight]

Looks like it's not just a stadium, but a $300M project that includes renovating the arena and convention center. It'll be like UCF's athletic village except 2 miles away instead of on-campus

 

[renzmeister]

Don't let this distract you from the fact that USF still does not have a stadium and cant get enough funding for a IPF

 

[firm_bizzle]

This is a program changer. If it happened 10-15 years ago, they would be in the American over Tulsa.

 

[vroomba]

This is a program changer. If it happened 10-15 years ago, they would be in the American over Tulsa.

Sometimes I forget Tulsa exists

 

[mattropolis]

175 million? Sounds like the taxpayers in Birmingham are going to get fleeced. That's way too much for a program like theirs to afford. For 2017, it looks like revenue minus expenses result in about 1 million dollars. These numbers vary depending on where you look but let's just say it is ballpark. At that rate it would take 175 years to pay off, and that is without interest, which like anybody who gets a 30 year mortgage and never pays an extra dime on the principal, you probably end up also paying 175 million in interest as well.

 

[MckenzieMilton10]

Looks nice. Good for them.

 

[UCFan9906]

175 million? Sounds like the taxpayers in Birmingham are going to get fleeced. That's way too much for a program like theirs to afford. For 2017, it looks like revenue minus expenses result in about 1 million dollars. These numbers vary depending on where you look but let's just say it is ballpark. At that rate it would take 175 years to pay off, and that is without interest, which like anybody who gets a 30 year mortgage and never pays an extra dime on the principal, you probably end up also paying 175 million in interest as well.

I’m sure this is more about the bowl and then thinking that they will get nuetral site games. Those types of games actually have an impact to the local area with hotel stays, etc.

CFB net revenues are almost all designed to show revenue nuetral. Not saying UAB has tons to spare but net revenue numbers are generally a farce.

Even big time programs “stash” surpluses for future construction, etc. Most is dumped into salaries and lavish facility upgrades and perks. Michigan football Eurotrip anyone? I guess the fear is John Donor says I can stop donating if the school has a $50M surplus every year. Lots of money wasted.

 

[CBlackwellRN]

Don't let this distract you from the fact that USF still does not have a stadium and cant get enough funding for a IPF

Very good point. This can NEVER be overemphasized.

 

[Wings0fred]

Seems like a pretty bad financial decision unless they are really profiting from hosting those bowl games...

Guess time will tell. Quite the reversal from canning the football program not so long ago to this.

 

[ucfversusbcs]

This looks like a winner! Its more than just a 30k seat stadium. Its renovating their basketball arena, adding a theater for performances and concerts too. Thats consistent revenue there. Plus its nearby downtown Birmingham and its Uptown Entertainment District. Good job expanding and improving the urban footprint. It has a mini cosmopolitan/town center feel to it. It certainly looks more appealing than Tulsa's dump of a football stadium, although the basketball arena is alright.
I agree with those who said if Bham did this decades ago, they would at least be in the American instead of Tulsa.
What they did to UAB and Bham is an insult to the legacy of Gene Bartow.

 

[firm_bizzle]

Seems like a pretty bad financial decision unless they are really profiting from hosting those bowl games...

Guess time will tell. Quite the reversal from canning the football program not so long ago to this.

That stadium will get a ton of use. UAB, high school football championships, neutral site games, concerts. It’s an entertainment complex and a way to showcase downtown Birmingham.

 

[Mikesi]

Makes the Birmingham Bowl a slightly more attractive option.

Slightly. Imagine if we ended up there? We need better bowl options. I’m thinking if the Liberty bowl was a consistent #1 option or a #2 after a NY6 bowl that would be a small upgrade at least.

The Armed Forces Bowl this year should be interesting

 

[firm_bizzle]

Slightly. Imagine if we ended up there? We need better bowl options. I’m thinking if the Liberty bowl was a consistent #1 option or a #2 after a NY6 bowl that would be a small upgrade at least.

The Armed Forces Bowl this year should be interesting

Citrus or Russell Athletic bowl should be option #2 for us.

 

[Mikesi]

Citrus or Russell Athletic bowl should be option #2 for us.

I know about the Russell Athletic Bowl here (Syracuse vs West Virginia).

Did the Citrus Bowl have another name? Where is that game?

Which teams presently or generally play in that game now?

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

I know about the Russell Athletic Bowl here (Syracuse vs West Virginia).

Did the Citrus Bowl have another name? Where is that game?

Which teams presently or generally play in that game now?

3 Games in Orlando. Grier isn’t playing so that game is less interesting now. http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401035253

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401032088

 

[Mikesi]

3 Games in Orlando. Grier isn’t playing so that game is less interesting now. http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401035253

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401032088

Ok. So it was the old Capital One Bowl That’s always been a very high quality bowl game. Doubt that we ever get invited to it being in the AAC

The Cure Bowl is one of the lowest tier bowl games

 

[2DogKnight]

Don't let this distract you from the fact that USF still does not have a stadium and cant get enough funding for a IPF

Because they don't want to have a stadium constructed like UCF, right? They consider our stadium sub-par?

 

[CBlackwellRN]

Because they don't want to have a stadium constructed like UCF, right? They consider our stadium sub-par?

Yes. It’s laughable.

 

[ucfversusbcs]

Legion Field was and is an eye sore, crumbling after years of neglect, with the upper decks having to be torn down. it was an obvious shell of its glorious past. Of course, a bowl game there was a crap show. At least an SEC team was delegated per agreement.
Now with the new stadium and its surroundings and a sweeter payout, it has the potential to be a nice American bowl partnering, unless they decide to dump us.
As for revenue? It will have an easier time recuperating than UNLVs (and the Raiders) new stadium - http://lasvegasstadium.raiders.com/