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Best seats?

skippy1813

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Sep 28, 2005
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This may be a dumb question since I've been to 40+ IU games over the years but this will be my first year getting season tickets (didn't live anywhere close previously) - where should I sit??

I like comfort (read: shade, when available) and we will have a toddler with us. Any suggestions? Really looking more for "don't sit below row 30 and don't go above row 50" or something. Thanks in advance!
 
This may be a dumb question since I've been to 40+ IU games over the years but this will be my first year getting season tickets (didn't live anywhere close previously) - where should I sit??

I like comfort (read: shade, when available) and we will have a toddler with us. Any suggestions? Really looking more for "don't sit below row 30 and don't go above row 50" or something. Thanks in advance!
Avoid the south side of the west stands as well. Usually higher density of visiting team… their band is etc
Visiting fans in a dense population of other visiting fans I’ve found tend to be significantly more lippy
 
This may be a dumb question since I've been to 40+ IU games over the years but this will be my first year getting season tickets (didn't live anywhere close previously) - where should I sit??

I like comfort (read: shade, when available) and we will have a toddler with us. Any suggestions? Really looking more for "don't sit below row 30 and don't go above row 50" or something. Thanks in advance!
Assuming you aren't high on the priority points list, you will probably be limited somewhat in choice anyway. If I had a small one, I would consider sect. 106-107. Press box provides early shade, restrooms and concession stands are just a few rows up the stairs, and ramps to the upper level are better than stairs for little ones. I personally prefer to be in the middle of the field for my viewing angle, though I have a friend with young kids who likes to sit lower (near the goal line). His kids like to be close to the action when the ball is close to the end zone.
 
The only shade is given by the press box way up high on the west side. Either sit on the north side of it or burn. Maybe a few hundred seats in shade.
 
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This may be a dumb question since I've been to 40+ IU games over the years but this will be my first year getting season tickets (didn't live anywhere close previously) - where should I sit??

I like comfort (read: shade, when available) and we will have a toddler with us. Any suggestions? Really looking more for "don't sit below row 30 and don't go above row 50" or something. Thanks in advance!
This is a two edged sword as early season games are best on the west side as shade arrives in the second half but late season games the sun feels great on the east side. The SEZ has tables you can buy which is great but after mid-season that wind whips through there and it gets cold.

Row wise...it gets pretty tall on the west side (114ish) so stay as low and centered as your points will allow. East side is largely students and employees plus player parents section. Couple of good sections just south of mid-field and height is not much of an issue.
 
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The only shade is given by the press box way up high on the west side. Either sit on the north side of it or burn. Maybe a few hundred seats in shade.
Where did the 12-0 Rose Bowl guy go? You used to be one of the most positive posters. Lately it has all been the opposite.
 
This may be a dumb question since I've been to 40+ IU games over the years but this will be my first year getting season tickets (didn't live anywhere close previously) - where should I sit??

I like comfort (read: shade, when available) and we will have a toddler with us. Any suggestions? Really looking more for "don't sit below row 30 and don't go above row 50" or something. Thanks in advance!
The only reliable shade will be later in the day on the pavilion portion of the South End Zone complex. You’ll need a pass to gain access to the President’s Suite, but the patio area is open to all. Otherwise, your surest protection from the sun is cloud cover.

As for seating, anything below row 10 would probably have player obstructions, especially on the west side. The McFaddens were in about row 15 and they communicated pretty often with Micah during the games, so you can get close If you’re in sections 5, 6 or 7. There were a number of other families that sat near them, too, though some are in the faculty section on the East side. As for how high, that’s a personal preference matter. Some like the panoramic view while others like to be closer. MS is steeper than most, so higher seats mean more of a climb and, as you go higher, the already modest facilities get even less available. Not many bad seats at all.
 
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The only reliable shade will be later in the day on the pavilion portion of the South End Zone complex. You’ll need a pass to gain access to the President’s Suite, but the patio area is open to all. Otherwise, your surest protection from the sun is cloud cover.

As for seating, anything below row 10 would probably have player obstructions, especially on the west side. The McFaddens were in about row 15 and they communicated pretty often with Micah during the games, so you can get close If you’re in sections 5, 6 or 7. There were a number of other families that sat near them, too, though some are in the faculty section on the East side. As for how high, that’s a personal preference matter. Some like the panoramic view while others like to be closer. MS is steeper than most, so higher seats mean more of a climb and, as you go higher, the already modest facilities get even less available. Not many bad seats at all.
The patio or terrace is open to all that bought a ticket for that area. That is a good place up high for business/customer groups with mixed interest in the games to mingle. The area below as I mentioned includes the Tobias center with reserved tables for sale as well as a couple of rows of seats. This gets you access to the indoor area where you can get food and drink. Great place but that wind whips through there and it gets damned cold. The MSU game was a perfect example of weather diversity where the east side was sunny and warm and the SEZ was tough as most were under dressed not expecting the wind/shade/cold. Hope this helps.
 
Avoid the south side of the west stands as well. Usually higher density of visiting team… their band is etc
Visiting fans in a dense population of other visiting fans I’ve found tend to be significantly more lippy
and when Ahia brings 8K it gets pretty "lippy" starting as they walk through the tailgates.
 
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Indeed, but people love it in November.
Oh yes … I’ve sat every season on the East side. That said, I think the concession traffic jam on the concourse under the stands needs a lot of work. West stands, plenty of room to walk through. East stands are a mass of people all trying to get around lines of people at the tight concession stands near the entrances. Don’t like that layout.

Here’s my only other suggestion:

They have t.v.’s mounted on the post-columns down there so fans can watch the play on closed circuit while standing in line. And, that’s big for me. If I’m making a concession run, I want to see that action while waiting. The t.v.’s, however, are something out of 1990 Sanyo model with screens so small you have to squint to see it.

For very little investment, they could get 70” flat screens with high def and mount them on the columns. This is not a huge investment and make the whole experience seem like it’s up to date. It looks cheap. It’s the little touches like this that show they are watching the details. You upgrade a stadium, put in two fantastic end zone facilities and then your concourse looks like an afterthought. They can and should do better. These are the type of things that make me question the level of care within the AD.
 
Oh yes … I’ve sat every season on the East side. That said, I think the concession traffic jam on the concourse under the stands needs a lot of work. West stands, plenty of room to walk through. East stands are a mass of people all trying to get around lines of people at the tight concession stands near the entrances. Don’t like that layout.

Here’s my only other suggestion:

They have t.v.’s mounted on the post-columns down there so fans can watch the play on closed circuit while standing in line. And, that’s big for me. If I’m making a concession run, I want to see that action while waiting. The t.v.’s, however, are something out of 1990 Sanyo model with screens so small you have to squint to see it.

For very little investment, they could get 70” flat screens with high def and mount them on the columns. This is not a huge investment and make the whole experience seem like it’s up to date. It looks cheap. It’s the little touches like this that show they are watching the details. You upgrade a stadium, put in two fantastic end zone facilities and then your concourse looks like an afterthought. They can and should do better. These are the type of things that make me question the level of care within the AD.
I haven't sat on the east side for a long time since our spot was over there so I forget how crowded it must be at halftime. I like the wide screen idea they are cheap and easy to cover between games.
 
I haven't sat on the east side for a long time since our spot was over there so I forget how crowded it must be at halftime. I like the wide screen idea they are cheap and easy to cover between games.
Halftime, pre-game, 1st quarter. It can, at times, be a sea of humanity jamming through there.
I would tell fans to take a look at the t.v’s and see what you think? That is an easy improvement.
 
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It would be somewhat pricey, but we sat at the Rooftop at the Rock last year for homecoming and I thought it was fantastic. If for no other reason than they had food so no concessions lines, particularly if you have a small kid. They have room to move around and there were tents with couches and TVs.
 
Oh yes … I’ve sat every season on the East side. That said, I think the concession traffic jam on the concourse under the stands needs a lot of work. West stands, plenty of room to walk through. East stands are a mass of people all trying to get around lines of people at the tight concession stands near the entrances. Don’t like that layout.

Here’s my only other suggestion:

They have t.v.’s mounted on the post-columns down there so fans can watch the play on closed circuit while standing in line. And, that’s big for me. If I’m making a concession run, I want to see that action while waiting. The t.v.’s, however, are something out of 1990 Sanyo model with screens so small you have to squint to see it.

For very little investment, they could get 70” flat screens with high def and mount them on the columns. This is not a huge investment and make the whole experience seem like it’s up to date. It looks cheap. It’s the little touches like this that show they are watching the details. You upgrade a stadium, put in two fantastic end zone facilities and then your concourse looks like an afterthought. They can and should do better. These are the type of things that make me question the level of care within the AD.
That's a good thought. We have an elevated field scoreboard screen that multifunctional and classy. 12-16 big screens in the concourses would be an additional touch of class. Put those smaller 1's in the smaller areas for even more convenience and coverage.
 
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Side post:

IU needs to decide if we are gonna be in the football factory leagues in the new NIL/Power 50 world. If yes, we need to go big or go home. Stop trying BE Ahia State. BE a something different that can compete.

IF we are gonna play big boy football, then we need to completely re-make ourselves. We will NEVER agent 80-100,000 people in a stadium in Bloomington. Not unless Purdue or Notre Dame quit football. Soooo….

Start planning now for a niche. A unique footprint. Make IU the place with the best football venue as a way of/first step toward building that Power 50 program. Build small, super-fan-friendly, super athlete friendly on campus dome. Shade. heat. AC. All premium all the time. Has a hotel for players families to stay when they come watch Johnny NIL. Has restaurants and bars with different themes. Rock and roll Here. Rap crap there. Crooners in the back. Hell, throw in a bowling alley. One stop entertainment shopping, 35,000 comfortable fan-friendly seats, plus suites all around. Total seating around 40,000. Small but trending toward luxurious. do it BEFORE the BTN money dries up or gets taken for cheerleader NIL deals.

Marketing. Bison. Hats. Slow strong bison. Take an ax. Clear the forest. Let a bison jump your rail fence. Win. Cant win without a mascot. Bama has elephants and rides. We have ears on bar floors.

Or we could just keep doing what we do now and have done since the Boola bool.
 
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Oh yes … I’ve sat every season on the East side. That said, I think the concession traffic jam on the concourse under the stands needs a lot of work. West stands, plenty of room to walk through. East stands are a mass of people all trying to get around lines of people at the tight concession stands near the entrances. Don’t like that layout.

Here’s my only other suggestion:

They have t.v.’s mounted on the post-columns down there so fans can watch the play on closed circuit while standing in line. And, that’s big for me. If I’m making a concession run, I want to see that action while waiting. The t.v.’s, however, are something out of 1990 Sanyo model with screens so small you have to squint to see it.

For very little investment, they could get 70” flat screens with high def and mount them on the columns. This is not a huge investment and make the whole experience seem like it’s up to date. It looks cheap. It’s the little touches like this that show they are watching the details. You upgrade a stadium, put in two fantastic end zone facilities and then your concourse looks like an afterthought. They can and should do better. These are the type of things that make me question the level of care within the AD.
Just an fyi, there are plans to completely redo the concourses. No timeline, just passing along.
 
Side post:

IU needs to decide if we are gonna be in the football factory leagues in the new NIL/Power 50 world. If yes, we need to go big or go home. Stop trying BE Ahia State. BE a something different that can compete.

IF we are gonna play big boy football, then we need to completely re-make ourselves. We will NEVER agent 80-100,000 people in a stadium in Bloomington. Not unless Purdue or Notre Dame quit football. Soooo….

Start planning now for a niche. A unique footprint. Make IU the place with the best football venue as a way of/first step toward building that Power 50 program. Build small, super-fan-friendly, super athlete friendly on campus dome. Shade. heat. AC. All premium all the time. Has a hotel for players families to stay when they come watch Johnny NIL. Has restaurants and bars with different themes. Rock and roll Here. Rap crap there. Crooners in the back. Hell, throw in a bowling alley. One stop entertainment shopping, 35,000 comfortable fan-friendly seats, plus suites all around. Total seating around 40,000. Small but trending toward luxurious. do it BEFORE the BTN money dries up or gets taken for cheerleader NIL deals.

Marketing. Bison. Hats. Slow strong bison. Take an ax. Clear the forest. Let a bison jump your rail fence. Win. Cant win without a mascot. Bama has elephants and rides. We have ears on bar floors.

Or we could just keep doing what we do now and have done since the Boola bool.
I concur. Get outside the paradigm to discover/create/massage a niche for tradition, prosperity and envy.
 
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Side post:

IU needs to decide if we are gonna be in the football factory leagues in the new NIL/Power 50 world. If yes, we need to go big or go home. Stop trying BE Ahia State. BE a something different that can compete.

IF we are gonna play big boy football, then we need to completely re-make ourselves. We will NEVER agent 80-100,000 people in a stadium in Bloomington. Not unless Purdue or Notre Dame quit football. Soooo….

Start planning now for a niche. A unique footprint. Make IU the place with the best football venue as a way of/first step toward building that Power 50 program. Build small, super-fan-friendly, super athlete friendly on campus dome. Shade. heat. AC. All premium all the time. Has a hotel for players families to stay when they come watch Johnny NIL. Has restaurants and bars with different themes. Rock and roll Here. Rap crap there. Crooners in the back. Hell, throw in a bowling alley. One stop entertainment shopping, 35,000 comfortable fan-friendly seats, plus suites all around. Total seating around 40,000. Small but trending toward luxurious. do it BEFORE the BTN money dries up or gets taken for cheerleader NIL deals.

Marketing. Bison. Hats. Slow strong bison. Take an ax. Clear the forest. Let a bison jump your rail fence. Win. Cant win without a mascot. Bama has elephants and rides. We have ears on bar floors.

Or we could just keep doing what we do now and have done since the Boola bool.
It’s Bloomington IN. This type of suggestion is way too terrifying for them. They still think I69 is disruptive to the ecological system and too much progress.

Keep things the way they were. Set up shanty town in Dunn Meadow and forget any new additions to the athletic complex.
 
Side post:

IU needs to decide if we are gonna be in the football factory leagues in the new NIL/Power 50 world. If yes, we need to go big or go home. Stop trying BE Ahia State. BE a something different that can compete.

IF we are gonna play big boy football, then we need to completely re-make ourselves. We will NEVER agent 80-100,000 people in a stadium in Bloomington. Not unless Purdue or Notre Dame quit football. Soooo….

Start planning now for a niche. A unique footprint. Make IU the place with the best football venue as a way of/first step toward building that Power 50 program. Build small, super-fan-friendly, super athlete friendly on campus dome. Shade. heat. AC. All premium all the time. Has a hotel for players families to stay when they come watch Johnny NIL. Has restaurants and bars with different themes. Rock and roll Here. Rap crap there. Crooners in the back. Hell, throw in a bowling alley. One stop entertainment shopping, 35,000 comfortable fan-friendly seats, plus suites all around. Total seating around 40,000. Small but trending toward luxurious. do it BEFORE the BTN money dries up or gets taken for cheerleader NIL deals.

Marketing. Bison. Hats. Slow strong bison. Take an ax. Clear the forest. Let a bison jump your rail fence. Win. Cant win without a mascot. Bama has elephants and rides. We have ears on bar floors.

Or we could just keep doing what we do now and have done since the Boola bool.
Very unlikely we’d ever permit an on-campus athletic facility be built ever again. The University forefathers took them off campus many years ago for a reason. Also doubt the BiG would ever sanction the construction of a sub-50,000 seat stadium. There are only a handful below 50k in the P5 and only a couple at or below 40k. Doubt there would ever be enthusiasm to build a new stadium, regardless of size or location. AH was falling apart and had numerous fan complaints and they still wouldn’t build A new one, even though quite a few wanted to go that direction.
 
Very unlikely we’d ever permit an on-campus athletic facility be built ever again. The University forefathers took them off campus many years ago for a reason. Also doubt the BiG would ever sanction the construction of a sub-50,000 seat stadium. There are only a handful below 50k in the P5 and only a couple at or below 40k. Doubt there would ever be enthusiasm to build a new stadium, regardless of size or location. AH was falling apart and had numerous fan complaints and they still wouldn’t build A new one, even though quite a few wanted to go that direction.
Attendance is going to keep going down everywhere. If we build, we will need to go small or look empty.
 
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Attendance is going to keep going down everywhere. If we build, we will need to go small or look empty.
Go the Oregon (Autzen Stadium) route... Stay small..., just keep upgrading what you've got...

I say cap the available seating at somewhere between 55,000 and 59,000 forever and just keep tweaking things to make it the most desirable place to watch a game live in the entire Big Ten...

We have a solid base now to work with, just keep upgrading...
 
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Go the Oregon (Autzen Stadium) route... Stay small..., just keep upgrading what you've got...

I say cap the available seating at somewhere between 55,000 and 59,000 forever and just keep tweaking things to make it the most desirable place to watch a game live in the entire Big Ten...

We have a solid base now to work with, just keep upgrading...
No leg room

Burn Lilliput Stadium down and build Comfort-on-Steroids Dome!

We could probably finish it before I-69 is done.
 
Attendance is going to keep going down everywhere. If we build, we will need to go small or look empty.
MS is currently pretty small. There isn't enough real estate internal to campus to build anything. The current location adjacent to campus is pretty good and there used to be some space to get some of the things you mention built, but not anymore.

For some here if we just add some restrooms and concessions stands while stopping evil fans like me from going out at halftime...all will be well.
 
Go the Oregon (Autzen Stadium) route... Stay small..., just keep upgrading what you've got...

I say cap the available seating at somewhere between 55,000 and 59,000 forever and just keep tweaking things to make it the most desirable place to watch a game live in the entire Big Ten...

We have a solid base now to work with, just keep upgrading...
Could not agree more. Exactly my thoughts. Best bang for the IU fans' bucks and IUFB. Liked the idea of having capability in stadium to view streaming during a game. Concessions; have some hi $ offerings, 3-4 locations selling a steak sandwich, lobster Po'Boys, shrimp cocktail, premium items to be ate by hand. Goes hand and hand with good beer selections and mimosas. Fans that don't want hot dogs want more. Make it an event before and during the game. Make a fine project for Kelley Marketing. Kick the Director of the Marching 100 in the ass and order him to create award winning performances at every halftime. Get invested and vested.
 
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Could not agree more. Exactly my thoughts. Best bang for the IU fans' bucks and IUFB. Liked the idea of having capability in stadium to view streaming during a game. Concessions; have some hi $ offerings, 3-4 locations selling a steak sandwich, lobster Po'Boys, shrimp cocktail, premium items to be ate by hand. Goes hand and hand with good beer selections and mimosas. Fans that don't want hot dogs want more. Make it an event before and during the game. Make a fine project for Kelley Marketing. Kick the Director of the Marching 100 in the ass and order him to create award winning performances at every halftime. Get invested and vested.
Win often and people will show up. Lose often and they will not. Simple as that. It could be Mardi Gras, NY fashion week, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one and most fans won't show up if you routinely get your ass kicked. People turn out to watch good teams play in second-rate stadiums all over the country.
 
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It’s Bloomington IN. This type of suggestion is way too terrifying for them. They still think I69 is disruptive to the ecological system and too much progress.

Keep things the way they were. Set up shanty town in Dunn Meadow and forget any new additions to the athletic complex.
Stupid. Not surprising, but still stupid.
 
Win often and people will show up. Lose often and they will not. Simple as that. It could be Mardi Gras, NY fashion week, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one and most fans won't show up if you routinely get your ass kicked. People turn out to watch good teams play in second-rate stadiums all over the country.

don't even get me going on that post.

that said, tens of thousands show up every game even for teams that don't win big, and those fans still have a great day, win or lose.

that said, doesn't matter whether the average coaches salary is $40,000 yr or $4 million, or whether there are 5 coaches on staff or 50, the average W-L is always going to be 50% winning percentage, and good luck ever coming up with a way to increase that.

IU has a really great stadium, really great, and it was really great even before they ever filled in the end zones.

fans themselves can greatly control the restroom wait by timing their break.

more liquid refreshment, if really a problem, is a really cheap and really easy fix.

and if prices aren't out of reach for too many, even a struggling team can put a lot of butts in seats, and still make money like they were printing it.
 
Win often and people will show up. Lose often and they will not. Simple as that. It could be Mardi Gras, NY fashion week, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one and most fans won't show up if you routinely get your ass kicked. People turn out to watch good teams play in second-rate stadiums all over the country.
Btown developed as an elite tailgate location not because the team was winning, and everyone clamored to get inside. It happened because of the upscale social nature of the IU alumni base combined with bad FB.
 
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IU has a really great stadium, really great, and it was really great even before they ever filled in the end zones.
Ehhh, lets be objective here. MS was not a really great stadium before the renovations began. It was always ahead of the curve on video boards but that was about it. It was pretty bad otherwise.

It is really really great now.
 
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Win often and people will show up. Lose often and they will not. Simple as that. It could be Mardi Gras, NY fashion week, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one and most fans won't show up if you routinely get your ass kicked. People turn out to watch good teams play in second-rate stadiums all over the country.
I don't argue your point 1 bit. Winning no doubt is a major motivator. But tradition can still be built, advanced and even transitioned. Fans already enjoy IUFB tailgating. Plan, promote, execute, evaluate, change to improve, with the goal to make MS a destination for 6-7 Saturdays each Fall. Dozens of action options. Somehow the Cubs made it happen for decades without much winning.
 
Could not agree more. Exactly my thoughts. Best bang for the IU fans' bucks and IUFB. Liked the idea of having capability in stadium to view streaming during a game. Concessions; have some hi $ offerings, 3-4 locations selling a steak sandwich, lobster Po'Boys, shrimp cocktail, premium items to be ate by hand. Goes hand and hand with good beer selections and mimosas. Fans that don't want hot dogs want more. Make it an event before and during the game. Make a fine project for Kelley Marketing. Kick the Director of the Marching 100 in the ass and order him to create award winning performances at every halftime. Get invested and vested.
A recipe for success is to play “Sing, Sing, Sing” a thousand times at a game. That gets the blue hairs on their feet. Let’s break out a song from 1902 to get the people on their feet.
 
Win often and people will show up. Lose often and they will not. Simple as that. It could be Mardi Gras, NY fashion week, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one and most fans won't show up if you routinely get your ass kicked. People turn out to watch good teams play in second-rate stadiums all over the country.
Agreed, and I don’t think the needed concessions overhaul is so great that we can’t change our second-rate stadium (from a fans standpoint) into something much better. The pass out thing is a non-issue to me. Most people hanging in the lots don’t really care about the program so much that they want to go in, so let’s let them enjoy what they’re there for anyway.

The tailgating scene is pretty good right now and, like the program on the field, we can use the Iowa and Wisconsin examples of stadium amenities and tailgating to build up to their level someday. Getting a competitive program on the field is the surest way to get them to come inside and stay, not some policy that requires they stay. Right now, they’re voting with their feet. Let’s just do whatever we have to ensure the Cincinnati debacle and bird doo situations don’t happen again.

Go Hoosiers.
 
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