New FCS stadium proposal in Prov. for Rhody and Brown

[Brad82]

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150415/NEWS/150419478

Attendance is strong now,this would mean 15-20 K easy.
Nice shot in arm.

[Mattymc727]

What are the chances it passes?

RI probably doesnt want another 38 studios deal....

[Brad82]

Good question,people want to keep the Sox minor league team,but not spend $$. Typical New England.
50/50.

[DFW HOYA]

Not really a football stadium proposal, more like a baseball stadium that wants some added revenue in the fall.

Putting aside the minutae of how things get done in RI politics, I can't see why Brown would be interested in moving games there unless it's rent-free, and URI maybe one or two games a year at most. But, hey, Providence College football, you're on the clock...

[melloware13]

One problem is that the AAA championship is played around mid-September, and the International League playoffs can go that late as well, so URI would have to play home games at Meade through that time. Brown might have a one week conflict, but it could be scheduled to open games there with URI v. Brown

[PAllen]

Well, since it'll be built on land owned by Brown, rent shouldn't be an issue.

[Gordon Shumway]

Why in the world would URI want to play their home games 30 miles off campus in a minor league baseball park?

[bostonspider]

Why in the world would URI want to play their home games 30 miles off campus in a minor league baseball park?

Well because it would look like this

http://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_1920w/Boston/2011-2020/2015/04/19/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/ProvidenceAerialDayFB550dpiwithCaptionA-4126.jpg

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Instead of this

http://www.stadiumsusa.com/images/thumbs/fada4c0bab9e05094305d8f0c4efe89b5a94f9e0.jpg-590x1000.png

[ccd494]

But, hey, Providence College football, you're on the clock...

Tough to do with a 57% female student body, especially considering that the school dumps millions into men's hoop (but not women's) and hockey just won a national title.

[Brad82]

Nice,would be a good mix.
it would only help to keep uri fb interest alive.

[centennial]

Having football games far from the campus is a bad idea. Doesn't matter if it is a better stadium when it becomes a chore to go to the games.

[Gordon Shumway]

Well because it would look like this



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Instead of this



So playing your home games away from home in a better looking stadium is better, even if it is empty?

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Having football games far from the campus is a bad idea. Doesn't matter if it is a better stadium when it becomes a chore to go to the games.

For many of their alumni it would be less of a chore to go to games in Providence because more people live in greater Providence than out in the country where URI is located. Hey, let's go to the football game in Providence then we'll be right in town and can go out to dinner like we planned.

Obviously, a different story for students. Not sure how large the student attendance is at games other than Homecoming and Parent's weekend anyway. Don't get me wrong I'm not advocating for their entire season to be played in Providence but the annual Brown-URI game would be a natural and maybe one other game each year. Hey, I love getting back on campus for games, but I also thoroughly enjoyed our two games with UMass at Gillette Stadium and UNH managed to get 16K and 12K to those games almost 100 miles from campus.

Playing a couple of games near their alumni base might get more of them interested and involved with the program. For URI I don't see how it could hurt trying. If it fails you just go back to campus for all games.

[Brad82]

UNH Alum-spot on!-nobody should underestimate how small the state of RI is and how attractive Providence is to go to.
We are talking what -a few games? Guys,interest needs to be kept up. That is the one of few things the program has. New twists will only help.

[hebmskebm]

Playing a game or two a year in a nice new stadium in Providence would be a good idea for URI. Moving every home game there would not.