Mailbag question: Stadium configuration

Posted at 8:00am — 7/12/2010

Mailbag question: Stadium configuration

What is your opinion on if, and if so, how much the new structural configuration of the stadium will effect realized noise level in the bowl?

Secondly, could the new structural configuration work to funnel air flow coming from the north or south so as to impact wind velocity?

Of course, on no or low wind days this would be nominal, but on intermediate or high wind days this effect could be substantial. Think of the increased effect this would have on field goals–let alone the passing game.

It will be interesting watching the flags along the top of the bowl this year.

BTW–rad site, guys. Keep up the good work!

Blue Grit

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Thanks for the question.

This will be be fun to watch and we will know soon enough that is for sure with the upcoming season.

Nobody will know for sure how this will effect the games at “The Big House” until games are actually played there with the stadium renovation completed.

We have gotten glimpses of it the past couple of years with the addition of the steel structure the first year and the shell of it with glass being added the second year.

Biggest advantage about the stadium and the noise level will be when the team starts winning games and playing better. We noticed a increase in the crowd noise during the second half of the Wisconsin game two years ago and noticed it in the second half of the Notre Dame game last football season. Other than that there really wasn’t a lot to cheer about or get a good perspective of what contained and constant noise could be like in the renovated Michigan Stadium.

We have always been of the opinion that home field advantage is a little overrated at most stadiums.

Bo always said that he loved going on the road and having it be our small group against the home team and crowd.

Playing the wind, whether you take in the fourth quarter or give opponents the ball and wind has always been part of game.

The thing about watching the flags is they can be blowing different directions from one flag to the other and then you throw in what the wind is actually doing on the playing surface. Sometimes it is completely different down on the field. You can watch the streamers on top of the goalpost and sometimes notice them blowing differently than the flags on top of the stadium.

Also a little side note:
Seems like Athletic Director David Brandon is already talking about the next phase to Michigan Stadium. He really hasn’t tipped his hand yet, but seems to be discussion about completing the renovations in the coming years which in our opinion means closing off or finishing the two end zones and getting rid or covering up the structured steel like they did with the current renovations.

No idea if this means adding seats to one or both end zones either by just going up which I hope they don’t do, but would rather see them do a overhang of the current stadium to make it seem like the end zone seats would be closer to the field than just continue with the going up and out with the seats because the seats towards the scoreboard are pretty far away especially when the teams are down at the other end of the field.

Would really like them to close in the entire stadium with the brickwork along with having more permanent eateries locations on the south end kind of like what they did on the north end, but have a lot more so they can accommodate all the places that seem to put up tents during game week.

Would also like to see a few more restrooms on the south end as well. The addition on the concourse was a nice addition, but seems like they could use another one or the other corner as well.

You have to think as well that David Brandon is talking about would be adding new scoreboards as well. Would this be the Texas size scoreboards or would they just be a nice upgrade from their current scoreboards.

Also the new common theme with stadium renovations have been the addition of the ribbon boards that usually hang near the top/middle of the stadiums. Some places you will see two of these in which I believe they were first introduced into the basketball/hockey arenas and have made their way to football stadiums.

Could some of these additions along with others be in the mind of David Brandon for the next phase whenever that might be.

With the new practice facility for basketball going up you have to think that the continued additions to the Michigan athletic campus will continue to improve and not just take a back seat like Michigan did for so many years relying on their name brand to see Michigan.

Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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