In Pittsburgh, Rob Rossi writes it is "time to hail a new Pitt Stadium" as Thursday night's Virginia Tech-Pitt football game at Heinz Field "wasn't even a half-capacity crowd." This game "should have felt big, certainly bigger than it did." Thursday night games "represent the unofficial opening kickoff to college football weekends." Everybody "knew then that ESPN was bringing its cameras to town, looking for sights and sounds unique to the city's university." But Heinz Field "resembled a 'Gold Out' because of all the empty seats." The students "showed strong, but they had to feel embarrassed." It is a "lousy state of affairs when even the good fails to inspire confidence, but that is the sad way of Pitt football." Rossi: "College football is about everything that Pitt football isn't: atmosphere, emotions and connection." There "was none of that at Heinz Field," and there "won't be the next time Pitt plays at home, either" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 10/17).
PACKAGE DEAL: In Minneapolis, Mike Kaszuba notes there is "head-scratching" about why Minnesota "has trouble filling" TCF Bank Stadium's student section. As schools "rush to enhance the 'Game Day' experience for students by offering cheaper tickets and Wi-Fi in stadiums, there are indications they may be offering only partial solutions." UM officials "insist they are chipping away at the problem and point out that student season ticket sales are up this year by more than" 25%. In its "own attempt at a creative solution, Minnesota offered student packages for men’s hockey and men’s basketball tickets -- but only if students also bought slower-selling football tickets." But students and Gov. Mark Dayton earlier this month "complained." Dayton said that he was “'appalled' by the practice." UM then "adjusted its policy" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/17).
COMING SOON: Cincinnati AD Mike Bohn said that he "plans to present a plan" to the UC BOT to "renovate the Fifth Third Arena at an estimated cost" of $60-65M. In Ohio, King & Bonn in the student newspaper noted it is also "under consideration to make the US Bank Arena in downtown Cincinnati home to UC’s basketball teams." But with the "dramatic rise in athletic spending, UC and its students might not be able to afford the ambitious new project." The Fifth Third renovation project would "reduce seating by 3,176, widen the concourses of the stadium, make improvements to access for the restrooms and concessions, and make better use of empty spaces while creating a more intimate setting for fans." Bohn’s "goal is to begin renovation of Fifth Third Arena by next season" (NEWSRECORD.org, 10/15).
