Louisville AD Vince Tyra said there is "no deadline" for the school to find a new sponsor for Cardinal Stadium after it dropped Papa John's earlier this year. In Louisville, Morgan Watkins notes any changes will not be made for "at least several more months." Getting a new sponsor "could be a valuable move for the university." But Tyra said that the focus right now is on "getting through the current football season." The team's home base was "called Papa John's Cardinal Stadium until July" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 10/19).
LET ME GET AN UPGRADE: In Norfolk, Ed Miller noted Old Dominion is "planning to add some high-end touches to the reconstructed Foreman Field." Michael Maul, an associate director in the state department, said that the school has asked for "permission to spend an additional" $2.5M in private funds to "add club-level seating." The current budget for the project is $65M, with funding "coming from athletic revenue, private funding and bond proceeds." Sources said that the club level, known as the Founders Club, "would be located on the west side between the 40- and 45-yard lines, and would add seating for an additional 400 fans in an upscale restaurant-style club and adjacent exterior seating" (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 10/18).
THANKS COACH! In Richmond, Mike Barber notes Virginia football coach Bronco Mendenhall and wife Holly on Thursday pledged a $500,000 gift to the school "for a new football facility," the "largest ever by a Cavaliers coach." It was also the "first gift announced" in relation to the athletic department’s $180M master plan (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 10/19).
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: In Tulsa, Eric Bailey notes Oklahoma State’s "new home for baseball now has a name -- O’Brate Stadium." The ballpark is scheduled to open in the '20 season and "will be named after Cecil O’Brate," an Enid, Okla., native who donated $35M toward the $60M project. The complex will "include approximately 3,500 permanent seats, 13 suites and 400 premium seats in designated club and suite areas" (TULSA WORLD, 10/19).
