SoftBall:L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

[SoonerSpock]

Master Plan for L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes announced.



http://www.soonersports.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=127251&SPSID=750353&DB_OEM_ID=31000
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[MsProudSooner]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

Looks nice to me.

 

[atlantasooner]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

This kind of investment is certainly well earned by Coach Gasso and will hopefully help the program maintain an elite status.

 

[j2d2]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

The plan will increase seating by about 1000. Big deal. As badly as it's needed the administration ekes out a pitiful minimum. While they are at it, we actually need at least 2000-2500 additional good seats. Sure it's good to have some more seats and aminities, but why not do a good job at it.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

Money does not grow on trees. There are always financial constraints on stadium expansions and improvements. If some OU Softball fan would pony up an extra 10 or 20 million dollars, then I am certain that OU would be happy to do as much as they can with that donation.

Oklahoma will be increasing the seating capacity (permanent seating) from 1,378 to 2,566. For comparison purposes, listed below are the softball stadium seating capacities of the teams currently ranked in the Top-10 of the RPI. Permanent seating capacity is listed. Most stadiums can be expanded by adding temporary bleachers for big games, like the NCAA regionals.

Top-10 Teams in RPI
Softball Stadium Seating Capacity

1,200 .. Florida .. http://floridagators.com/facilities/?id=5

1,500 .. Oregon .. http://www.goducks.com/sports/2011/6/21/210828087.aspx

2,316 .. Auburn .. http://www.auburntigers.com/facilities/aub-10-softball.html

1,328 .. UCLA .. http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2013/4/17/208271492.aspx

2,956 .. Arizona .. http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/2013/4/18/208232704.aspx

1,000 .. Washington .. http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/2013/4/18/208237563.aspx

1,000 .. Florida State .. http://www.seminoles.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209595988&DB_OEM_ID=32900&DB_OEM_ID=32900

1,750 .. Texas A&M .. http://www.12thman.com/sports/2015/3/23/GEN_2014010159.aspx

1,622 .. Tennessee .. http://www.utsports.com/facilities/sherri-parker-lee/

1,250 .. Baylor .. http://www.baylor.edu/athleticfacilities/index.php?id=860081

There must be a reason why there are no "huge" seating capacities at any of the stadiums for the very best softball programs. While college softball teams have a very loyal fan base, the number of fans that actually go to games is not that big.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

The link below list actual attendance figures for 2107 by school through games of 5-12-17. Listed in order of gross attendance with OU ranked #14. But the Sooners are #10 when listed by average attendance and #5 in percent capacity among top 25 teams. Only Alabama 2,555 and Auburn 2,120 average more than 2,000/g.

Stadium expansion to 2,566 would raise us to the #6 in stadium capacity. However I would expect Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and A&M to announce expansions in the not to distant future with the softball emphasis in the SEC.

http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/rank...=1&org_id=522&ranking_period=65&sport_code=WS

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

Thanks Spock. More information from "drilling down" at that link:

Average Attendance per Home Game
11 Teams Averaged > 1,200 per Game for 2017 Season

2,555 ... Alabama
2,120 ... Auburn
1,860 ... Arizona
1,712 ... LSU
1,704 ... Oregon
1,649 ... Florida
1,587 ... Tennessee
1,412 ... Michigan
1,254 ... Louisiana (Sun Belt Conference)
1,240 ... Oklahoma
1,216 ... South Carolina

According to NCAA Stats: Of the Power-5 conferences, Penn State has the largest softball stadium (capacity 6,846). Penn State's average attendance was 547, or only 8% of capacity.

However, the Penn State site states that the Penn State stadium has 1,084 permanent seats (Not 6,846). Penn State's attendance was actually at 50% of capacity.

Penn State Softball Stadium:
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-softbl/beardfield.html

Another NCAA stat error concerns Auburn. The NCAA reports Auburn's stadium capacity at 1,500, but Auburn reports it to be 2,316. Thus the NCAA incorrectly lists Auburn #1 as having attendance that averages 141% of stadium capacity (2,120 / 1,500). The actual percentage should be reported as 92% (2,120 / 2,316).

In other words, the stadium stats presented by the NCAA are not always accurate.

 

[Sooner04]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

The plan will increase seating by about 1000. Big deal.

You are correct. Don't build it too big (ask the orange down in Austin, or the hoopsters in Stillwater).

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

If you build it, they will not come.

 

[tycat947]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

Thanks Spock. More information from "drilling down" at that link:

Average Attendance per Home Game
11 Teams Averaged > 1,200 per Game for 2017 Season

2,555 ... Alabama
2,120 ... Auburn
1,860 ... Arizona
1,712 ... LSU
1,704 ... Oregon
1,649 ... Florida
1,587 ... Tennessee
1,412 ... Michigan
1,254 ... Louisiana (Sun Belt Conference)
1,240 ... Oklahoma
1,216 ... South Carolina

According to NCAA Stats: Of the Power-5 conferences, Penn State has the largest softball stadium (capacity 6,846). Penn State's average attendance was 547, or only 8% of capacity.

However, the Penn State site states that the Penn State stadium has 1,084 permanent seats (Not 6,846). Penn State's attendance was actually at 50% of capacity.

Penn State Softball Stadium:
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-softbl/beardfield.html

Another NCAA stat error concerns Auburn. The NCAA reports Auburn's stadium capacity at 1,500, but Auburn reports it to be 2,316. Thus the NCAA incorrectly lists Auburn #1 as having attendance that averages 141% of stadium capacity (2,120 / 1,500). The actual percentage should be reported as 92% (2,120 / 2,316).

In other words, the stadium stats presented by the NCAA are not always accurate.

I think some of those school capacities reported include berm seating. I don't believe Alabama has 4,000 permanent seats. From looking at photos from Auburn game last weekend, with announced crowd over 4,000, you can see in photos that berms in outfield are covered with people and their lawn chairs.

http://www.rolltide.com/galleries/?gallery=4821

OUr renovation will be perfect in size and very nice in amenities not only for fans, but student athletes as well. It appears that not quite as many games were televised this year as in past years and I think it was done on purpose to entice fans to attend, instead of watching on TV.

 

[cjhsooner]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

The plan will increase seating by about 1000. Big deal. As badly as it's needed the administration ekes out a pitiful minimum. While they are at it, we actually need at least 2000-2500 additional good seats. Sure it's good to have some more seats and aminities, but why not do a good job at it.

I would have said to name a SINGLE, SOLITARY school that averages those numbers, let alone added to the 1,500 OU already has. But as has already been WELL established, there aren't any. Not many people anywhere go to softball games. You want a half-empty ballpark, go ahead. Start your own college. 2,500 will be more than plenty for OU.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

I think some of those school capacities reported include berm seating. I don't believe Alabama has 4,000 permanent seats. From looking at photos from Auburn game last weekend, with announced crowd over 4,000, you can see in photos that berms in outfield are covered with people and their lawn chairs.

http://www.rolltide.com/galleries/?gallery=4821

Yes, it may be hard to get true apple-to-apple comparisons. Who decides (or defines) what qualifies as a permanent seat. For example, a series of permanent "step-like" concrete walls built into the berms can serve the same purpose as permanent bench-seating, as you can sit there and hang your legs down just like a regular bench seat. (I know, that is a stretch.)

Looking at the seating chart for Auburn, it is hard to tell, one way or the other, which seating total is more accurate. Not sure those SEC folks can count anyway.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...16/misc_non_event/16-softball-stadium-map.pdf

OUr renovation will be perfect in size and very nice in amenities not only for fans, but student athletes as well. It appears that not quite as many games were televised this year as in past years and I think it was done on purpose to entice fans to attend, instead of watching on TV.

I agree 100% that the stadium renovation plan looks excellent.

 

[Speedy17]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

Here is A&M's new 26.8 Million dollar softball stadium that should be ready for 18.

http://www.12thman.com/facilities/?id=50&path=softball

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

For that, quit voting for all the members in our state legislature who spend ALL their time and energy looking for ways to take money away from education (from K to Grad school).

Texas set up an oil based fund for Texas & Texas A&M (mostly for construction) that cannot be altered. It is in the Texas state constitution. They have far more money than they can spend. They even changed all the smaller state universities (like East Texas State, San Marcos, etc.) to be in the UT and the A&M family so they could spend some of that money on them. Think about it. Too much money to spend.

Oklahoma? Not exactly the same - by a million miles (or hundreds of billions of $$$$).

What two states were the only two states in the United States that outlawed young men from going to Graduate School under a draft deferment back in the Viet Nam Era? They effectively said "let's just send them to be killed instead". The federal government realized the foolishness and unfairness of that - and created the lottery - so kids from every state could play by the same rules.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Re: L. Dale Mitchell and Marita Hynes Master Plan Update Announced

For that, quit voting for all the members in our state legislature who spend ALL their time and energy looking for ways to take money away from education (from K to Grad school).

Texas set up an oil based fund for Texas & Texas A&M (mostly for construction) that cannot be altered. It is in the Texas state constitution. They have far more money than they can spend. They even changed all the smaller state universities (like East Texas State, San Marcos, etc.) to be in the UT and the A&M family so they could spend some of that money on them. Think about it. Too much money to spend.

Oklahoma? Not exactly the same - by a million miles (or hundreds of billions of $$$$).

What two states were the only two states in the United States that outlawed young men from going to Graduate School under a draft deferment back in the Viet Nam Era? They effectively said "let's just send them to be killed instead". The federal government realized the foolishness and unfairness of that - and created the lottery - so kids from every state could play by the same rules.

Whereas OU has to do must of our capital improvements for athletic facilities via private funding campaigns. Thankfully, our Athletic Department does a good job with this type of campaign.