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I’m lazy and tired of looking for past discussions on status updates of our athletic facilities in five different threads. Plus if I am going to post recent pictures I really don’t want to find multiple threads. Since the new master plan creates an athletic district and it seems to affect all sports, let’s consolidate discussions and maybe merge some of the more recent threads of the past. I had to put it somewhere so Mens Basketball is where it landed. What you think Kung Wu?
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Live view:
Since track is in it’s off-season I thought this might be something interesting to discuss and get a few people interacting. I have seen in other forums lots of talk about Cessna Stadium and what will happen to it in the upcoming years. Some of it has educated thoughts and some does not.
It appears that at some point in the near future the East side of Cessna Stadium will be removed, potentially for a parking garage. So if that is the case, what would you like to see Cessna Stadium become?
Keep the following things in mind:
-Wichita State and Cessna Stadium is host to the Kansas State Track and Field Championships that draw over 20,000 in attendance each day (40,000+ total). This has been told to me as the single most important weekend to the city of Wichita every year in terms of economic impact. More than any other sporting event or concert.
-Wichita State’s track and field program is not only one of the best in the MVC, but it’s often a top-25 type national team as well. They deserve a facility that is to the quality of their team – at least it appears that is the WSU athletic department’s vision based on facilities of other teams on campus.
-The track/cross country program accounts for 6 of the departments 15 MVC championship competitions (40%). They are, without a doubt, the most significant part of WSU’s all-sport trophy goals.
-WSU has hosted national level competitions in Cessna Stadium in the past and as recently at the 2011 USA Junior Olympics. Cessna also has the annual KT Woodman Classic in April, which hosts over 100 college and high schools and 3000 athletes annually.
If the East side is going to be gone, this is what I would like to see (obviously it’s a dream but that’s the point right?):
Put an overhang on the West side stands so that fans are protected from the sun or rain. Make the East side (where the parking garage will be) a grassy and tiered area for a few thousand people to put lawn chairs or just hang out. Plant trees down the backstretch to provide natural shade. Make the south end where the rock wall is in levels a bit more accommodating to seat fans. With the dorm so close it could be kind of a “party spot” like the outfield at Eck Stadium. Put a jumbotron in the Southeast corner of the stadium. Get rid of Kapaun football so you can move the Discus and Javelin inside the stadium as well as putting a Shot Put area on the infield. And finally, put a new indoor track in the bottom level of the parking garage so you could use it as a warmup area for outdoor meets as well as the home of the indoor teams.
For those of you who think Cessna Stadium is an eyesore, I disagree. I think it is a historic place (for track and field) that has seen world records and Olympians as well as great Shocker teams. It has a lot of character and is used by the community all the time for various reasons. I think it could be redone as a place that could hold national level meets often as well as add to the new philosophy of the campus.
Anyone have any better ideas?Last edited by Kung Wu; May 24, 2024, 09:46 AM.-
But Metroplex is a quarter/half mile north of the main campus. I played there, it was nothing to get there from campus housing. Even has shuttles. Some start-ups rent other university/off-campus fields until they get established - we don't even have to do that (though Stryker stadium would be a good alternative).Originally posted by shoxlax View Post -
I have to admit my knowledge on this is pretty superficial. But IF, and I emphasize IF. the Shockers are installing a non-standard track, which is what appeared to be the plan that might make it tough to host NCAA post-season events. As of May 2nd the plan stated:Originally posted by shoxlax View Post
https://www.wichita.edu/about/public...soccer%20field.Phase 1B will widen the existing grass field to accommodate a regulation-sized soccer field and reconfigures the 8-lane track to a 9-lane track around the widened field. This phase also includes tiered grass seating at the north and south side of the track to accommodate team camps for state track or spectators for other events. Phase 1B is scheduled to begin June 2025 and be complete by February 2026.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding what they are going to do but it sounds like the are planning on widening the track. I am assuming it will still be a 400 meter oval so that would result in shorter straight-aways and wider turns than a standard track layout (which Cessna Stadium currently has). Can they widen the filed, add an additional lane keep a standard layout and still accommodate a regulation-sized soccer pitch? According to previous discussion by our resident soccer experts that didn't seem to be the case, but maybe that can make it work.
Maybe goshox74 can weigh in. He knows a lot more about this stuff than I do. Otherwise, I guess you would need to ask ADKS or perhaps Coach Rainbolt or Coach Hunter about that.
If it turns out to be a non-standard layout I would not think that would be attractive to the NCAA for their meets. Not even sure what the AAC's stance will be for their outdoor championship if the track is non-standard. Especially, when UTSA has a IAAF Class I certified facility.
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I really like your thinking here. Your hired. You can report to Eric Sexton tomorrow and tell him '72Shocker has annointed you to oversee this project. (Don't be too surprised in that doesn't impress him). That could really be something to behold and perhaps we could build our track teams to be even stronger than they are know and, hopefully, attract a much greater degree of fan interest and following than the programs currently enjoy.Comment
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@goshox74:, Good job. Your plan seems to be very well thought out and a smart and efficient use of the facility. From a financial standpoint, it seems like a pretty feasible plan. I cannot disagree with the major points of your plan.
Your plan would be my second choice concerning the outdoor track facility. My first choice would be to build a state of the art, new track facility. I cannot disagree with you about the historical significance of Cessna stadium, but I do not think it helps to recruit athletes to our program. And I agree with you that our track program is a quality and very competitive program. How much better would our program be with a state of the art facility? If the State track and field meet has as much of an economic impact on our community as you say, a new facility would be beneficial for keeping that event in Wichita, and maybe it could attract additional HS, AAU, JUCO, or NAIA events that might provide additional economic benefit
I think that facilities for our athletic programs (other than men's basketball) is a big need that we have and would help to take us to the next level in college athletics.
Now, with all of that being said I think it is highly unlikely that we are going to see significant investment in facilities for our non-revenue sports programs for two primary reasons:
1. A very aggressive and substantial academic plan for buildings for the new Innovations Campus that is going to take significant resources.
2. Concerns about the recent NCAA developments on P5 autonomy and the court ruling concerning compensation of athletes is going to be the mainfocus of our athletic program for the years to come.
Therefore, I think your plan is the most feasible.ShockerNet is a rat infested cess pool.Comment
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Somewhat selfishly, I would hate to lose the ability to host Drum Corps Int'l, events at Cessna. As long as bringing the shot and discus inside doesn't preclude putting yard markers on the field, it should still work. Is there another facility in Wichita that will seat up to 10k on one side of the field?
Other than that, I like the idea of making some improvements as long as, like @Shocker-maniac: said, all these NCAA change with regards to full cost of attendance, will allow WSU to maintain a top-tier basketball program.Comment
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Host the X Games, the place will never be the same, but great promotional exercise.For some the glass is half full and for others half empty. My glass is out of ice.
- said no one ever...Comment
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RoyalShock - Yes having the SP on the infield would still leave almost all of it available for an event like the Drums Corps.
Shocker-maniac - if we were unlimited in budget I would be thinking like you as well!Comment
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"You Just Want to Slap The #### Outta Some People"Comment
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Football never worked in Wichita…
Sedgwick County population 1986 = 385,000
Sedgwick County population 2021 = 521,000
Gotta think football would work at some level… I’ve said before, acquire BCCC and you’d have a pretty good start. Unfortunately, we can only dream and reminisce at this point.
"You Just Want to Slap The #### Outta Some People"Comment
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Given those population numbers, attendance could go from 10000 back then to 14000 now.Comment
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I believe the Wings had more fans attending games.Comment
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Agree, that could be the base/starting point.Originally posted by RoyalShock View Post"You Just Want to Slap The #### Outta Some People"Comment
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Could be wrong, but I don’t think the ‘cow palace’ held much more than 6000 for soccer… you could squeeze 10,000 for a NCAA first round regional which they did.Originally posted by Downtown Shocker Brown View Post"You Just Want to Slap The #### Outta Some People"Comment
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I think max capacity was 9,xxx and average attendance in the early and mid-years was around 6,x00. Hmm, max might have been 8,xxx. Memory is fading.Originally posted by WstateU View Post
Edit: Memory tells me just shy of 10k was max at Wings games.Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Yes. Was just shy of 10k. Many years averaged over 9k.Originally posted by Kung Wu View PostComment
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