Gilreath: Gophers' new stadium "no Camp Randall"
by Adam Hoge on Sep 30, 2009 1:42 PM CDT
in Wisconsin Badgers Football
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PrintI wanted to be the first to say it, but UW wide receiver and Minneapolis native David Gilreath beat me to it.
"I mean, it's better than the dome," he said about TCF Bank Stadium. "I've seen it. It's OK, it's nothing... well, I don't want to talk it down. It's good. It's state of the art and it's got its good points, but it's no Camp Randall."
He's right. I hate to be the killjoy to thousands of Gopher fans who are enjoying their first outdoor football games in the State of Minnesota since 1981, but TCF Bank Stadium is not a modern marvel that will give the Golden Gophers a distinct home-field advantage for years to come. In fact, it's just a newer, smaller version of Camp Randall Stadium circa 2003, before the south endzone was closed to make it a full bowl.
Don't get me wrong. TCF Bank Stadium is a very nice, much needed upgrade over the Metrodome. I got a chance to see the stadium a little over a month ago and it was impressive. But all the hype is about the amenities, locker rooms and the fact that it is not the Metrodump.
The reality is that TCF Bank Stadium only seats 50,000 people, it has Field Turf (just like Camp Randall) and it isn't a full bowl. The horseshoe shape allows for an impressive entranceway underneath the nation's third largest scoreboard, but that leaves only 10 rows of seats in the west end zone. If I'm an opposing team, I would love to be driving towards the west end zone late in the game.
Plus, Gophers' fans aren't exactly the most rabid fans in the country. The Metrodome might be one of the worst home stadiums in the history of sports, but it does create an unbelievable home-field advantage when a sold-out crowd goes nuts and the roof keeps all that sound inside. Unfortunately, Gopher fans rarely packed the place and when the Badgers made a visit every other year, they were the team with the home-field advantage.
That's where the Gophers will get a boost. The old saying goes, "Your loss is our gain." In this case, the new stadium will shut many Badger fans out and the Gophers should enjoy not playing a road game in their own stadium.
Still, there will be plenty of Cardinal and White inside TCF Bank Stadium Saturday and I'm not convinced the Maroon and Gold can make the Badgers feel like they are in a hostile environment. It's smaller than Camp Randall and the stands were built out, not up, which would have created a more cozy, intimidating atmosphere.
Admittedly, there is a major flaw with my argument. I haven't seen the stadium during a game. I saw the empty version in August and personally, I love it. But combining what I saw in person with what I've seen on TV so far, it's just an average college football atmosphere.
And knowing that they won't be playing the Metrodump, the Badgers might enjoy it even more than the Gophers.
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I wrote about this
over the summer. The one thing that we haven’t seen in play yet is how weather will impact the stadium. The open end is the West endzone. That means that going toward the open end likely means going into the wind AND the setting sun. That could pose a problem.
You’re right. Gopher fans are hardly known as fervent. But, this has done more to light a spark under them than anything else over the last 20 years. If they can have a year where they get over the hump (like Iowa in 1981, the Badgers in ‘93, NW in ’95) that perception may change. If they don’t, there may be plenty of tickets available when the Hawkeyes visit in 2014 and the Badgers visit in 2015.
The Rivalry, Esq.
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
TCF Bank isn’t Camp Randall? Of course it isn’t.
Ripping on a stadium you have yet to step foot in? You need to take a step back and actually look at your Camp Randall.
1. Do you know how bad it looks that you have to cover up the first 5 rows of Camp Randall?
2. I couldn’t believe it when I saw portable bathrooms inside the concourse of the new Camp Randall endzone structure. Reminds me of Iowa.
3. The new suites and club structure in Randall are hideous….I think a 5th grader could make a better piece of architecture, however, it does look better than the upper deck erector set on the other side of the stadium.
End of the day, TCF Bank is going to be great for the Gophers and great for the Big Ten. Stop being jealous.
Jealous? How many games have you seen at Camp Randall? It’s one of the best environments for college football in the nation. It gives the Badgers a distinct home-field advantage because of it’s shape and how huge the student section is. It’s a storied place where the Badgers have only 3 losses since 2005.
You may call it ugly when compared to TCF Bank, but to Badger fans leaving the stadium after another home win, there’s no better place in the world. I would take a less-beautiful stadium that has an excellent football environment than a new stadium that has no traditions or much school spirit.
"It's no Camp Randall"
Well duh! It’s TCF bank stadium! They are two different stadiums!
“Average?” You need to come here during a game. The campus is alive!!! It’s a way better environment than the Metrodome. It’s actually ours (the gophers)!!!! Not the Twins, Vikings, or Monster truck rally’s home. But ours!
Please, before commenting on any school’s spirit, actually go (and stay awhile) at that school.
Really? It is not Camp Randall?
Of course you are going to say Camp Randall is better you are a Badger fan. But don’t kid yourselves Camp Randall is not the elite stadium in the Big Ten as you think it is. Camp Randall does not hold a candle to the Horseshoe, the Big House, or Beaver Stadium. They beat you in every category you can think. No Camp Randall is in the second tier of stadiums in the Big Ten along with Iowa.
TCF Stadium is in it’s first year of course it doesn’t have the same rich history as Camp Randall. You could have said the same thing about Camp Randall when it opened in 1917. At least the Gophers are out of the Dome and now are going to be able to build a history here. Plus you dismiss the fact that it only seats 50,000. Well The Gopher are building the fan base and if all goes well the stadium has plans that could build the stadium up to 80,000.
And how do you know that the new stadium won’t give the Gophers a distinct home field advantage? Before at Memorial Stadium the Gophers won multiple National Championships and was on campus. Then they moved in to the Dome and Gopher fans and students felt like third wheels and there was little to no passion for Gopher football. Now being back on Campus people are excited again and all the pride and on campus traditions are back. Gone are the days where Badger fans can pile into the Dome. Badger fans will be almost non existent at the Bank.
To answer your question I’ve been to 3 games at Camp Randall.
Seriously…I find it amazing all the money that UW has pumped into Randall and it still looks the way it does. Go take a look at Michigan, Iowa and Ohio State. That is how you make an old stadium BETTER. UW should be embarrassed at the quality of the recent additions (suites and end zone seating). The best part of the old Camp Randall was the view towards the old field house, which they have pretty much covered up.
Second….I bet you think the Kohl Center rocks and Williams Arena sux?
Eehhh...it looks ok
Sure looks a lot better than that big cowplop called the Metrodome. Looks more like a place where people play football not have corporate affairs and trade shows.
Ares
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