New pics 6/13

[HooverDam]

OK are the stadium naming rights going to be "INSIGHT...???" Or will it be something else? When will we know for sure?

Bobcat

I wish they'd call it Insight something, then maybe the Insight Bowl would move there and the Fiesta could go back to its rightful place at SDS.

The pics look very nice, nice to see some trees being planted. That structure provides NO shade, so its going to take a lot of big, mature trees to keep pedestrians cool in the early season

 

[azsouthendzone]

I wish they'd call it Insight something, then maybe the Insight Bowl would move there and the Fiesta could go back to its rightful place at SDS.

That will NEVER, EVER, HAPPEN. SDS is a dump, time to move on. I'm sure John Junker and the rest of the Fiesta Bowl committe, as well as every football fan at next year's Fiesta Bowl will disagree with SDS being the bowl games rightful place. Why don't they just move the Orange Bowl back to the Orange Bowl while they are at it? As for the naming rights, it appears to me that it is going to be called Cardinals Stadium, well because they have websites up, and now they have signage saying Cardinals Stadium. I remember seeing a pic where there was a drawing of the pillars outside Sportsman's Park where one said "Sponsor Field". If I had to lay money on it, I would say that this place is and always will be Cardinals Stadium, but that one day, maybe even opening day it will be something like Toyota Field at Cardinals Stadium. And I think that would be rad, because it will be one of the only sports stadiums named after our team and not ****** out. Plus, naming rights are way overrated anyway. Those pics rock. I am counting down the days.

 

[TruColor]

If I had to lay money on it, I would say that this place is and always will be Cardinals Stadium, but that one day, maybe even opening day it will be something like Toyota Field at Cardinals Stadium.

Now, where have I heard THAT suggestion before????



Anyway, I believe that Cleveland Browns Stadium sold naming rights to the individual gates or something like that. Not sure what Paul Brown Stadium (in Cincy) did.

At least, Cardinals Stadium won't be like Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, and have a giant ketchup bottle in one of the endzones...

 

[ARZCardinals]

thank you thank you for the pictures!

 

[Skkorpion]

Hey ds, check one thing please. After 31 years in a wheelchair, I have never been in any arena that has cupholders for handicap seating. Did we get them this time?

 

[azdad1978]

 

[ajcardfan]

I wish they'd call it Insight something, then maybe the Insight Bowl would move there and the Fiesta could go back to its rightful place at SDS.

The pics look very nice, nice to see some trees being planted. That structure provides NO shade, so its going to take a lot of big, mature trees to keep pedestrians cool in the early season

The Fiesta Bowl actually "owns" the Insight Bowl. So, that's not going to happen. If anything, both bowls will be played at the Cards stadium once the Insight-SDS lease is up.

 

[D-Dogg]

DRINK UP BOYS!!!!

 

[HooverDam]

That will NEVER, EVER, HAPPEN. SDS is a dump, time to move on.

SDS is a wonderful stadium in a location thats about a trillion times better than the new Cardinals stadium, especially for college games. True SDS has a lot of problems, but as far as college stadiums go, its very nice. I hope ASU does some big time upgrades (along the lines of what Stanford has done) and eventually wins the Fiesta Bowl back.

 

[D-Dogg]

SDS is a wonderful stadium in a location thats about a trillion times better than the new Cardinals stadium, especially for college games. True SDS has a lot of problems, but as far as college stadiums go, its very nice. I hope ASU does some big time upgrades (along the lines of what Stanford has done) and eventually wins the Fiesta Bowl back.

Never gonna happen. SDS is a relic now that there is a real stadium in town.

Nobody is going back there. Ever. EVER EVER.

 

[ds512az]

Hey ds, check one thing please. After 31 years in a wheelchair, I have never been in any arena that has cupholders for handicap seating. Did we get them this time?

I was out there again at about 5am, and am heading back in about an hour or so. I'll get a picture from your seats, I believe that you are right under the smaller video screen. Check back about 1pm, and I'll have it posted.

 

[TruColor]

Hey - have they started putting in the 60-foot logo in the north end (exterior) of the stadium?

Howz about any more gate numbers?

 

[ds512az]

Hey - have they started putting in the 60-foot logo in the north end (exterior) of the stadium?

Howz about any more gate numbers?

The scaffold is up for the logo, and they are prepping the pads for the other gate numbers.

Do you happen to know where the Wall of Fans is supposed to be situated? I've been looking, and can't see anything resembling the graphic.

 

[TruColor]

The scaffold is up for the logo, and they are prepping the pads for the other gate numbers.

Do you happen to know where the Wall of Fans is supposed to be situated? I've been looking, and can't see anything resembling the graphic.

Don't know about the Wall...somewhere in the atrium area (the north end "bump" of the stadium) maybe?

How many gate numbers are there? I thought there was going to be seven, but I heard someone else say four. Four sounds like too few to me.

 

[ajcardfan]

SDS is a wonderful stadium in a location thats about a trillion times better than the new Cardinals stadium, especially for college games. True SDS has a lot of problems, but as far as college stadiums go, its very nice. I hope ASU does some big time upgrades (along the lines of what Stanford has done) and eventually wins the Fiesta Bowl back.

Well, that would be 30 years from now. The Fiesta Bowl is committed to that lease just like the Cardinals are. Remember, they Fiesta Bowl pushed for a new stadium too.

Major upgrades to SDS to keep both the Cards and Fiesta Bowl was floated as an option when the stadium was in trouble but was shot down. Mostly due to a distinct lack of enthusiasm from ASU administration and the Cards. SDS is now a second-tier stadium, major national events will never be held there again IMO. That said, I will still go to some ASU games every year and enjoy them. Just like I have since I've lived here.

 

[Lloydian]

I give ASU ten years to decide that they'd rather play in the nice stadium.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

SDS is a wonderful stadium in a location thats about a trillion times better than the new Cardinals stadium, especially for college games. True SDS has a lot of problems, but as far as college stadiums go, its very nice. I hope ASU does some big time upgrades (along the lines of what Stanford has done) and eventually wins the Fiesta Bowl back.

Not going to happen. Once ASU does renovate SDS (better concessions, bathrooms, seating) it will likely drop the maximum capacity to the mid-50's which would be too small to house the Fiesta Bowl.

 

[Trey]

Where are you people coming up with some of this stuff?

ASU always has, and always will play at SDS. College football should be played at the stadium on campus. Students can walk to the game, alumni get back to the university, etc. As excited as the Cards are to have their new stadium, ASU is just as excited (well, almost) to get their stadium back full time. It's like having the in-laws move in temporarily. Sure it's fun at first, but it gets old quickly.

As for SDS itself, it is a dump compared to the new stadium. But compared to other college stadiums, it is on par, if not better than most. They probably will renovate it, but they're not going to lose 20,000+ seats by upgrading concessions and restroom facilities.

And finally, the Fiesta Bowl will never return to SDS. Remember that several cities (Houston, Atlanta, etc.) were trying to lure the Fiesta Bowl away with the allure of playing in a modern stadium. The prospect of losing out on the economic engines that are the Fiesta Bowl, BCS championship game, and the Super Bowl, helped to get the stadium deal done. I believe they're part of the TSA, but in any event, they're never going back to SDS.

The Insight Bowl is moving to SDS from Chase Field (Thank God), and there they'll stay. For a lower tier bowl game, SDS is just fine, and the field at the new stadium would take too much abuse from 2-3 bowl games that would take place in a span of 10-14 days, not to mention the Sunday Cards games.

Oh, and thanks for the pics!

 

[MadCardDisease]

Is it just me or does it look like the field tray has a Giant Floppy Disk drive?

 

[bigredjane]

Thank you-

So much for continually giving us such good photos, I have driven out recently but could'nt get closer than the guard house!!

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

As for SDS itself, it is a dump compared to the new stadium. But compared to other college stadiums, it is on par, if not better than most. They probably will renovate it, but they're not going to lose 20,000+ seats by upgrading concessions and restroom facilities.

Getting rid of the bleachers in place of seats and extra leg room everywhere except the student section, widening the concourses (probably the most important aspect of the renovation IMO), and getting bigger bathrooms will lose a lot of the seating capacity across the stadium. Stanford lost 35,000 seats when they did similar renovations this past year.

 

[HooverDam]

Getting rid of the bleachers in place of seats and extra leg room everywhere except the student section, widening the concourses (probably the most important aspect of the renovation IMO), and getting bigger bathrooms will lose a lot of the seating capacity across the stadium. Stanford lost 35,000 seats when they did similar renovations this past year.

Stanford WANTED to lose seats though because their stadium was cavernous and always half empty. SDS would obviously lose some seating, but don't forget that the upper bowl can always be expanded more to the south in order to put in more seats.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Stanford WANTED to lose seats though because their stadium was cavernous and always half empty. SDS would obviously lose some seating, but don't forget that the upper bowl can always be expanded more to the south in order to put in more seats.

But I don't think stadium expansion has ever been discussed when it comes to the renovations of SDS. ASU rarely sells out now with their current capacity and when they do it is generally because it is a game that brings a lot of opposing fans (USC, Iowa, Arizona, LSU). The bleacher issue, concessions, and bathrooms are the biggest things that get brought up when it comes to renovating SDS and all of those things are going to bring down the total attendance. Plus, it's more profitable to sell out every game with a capacity of 60,000 than it is to sell 60,000 seats every game in a 75,000 seat stadium so really do not see why ASU would want to expand. Doesn't matter, the Fiesta Bowl is never moving back to Tempe anyways and any suggestion it might is unrealistic.