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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

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I'm not sure I know how the pieces are going to fit. Someone, enlighten us. I also have similar questions about FIU.

  • You're playing a Sun Belt Schedule next year but ineligible for the championship?
  • What year will you be classified 1-A?
  • How are going to achieve the attendance requirements when you're drawing less than 5,000 a game now?
  • What is the seating capacity of the stadium where you're playing?
  • What is the timetable for a new stadium and what will the seating capacity be?
  • What is your athletic budget?
  • When will you join for all sports?

Nice board, BTW.
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

One thing I wonder about is how you are going to be able to be on our schedules. Most of us already have all the games we can handle next year. BTW nice board and welcome to the SBC.
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

Hey Cali, how about a link to this board on the SBC Sports Forum? ;D
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

I'm a Troy State alum who lives in Palm Beach County and follows FAU. I can answer a few of the questions, based on various South Florida media reports.

- Lockhart Stadium seats just under 21,000 and is around 30-35 minutes south of FAU, just west of I-95. It was revamped in the '90s for the pro soccer team. It is almost closed in but has poor press and little or no skybox facilities. Parking is cramped and unpaved and the site is locked in by the executive airport next door. The scoreboard/jumobtron thing is outdated but better than nothing. It is a decent to good 1-AA stadium.

- The new stadium (said to be a dome seating 40,000 or so) is not even close to reality. There has also been a development concern due to a protected species (yes, the burrowing owl!) on the stadium site, and the apparent need for another (hugely expensive and slow to complete) interchange at FAU and I-95.

Funding will be difficult, although the state and Palm Beach County might chip in to give the Palm Beach metro area a true stadium that could host a small bowl game, high school and college football and basketball championships, major soccer tourneys, concerts, etc.

It's too bad the Marlins couldn't work with FAU to share a facilty. Most Marlins fans come from Broward and Palm Beach Counties, anyway.

I would recommend a nice outdoor stadium a la Movie Gallery in Troy, which was re-done very nicely for less than $20 million. At least that would get the Owls on campus sooner than the expected 2006.

- Regarding attendance, word has it that FAU plans a huge marketing efort next year, hopefully drawing new fans and those who would like to get behind the underdog. The Palm Beach County market alone has 1.3 million people, so … I also read something about combining games with concerts to draw fans.

- It appears FAU will be in the first of two I-A transition years in 2004. Its games against other teams will count as I-A competition, but FAU will not be eligible for a bowl game or a conference title (sort of like Troy was this year). FAMU served its first year of transition this year.

I, too, would like to hear more about the scheduling, and whether any current 'Belt schools will be forced to play at FAU. The Owls will need three to five I-A games to be legit, but who can they convince to come south?

I also wonder what the specifics are about FIU's move-up. I have read much less about the Panthers' joining the 'Belt in all sports.
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

Well as far as FIU goes, we are in the same type of transition phase as FAU. The only thing I know about our schedule next year is that we play UConn on the road and there is a rumor that we are playing Alabama.

We already have a stadium on campus but the most that can fit with temporary seating is 17,000+. We are looking to either renovate the current stadium or build a new one, i'm not sure which will actually happen.

Panthers on the Rise
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

Well, that's great. Bama will play FIU but not its up-and-coming state competitor, TSU. Whimps.
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC


Well, that's great. Bama will play FIU but not its up-and-coming state competitor, TSU. Whimps.

Well it's good to have ties to the coaching staff. Don Strock is very well connected with the Shula's so that's why we are probably playing them.

Panthers on the Rise
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

BMarkey,

You've said it all. Great answers. I can't add a thing about the FAU questions.
The attendance issue will always be in the background. At least for another year or so. Then the 2006 timeline will be up and we need to be at the mark. :D

I just hope that Boca Raton and Palm Beach County will rally around FAU and make it happen from the multi- purpose building standpoint.


How ya doin' FIU. Welcome to the FAU board. Hopefully it will be as active as your within a short time. ;D

Go Owls!
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC


How ya doin' FIU. Welcome to the FAU board. Hopefully it will be as active as your within a short time. ;D

Go Owls!

Hey nice to be here. I think it's important for both of our schools to do well in the Sun Belt for us to succeed. We're in this together more than ever now, should be a fun rivalry.

Panthers on the Rise
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Timetable for stadium, 1-A, and competing in SBC

I like this board's look and feel. You ought to send out press releases to the South Florida media and link it on every site you can think of!

As for coaching connections, you'd think Troy would have played Ga. Tech by now, considering Chan Gailey was a former national championship winning coech for the Trojans.

But at least the Hurricanes - as well as Cornhuskers, Virginia, Miss. State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Iowa State and Marshall - gave us a shot. I'll bet Miss. State and Marshall regretted their decisions. :)
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