Questions about Tiger Stadium

For some reason the following questions about Tiger Stadium have always bugged me... Anyone know the answers?

1. Why are the East and West uppers different in size, shape, capacity, etc?

Well, the old west upper deck was built in the 70's before skyboxes and had only a small club level and n pressbox, being built around the 1950'-era pressbox. The new West Upper Deck matches the new East Upper deck in style and size, replacing two levels of skyboxes with three club levels and a new press box.

2. Why does the East upper have all those ramps sticking out the side but the West doesn't?

There is less room available on the East side with Hatcher Hall so close so they had to use space to the side for ramps. The new west deck uses the old superstructure and ramps from the old deck and has more room sideways. Also South Stadium Drive prevents west ramps from going any further south.

3. Why does the East upper dog leg partly around the South endzone but not the North endzone?

Both new upper deck "dogleg" behind the south endzone.

4. Are there any plans (is it even structurally possible?) to wrap the uppers around the entire stadium?

There are no plans. It is possible and would raise capacity to 120,000, but . . . it would cause rerouting of two major roads, demolishing the PMAC and the expense is far more than could be recouped in ticket sales.

5. Could LSU sell out a stadium that big like it does now?

Endzone upper decks would be very poor seats and surcharges could not be charged for them. LSU has trouble selling out OOC games as it is. Even in 2003 the upper corners of the endzones had empty seats in several games.

6. Are there any expansion plans at all?

No. Studies prove would be cheaper to build a new 100,000-seat Tiger Stadium out on river road than to add more capacity to this stadium. The old sideline area in Tiger Stadium are 80 years old and will need replacing soon. This may force the issue.

7. When did they change from dorms to office space in TS?

They have been used as storage areas and offices for decades. They are poor dorm rooms, poor offices, and poor storage space, being largely un-air conditioned six-floor walkups with windows on one side, light blocked by new construction. They are not in good shape. When the lower bowl get renovated they will likely be demolished to bring more light and provide more space in the bowl ramp areas. There are some plans to make some of them into game-day suites for tailgaiters. I don't know if that will work out.

 

6. There are plans to replace the sideline areas? Wouldn't renovation work for that? Seems it would take a lot of work to deal with all that structure.

No plans at present, but there are some structural situations that will not go away. The steel inside the concrete beams is rusting and it definitely has a safe lifespan that will be approached in the next 20 years. They will have to be demolished at some point which will be diffficult to do because the upper decks are behind them. The whole lower bowl including endzones may have to replaced at the same time in order to have room to work. No way that it could be done in a single season. LSU would have to play elsewhere for perhaps two seasons.

Also, the ramps on the old sideline sections are narrow, crowded and dark with exposed wiring and pipes everywhere. There is insufficent space for concessions and restrooms. Those sidelines seats have 500 dollar surcharges and the people that sit there (lots of them) will not put up with it much longer at those prices. Chair-back seats and a lot of paint only go so far and that has already been done.

7. Are there any speculative drawings of this? Wouldn't that change the facade of the stadium?

Nope. Just talk. The facade could be made to look anyway they want it to.

Also, I'm just not sure the fans, alumni, and many decision makers would go for a new stadium.. Most people love the one we got and it just seems like there would be a huge backlash against that.

People loved Yankee Stadium, Ebbets Field, Tulane Stadium, and Three-Rivers Stadium, too. But at some point a structure has reached its life span and has to be replaced. Tiger Stadium is one of the oldest big college stadiums in the country and its older parts are becoming more shabby each year.

A time will come when Tiger Stadium will have to have the entire lower bowl replaced. Or . . . for less money, a shiny new Tiger Stadium with more capacity and all of the bells and whistles that attract high-paying ticket holders and blue-chip recruits as well. A new stadium on river road would have more close parking lots, a spectacular view of the river from the upper decks, and the Tigers would not have to play in Shreveport or New Orleans for two years while construction goes on in the old stadium.