August 20, 2014 (Wednesday)
My sons and I watched Monday Night Football and saw Washington beat Cleveland by one point. Some of the Redskins came onto the field holding up their hands in a gesture of support for the protestors in Ferguson, Missouri, and Johnny Manziel was photographed making an obscene gesture toward the Washington bench during the game. Remember when the players came to the stadium just to play ball?
Dale and Ann Pogue went to College Station over the recent weekend and visited the new Kyle Stadium, which seats well over 100,000! We would expect no less from Aggieland. In the meantime, Baylor will soon play the first game in their brand new stadium on the Brazos River. Their sports palace will seat only 45,000. What a shame to be outdone by the Aggies. I recall, however, Rice’s new stadium in the early 1950’s, which seated about 100,000, but brought few victories on the field at game time.
Baylor’s new stadium will be equipped with Wi-Fi, and the fans will have the added touch of an app which will enable them to get directions to a parking place, and info on how to get out of the place when the game is over. While watching the game, they will be able to use the Wi-Fi network to view instant replay and highlights from multiple angles, real-time statistics, breaking news, and videos of player and coaches interviews–all on their phones, tablets, ipods, etc.
I graduated from Baylor 61 years ago. I was there when the old stadium was brand new and I attended the very first game played in it in 1950, although I did not see much of the game because the school made the freshman class sit together and display huge placards that spelled out messages. I don’t remember what the messages were, and I don’t think I even knew at the time. That stadium cost $1.5 million ($14.8 million in 2014 dollars). Baylor’s new McLane Stadium cost $260 million.
“The times, they are a’changin’.” Ticket prices at Baylor’s new stadium will range from $50 to $1,000. At the new Kyle Field, 50-yard-line seats on the west end down toward front will require a capital gift of $3,000 and an annual contribution of $2,500, plus the cost of the seats. I can’t bring myself to discuss the price of a suite at modern stadiums. Very few people can afford that.
Sports teams
are not playing
sand lot ball anymore.
Rooftop seating
across from Wrigley Field
is not free anymore, either.