Glass Reinforces Commitment to IU Football, Updates South End Zone Project and Game Day Enhancements
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Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle) with excerpts from IU Athletics Press Release
Every year Indiana University athletic director Fred Glass meets with the media to discuss the game day enhancements and that seasons upgrades to Memorial Stadium and the surrounding area. Every year we try and pick it apart to see what fans will like, what may be a little cheesy, and what may be a one-and-done experiment. This season there is quite a bit to go over.
Let's start with an update on how the South End Zone Project is moving forward. In a statement released by IU Glass said:
On June 17, 2016, the Indiana University Board of Trustees approved the $53 million Memorial Stadium South End Zone Excellence Academy & Football Facility Renovation and construction will begin at the conclusion of the football season. The new facility will provide a home for and thereby enhance the Excellence Academy, one of the most innovative and effective development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics, as well as create a bold new “front door” to campus for Memorial Stadium and more generally the Athletics campus while also dramatically improving the fan experience for our football fans and upgrading the football locker room area.
Enclosing the stadium is a big deal and will finally give Memorial Stadium the feel of a Big Tim venue, while giving the athletes and administrators more room to run their operations. The North End Zone facility is terrific, don't get me wrong, but when students and alumni are walking down 17th street it is very difficult to see the renovations. Now, the progress of Indiana's facilities will be visible to everyone.
Indiana will not take the field, which has brand new turf, until Sept. 10 against Ball State, but IU fans are excited to see what the $700,000 project looks like. I saw it at practice last week and the difference is dramatic. I don't think I will get messages anymore on why the turf looks so bad on TV.
A new Field Turf playing surface was installed at Memorial Stadium this summer. The new $700,000 surface replaced the eight year old surface, and features bolder and more colorful end zones and midfield State of Indiana logo. The new field features Field Turf’s latest and best technology to give IU Football one of the premier playing surfaces in the country.
IU Athletics also invested $40,000 in facility branding efforts inside the stadium, practice fields, and coaches’ offices.
As far as around the stadium during game days, Glass has introduced some new features ranging from pedicabs to food trucks.
Gamedays
Dedicated Ride Share Pick-Up and Drop-Off Location
For the first time ever, IU Athletics will be providing a dedicated ride share pick-up and drop-off location on the IU Athletics campus. This will allow fans staying in Bloomington or who already live in town to use ride share services like Uber to be dropped off and picked up close to Memorial Stadium on gamedays. The conveniently located ride share pick-up and drop-off location will also ease gameday related traffic and parking issues, while allowing ticketholders to avoid the hassle of driving and parking on gamedays.
Pedicabs
Indiana Bikecab, based in Indianapolis, will bring ten bike cabs to all September and October home games and offer rides to the stadium from the tailgate lots surrounding the IU Athletics campus. Rides are free of charge, but fans are encouraged to tip drivers.
New Water Stations
As part of the Greening Cream and Crimson sustainability initiative, IU Athletics has installed three new water stations. They are located in Knothole Park, and on the East and West Concourses. Fans can bring empty bottles into the stadium to use at water stations, as well as refilling bottles and cups that they purchase at Memorial Stadium concessions stands.
Food Trucks and Free Refills
To provide additional fun food options on the IU Athletics campus on gamedays, food trucks will be located outside of gate E2 on the east side of Memorial Stadium and in the Red Lot prior to kickoff.
For the first time, free beverage refills will be provided for all who buy the special souvenir cup at stadium concessions stands this season.
Reminder: Don’t Be That Guy!
Indiana University is committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable game day experience for all fans. Patrons who see fan behavior that is threatening, rude or vulgar in any way, are asked to report it to IU Event Services staff on-site at Memorial Stadium or by texting 812-369-MYIU (6948).
In an effort to both decongest traffic and make it easier for fans to make the walk to the stadium, Glass has taken some big strides in the 21st century with pedicabs and a ride share pick-up and drop off location. Hopefully this allows people who are lunching at bars downtown or in the surrounding area to take an Uber to the game and not pass on the opportunity because it is too far to walk and they are unable to drive. Bravo, Fred!
The most intriguing new feature will be the food trucks on the east side of the stadium. I have been to every Big Ten stadium outside of Nebraska now and the best venues have awesome parking lot atmospheres surrounding them. Adding food trucks and local cuisine gives Football Saturdays a Taste of Bloomington feel. It will allow people who do not want to deal with hauling tailgating gear down in their cars to enjoy all that tailgating has to offer. This may be what I am most excited for outside of the Stadium on Saturdays. Oh and the free refills isn't too shabby either, especially on those warm September afternoons.
Indiana will also feature some traditions that have survived and some have even caught on over the past few seasons:
Oldies but Goodies
The Walk: The Walk will originate from the same location as last season starting at Mellencamp Pavilion and moving through the Orange Lot. The Walk occurs roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff.
Hoosier Village: Opens three hours prior to kick off and features live music, the IU Football Pregame Tailgate Show, the Varsity Shop, a play area for kids, and various food vendors.
Kicks for Keeps: When IU makes a field goal or extra point, fans get to keep the ball. When an opponent makes a field goal or extra point throw it back!
Knothole Park: A football play area on the south end of Memorial Stadium for kids under the age of 13. Footballs are provided.
Engagement by Ushers and Event Staff: To help make sure our fans have the best experience possible, our ushers and event staff will wear large buttons saying "Ask Me. I'm Here to Help". Fans will be specifically and uniformly welcomed to IU and thanked for coming to IU.
Hoosier Bucks: Ushers and event services staff will have access to "Hoosier Bucks" for use at our concession stands, that they may provide at their discretion to fans who may be in need of a little love as the result of a spilled drink, dropped hot dog, or the like.
Red Light Special: Food and drink discounts offered in the 4th quarter of home games.
William Tell Overture: Played between the third and fourth quarters.
Fan Run Ons: Groups and organizations will lead the run out onto the field before select games this year. The freshman class will run on the field prior to the home opener against Ball State.
Back Home Again in Indiana: IU Jacobs School of Music professor Brian Horne will once again sing ‘Back Home Again in Indiana’ as part of the band’s pregame performance.
Victory Flag: After every IU victory, the enormous IU Victory Flag will be raised by members of the Student Athletic Board on the giant flag pole on the southeast corner of the field.
Crimson Guard App: Students are encouraged to sign up for the official student rewards program for IU Athletics. Students who download the app from any app store become eligible for prizes and earn student priority points.
Red Victory Lights: After victories, IU Athletics will light the outside of the North End Zone complex of Memorial Stadium in red after games.Roving Bands and Cheerleaders: Three different bands and cheerleaders rove the tailgate areas before home games to build excitement for the game.
Big Jake: IU ROTC will fire the cannon on the south end of Memorial Stadium after IU scores.
First Down, Touch Down, Third/Fourth Down, Tap Out Cheers
Friday Night Spirit Patrols: SAB, cheerleaders, and band stop at various bars and restaurants on Kirkwood and in downtown Bloomington to build excitement for the upcoming game.
On Campus Pep Rallies: Pep rallies during home game weeks held at high traffic area on-campus to build excitement for the upcoming game.
Interactive Zones: Photo opportunities for fans on Memorial Stadium concourses (i.e., player cutouts, uniform and helmet displays, inflatable games, themed selfie stations).
Tailgate and Stadium Spirit Patrols: Special promotions team which visits IU tailgates in pregame and inside the stadium to hand out giveaways, prizes, and keep fans engaged.
South End Zone Greek and Residence Hall Flags: Student organizations, residence halls, fraternities, and sororities can place their flags or painted blankets along the hill on the south end of Memorial Stadium.
Fan Advisory Board: A committee of fans will meet, consult, and make formal recommendations to IU Athletics staff on ways to improve the overall fan experience at IU Athletics events.
We have gone over some of these in the past and frankly there have been both home runs and total flops. For me the hits have been great. I love The Walk and think once they 100-percent commit to a route fans will begin to get into the routine of lining the path to the stadium. Big jake has also been a nice addition to the stadium and it's always welcome to hear a BOOM during the game. The victory flag and lights are great in theory, but the execution could be much better. "Raise the Flag" is the motto for the 2016 season and it's a very good one. However, if you want to copy the Cubs' tradition, just copy it in full. Usually after games in which the Hoosiers win, the players head over to the student section to sing the fight song then run into the locker room and the Victory Flag isn't raised until well after the stadium has emptied. IU needs to switch it up a bit and play the fight song while raising the flag before fans head home. It can become a tradition to see, just like the raising of the 'W' flag at Wrigley. The victory lights, on the other hand, should take care of themselves once the South End Zone project is complete. Right now it is very difficult to see the lights from across 17th street.
As far as the spirit patrols and pep rallies go, it is hard to judge since I am not on campus during Friday nights. Theoretically, it sounds great. What's better than walking to or from class on a beautiful fall friday to hear the fight song and a 'Go Hoosiers' to get you ready for a Football Weekend.
Now on to the flops. There are several mainstays that, to me, have been forced on the fan base and others that just are illogical. First, the William Tell Overture has to go. It is awesome in Assembly Hall, like really special and a great tradition. For football however, it just doesn't do it for me for several reasons. First, the song takes place between the third and fourth quarters and nobody sticks around late in the game just to see it. By the time it comes around, half the stadium is empty. I just don't like it. Play the fight song and shoot off some fireworks and that should be it. Secondly, it does a disservice to the basketball tradition. There is nothing wrong with having separate traditions for different sports. The "Flags" at the under-eight minute timeout is steeped in tradition and gets everyone in the building on their feet and loud. It just does not work in a 52,929 seat football stadium. It's perfect in Assembly Hall and should be left there.
The final flop on this list is the Red Light Special, which usually occurs late in the fourth quarter. Look, I get it, everyone loves snacks and food for a buck. I mean it's a dollar, but who thought it'd be a good idea to send fans running to the concession stands late in a game? I don't know the numbers and finances, but it's dreadful for the atmosphere. If IU wants to move the Red Light Special to the end of the third quarter to the start of the fourth, I am ok with that. Fans are already getting up to use the facilities or get a snack anyways.
Overall, Glass has done a great job trying out ideas and seeing if they stick. Nobody has ever had 100-percent of their ideas work, but that's life. There are some additions this year that fans should be stoked about, food trucks, pedicabs, ride share stops. All great.
We'd love to hear from you, the fans, as to what works and what you'd like to see change. Please leave a comment below.