McGuirk Upgrade

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Quann
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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Quann » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:10 pm

Bringing this back to the top since we started discussing stadium upgrades in the hockey forum. Anybody know why they won’t add seating in front of the current front rows at McGuirk on each side? It’ll make for a much better gameday atmosphere in bringing fans closer to the playing surface and not having that cavernous gap on each side. Seems pretty doable to do for relatively cheap money generally speaking. I’m surprised it wasn’t the first upgrade that was done when we jumped to FBS. Anyone know if they’ve explored this?

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by minutefanjsf » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:41 pm

Quann wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:10 pm Bringing this back to the top since we started discussing stadium upgrades in the hockey forum. Anybody know why they won’t add seating in front of the current front rows at McGuirk on each side? It’ll make for a much better gameday atmosphere in bringing fans closer to the playing surface and not having that cavernous gap on each side. Seems pretty doable to do for relatively cheap money generally speaking. I’m surprised it wasn’t the first upgrade that was done when we jumped to FBS. Anyone know if they’ve explored this?
That is where they set up the concessions and there has ben no need to increase seating since they can’t sell the place out as is. Hopefully if they listen to coach brown and replace the turf, they will lower the playing field level and be able to add seats in a way that allows a walkway possibly or concourse. They could make the field a bowl for sure.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Berkman » Sat Jan 29, 2022 3:48 pm

They had bleacher seats when they opened the stadium in 1965 but removed them sometime later on. Supposedly when they built the stadium they installed piers on the opposite side of the field in case they wanted to add a second deck to the stadium. Don't know if they would meet present building codes to do that now.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by TheInsider » Sat Jan 29, 2022 5:30 pm

minutefanjsf wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:41 pm
Quann wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:10 pm Bringing this back to the top since we started discussing stadium upgrades in the hockey forum. Anybody know why they won’t add seating in front of the current front rows at McGuirk on each side? It’ll make for a much better gameday atmosphere in bringing fans closer to the playing surface and not having that cavernous gap on each side. Seems pretty doable to do for relatively cheap money generally speaking. I’m surprised it wasn’t the first upgrade that was done when we jumped to FBS. Anyone know if they’ve explored this?
That is where they set up the concessions and there has ben no need to increase seating since they can’t sell the place out as is. Hopefully if they listen to coach brown and replace the turf, they will lower the playing field level and be able to add seats in a way that allows a walkway possibly or concourse. They could make the field a bowl for sure.
Pretty sure the water table is like 6 inches below grade

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Berkman » Sat Jan 29, 2022 6:21 pm

^

Pretty sure the water table is like 6 inches below grade

I think this is a correct statement.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by TruBluMaroon » Sat Jan 29, 2022 6:28 pm

^ Cavaet- Not an Engineer…..but how could they build the Football Performance Center on that site?

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by minutefanjsf » Sat Jan 29, 2022 9:53 pm

TheInsider wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 5:30 pm
minutefanjsf wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:41 pm
Quann wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:10 pm Bringing this back to the top since we started discussing stadium upgrades in the hockey forum. Anybody know why they won’t add seating in front of the current front rows at McGuirk on each side? It’ll make for a much better gameday atmosphere in bringing fans closer to the playing surface and not having that cavernous gap on each side. Seems pretty doable to do for relatively cheap money generally speaking. I’m surprised it wasn’t the first upgrade that was done when we jumped to FBS. Anyone know if they’ve explored this?
That is where they set up the concessions and there has ben no need to increase seating since they can’t sell the place out as is. Hopefully if they listen to coach brown and replace the turf, they will lower the playing field level and be able to add seats in a way that allows a walkway possibly or concourse. They could make the field a bowl for sure.
Pretty sure the water table is like 6 inches below grade
The field hockey field and football performance center and press box makes me think this is an urban legend. There’s a lot of farmland in Hadley etc that seems a lot lower. Pretty sure some of those old Hadley houses have cellars, too.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Berkman » Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:58 pm

^
Maybe so but they had to put in a drainage system below the field to be able to put in the turf field.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by SignMan » Sun Jan 30, 2022 12:30 am

Subterranean Homesick Blues
The angle of incidence = the angle of reflection: REBOUND!

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Quann
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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Quann » Sun Jan 30, 2022 12:42 am

The old grass field was frequently a sloshy mess especially when it rains so that makes sense that it is below the water table. I understand that the opening is where the concessions are right now but they could easily move them under the bleachers as you enter from the fenced in area. I just think adding rows in front would make it look like a more legit stadium. From looking at pictures it seems like it would fit seamlessly.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by Berkman » Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:46 am

Find some pictures of when the stadium opened in 1965 and you will see what it looked like.

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by 69MG » Sun Jan 30, 2022 10:12 am

SignMan wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 12:30 am Subterranean Homesick Blues
A Robert Zimmerman reference. Nice!

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by DeeDeeBee » Sun Jan 30, 2022 10:43 am

[/quote]
Pretty sure some of those old Hadley houses have cellars, too.
[/quote]

The basements of those houses were always fully flooded!

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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Mon Jan 31, 2022 8:22 am

Image
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Re: McGuirk Upgrade

Post by TheInsider » Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:50 am

Just walk across the grass of the south loop after it rains

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