McAndrew Stadium Usage

Happened to scan the Carbondale Times this week (available at finer newsracks throughout the area) and spotted an article about the demolition of McAndrew Stadium (page 7 if you want to read it). Noted a couple of interesting figures. The University opened McAndrew back in 1938, October 1 if you want precision. Since then, the Salukis played 328 games there. By my calculations, that works out to just under 5 games a year. Granted, the football team used the stadium regularly for practice but, unlike the Arena, which could house other evens besides sporting ones, McAndrew (and the new stadium) is very purpose specific, only offering events for the entire SIUC and Carbondale community to attend an average of five times a year.

Given the current economy and the difficulties SIUC is having securing funding to keep faculty and staff employed, was the new stadium the best use of the limited funds available?

Fee IncreasesS

SIUC has announced that fees will increase less than 2% of front incoming freshmen and there won't be a tuition increase as well.

I have to shake my head every time I drive by the partially completed new football stadium, when I thik about how the money going into that could have been used to repair and upgrade a number of buildings elsewhere on campus, you know, doing things to the campus that actually bring students to the university.

SIUC Football Attendance

Thought this was interesting. Attendance at the last regularly scheduled game in McAndrew Stadium was 11,500, give or take. Attendance at the first game of the playoffs for the division 1A Championship, 5860. Granted it was cold, but it was still a playoff game for the divisional national championship.

Last Game at McAndrew

Yesterday was the projected last game at McAndrew Stadium. About 240 past players showed up to join other fans to watch the game. I find it interesting that the news accounts don't mention the number of people who showed up, maybe because it was smaller than had been expected for the final game at McAndrew. From what I've heard, the athletic department was hoping for around 13,000, significantly more than the reported 11,500 that showed up.

Also, it's interesting that McAndrew stays up until the new staduim gets built. Maybe the new standium is less certain that it seems?

Rams in C'dale

The St. Louis Rams are looking at SIUC as a location for one of their training camps sometime in the future. Won't happen until after 2010 as that's the earliest projected date for the rebuilding of McAndrew Stadium