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Rutgers Has A Great Business Plan

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In the mold of great business minds -- like MC Hammer and Jack Whittaker -- Rutgers continues to comically ramble down the path of stadium expansion.  Here's a brief timeline:

  • Rutgers, based off its eventual "turning of the corner" in football, approves massive stadium expansion that will add over 10,000 seats, as well as new locker rooms, suites, and lounges.
  • Construction cost increases and overruns greatly threaten project, especially daunting considering New Jersey's massive budget shortfall.
  • Construction starts anyway.  Leaders quoted, "what the hell, let's do this!"
  • Rutgers football continues to turn corner.  Leaders quoted, "this is the longest corner ever."
  • Costs continue to soar, putting half-built project in doubt.  Some additions, like expensive lounges, are temporarily cancelled.
  • Project must be completed, as ticket revenues are needed to pay off already built sections.
  • Ticket sales, because it's still Rutgers football, are substantially lagging.  Leaders quoted, "Shit, why didn't anyone tell us this was for Rutgers."

Star-divide

So, that's where we stand.  Rutgers has embarked on a massive building project for which they lacked the money and ticket revenue to pay for it.  Basically, as a program, they're the 24 year old graduated college student without a job living well above his means.  Eventually, parents stop giving money and you end up working at Starbucks.

When will Rutgers realize that it's Rutgers.  This isn't some sleeping giant, as the program has been made out to be so many times in the past few years.  It has no history of success or fan support.  Why would that start now?

[rendering via www.scarletknights.com]

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The New Jersey Press likes to Whine

The soon-to-be-defunct fourth estate in New Jersey thinks their role in life is to whine, but the construction is going fine, there are private donations coming in, the current Stadium is on a string of sellouts that goes back to 2006, and you can be assured that every seat in the expanded Stadium will be filled when the Mountaineers visit on December 5th to determine the Big East champion.

by BeatVisitor on Jul 16, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions  

Since when did a Rutgers-WVU game mean anything? For the last 14 years the outcome has been decided when the schedule was released. Of course, Bill Stewart could work his magic and figure out a way to lose to the Scarlet Knights.

by Simple Jack on Jul 16, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions  

Agreed

I’m not buying into the RU hype this year and I don’t think the WVU/RU game will mean too much. Yeah its great that they supposedly have a good O-line but it won’t matter when you have mediocre RB’s, WR’s, and QB. Oh and the supposed strength of Schiano is defense but he has relinquished defensive play calling duties this year. Let’s see how long this Scarlet Knight hype lasts….I give it about 3 weeks into the season.

I STILL feel like WVU has the least amount of question marks, with some of the best overall talent, by far. I think armPitt will be average to above average (as usual), same with USF. I HOPE Cincy totally falls on their face (I’m so frigging sick of their hype) and they may very well do that considering they have no defense.

by WVU-Atlanta on Jul 16, 2009 12:58 PM EDT reply actions  

10,000 seat expansion

it’s now a 45,000 seat stadium…big freakin deal.

KEN

by KENH on Jul 16, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions  

YAWN

I might be impressed when and if this expansion ever gets done. Although I do applaud their efforts to step up their program. The real challenge for RU is what they will do WHEN (not if) Schiano leaves.

by WVU-Atlanta on Jul 17, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions  

Terrible post

you don’t have a clue, at all.

Given the recession, a massive price increase, and a terrible home schedule, ticket sales are actually up. Rutgers hasn’t sold out all of the new seats yet, but it’s freakin July.

Why do you come off as so bitter anyway? Rutgers and West Virginia fans usually get along well.

by number_twentyone on Jul 16, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions  

Sorry sir

Of course ticket sales are up. It is not hard to go from 1 to 2 season ticket holders.

How is that post bitter in any way?

Are we bitter because you beat us all the time? No. All time record WVU 30 Rutgers 4

Are we bitter because you now have a bigger stadium? No. WVU 60,000 Rutgers 52,000

Are we bitter because you always take the Big East’s BCS bid? No.

Are we bitter that all the Rutgers rejects come to WVU? Maybe a little but we love their out-of-state tuition!

We have nothing to be bitter about. We are better than Rutgers in every way. Well, you guys do beat us in the amount of gel used and Ed Hardy shirts worn on gamedays. Congrats!

by 5th Year Senior on Jul 17, 2009 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions  

Awesome!

Suckgers is fun to beat up on.

by cabincreekzeke on Jul 17, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions  

+1

LoL. “gel and Ed Hardy shirts”

by Blank x2 on Jul 19, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

Amazing

That Rutgers can complete a 10,000 seat football stadium expansion, yet WVU struggles to begin construction on a long-overdue basketball practice facility.

by Country Roads on Jul 20, 2009 9:55 AM EDT reply actions  

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