Chapman Stadium

[Conan71]

I figured this could go under discussion, but if the mods deem otherwise, fine.

It's a remodel/rename so we'll go with "development."

Anyone else have any thoughts on re-naming Skelly Stadium Chapman Stadium?

The Skelly thing has a lot of tradition, but with that, also the image of a run-down facility.

It's cool the Chapman family trust has seen fit to step up and modernize it, but I have mixed feelings about "painting over" a name that gave a lot to Tulsa in it's formative years.

[patric]

The name change comes across as cold and calloused.

[TURobY]

Not really. The Skelly name is still there...

[Conan71]

On the radio today they said it would now be called the H.A. Chapman Stadium.

I Googled after your post and found the official title will be:

"Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium"

Okay, so they didn't trample on the tradition. My bad (or KRMG's).  Turn out the lights when you are through.[]

[TulsaEx]

The University asked for permission from the Skelly family to do this, so I think it is ok.

[sgrizzle]

I would rather something in the city still be named Skelly myself.

The "skelly field at chapman stadium" thing is a joke. Renamed their stadium to "lewis field at boone pickens stadium" and how often do you hear the first part?

The fact the skelly's are okay with it makes it a little better, but I'm sure some donations were contingent on the name change so the Skelly's may have felt pressured.

[Conan71]

I guess if someone dropped $18mm in my lap for home improvements I'd be happy to call my place Chez Conan at Warbucks Gardens. []

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I guess if someone dropped $18mm in my lap for home improvements I'd be happy to call my place Chez Conan at Warbucks Gardens. []

For $18M I'd change my house name, my name, and call a dog a ukelele.

[cannon_fodder]

This is talked about at GREAT length at insidetulsasports.com forums.

It was originally named "Skelly Field." The stadium was named Skelly in the 1960s when "Skelly Field" made it sound too small after the expansion to 45K.  If you look, "Kelly Field" is etched in the limestone on the East Side facing the Reynolds Center.  That will not change.

Thus, they have simply reverted back to the original name of the field and sold the rights to the rest of the stadium for $18,000,000.00.  By going to the family first and keeping the field name I would have to say the University handled this is the best manner possible.
- - - -

The stadium as it stands seats a little over 35K.  The renovations include new bathrooms and concessions, a new 3 story press box with suites, expanding the plaza area to fill in the area between the stadium and the new apartments, new seats throughout, a new scoreboard, and a general revamp of the entire stadium.  

The "erector set" West Side stands will be removed so the entire original limestone exterior will be visible with its Gothic arches.  Coupled with the expanded plaza (which will mirror the plaza area now in the North end zone and between the stadium and the Reynolds) and the new Case Center it will be a much needed atheistic improvement.

New capacity is rumored to be around 31,000.  With an average attendance around 25K it should be just fine for Tulsa.  I hope the demand grows and they need to bowl in the South end zone. This is phase 2 (phase one was the case).  Hopefully phase three is getting rid of the dirt mound and bowling in the south end zone with arches to match the rest of the stadium.  Estimated capacity would be 38K and it would look DAMN good.

/alumni
/season ticket holder
/JesseTU on the insidetulsasports.com boards

[Conan71]

From the TU web site:

2005
The North end zone stands were demolished in February,, thus clearing the way for the new Case Athletic Complex. The stadium seating was reduced from 40,385 to 35,542.

Skelly Stadium's Largest Crowds
1. 47,350 Oklahoma 65, Tulsa 0 Sept. 26, 1987
2. 41,235 Tulsa 27, Oklahoma State 23 Sept. 13, 1986
3. 40,785 Tulsa 20, Oklahoma State 10 Sept. 9, 1989
4. 40,385 Oklahoma State 16, Tulsa 10 Sept. 18, 1993
5. 40,385 Missouri 42, Tulsa 21 Sept. 20, 1997
6. 40,385 Tulsa 35, Oklahoma State 20 Sept. 12, 1998
7. 40,385 Oklahoma State 36, Tulsa 26 Sept. 9, 2000
8. 40,385 Oklahoma 37, Tulsa 0 Aug. 30, 2002
9. 40,248 Tulsa 20, Montana State 2 Nov. 17, 1990
10. 40,235 Oklahoma State 31, Tulsa 7 Sept. 29, 1984
11. 39,479 Tulsa 13, Oklahoma State 7 Sept. 7, 1991


Ten Largest Season Attendance Averages
1. 1991 31,236 7 games
2. 1965 28,899 4 games
3. 1982 28,355 5 games
4. 1989 25,388 5 games
5. 1993 25,077 5 games
6. 1992 24,883 6 games
7. 1996 24,814 5 games
8. 1987 24,074 4 games
9. 1990 23,917 5 games
10. 1995 23,249 5 games

So that's TU's idea of progress.  Deleting 10,000 seats?  Weird man, just weird.  

I was at the TU/OSU in '86 and remember how packed that place was.  How on earth did they ever get 47K in for TU/OU in '87?

[sgrizzle]

OU was 1985 national champions and 87 may have been there first Tulsa game after that.

As mentioned, bowling it in is an option, I would imagine they could do some on the NE and NW corners as well. Supposedly they only lost 5,000 seats, and could recoup that in future expansions. In the mean time they added more seats that make money so they can pay to re-upsize.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

OU was 1985 national champions and 87 may have been there first Tulsa game after that.

As mentioned, bowling it in is an option, I would imagine they could do some on the NE and NW corners as well. Supposedly they only lost 5,000 seats, and could recoup that in future expansions. In the mean time they added more seats that make money so they can pay to re-upsize.

I wasn't interested in "why" there were so many fans, that much was obvious.  I'm curious where they put all those people for OU/TU.

[cannon_fodder]

You dont build a stadium to hold capacity crowds one time every other year.  Most of the time TU had 25K fans in their 45K seat stadium.  That is not a good atmosphere.

Eliminating the additional seats will save Tulsa $10,000,000.00 in the renovations and make Tulsa a better atmosphere for the fans.

If you [edit typo]were a[/edit] the game, then you remember that there were more OSU fans than Tulsa fans.  Screw that.

With an average attendance in the 20's, a stadium in the 30's will be just fine for now.

[sportyart]

This is something that I was questioning. When they removed the north end zone stands, it dropped from 40, 385 to 35,542. So now they are only expecting to lose 4,542 seats with the removal of the major "erector set" section of seats? I can't see that, it's a huge section of the stadium. I would guess that it would be more about 25,000 seats. A am also concerned that the reduction in seating that its going to be even harder for TU to be able to make contacts with larger universities (like OU and OSU) that base their contracts solely on the ability to make money off of ticket sales, and with TU having an even smaller seating capacity, they wont be able to live up to those needs.

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

OU was 1985 national champions and 87 may have been there first Tulsa game after that.

As mentioned, bowling it in is an option, I would imagine they could do some on the NE and NW corners as well. Supposedly they only lost 5,000 seats, and could recoup that in future expansions. In the mean time they added more seats that make money so they can pay to re-upsize.

I wasn't interested in "why" there were so many fans, that much was obvious.  I'm curious where they put all those people for OU/TU.

This is a well-circulated story. []

The athletic director at the time renumbered the stadium seats for that game and added one seat per row. That's how they got 47,000 people in a stadium that only seated 40,000.

People were crammed in there like sardines. Everyone had to stand the entire game -- facing SIDEWAYS. There literally wasn't enough room on each row to stand or sit shoulder to shoulder. Every time the field position would switch from one side to the other, the whole crowd had to turn around to face the other direction.

Apparently the university caught some major hell from the fire chief after the game, but they'd already pocketed the money.