Stadium upgrades: If colleges build it, will the fans come?

[TexasTowelie]

Major college athletic directors like to talk about how their departments are the "front porch" of the universities they represent.

These days, those figurative front porches are glistening new or refurbished football stadiums with collective costs well above $1 billion across the state, from Texas to Texas A&M, Baylor to TCU, UTEP to Rice.

Never mind that the nation's economy is still considered to be down — shovel-ready athletic projects and construction upgrades are popping up everywhere, especially in Texas and around the Big 12 Conference.

TCU celebrated the debut of a remade Amon Carter Stadium earlier this month. The original stadium was finished in 1930, named for a media mogul who generously gave to TCU and Texas Tech.

More at http://www.statesman.com/sports/collegefootball/stadium-upgrades-if-colleges-build-it-will-the-2465282.html

[HopelesslyLiberal]

1. The worst thing the Univ of MN ever did was move to the metrodome.

If I had kids going to college, I would encourage them to AVOID any colleges with strong athletic programs. They'll be paying tens of thosuands of dollars for an education. Do they really want that money wasted on sports facilities and subsidizing professional extortion rings, er, I mean sports franchises?

[efhmc]

2. What a great answer. Welcome here.