[Husker] New Stadium Plans Announced

[Nick Chevance]

My point, and here I'll assume that Skylar shares this view, is that
the CWS has had a fan friendly feeling, and that while I believe,
especially now that the mayor's committee has schmoozed the NCAA and
will begin the same process with the public, its as done as the
proverbial Ball Park frank left on the grill for an hour, its still a
situation that saddens me - that fan friendly feeling will slowly
change.  Unlike Skylar, baseball lost its luster for me years ago, but
its the damned corporate atmosphere at most NCAA events worth seeing
that gripes me the most.  There's not a thing I can do about it but
complain, and here I think I'm allowed to complain.  Liberal use of
the delete key is suggested.

Its not unlike getting into Husker games - there, I've linked it to
football 8^) before we get too far gone on this subject.  I earn a
decent salary but I just can't quite come up with the extra $1500 to
$3000 on top of the cost of tickets to buy season tickets to games.
Its not that I can't do it, but that's a huge chunk of disposable
income that will do better in getting my two kids through college (so
they can support me in my old-er age).  So I rely on the kindness of
strangers - and friends who have season tickets - and I get to two or
three games a year.

I'm a basketball fan (college not pros) and I'd love to go see a Final
Four someday.  But tickets to those events are priced out of my range,
and frankly the seats that the everyday joe gets come with
supplemental oxygen.  Its not that I have to sit courtside (but
seriously, if anyone has some free courtside tickets, I'm your
guy!!!), but the seating available to the general public is much worse
than watching a game on a black-and-white TV with a coat hanger for an
antenna.  The game is just a rumor from up there.

As someone pointed out on this thread earlier, its all about the
money, and I don't make enough of it or can't bring myself to part
with enough of it.  So as things become more corporate, and cater to
the moneyed interests, it will be enjoyed in person by fewer and fewer
'average joe's.'  Money will rule this business, and for me, cheapen
it a bit.  As time goes on, sporting events will be those things that
I can't enjoy doing anymore, and can only enjoy by watching them on
TV.  And the same will happen to the folks in Omaha who have come to
expect to be able to take a bunch of kids to a game at the CWS.  I
doubt that will continue.  Season ticket holders will be asked for
more, and soon the flavor of the experience will change.

Just a quick example. When the Avalanche moved to Denver, they sold
season tickets.  Televised games were very interesting to see because
the seats close to the ice, the most expensive, were half empty and
its was very noticeable.  Those seats were bought by corporations and
business to be used for perks for clients, etc.  But those folks
didn't show up.  The less expensive seats behind them were jammed,
full of 'fans.'  But to the TV audience, nobody was showing up for the
games.  Of course, the Av's didn't mind since they were already paid
for.

Lucky for me, my eldest will be going to Wesleyan next year, where I
can walk up to the gate on a Saturday and sit just about anywhere in
the stands and watch a football or basketball game.  It won't be
particularly 'great' football or basketball by some folks standards,
but I'll get what I paid for.

Nick
-- 
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an
infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even
considering if there is a man on base."
Dave Barry