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WVU sportswriter Mickey Furfari makes some very good points in his story.
I talked to a few MU fans who made the trip to Morgantown for the game this week and said that there were probably around 500 to 600 people at the game.
A third game between WVU and MU is not that rare. In fact, the 2 schools have already decided to have the same 3 game mid-week series next season.
I've lived in West Virginia all my life, and it always amazes me to see how limited our vision is. The state motto ought to be "Think Small- and do it on the Cheap!". Even when Mountaineers move out of the state, many want to keep the state small and second-class.
Seen this piece from longtime WVU sportswriter Mickey Furfari today. Kind of surprised he went this route, seems to be getting bitter as he gets older. To compete in the Big XII, this is type of stadium needed to recruit baseball and softball players to WVU.
Does West Virginia University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics really need a new baseball park?
I don’t happen to believe that it does at this time. I think it would be wasted money, especially with athletics being $13 million (or more) in the red.
I’ve been told that Hawley Field, already existing in the WVU Coliseum Complex, could be updated with locker rooms on each side of the existing dugouts. And it doesn’t require a scholar or scientist to know those locker rooms would cost WVU a lot less than constructing a new ballpark atop a plot in the middle of a large shopping mall.
College baseball here never has paid its way. In my opinion, it never will. Only about 300 spectators — mostly students — attend a WVU baseball game, even on a good, warm day.
I happen to know because I have been covering games at Hawley Field at its present location since about 1970.
Before that, it was situated elsewhere to make space for the $10 million WVU Coliseum.
It’s been said that the powers-that-be are negotiating with promoters of a Class A professional team to become part of the new ballpark.
There are those who seriously doubt that a Class A team would pay its way in Morgantown and turn a profit on a consistent basis.
Bridgeport officials announced some time ago that they plan to have a Class A team. And that’s another matter Morgantown and WVU officials should very well keep in mind.
Could two ballparks in cities so close together really make enough money to survive? I don’t know. I’m just asking.
A retired WVU administrator would tell you Hawley Field is one of the best ballparks in northern West Virginia. It has a great all-around surface and a great training system.
Hawley Field also has adequate space to expand the seating area of bleachers which were donated by a Morgantown company.
What’s more, I’ve been told by people who know that the new ballpark is planned at a high-elevation area in the large shopping mall. And it’s cold and windy there in the spring when baseball is played as well as in the summer.
Again, I ask: Do WVU and Morgantown really need a new multi-million ballpark for baseball?
Why does everyone have to hate on us for our growth and try to block it?
I've lived in West Virginia all my life, and it always amazes me to see how limited our vision is. The state motto ought to be "Think Small- and do it on the Cheap!". Even when Mountaineers move out of the state, many want to keep the state small and second-class.
Adios...
Maybe the people who think this is the best WVU can do, have the limited vision and are content with settling for "second-class"
I love WVU and Marshall, I want both schools to prosper, have excellent sports facilities because that is a reflection on the State as a whole. When Oklahoma or Rice come here to play, I want them both to say, WVU and Marshall have nice athletic facilities and a great atmosphere. When a recruit comes to either university, I want them to say, this is a nice place to play, with great facilities, they really care and want to win. I know their is the rivalry between each school, but I want both schools to be first choice destinations, instead of fallback choices.
I love WVU and Marshall, I want both schools to prosper, have excellent sports facilities because that is a reflection on the State as a whole. When Oklahoma or Rice come here to play, I want them both to say, WVU and Marshall have nice athletic facilities and a great atmosphere. When a recruit comes to either university, I want them to say, this is a nice place to play, with great facilities, they really care and want to win. I know their is the rivalry between each school, but I want both schools to be first choice destinations, instead of fallback choices.
There is no rivalry.
The state tried to make one, but basically it was WVU slaughtering Marshall year after year. We didnt enjoy it, it was like a UFC fighter beating up a cripple and Marshall didnt like it either. In Baseball Marshall might actually have a chance since WVU never took it seriously.
544 on a Tuesday night with the temperatures in the mid-30s at a run down baseball facility. The point is that a new stadium in a better location against a Big 12 opponent (say Texas for instance) would draw much better.
A major Bingo here! Add visits from Pitt and other more local rivals, and the future is promising. Then throw in having Fairmont State play their home games here and the minor league team planing in summer months, concerts, American Legion baseball, high school tournaments, and other events and this facility is a winner, adding to the already outstanding athletic venues and offerings of our area and providing a nice boost for local businesses.
I love WVU and Marshall, I want both schools to prosper, have excellent sports facilities because that is a reflection on the State as a whole. When Oklahoma or Rice come here to play, I want them both to say, WVU and Marshall have nice athletic facilities and a great atmosphere. When a recruit comes to either university, I want them to say, this is a nice place to play, with great facilities, they really care and want to win. I know their is the rivalry between each school, but I want both schools to be first choice destinations, instead of fallback choices.
Will, our facility has absolutely nothing to do with any potential facility at Marshall. The vast majority of funding for the facility itself is coming from local property taxes, and the state has little to do with that. The state's involvement is with areas where they are supposed to be involved... highway exits and the like.
Mon County has a major "backer" in this project, which together with the WVU Athletic Dept. they secured on their own. If Marshall wants to Me Too this, they need to go out and find their own backer, and get their county commission on board with a real estate property tax TIF Depending on where they might locate one, the state could well have nothing to do with it but my hunch is you would see them looking around for direct handouts for it from state government somehow. Just a hunch based on what I've seen in the past, mind you. They might even call it a baseball research center to get public funding.
From what I heard this mayor doesn't feel there are enough people to support two baseball parks, so is trying to stop the development of the stadium in Morgantown. He knows Bridgeport isn't large enough to support a minor league baseball park. I'm very surprised they're even building one in such a low-population area.
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