Baseball

[billiken_roy]

fans come and are willing to pay it could be built.   make that happen first.  

look i want all slu sports to succeed, but since basketball has to pay the freight for all sports, not sure why you all think this money is so easy to come by?   get the basketball games selling out and brining in donations first.   then work on womens basketball and volleyball.    then maybe softball and baseball can get some attention.   but right now unless you find a boone pickens ($165 million donation)  this isnt ever going to happen.   

[billikenfan05]

2 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

ever been to a slu baseball game with 500 fans?

I have. Do you know why 500 fans don’t show up regularly? Because it’s a horrible experience. Concessions are cash only and don’t sell hot food, you’re sitting on benches for college baseball which is an endurance trial if you’re not drunk. People attending those games would rather stand up against the fence than sit in those stands. 

[BourbanStreet]

1 minute ago, billikenfan05 said:

I have. Do you know why 500 fans don’t show up regularly? Because it’s a horrible experience. Concessions are cash only and don’t sell hot food, you’re sitting on benches for college baseball which is an endurance trial if you’re not drunk. People attending those games would rather stand up against the fence than sit in those stands. 

100% agree. The market is definitely there, its on SLU to provide the experience and to market it. 

[billikenfan05]

7 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

fans come and are willing to pay it could be built.   make that happen first.  

look i want all slu sports to succeed, but since basketball has to pay the freight for all sports, not sure why you all think this money is so easy to come by?   get the basketball games selling out and brining in donations first.   then work on womens basketball and volleyball.    then maybe softball and baseball can get some attention.   but right now unless you find a boone pickens ($165 million donation)  this isnt ever going to happen.   

The excuses out of you are unbelievable 

[JMM28]

http://www.goredbirds.com/news/2008/7/18/071808aae_985.aspx?path=baseball

Illinois State's stadium cost 3 million and it is well above what I would expect at SLU. 

[TheChosenOne]

It really is surprising to me how bad the facilities outside of Chaifetz Arena are. At some point if we want the soccer team to reach the level it used to be at or for the baseball program to continue to rise, we are going to need to improve those facilities. I don't pretend to know the financials or the solutions, but I do know that when you see nicer facilities at lower level colleges in the area as well as high schools, something isn't right. Hopefully Kalish can raise some money from the soccer alumni base to get some much needed improvements done to Hermann or a whole new stadium (looking at the WWT folks). Posting photos of baseball stadiums in the SEC is a waste of time, but I could drive around to the MCC campuses and SLU still wouldn't measure up. Any idea what project is next line? I assume every program has a list of projects they want done, but you would have to figure soccer and baseball should be a priority.

As far as interest level that Roy referenced, soccer is the one that really surprises me. I went to a game this year and there may have been a couple hundred fans there and we were playing a quality opponent in Denver (although it was during the week). Apparently nobody goes to baseball games either. SLU athletics needs to do a better job marketing and connecting with the city. We talk about how big of a soccer town the city is and baseball town, but our attendance doesn't reflect that at all. Plus they serve beer at soccer games, that's not a bad deal for a fall evening.

[Billy Ken]

What about all the club teams in the area that would pay to rent it out for tournaments? How many more kids and families would it bring to the campus that normally wouldn't set foot otherwise? Isn't St Louis a baseball town still? This is why slu is where it is and will continue to be because no one down there has any business acumen, awareness or vision. First, this a division one program and when local high schools blow any of your facilities out of the water, it's an embarrassment. Second, how does the coach get kids to come play there? Seriously? If I was at Vianney or Chaminade or hell Bayless, why would I want to play college ball at a crappier field than my high school? He's a miracle worker and deserves better. SLU and blue kool aid drinking friends of AD are so use to mediocre that they defend it to the death. Forgive them for they don't know, what they don't know. And to say your a top A10 baseball facility is like saying you are one of the smartest dumb kids in your class. Keep that bar low enough to walk right over it SLU. Take a drive fellas and see what lies outside the SLU bubble and you might be shocked. I don't think they need a minor league park, Lindenwood, Edwardsville, Chaminade is so much better, but what's sitting next to beautiful Chaifetz is trash. So is softball and soccer too. Oh and D3 wash u is getting ready to build a $12 million baseball softball complex. In 3,2,1 someone say write or check or repeat same stale excuses they heard from AD. 

[RiseAndGrind]

I I like baseball. I love SLU. I live 5 minutes from SLU. I don't go to SLU baseball games because the experience is garbage.  

Make it better and I'll be there. 

[Billy Ken]

One more this as Colombo would say...that indoor hitting garage...whoever designed or approved that should be fired. It's a dump and should be given to grounds crew to store equipment like mowers, snow blowers and salt for winter. I saw it recently and it looked so cheap. I heard no ac and no water? Honestly looks like an old batting cage in Festus business park! Division 1 though...

[billiken_roy]

56 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

The excuses out of you are unbelievable 

your fantasy  causes with no plan to make  come true are unbelievable

[billiken_roy]

50 minutes ago, JMM28 said:

http://www.goredbirds.com/news/2008/7/18/071808aae_985.aspx?path=baseball

Illinois State's stadium cost 3 million and it is well above what I would expect at SLU. 

public schools cant be compared.  

[Billy Ken]

Can local private catholic high schools be compared? SLU needs to get to that level first. Amazing how SLUH, Vianney and now Chaminade have figured out how to do the impossible. Have an AD that's been there 10 years and can't figure out how to crack that code so to speak. They should name field they have after that AD, it's fitting. Sums everything up. 

[Billy Ken]

https://www.google.com/amp/wtvr.com/2016/10/17/flying-squirrels-vcu-agree-to-new-deal-that-moves-city-closer-to-new-ballpark/amp/

But SLU baseball is in top end of A10! Keep drinking that blue kool aid fellas. 

[billikenfan05]

9 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

your fantasy  causes with no plan to make  come true are unbelievable

I don’t know seems like a lot of people agree that my idea for a bare necessities stadium is reasonable. 

8 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

public schools cant be compared.  

Why does this matter when what’s being pointed out is that they could build a stadium at reasonable cost.

[BourbanStreet]

I'm pretty sure I did see a banner on Chaifetz with Baseball and Softball advertised today, however that is the first time I have ever seen SLU market either of those sports besides little banners on the fence lining Hermann facing gfo.

Side note: the Hermann conversation could be a whole different thread. If SLU could do anything that is half has awesome as Morrison Stadium at Creighton (which they built before Big East money and they are a school that probably fights for a lot of the same recruits) then that would be dream come true. It has to be one of if not the best college soccer experiences in the country. 

[billikenfan05]

6 minutes ago, Billy Ken said:

Can local private catholic high schools be compared? SLU needs to get to that level first. Amazing how SLUH, Vianney and now Chaminade have figured out how to do the impossible. Have an AD that's been there 10 years and can't figure out how to crack that code so to speak. They should name field they have after that AD, it's fitting. Sums everything up. 

Rawlings is literally right down 40 from SLU. If I were in charge I would put together a baseball/softball complex proposal. Drive my happy ass down the road and pitch them naming rights on a state of the art facility that can host all levels of baseball. The Rawlings Billiken Sports Complex. 

[Billy Ken]

http://www.siuecougars.com/facilities/simmonsbaseballcomplex.html

Illinois is the most broke state in the union and look at SIUE's set up. Can't wait for excuses from diehard apologist for AD. Defend him like he's gonna bolt for Alabama or Ohio State one day and we are so lucky to still have him around. He couldn't run a snow cone stand in Death Valley. Get SLUH, Vianney or Chaminade AD, they actually know how to raise money and build facilities. 

[billiken_roy]

4 minutes ago, Billy Ken said:

http://www.siuecougars.com/facilities/simmonsbaseballcomplex.html

Illinois is the most broke state in the union and look at SIUE's set up. Can't wait for excuses from diehard apologist for AD. Defend him like he's gonna bolt for Alabama or Ohio State one day and we are so lucky to still have him around. He couldn't run a snow cone stand in Death Valley. Get SLUH, Vianney or Chaminade AD, they actually know how to raise money and build facilities. 

paid for by a nice donation from the simmons law firm in 2004.  so the best of both worlds.   living off the govt trough and donations from a high roller.   

[billikenfan05]

1 minute ago, billiken_roy said:

paid for by a nice donation from the simmons law firm in 2004.  so the best of both worlds.   living off the govt trough and donations from a high roller.   

I’m sure Simmons just called up and said let’s build a stadium because that’s how it works right? 

[johnbj14]

I am 100% behind improving the baseball facilities. Look at something like UIC did with Curtis Granderson Field. Provides capacity beyond what SLU would need and was a bit pricey, but was a fantastic job of taking a field and turning it into an experience. Charge some admission, have concessions, and start investing in the program. 

[Billy Ken]

I bet Simmons just had millions to burn and Fairmount Park was closed that day and figured hey let's call SIUE and build a field? AD couldn't sell snow cones in Death Valley. Keep bar low, stumble across, repeat over 10 years. That's the master plan at SLU. The Mecca of "Can't do that" in college athletics and the Michael Jordan of Mediocre ADs. Winning! 

[Billy Ken]

Bottom line is all stadiums have private matching. But SLU has never tried to move the needle ever historically for baseball program. Outside of this SLU bubble we live in, even the basketball team is barely relevant in county. That's a fact. How many Billiken shirts do you guys see Day in and day out. Expecting the athletic department to be able to market anything or sell anything is like expecting South County Telegraph McDonalds crew to cook a five star meal for your wedding or birthday party and when it's terrible you are shocked. OK product, way overpriced, and over hyped! See women's basketball on the menu. They are the Gang that couldn't shoot straight. 

[billiken_roy]

So you guys think slu doesn't try to solicit donations?  Wow

[Billy Ken]

Funny I just talked to my buddy we go to basketball games with and he said Maryville, minus Chaifetz is nicer than SLU. It's laughable! What timing. And yes I'm sure SLU wants donations, what school doesn't....why don't they have them is the question? Everyone but them seems to have it figured out. Not SLU and anyone on this board that says write a check, donate the money, good for you, you've done more than AD has!

[billikenfan05]

33 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

So you guys think slu doesn't try to solicit donations?  Wow

Nobody has said that. You and 72 fan seem to agree that it is on the alumni to just write a check for a new facility which is fuoking nonsense . I’m sure they solicit donations It’s clearly not going well or they are completely ignoring the fact that the Billiken sports complex is lagging decades behind its peers.