Post by elp525 on Oct 15, 2010 8:22:25 GMT -5
Friday October 15, 2010
by Jack Bogaczyk
Charleston Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Oliver Luck's plate would seem to need sideboards, what with the uncertainty of conference realignment prospects, pending NCAA infractions hearings and just the day-to-day matters of running a $60 million athletic department.
Still, there's more that Luck, the West Virginia athletic director of 31/2 months, sees as crucial for the Mountaineers to accomplish in the immediate future.
The former WVU quarterback sees "sooner than later" more construction hardhats working on Mountaineer facilities - and that isn't just a reference to the $26 million basketball practice facility that will be open within a year.
"Big picture, the two most important tasks are maximizing our facilities, because those facilities in many ways are a manifestation of who you are as a program," Luck said Thursday during an interview in his WVU Coliseum office. "We have very nice facilities, but we need to look at doing more with them."
Luck pointed out that WVU never has "sold every upscale thing we've built," even with premium seats at premium prices.
So, the program is looking at adding suites and club seats to the Coliseum and Mountaineer Field.
"I think we need to expand a little bit," said Luck, who later in the day - prior to the WVU-South Florida kickoff at Mountaineer Field - met with attending Big East Commissioner John Marinatto. "We need to make sure the entire Coliseum complex is what we need.
"By that, I mean we need to think right now of what we're going to need 10, 20, 25 years from now."
Luck said WVU "needs to look at suites and club seats for the 14,000-seat Coliseum." He also is concerned about a lack of parking at the Coliseum, and wants some Olympic sports facilities enhanced.
"For example, we don't have a visiting team locker room in baseball," Luck said. "The visiting team has to dress at the hotel. That shouldn't be at West Virginia."
Luck said the plan for 60,000-seat Mountaineer Field is focused on the potential addition of suites, club seats and general seating on the east side (opposite the press box). He said any new boxes could be placed either atop the existing stands or between decks, and that WVU has brought in architects to consider the options.
The West Virginia athletic director said enhancing facilities not only helps the revenue stream, but also makes the Mountaineer program more attractive to any potential conference suitors should the musical chairs begin again.
He said he wasn't sure the Big East could get to 12 football members, but said he could "see" nine or 10. "Asked for a timetable, Luck said he expected more movement in the conference landscape in some fashion, and "my gut tells me things will happen sooner rather than later."
Luck said WVU is committed to Big East membership, "and what we'd like to do is help strengthen the Big East ... and I think the feeling is that eight (football teams) is no where it needs to be.
"Clearly our focus is with the Big East. The Big East has been good to us. We were a charter (football) member (in 1991). We were strongly behind the Big East when (Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College) left in 2003 and 2004.
"Certainly, however, we have to try to understand the dynamics of what happened with Nebraska (moving to the Big Ten), the two teams moving to the Pac-10, the Big 12 losing two teams, Boise State going to the Mountain West and BYU (going independent).
"We'd be negligent if we didn't pay attention to what might be going on out there and how it might affect West Virginia as we move forward."
In regard to any future conference fissures, Luck said his alma mater "as an institution, needs to really understand what we bring to the table, so we can explain to others what we bring to the table."
by Jack Bogaczyk
Charleston Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Oliver Luck's plate would seem to need sideboards, what with the uncertainty of conference realignment prospects, pending NCAA infractions hearings and just the day-to-day matters of running a $60 million athletic department.
Still, there's more that Luck, the West Virginia athletic director of 31/2 months, sees as crucial for the Mountaineers to accomplish in the immediate future.
The former WVU quarterback sees "sooner than later" more construction hardhats working on Mountaineer facilities - and that isn't just a reference to the $26 million basketball practice facility that will be open within a year.
"Big picture, the two most important tasks are maximizing our facilities, because those facilities in many ways are a manifestation of who you are as a program," Luck said Thursday during an interview in his WVU Coliseum office. "We have very nice facilities, but we need to look at doing more with them."
Luck pointed out that WVU never has "sold every upscale thing we've built," even with premium seats at premium prices.
So, the program is looking at adding suites and club seats to the Coliseum and Mountaineer Field.
"I think we need to expand a little bit," said Luck, who later in the day - prior to the WVU-South Florida kickoff at Mountaineer Field - met with attending Big East Commissioner John Marinatto. "We need to make sure the entire Coliseum complex is what we need.
"By that, I mean we need to think right now of what we're going to need 10, 20, 25 years from now."
Luck said WVU "needs to look at suites and club seats for the 14,000-seat Coliseum." He also is concerned about a lack of parking at the Coliseum, and wants some Olympic sports facilities enhanced.
"For example, we don't have a visiting team locker room in baseball," Luck said. "The visiting team has to dress at the hotel. That shouldn't be at West Virginia."
Luck said the plan for 60,000-seat Mountaineer Field is focused on the potential addition of suites, club seats and general seating on the east side (opposite the press box). He said any new boxes could be placed either atop the existing stands or between decks, and that WVU has brought in architects to consider the options.
The West Virginia athletic director said enhancing facilities not only helps the revenue stream, but also makes the Mountaineer program more attractive to any potential conference suitors should the musical chairs begin again.
He said he wasn't sure the Big East could get to 12 football members, but said he could "see" nine or 10. "Asked for a timetable, Luck said he expected more movement in the conference landscape in some fashion, and "my gut tells me things will happen sooner rather than later."
Luck said WVU is committed to Big East membership, "and what we'd like to do is help strengthen the Big East ... and I think the feeling is that eight (football teams) is no where it needs to be.
"Clearly our focus is with the Big East. The Big East has been good to us. We were a charter (football) member (in 1991). We were strongly behind the Big East when (Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College) left in 2003 and 2004.
"Certainly, however, we have to try to understand the dynamics of what happened with Nebraska (moving to the Big Ten), the two teams moving to the Pac-10, the Big 12 losing two teams, Boise State going to the Mountain West and BYU (going independent).
"We'd be negligent if we didn't pay attention to what might be going on out there and how it might affect West Virginia as we move forward."
In regard to any future conference fissures, Luck said his alma mater "as an institution, needs to really understand what we bring to the table, so we can explain to others what we bring to the table."
