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September 23, 2005
Are you ready for some football?
After years as a well-kept secret, the UNH football team burst into the spotlight last year. The Wildcats won their first postseason game and a date with Montana, a perennial powerhouse in their class. The Griz mauled the ’Cats, but not before UNH’s spirited, talented team had captured the attention of sports fans all across New Hampshire.
The only embarrassment was that the Wildcats’ field in Durham was deemed unfit for a home game in the postseason. The Montana stadium, by contrast, was a gem. Both it and the Georgia Southern stadium, where the ’Cats had won their first tournament game, drew more than 20,000 people. The UNH stadium seats 6,500, but attendance averages less than 6,000.
The success of the team and the inadequacy of the field started talk about building a new stadium for the Wildcats. Of course, this being New Hampshire, the problem was – is – money.
Today at noon, after two road wins, the Wildcats will play Dartmouth at the UNH field. It’s early, but this UNH team seems to be as exciting as last year’s.
The question is whether the enthusiasm of the fans will translate into good crowds. If it does, the idea of building a new stadium may have legs. If it doesn’t, forget it. The Rick Santos-David Ball years will soon fade away, just as the Jerry Azumah years did.
But let’s stay optimistic. Tomorrow should be a lovely early fall day – perfect weather to drive over and see what the ’Cats are all about.
Posted by Mike Pride at September 23, 2005 03:45 PM
Comments
Have you seen the condition of the physics department at UNH? It's like something from the Einstein era.... UNH should spend money on academics first, far before anythink like a new football stadium.
Posted by: Dan at September 25, 2005 09:47 AM
the state of nh should ralley behind upgrading unh facilities as a whole.how about a parking garage with a shuttle.the faculty and students are definitly doing there part.its time for the gov to commit to this fine institution.living in vt and having a student at unh i cant help but wonder why uvm ,a d-1 school, is so much futher ahead of unh in terms of facilities and campus development. it appears unh has laid dormant in this area for a long time. your university is a direct reflection of the great state of nh.right now uvm and maine have us beat hands down.
Posted by: ken ball at October 21, 2005 10:55 AM
I feel that if this state wants to keeps its good football team going it better start forking over some money for a new stadium. i have heard many students tell me how the first thing they noticed was how pathetic our football stadium was and how their high schools had better fields. I also disagree with the coment that UNH should build acedemic facilities first because they are curently building a state of the art math center. a new football stadium will bring in more money for the university allowing new chemistry facilities and other acedemic facilities to be built. and finally it is very embarrasing to see that Northern Iowa (the team that UNH will face this weekend in the quarter finals) plays football in a dome that seats over 16,000 and UNH is just getting by with a stadium that seat 6,500. It is time for our 1940's stadium to be torn down and rebuilt
Posted by: phill at November 29, 2005 12:42 AM
Let's hope this year's installment of UNH football lives up to the last two! I can only hope their continued success will push the university to upgrade the facilities, a new stadium is a MUST.
Posted by: Mike at August 25, 2006 01:54 PM