Hens at UVA 2026

[tenn hen]

the posts on this thread are an excellent example of a bipartisan salon
I'm adding my kudos as well to the scheduling by our athletic staff/AD- I was thrilled to see another NAME school like UVA added

"Rome wasn't built in a day" I'd favor the enhancement of our beloved stadium with an eye on capacity first and the potential to add on in a timely manner. I've lobbied for the HORSESHOE concept but hold up on the new indoor practice field concept for now. -BUT the product(team) on the gridiron must be competent and enjoyable/exciting to watch. Wins will be a challenge immediately. We will have to take our licks but there is no reason not to be competitive.

"Patience is a virtue" wins may take a while, but again the product must make it fun to attend. Unfortunately basketball under MI has not succeeded IMO with weak scheduling and a lack of CAA dominance. Scheduling quality teams provide the framework for the creation of a true FBS program. My future dream of inclusion into the ACC down the road seems to become more of a possibility, but only if we prove to be "worthy".

I'm distressed, though not surprised( no announcement as promised), to read here that the campaign is having problems. Risk is often challenging, but necessary to become successful. Just ask those who have took the plunge and have become billionaires today. With our endowment and quality reputation it would appear likely that we could move ahead with at least the NEZ- maybe pre horseshoe construction. Without the announcement forthcoming I've withheld a major donation now for a couple of years. I believe there are probably a good number of us waiting for this news to be made public. Waiting for Taylor Swift - come on man! Maybe Joe THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL SITE can kick in some bucks to his alma mater and I'm sure others might be persuaded with this FBS move. A major national announcement or two of our plans can push this transition into full swing. publishing architectural drawings, listing our new major scheduling opponents, and signing one or two 4STAR recruits is the PR media we need to get out there. The State of Delaware should be able to grasp all the tax benefits/revenues that could flow into it's coffers for supporting this endeavor to make us truly the First State.

We need to act now. UD will not go bankrupt

[Cluck U]

On the other hand the stadium is only 10 miles to the ocean. Lot's of hotels, great golf packages, every kind of food option, etc...

Hey, the Tub is only 10.9 miles from Elk River Park, 14.4 miles from Deemers’ Beach and 17.7 miles from Augustine Beach…and only 2.6 miles from the Newark Country Club. And, er…Grotto’s. Break out the bikinis, clubs and stomach pumps!!!!

[93BlueHen]

Instead of adding additional cost to the existing conceptual design, wouldn't it make more sense to incorporate more seating INTO the design and minimize the standing room "fan zone" concept? Devoting additional space to ticket buyers who've already paid for seating makes less sense/cents when the space could be utilized to seat additional paying customers.

Boom, nailed it. While we're waiting on dollars to come in for fancy fan zones and beer gardens and other crap I personally don't give two s***s about, we could pour a few footers and install a bench horseshoe of the NEZ with 20-30 rows for dirt cheap that would add 5K+ seats, create an immediate intimidation factor to the stadium, and expand scheduling opportunities.

UCF built the 46K "bounce house" in 18 months. Stanford demolished old Stanford Stadium and built a new 50K seat one inside its perimeter in one offseason. All we're talking about here is a small fraction of those efforts. It wouldn't be much more involved than the scoreboard installation was (which would have to be relocated already by the way).

And I'm with 79. The concept of the NEZ they showed last year was completely underwhelming. It would be more a hinderance to future growth than anything. Let's think bigger in everything we do. Facilities, conference affiliation, the whole nine yards.

[SENOREIDA]

I hope we get some out of conference FBS home game besides JMU. I believe we can schedule home and away games with Coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach. Coastal moved up several years ago and has not been able to schedule an out of conference home game with a FBS school.

Coastal would be a great home and home! However, Coastal has been able to schedule FBS ooc home games:
2021: Kansas and UMass
2022: Army and Buffalo
2023: Jaxx St.

We also have UVA coming to town this year
2024: ECU
2025: Temple/Army
2027 Liberty rivalry starts over

Wouldn't mind seeing y'all on the schedule. I am going to watch Coastal play Temple this year and visit my parents. Wouldn't mind a series, would give me a reason to come visit friends and family.

[Cluck U]

$3.02 tickets!

Breaking into the football posts with a lacrosse post (hey, it is the offseason and we all support Blue Hens sports).

All tickets to this Saturday’s lacrosse game are $3.02. Sit anywhere you want (all tickets are general admission). Free parking (no assigned parking, so you can park right next to the Tub).

Weather looks good (59 degrees…in February!!!).

Noon start.

Come see a great sport on a nice day in February and get some Go Hens! juice flowing in the offseason. Game will be over by 2pm (lacrosse is awesome…fast game).

Can’t beat that deal.



Yup…looks like a tailgate day. Details later in the week (in the lacrosse thread).


*** Football related note: everyone can donate their savings ($11.98 saved off the normal $15 ticket price) to the stadium upgrades.

[HENJOHN]

Talked me into it Cluck

[Bluewyn Gold]

Like Rooney, I too signed a donation commitment for the NEZ project. Expecting the Flaccos and Whitneys and the deeper pockets to carry the whole load strikes me as welfare state-ish. I welcome everyone to join us at whatever level you can.

I plan on donating as my actual "welfare state-ish" level of income allows when the UD unveils the plan. I suspect it will be terrific. Every little bit helps towards the Hens' bright football future.

[Caribbean Hen]

Without the announcement forthcoming I've withheld a major donation now for a couple of years

Don’t worry Tenn, UD already has the picture they will use for the press conference

One Dollar contributor

61A5346C-EEC9-4AA0-9B9D-355CAB455781.jpeg (23.83 KiB) Viewed 511 times

[tenn hen]

Here's an idea that might work in opening people's wallets. After the campaign details are unveiled in a major PR blitz, include a matching program funded by either UD, corporate interests, or our most wealthy contributors. Those of us who make charitable contributions to groups that we support are more apt to ante up more than we might have considered. That's economics 101.

edit- maybe all three can match up for every donation- like hitting the lottery

[HENJOHN]

Hilarious picture. Trading Places

[Cluck U]

Without the announcement forthcoming I've withheld a major donation now for a couple of years

Don’t worry Tenn, UD already has the picture they will use for the press conference

61A5346C-EEC9-4AA0-9B9D-355CAB455781.jpeg

By the way, loved the Drake Passage references. I don’t get out sailing as much as I did. Hmmm…might have to go to the UD Sailing Club’s alumni regatta this year. They are on the Northeast River these days…not far (about 3-4 minutes) from Woody’s Crab House. Sailing + eating seafood = a great day.

UD is definitely trying to right the ship regarding attendance…they just have to keep being creative to get new fans into the stadium. It takes time to build a fan base (a lot more time than it takes to destroy one, as we learned). As others have said, get Army and/or Navy to come to the Tub and the fans will come. Homecoming and Parents’ Day games already have solid attendance. Build Band Day back up and that would be another well attended game.

Make it inexpensive for the kids and families will come and build up the fan base. Heck, have a kid themed day (super hero costumes before the game or at half-time) for a home game near Halloween? For teens, how about a Bullet (each player has a minute) chess tournament (on mobile phones) inside the stadium before/during and after the game with the winner getting some swag and a season ticket package for the following year? All sorts of ideas that can attract fans. Try some.

[Cluck U]

Talked me into it Cluck

Awesome! I still have that bottle of Captain Morgan!

[Ramblinrec74]

I like playing a Big Boy each season, but they will always be away. Would like to see some Non Conf home & away like JMU! Temple, CC, App St., Old Dominion, Marshall, etc. They would be competitive, renew some old rivalry emotions, close proximity would allow travel to away games, and would us a chance at success early on. With the price of tickets increasing, I have visions of us taking our lumps and attendance dropping, and possibly delaying the expansion! I know the season ticket prices are getting tougher to swallow on a fixed income!!

[Caribbean Hen]

Without the announcement forthcoming I've withheld a major donation now for a couple of years

Don’t worry Tenn, UD already has the picture they will use for the press conference

61A5346C-EEC9-4AA0-9B9D-355CAB455781.jpeg

By the way, loved the Drake Passage references. I don’t get out sailing as much as I did. Hmmm…might have to go to the UD Sailing Club’s alumni regatta this year. They are on the Northeast River these days…not far (about 3-4 minutes) from Woody’s Crab House. Sailing + eating seafood = a great day.

UD is definitely trying to right the ship regarding attendance…they just have to keep being creative to get new fans into the stadium. It takes time to build a fan base (a lot more time than it takes to destroy one, as we learned). As others have said, get Army and/or Navy to come to the Tub and the fans will come. Homecoming and Parents’ Day games already have solid attendance. Build Band Day back up and that would be another well attended game.

Make it inexpensive for the kids and families will come and build up the fan base. Heck, have a kid themed day (super hero costumes before the game or at half-time) for a home game near Halloween? For teens, how about a Bullet (each player has a minute) chess tournament (on mobile phones) inside the stadium before/during and after the game with the winner getting some swag and a season ticket package for the following year? All sorts of ideas that can attract fans. Try some.

Thanks Cluck

I figure the off-season is a good time to get some non football related history into the threads… some will disagree

I forgot about Drakes folly … we survived Rip Van Rocco’s folly but Drakes Pennsylvania oil Well was eventually successful… Not predicting the same success for VMI

[Baltimore Hen]

Unfortunately basketball under MI has not succeeded IMO with weak scheduling and a lack of CAA dominance. S.

MI is to UD basketball what Mark Turgeon was to MD basketball. I think a fresh start at HC in CUSA is in order....