FSU AD has CRITICAL Stadium Updates & Answers Tough Question

all right let's talk a little bit about some of those changes some of those renovations to do um where are we as far I know you mentioned 2025 would would be we complete it um where where are we with with what's going on are we kind of on On Target on Pace for for the what will be done by the start of the season and and what should we expect yes we are definitely we're actually ahead of pace a little bit don't don't tell them at the construction site no no because they start Michael stop we got rain we got all kinds of things I understand haven't gone through this a few times but as far as the stadium builds that's coming along very well uh the temporary seat should be going in August first for this season uh that we'll have right there on the west side as they continue to build out that West Side anyone sitting over there pardon I'm going to tell you now pardon our dust as as we continue to get better um but the will be great access into your seats we're looking at everything from points of sale and how do we increase those uh for this season to make it the best experience as we can as we continue to get better and build but sales are going very well um we're ahead of pace on those the club seats are are going extremely fast people that go through are are definitely excited about the new product the new areas that they will have the new concourses the new points of sale the seat the tread depth uh seatbacks everything that we're doing on the west side we're ahead of pace and people are really excited about it so that's that's something that's very good to see and we're outpacing what our survey said we would be pacing at this time that we did with CSL about our fan interest and what they wanted um to see on the West Side even on the east side you know this this coming up season you're going to be getting a designated 18inch seat seat cap uh much more comfortable than the bleachers that will be going in for this year on the east side as we continue to look at life safety Renovations over over there with handrails and some other amenities that you will notice when you come in the stadium on the east side that will provide a better Fan Experience over there constantly looking at points of sale um when I first arrived here we had two20 I want to say points of sale 230 maybe and we've got it up to over 400 now put it in perspective the Bucks have a 65,000 seat Stadium have 1,200 points to sell we're trying to do the same service at 400 we're pulling power to a 73 year old stadium finding areas where we can do that we want to get it up to about 600 uh in the future 700 just keep looking for different Avenues where we can have the better a better Fan Experience for our consu customers and that's something that's we're really pushing is our points of sale within that Stadium but that gives you some perspective a 73y old stadium coming in and trying to find points to sell and where we can make the Fan Experience better when you look at a stadium like like Raymond James that has 1,200 points of sale for 65,000 so we're constantly trying to find Avenues to make that Fan Experience better uh as with anything when when there is change and there is newness and and it's not the kind of the like you said 73 change TJ you know that the the same way it's always been done there there are people that are that have complained and are oh I've had the seats for this many years or my price is going to this to sit here or this that and the other I obviously you know there are people that are excited about things there are people that are not but what would your what's your message to to those people that do feel like they're getting moved out of their seats or do feel like th this isn't fair right or or whatever the situation may be how do you how do you talk with those people well we went to the the best approach possible we sat down with every individual at least had the opportunity uh to sit down and we we report out and and sit down and go through the process of what the amenities are going to be what the pricing is going to be and give them first opportunity to to participate in the renovation um you know when you go through the study to to keep up with our peers we haven't changed prices in many many years and you look at the top 20 institu attended institutions which we're worn of unless take the 20 to 30 yard line uh we would be dead last we were number 20 across the board and everything but but one um and let's say take a look at the 50 yard line seat we're still not getting up to the average of the top meaning meaning we weren't we weren't charging just price to everybody else to our to our average I mean you look at what Florida charges to sit at the 40 even where we were which was 20th out of 20 we're just getting up to to the mid teenss uh to where we're trying to get to in the future not even taking it up to where others are um because and it's going to be phased in and and but we just think that's the right approach U but we had to make some changes in order to provide that one The Fan Experience but two to be able to compete with our peers on the field um here's maybe a little more light-hearted one after after a tough one people ask all the time about the spirit spear what do we have to get to what do we have to do to get the spirit spear back in you know that's I've heard more about the spirit SP Spirit what a what a a great uh let call it an accessory that was uh to the stadium and U I'm not going to say I I'm doing it but I'm also not gonna say I'm not looking into it but it is something that we we have examined and continue to examine as we look to bring the best Fan Experience forward uh you know we you know when our video boards need to be updated that may be something that we look at including within that process but there's a lot that goes into that structurally into the stadium and what it can withhold we will get right back to it but first I wanted to tell you about my friends over at the mango board the mango board is essentially a group that just aims to educate and Inspire folks on why they should essentially be eating more of the greatest fruit of all time debate somebody else not me there are a lot of great fruits out there but nothing quite compares to how good a mango is my kids beg for them every time we go to the store and then when we get them home they eat them so much faster than I can cut them I'm not selling you anything I'm not trying to get you to click a link or enter a code just the next time that you're at the store maybe grab a mango or two at your local grocery now the mango board partners with FSU Athletics and you may see them tagged in tweets you may see them out at different sporting events and if you do stop by and say hello remember the next time you're at a grocery store grab a mango or two you will not be sad that you did yeah um I'll ask you about this then we'll maybe move on to baseball and and wrap up but uh football only facility any any updates there I know that a lot of the Focus right now is on do because that's what's open and people can see and and has more of an impact on the the fan but talk about the football only facility and where we are with there looking at it right outside my office the construction going on uh Ben zeron who handles all of our capital projects and is doing over $400 million in in projects right now so he's a little busy man um but love love looking out there and seeing about three guys sitting down taking launch break and I'll yell down the hall at him for them to get up and get going we have a deadline to July 25th but they are doing a marvelous job all the all the construction workers I go out there and and see how they're doing and make sure they're we're doing everything possible for their experience while they build this marvelous facility that's going to be one of the tops in the country and just to see it coming along but it's going to be open the same time the state July 25 so you're going to see it start moving along here a little bit more rapidly um so it's an exciting project something we needed desperately uh once again that we can showcase uh Florida State and put us on a national stage