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Baylor Basketball

Baylor announces basketball fieldhouse, football ops center

November 1, 2018
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To kickoff Baylor's 2018 Homecoming, Baylor President Linda Livingston announced a lead gift from Mark, BBA '79, and Paula Hurd to recently announced fundraising campaign Give Light on Thursday evening. The gift is among the largest in school history as part of a $1.1 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign.

According to Baylor's official website, the gift will go "to create a new front door to the University – the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. This transformational gift is one of the largest in Baylor's history. The Hurd Welcome Center will be constructed at the entrance to Baylor's campus on University Parks Drive alongside Interstate 35."

In addition to the announcement of the lead gift, Baylor also released details of their Athletics Master Plan. 

According to the official website of the Athletics Master Plan:

"Baylor plans to develop a new fieldhouse concept that takes its lessons from other Power 5 schools who have renovated or constructed smaller venues that create a more intimate atmosphere that elevates home-court advantage and focuses on fan experience.

Construction of a football operations center that would house coaches' offices and include meeting rooms, weight rooms, rehab, and sports nutrition support would enhance the overall complement of resources for the football program. Once complete, the vacated space in Simpson Athletics and Academic Center - where football operations now resides - would be used for additional academic support and student success services.

Rounding out the plan is a venue where Baylor's volleyball and acrobatics and tumbling teams would practice. Currently utilizing the 80-year-old Marrs McLean Gymnasium, these nationally ranked programs have increasing demands for student-athlete support and substantial needs to engage a loyal and growing fan base."

Discussion from...

Baylor announces basketball fieldhouse, football ops center

36,247 Views | 44 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by CutTheTVoff
baylor1999
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9:54p, 11/1/18
Wow, this is incredible. But according to this site, alumni want nothing to do with Baylor and their incompetencies, right? I think Baylor is doing fine w/o your $100 donations......
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Russell Gym
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9:55p, 11/1/18
Fieldhouse looks awesome
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Brian Ethridge
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In reply to baylor1999 • 9:59p, 11/1/18
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newbear2019 said:
Wow, this is incredible. But according to this site, alumni want nothing to do with Baylor and their incompetencies, right? I think Baylor is doing fine w/o your $100 donations......


Alums love Baylor
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baylor1999
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In reply to Brian Ethridge • 10:05p, 11/1/18
Brian Ethridge said:
newbear2019 said:
Wow, this is incredible. But according to this site, alumni want nothing to do with Baylor and their incompetencies, right? I think Baylor is doing fine w/o your $100 donations......


Alums love Baylor
Yes, the train is starting to move forward again and looks like some people are choosing to stay behind.

Oh, well
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Bear8084
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In reply to baylor1999 • 10:35p, 11/1/18
newbear2019 said:
Wow, this is incredible. But according to this site, alumni want nothing to do with Baylor and their incompetencies, right? I think Baylor is doing fine w/o your $100 donations......


It's best not to listen to the rabblerabblerabble of the blowhards on the freeboard trying to push a negative agenda.

This is an amazing announcement and shows that we are pretty serious about the image and sports at Baylor University. Sic 'Em!
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BylrFan
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10:59p, 11/1/18
FINALLY
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Derp
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11:00p, 11/1/18
Biggest takeaway is this, hopefully, means we have assurances we are in a good spot come realignment. Can't imagine we would spend this kind of money on athletic facilities if our future was CUSA
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Guy Noir
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11:11p, 11/1/18
What happened to the campaign to increase the endowment?
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Dia del DougO
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11:12p, 11/1/18
They might outta think about maybe throwing at least a couple hundred on the Title IX office.
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bigbearballs
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11:14p, 11/1/18
So tear down Ferrell and build the fieldhouse? Some of these pictures I don't know what's going on?
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BaylorOkie
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6:00a, 11/2/18
That fieldhouse is awesome. Wow.
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Ashley Hodge
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6:01a, 11/2/18
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Ferrell remains intact with renovations for VB and Acro & Tumbling.

New arena will be built closer to river but in Ferrell parking lot.

Was told school feels comfortable with parking options and there will be new basketball practice facilities attached
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PartyBear
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In reply to Derp • 6:42a, 11/2/18
Derp said:
Biggest takeaway is this, hopefully, means we have assurances we are in a good spot come realignment. Can't imagine we would spend this kind of money on athletic facilities if our future was CUSA


This thought crossed my mind as well. This also seems to put pressure on football to really get rolling again to bring the $$ rolling back in. This puts pressure on Rhule to get things back around where they were looks like we have an expectation of that and soon.
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Stranger
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6:52a, 11/2/18
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
I'm a Bearbacker
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Stranger
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In reply to Guy Noir • 6:59a, 11/2/18
Guy Noir said:
What happened to the campaign to increase the endowment?


Good question. The article never says how much these buildings will cost. Did Hurd donate enough to build all of this for cash or will Baylor go further into debt? And will this impact tuition costs as has been the case in previous building projects?
I'm a Bearbacker
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BaylorHistory
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In reply to Stranger • 7:34a, 11/2/18
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?


I believe that's been the plan from the start.
Noooo evidence for that, babeeyyy, just maaade it up.
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4th and Inches
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In reply to BaylorHistory • 7:47a, 11/2/18
BaylorHistory said:
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?


I believe that's been the plan from the start.

New configuration, more upscale, and less seating is the plan... and a bigger trophy case for Mulkey
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Ashley Hodge
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In reply to Stranger • 7:52a, 11/2/18
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Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
6500 seats 7200 capacity. Right move for sure. Give or take a few hundred on those numbers.

Hurd is naming on visiting center not the arena.
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PartyBear
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In reply to Stranger • 8:00a, 11/2/18
Stranger said:
Guy Noir said:
What happened to the campaign to increase the endowment?


Good question. The article never says how much these buildings will cost. Did Hurd donate enough to build all of this for cash or will Baylor go further into debt? And will this impact tuition costs as has been the case in previous building projects?


I asked about some of this on the thread where this was announced on the football board on like page 3 of a thread. No one really responded. I would guess more debt. It appears whatever happens with the XII even if no one has given us any assurances of anything, we are preparing to make a big push on our own to stay somewhere in the P5 world. This would be worthy of debt in my opinion.
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AustinCory
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In reply to Derp • 9:12a, 11/2/18
Derp said:
Biggest takeaway is this, hopefully, means we have assurances we are in a good spot come realignment. Can't imagine we would spend this kind of money on athletic facilities if our future was CUSA
I'm not sure about that, because Baylor was spending millions like Brewster on new campus buildings right before the Big XII Missile Crisis a few years ago.
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Big12Bear
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In reply to Ashley Hodge • 9:25a, 11/2/18
Ashley Hodge said:
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
6500 seats 7200 capacity. Right move for sure. Give or take a few hundred on those numbers.

Hurd is naming on visiting center not the arena.
That's perfect. The move will force a number of us to seriously consider season tickets, even from out of town.
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AustinCory
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In reply to Big12Bear • 9:46a, 11/2/18
Big12Bear said:
Ashley Hodge said:
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
6500 seats 7200 capacity. Right move for sure. Give or take a few hundred on those numbers.

Hurd is naming on visiting center not the arena.
That's perfect. The move will force a number of us to seriously consider season tickets, even from out of town.
Here in Austin, UT has been begging for a basketball venue like this. No one attends games there.
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Big12Bear
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In reply to AustinCory • 9:53a, 11/2/18
ValpoCory said:
Big12Bear said:
Ashley Hodge said:
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
6500 seats 7200 capacity. Right move for sure. Give or take a few hundred on those numbers.

Hurd is naming on visiting center not the arena.
That's perfect. The move will force a number of us to seriously consider season tickets, even from out of town.
Here in Austin, UT has been begging for a basketball venue like this. No one attends games there.
Tech and UT built their venues way too big, although they each worked in getting decent concerts for awhile. UT's is also really aging. Has got to be 40+ years old by now. Bad atmosphere for sure.

EDIT: It looks like UT has a 10,000 seat on-campus arena in the works,
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Lawbear
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In reply to Stranger • 10:13a, 11/2/18
Stranger said:
I got a report early yesterday that the Hurd building was actually going to have a smaller seating capacity than the current Ferrell Center. Supposedly, Mack Rhoads and some of the regents were concerned that the Baylor fans rarely fill Ferrell and a smaller arena is more desirable.

Can anyone confirm this information?
This was not a serious statement, correct? The downsizing of the basketball capacity has been discussed in depth in every thread ever posted about the remodel/new build for basketball. And in addition to Mack Rhoades and some regents, literally every basketball fan has been in support of the downsizing. The only question is how much. The 6,500 - 7,000 seats are perfect in my opinion. Others may want it slightly bigger, but not much.
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BellCountyBear
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10:37a, 11/2/18
Shoot, I was hoping for another golden boob for the biggest set of breasts in the country! Oh well.
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Matt in DC
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11:39a, 11/2/18
This is awesome! New arena and upgraded football facilities tells Baylor fans and everyone in the county, we are going to keep moving forward. We are not going to quit we will eep fighting and winning. I think 8,000 seats is perfect. Lets start surveying and digging!
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william
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12:41p, 11/2/18
Fred's News (Huaco, TX) Dean Maness announced some of the recent ideas for chaired positions within the business escuela. ... Another idea raised was the Arby's Center for Fast Culinary Excellence. We are lucky to have a lead gift of $50 { pause} { hand over mic } {another lengthy pause } thousand {another pause } { muffled conversation w person seated next to him }, that's Fifty dollars {ahem}. Anyway, that's just another idear. { long pause. stares. } I think that will wrap things up. Thanks for coming today.' All this writer can say is things are looking mighty tasty at Baylor.
Are you a man or a mouse!? - F. D.
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BluesBear
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12:51p, 11/2/18
And that folks is the sound of an ever increasing tuition rate at Baylor.
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Stefano DiMera
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12:56p, 11/2/18
I hope they take most of the ideas from the focus group i was on before the scandal hit.

Most people asked for them to take the best features from gyms like Allen Fieldhouse.

I specifically mentioned Hinkle Fieldhouse and SMUs Moody Colliseum redo.

I wonder if we'll see alcohol.
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CizzLark
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3:50p, 11/2/18
Love college basketball even more than football. I just hope the sport isn't in shambles by the time this has been built.
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hodedofome
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In reply to BluesBear • 4:53p, 11/2/18
TrustTheProcess said:
And that folks is the sound of an ever increasing tuition rate at Baylor.
As long as people are willing to pay it, university's will increase it.

Kids need to vote with their wallet and find alternatives if they want the momentum to change direction.
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SigTauBear
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In reply to Brian Ethridge • 7:53p, 11/2/18
Brian Ethridge said:
newbear2019 said:
Wow, this is incredible. But according to this site, alumni want nothing to do with Baylor and their incompetencies, right? I think Baylor is doing fine w/o your $100 donations......


Alums love Baylor


I certainly do.
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PartyBear
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In reply to Stefano DiMera • 9:55a, 11/3/18
Stefano DiMera said:
I hope they take most of the ideas from the focus group i was on before the scandal hit.

Most people asked for them to take the best features from gyms like Allen Fieldhouse.

I specifically mentioned Hinkle Fieldhouse and SMUs Moody Colliseum redo.

I wonder if we'll see alcohol.


Doesn't it look to you like they did with regard to Allen Field House at least from this one rendering of the interior. I admit I don't recall and didn't google image SMU's venue.
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fredbear
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9:41a, 11/5/18
Why no box seats? That would help raise money and make facility much more impressive.
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