QUESTION #1: Towson Center Capacity on the Mind of One Tiger Fan

Ask the AD:  With Towson potentially adding 3,000-4,000 dorm beds over the next 10 years, I was wondering if the Towson Center will have room to add more seats. I would think Towson maybe able to draw 3,500-6,000 fans a game. – Michael from the Class of 1984

Hermann: Excellent observation, Michael. We will have more students living on campus in the coming years, and we already have a large number on campus and in the surrounding community. I was pleased with the student attendance last year and have a sense that it will continue to grow in future years.

The plan for the arena will increase the capacity to just over 5,000. We are just below that number now. Without raising the roof, the ability to add seats is limited by the physical size of the facility. We may be limited on quantity, but not the quality of the seats!

The new 5,000 seat configuration will be much better for college basketball because (1) the seats will surround the court on all sides, (2) the fans will be closer to the action and (3) the arena will have a more “big time” atmosphere with the other amenities in the building, including an upper concourse, suites, and an expanded lobby. This renovated building will put Towson in the top third of the CAA in terms of facility.

I’m impressed with the job that head coach Pat Kennedy and his staff have done to this point. We all believe the program will take another step forward in the 2007-08 year. Plus, we will continue to add to the marketing effort over the next two years so that we will have a full arena to welcome the team to the court when the Tigers begin playing in the renovated building in the 2009-10 season.

Playing in an outstanding 5,000-seat arena with a strong schedule in the CAA, our program will have the chance to become a hot ticket in this community. With a larger student population on campus and just over 5,000 seats, season tickets will increase in value. I agree with your assessment, we should be able to average at least 3,500 fans per game.

Thanks for asking. I can’t wait already!

QUESTION #2: Field Hockey Parent Asks About New Turf Field

Ask the AD: I have two daughters on the field hockey team. With the change of the turf at Unitas Stadium, they will be playing home games at Villa Julie this year. Although this is a disappointment to them, they are using it as a motivator to exceed all expectations this year. When do you expect to have the turf field ready on campus? – Dave, a parent of two field hockey student-athletes

Hermann:  Dave, I don’t like to play off campus, either. It’s like the golf or tennis teams that have to play matches away from campus. It will be much better when we can play on campus again.

We offered the team the opportunity to play on the Field Turf surface as other programs do, but the coaching staff and student-athletes felt it was better for our program to play on a preferred surface. I understand that thinking, and we have supported the move financially. We are fortunate to have such a good partner in Villa Julie, which has made this transition easier. We are able to practice and play at a quality site.

We have begun planning and fund-raising for an artificial surface venue on campus that would be ideal for field hockey. It would help several other programs at Towson, as well. We have a $1 million goal to build the field, and we have a placeholder in next summer’s budget and plan, if we can generate the dollars in time. I told the team when the decision was made to replace the turf in Unitas Stadium that returning the team to campus was a high priority of mine and “on the front burner.” It remains both. As the season unfolds this fall, we will be sharing more with the Towson community on the venue plans and the fund raising options.  Together, we can get this done!