What is new at The Rock

[AppYosef!]

Just looked at the stadium policies for UNC. They offer free water around the concourse and allow 2 empty bottles into the game. Seems like a no brainer policy change for us...

Here is a quote from UNC's website about water policy at Kenan Stadium...
"Water Policies
We want to make sure fans stay hydrated in Kenan this season! Free water will be available on the concourse at every game via the water monsters at Section 101/Blue Zone North Gate, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 5 and Gate 6. Fans are also allowed to bring in up to two 20 oz. unopened bottles of water to use and refill to stay hydrated."

After attending the last ASU vs. UNC game at Kenan I noticed the water stations they had and thought it worked great. I found a website for the company who provides the "water monsters" and emailed our Doug Gillin a link to the website and a suggestion that he look into something similar for Kidd Brewer Stadium. I received no response. Of course Kenan Stadium has much more space between the gate/fence and the actual seating area. Even at half time the area outside the seating area is much less congested.

[311neers]

Someone check to see what Adam Sandler is doing. Maybe he could come be our “Waterboy” for a game. That would be awesome, Bobby Bouchier handing out waters to the crowd! Then laying out an ECU player.

[WASU 93]

Checking water fountains to ensure they are on and working should be on a long check list of things to check off before first home game of the season. Person over it should be physically going around and making sure items are in place and-or working.

It's as simple as putting a work order in to get them turned back on, if they do work. Like everything else, athletics thinks this stuff should happen for free, and the constant turnover in game ops and stadium ops is starting to show. Some of these people are working their first full time jobs, while the vets in these areas left for greener pastures. Some moved a few hours away and doubled their pay, doing the exact same job.

Drinking fountains have been off since COVID. Don't think they are coming back on.

It's the bottle refill stations that were the issue this week. While true we've lost people that were doing these things as part of their job, it should have never been a part of their job. We did hire a brand new stadium experience director for this season, and well, it seems he failed his first task -- miserably.

Water fountains were on and functional under the West stands this week

[AppYosef!]

The heat and the large crowd certainly added to the issues this past weekend. When it is hot lots of folks retreat to the shade of the East Side concourse which adds to the congestion. The fan traffic flow along the concourse has been bad since we included beer sales in the stadium. One problem on the East side was adding the beer vending area in the middle of the concourse so close to the other concession stands. The lines from both areas run together and cause a bottle-neck. My suggestion would be to divide the beer concession into two smaller stations and place them at opposite ends of the concourse area. When I sat on the West Side it was always congested as well but that was before beer sales began. It is practically impossible to walk from one side of the stadium to the other during the games now. Adding a new "tower" on the East side and even more fans will only add to the problem. ALSO...running out of ice is one thing...but running out of the CUPS to put the ice in is unacceptable. Since the cups usually have the same sponsor throughout the season how in the world can you run out of cups in the middle of the first game?

[T-Dog]

We should call this water controversy Watergate.

[appgrad95&97]

Let's hire someone in their 20s, give them no training and no supervision and see what happens.

[WASU 93]

The heat and the large crowd certainly added to the issues this past weekend. When it is hot lots of folks retreat to the shade of the East Side concourse which adds to the congestion. The fan traffic flow along the concourse has been bad since we included beer sales in the stadium. One problem on the East side was adding the beer vending area in the middle of the concourse so close to the other concession stands. The lines from both areas run together and cause a bottle-neck. My suggestion would be to divide the beer concession into two smaller stations and place them at opposite ends of the concourse area. When I sat on the West Side it was always congested as well but that was before beer sales began. It is practically impossible to walk from one side of the stadium to the other during the games now. Adding a new "tower" on the East side and even more fans will only add to the problem. ALSO...running out of ice is one thing...but running out of the CUPS to put the ice in is unacceptable. Since the cups usually have the same sponsor throughout the season how in the world can you run out of cups in the middle of the first game?

We struggled with this for years on the East side. But, last year was quite the opposite. There was planning and the right changes prior to the UNC game and the experience was equivalent to the goal of being the Best 40K Football Stadium.
I don’t know who threw away the notes or what we failed to execute (other than not allowing fans to bring in an unopened water bottle this year), but we were back to the old days and not in a good way on Saturday.