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CORVALLIS – Steve Fink retired last year. The former Oregon state associate athletic director has a boat, loves the open sea, and thought he would be fishing on Saturday.
Nope.
“No fishing,” he told me, “too rough. “
The state of Oregon fished alone on Saturday. Beavers have converted Fenk’s old office on the second floor of the Gill Coliseum into a virtual reality studio. They engraved “Completeing Reser Stadium Experience Center” on the frosted glass of the door. Behind it are VR headsets, four leather recliners, and an HD projection screen used to sell premium donors high-end seating experiences in the upcoming $ 152 million Reser Stadium renovation.
“You don’t have to imagine it,” athletic director Scott Barnes said. “It makes it tangible. “
The State of Oregon whipped Idaho 42-0 in front of Reser Stadium. It seemed tangible too. The Beavers dominated and improved to 2-1, above 0.500 for the first time in Jonathan Smith’s tenure. But the silent train behind the wood and frosted glass door of that old office seemed just as big.
Seven appointments – 30 minutes each – were booked on Saturday. Ashton Miller, who leads OSU’s premium sales team, directed an extended hype video featuring great moments from Oregon state’s football past. Next, Miller gave comfortable groups of VIP donors a video presentation of the project.
Toward the end, Miller held up a virtual reality headset and said, “Put it on and look around.”
I couldn’t help but think about the correlation between Smith’s trajectory and the enthusiasm with which Oregon State is busy selling the new stadium experience. The Beavers will level the west side of Reser Stadium at the end of this football stadium, and in its place, they will build a stadium experience that they believe is unmatched in the Pac-12 Conference.
Yes, more chic than any Autzen Stadium.
Some selling points:
♦ The premium seats at Reser Stadium will be closest to the conference field, located 100 feet from the playing field.
♦ “Beaver Street” will be a friendly streetscape built inside the stadium that will offer concessions, field views and a 360 degree lobby.
♦ “Living Room Boxes” and “Boxes” will allow fans in groups of four to enjoy a game with leather seats, personal televisions, storage and digital concession service in their box. There’s also club seating and a founder’s box with marble floors, a dark wood-paneled bar, and an upscale restaurant feel.
The price of premium seats?
The state of Oregon won’t say it. I asked on Saturday and the administrators in the room mostly looked at their shoe tops, mumbled and said they would answer me. It made me think they were going to sell it because they can get it. It won’t be cheap either.
It became apparent on Saturday that Oregon State is using the new VIP seating options to generate giveaways and commitments to the football stadium project. In addition, it is obvious that they keep the guest list short because they sense interested donors.
I have long criticized the state of Oregon for making small projects. The Beavers have played not to lose at times. But this is not one of them. Barnes and his team shoot at the moon. They can hit a lamppost on the way up, but I’m okay with that because the stadium plan fits well with the encouraging trajectory of Smith’s program.
The Beavers have two wins and nine conference games on the schedule. Smith’s side will need just four more wins to be eligible for bowling for the first time since Mike Riley’s departure. Do that and the rubble outside the home football stadium this summer will look less like a wreck and more like a hopeful new start.
Flop and it’s going to be a tough sell, isn’t it?
Oregon State football players stand on the sideline as they face the ’50s horror that is the old west side of Reser Stadium. For years I have wondered about the psychological impact of this. Now, I’m interested to see if OSU’s home stadium could help turn the sports department’s narrative into a more vibrant one.
I sat in the leather seats. I put on the helmet. I looked around the stadium and saw the Beavers football players on the field and the VR families in the stands, and if I reached over my right shoulder I could press a button that would call service at my headquarters.
I hit this button on Saturday.
I took a deep breath of air. But the Beavers are looking for something bigger.
Over the past year, we have heard a lot about deficits and budget cuts. Fenk’s departure from that office was a sobering development, as it marked the end of a remarkable career as a gifted administrator. He was well regarded and attentive. The State of Oregon has not given its office to a replacement. In fact, it did not replace it at all.
Instead, in the midst of a pandemic that caused a $ 55 million shortfall in their sports department’s budget, they decided to try and pull a refurbished stadium out of their hat. They are now using high tech to fill the seats and blackmail the project. And I hope they will get out of it.
Saturday’s game was important for OSU’s results.
The Beavers racked up 440 attacking yards and didn’t let Idaho score. It was a knockout victory over an opponent from the Big Sky Conference. Smith shook hands with Idaho coaches in midfield and then led his team to the locker room. But it was the second floor of the Gill Coliseum opposite, I wondered about the last shot.
“All I can control is what we do here,” Smith told me from his side of the street. “But yes, these things are related.
“Winning here and winning there becomes a little easier.”
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