I arrived early for Sunday's Boise State football scrimmage, so I walked around the perimeter of the stadium a few times. The physical change to Bronco Stadium in the past few years is staggering. I have been in Boise a long time and actually remember games in the old wooden stadium which preceded the current structure.
When I first started calling BSU back in 1973 the stadium was concrete with two decks on the west side and one on the east side. The seating capacity was 14,800. The press box looked like a train car on top of the stadium. There was no elevator to the box, and if a game was televised the techs would have to carry there often very heavy equipment to the press box by hand.The BSU basketball team played in tiny Bronco Gym, and there were no other facilities on campus.
The first thing I noticed on Sunday was the new Bleymaier football facility. At roughly 60,000 square feet it is magnificent, with huge windows overlooking the football field. When walking around the stadium, the football offices dominate the north end zone. Next to the new digs was the Stein band room. Then came the beautiful Caven-Williams indoor facility. The magnificent Steukle Sky Center was next, perched atop the stadium. Across the parking lot is Taco Bell arena which is one of the premier basketball facilities in the Northwest.
Once inside the stadium, new signage gives the facility a big time feel. The new HD screen is huge, roughly ten times the size of the old scoreboard. A new sound system will also be installed. Boise State should be very proud of the changes made to their facilities, especially over the past ten years. If you haven't seen it in the last couple of years, take in a game. You will be amazed.
When I first started calling BSU back in 1973 the stadium was concrete with two decks on the west side and one on the east side. The seating capacity was 14,800. The press box looked like a train car on top of the stadium. There was no elevator to the box, and if a game was televised the techs would have to carry there often very heavy equipment to the press box by hand.The BSU basketball team played in tiny Bronco Gym, and there were no other facilities on campus.
The first thing I noticed on Sunday was the new Bleymaier football facility. At roughly 60,000 square feet it is magnificent, with huge windows overlooking the football field. When walking around the stadium, the football offices dominate the north end zone. Next to the new digs was the Stein band room. Then came the beautiful Caven-Williams indoor facility. The magnificent Steukle Sky Center was next, perched atop the stadium. Across the parking lot is Taco Bell arena which is one of the premier basketball facilities in the Northwest.
Once inside the stadium, new signage gives the facility a big time feel. The new HD screen is huge, roughly ten times the size of the old scoreboard. A new sound system will also be installed. Boise State should be very proud of the changes made to their facilities, especially over the past ten years. If you haven't seen it in the last couple of years, take in a game. You will be amazed.
