Crews race to finish WSU's Martin Stadium
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - The hiring of coach Mike Leach is not the only sign that Washington State has tired of being a Pac-12 doormat. An $80 million expansion has dramatically changed the league's most modest football stadium, and is expected to pump $3 million more into what has long been a cash-strapped program.
The new addition to Martin Stadium contains luxury seats and a new press box, and completely changes the profile of the 35,000-seat bowl. It replaces a much more modest press box structure, and is a tangible sign that everything is up to date at Washington State.
"Impressive. Just look at it," Leach said of the addition after the team opened fall camp. "It's under budget and on schedule."
Designed and built in just 18 months, the privately funded addition will be ready in time for the home opener Sept. 8 against Eastern Washington, associate athletic director John Johnson said.
"It's all gone pretty smoothly," Johnson said of the 88,000-square-foot addition, which is funded by a combination of ticket sales, donations and television revenue.
The project became a reality after the Pac-12 signed a huge $3 billion television contract last year, providing each team with more than $20 million in new money each season. Washington State officials used part of the money to hire Leach at over $2 million per year, and will use part to help pay off the bonds on the stadium improvements.
The moves are intended to breathe new life into a program that hasn't appeared in a bowl game since 2003.
The hiring of Leach brought immediate rewards, as the Cougars have already sold more than 3,000 season tickets above last year's total, Johnson said.
Martin Stadium, a single-level bowl located in the middle of campus, is a small jewel without a bad seat. But the stadium was short on Pac-12-level amenities, especially the sort of expensive luxury suites that high-rolling boosters prefer.
The old press box and a handful of luxury seats were built 30 years ago as temporary facilities, Johnson said.
The new addition runs across the entire length of the southern stands.
Johnson said all 21 of the luxury suites are spoken for, as are 42 of the loge boxes. All of the indoor club seats are sold, although some outdoor club seats remain.
"Once people actually see it and experience it, it will create even more buzz," Johnson said.
When all the new luxury seats are sold, they will be worth about $3 million a year to the athletic department, Johnson said.
Perhaps as important, Martin Stadium will no longer be the most Spartan stadium in the league, although it will remain the smallest. The changes do not expand its capacity.
"Any time you build buildings, it changes the image of the program," Johnson said. "The amenities that our fans and media partners will have are as nice as anything in the Pac-12."
More improvements are planned. The next phase is a $60 million addition to consolidate all football offices, Johnson said. The school will ask the board of regents this fall for permission to begin work on that addition, he said.
The 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN is being shared equally by the schools. For Pac-12 programs with smaller budgets, like Oregon State, Washington State and Utah, it means a more level playing field with schools like Oregon and USC.
Athletic director Bill Moos has said WSU was at a "critical" juncture during which the program needed to either move forward or be content with being a league doormat.
Under coach Paul Wulff, who was fired after last season, the Cougars were 9-40 over the past four seasons, just 4-32 in the conference.
Leach was 84-43 at Texas Tech. He was fired in 2009 amid allegations he mistreated a player with a concussion.
The new addition to Martin Stadium contains luxury seats and a new press box, and completely changes the profile of the 35,000-seat bowl. It replaces a much more modest press box structure, and is a tangible sign that everything is up to date at Washington State.
"Impressive. Just look at it," Leach said of the addition after the team opened fall camp. "It's under budget and on schedule."
Designed and built in just 18 months, the privately funded addition will be ready in time for the home opener Sept. 8 against Eastern Washington, associate athletic director John Johnson said.
"It's all gone pretty smoothly," Johnson said of the 88,000-square-foot addition, which is funded by a combination of ticket sales, donations and television revenue.
The project became a reality after the Pac-12 signed a huge $3 billion television contract last year, providing each team with more than $20 million in new money each season. Washington State officials used part of the money to hire Leach at over $2 million per year, and will use part to help pay off the bonds on the stadium improvements.
The moves are intended to breathe new life into a program that hasn't appeared in a bowl game since 2003.
The hiring of Leach brought immediate rewards, as the Cougars have already sold more than 3,000 season tickets above last year's total, Johnson said.
Martin Stadium, a single-level bowl located in the middle of campus, is a small jewel without a bad seat. But the stadium was short on Pac-12-level amenities, especially the sort of expensive luxury suites that high-rolling boosters prefer.
The old press box and a handful of luxury seats were built 30 years ago as temporary facilities, Johnson said.
The new addition runs across the entire length of the southern stands.
Johnson said all 21 of the luxury suites are spoken for, as are 42 of the loge boxes. All of the indoor club seats are sold, although some outdoor club seats remain.
"Once people actually see it and experience it, it will create even more buzz," Johnson said.
When all the new luxury seats are sold, they will be worth about $3 million a year to the athletic department, Johnson said.
Perhaps as important, Martin Stadium will no longer be the most Spartan stadium in the league, although it will remain the smallest. The changes do not expand its capacity.
"Any time you build buildings, it changes the image of the program," Johnson said. "The amenities that our fans and media partners will have are as nice as anything in the Pac-12."
More improvements are planned. The next phase is a $60 million addition to consolidate all football offices, Johnson said. The school will ask the board of regents this fall for permission to begin work on that addition, he said.
The 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN is being shared equally by the schools. For Pac-12 programs with smaller budgets, like Oregon State, Washington State and Utah, it means a more level playing field with schools like Oregon and USC.
Athletic director Bill Moos has said WSU was at a "critical" juncture during which the program needed to either move forward or be content with being a league doormat.
Under coach Paul Wulff, who was fired after last season, the Cougars were 9-40 over the past four seasons, just 4-32 in the conference.
Leach was 84-43 at Texas Tech. He was fired in 2009 amid allegations he mistreated a player with a concussion.
What a gross wast of money. It looks like it should be for a national league team rather than a college team. They could have used that excess money for buildings, staff, improved research equipment and many other things instead of a glory hunting ball team. It seems that colleges are only there for producing ball teams instead of teaching kids how to learn and give them the tools to learn more. It makes me gag to see all the money these colleges waste for a few brownie points on the ball fields. Hell, why don't they start up the gladiator games again with Christians and Lions again. How about the chariot races too. Lets throw in some sword fighting and a few other bloody sports along with it. College was put there for learning, not feathering some poobah's wall with a few tin statues with shiny plating on them.
@LongBeachBum It's only because they got a great TV deal that this was even possible. No football, no money for a stadium. What a dumb comment.
@LongBeachBum shut up
 @LongBeachBum FYI, they had to spend the money on something athletic. When money is placed into the athletic budget it can't be spent on the Murrow College for example.
Most college football teams pay for the schools entire athletic program. Are you suggesting they doing away with all of that?
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That's a pretty myopic view.
Martin stadium is widely viewed as the most remote location in all of sports, glad to see they've got something nice now for the students and local residents to enjoy.
Correction:
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Martin Vandal Stadium....................
 @quinoline What are you talking about? UI hasn't played there in years. They play in the Kibbie Junk Dome.
ASU is also the largest school in the country. WSU is a relatively small school in a semi-remote location.
35,000 seats is not a lot. ASU Sun Devil Stadium was 75,000 at one point, before reducing it slightly to around 71,706
 @northwestsurfer It's only that big because it once was the home of the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals. The last time I was at a game in Tempe (last fall) the attendance was just over 27,000.
@CougsBravesPackersSounders Are you kidding me? Look up Sun Devil Statium on wikipedia; it was expanded to 70,000+ FAR before the Cardinals EVER even considered moving to that city; like back in the 70's!
Attendance may have been low but the stadium has been able to accomodate that many fans for decades.