For the time being, looks like this only on the West Stands and the lower sections of the East Stands, but I would assume if this is a hit, you'll see them rolled out to the majority of the stadium outside of the Student Sections. Personally, I like them, though I'm not at all sold on them being black, and would much prefer them maroon or orange to actually be our colors. Maybe there's a more permanent solution expected down the line.
More information regarding seat backs. These have been added to 32,000 seats in Lane Stadium. Will certainly cut down on blocked view points and overcrowding. They also look incredibly sharp. pic.twitter.com/ebYw5OUT0R— Sons of Saturday Podcast (@SonsofSatVT) July 16, 2024
As an aside, I do like how it instantly makes Lane look more modern. A nice cheap way to modernize the aesthetic without really changing it at all.
Comments
Really hope these become available for season ticket holders in the south end zone. My dad has a bad back and issues with the cold metal bleachers. Would help him a ton. Kind of wish they'd announced this before we picked our seats, as we had an opportunity to go back over to the west side but declined because we like our current view.
You have been able to purchase seat backs for years.
I hear ya. But my old man isn't the type to pay "extra" for anything. Even if I said "dad, let me pay for it." It's an old school, pride/frugal thing.
Also, the temporary seat backs aren't the greatest. But it sounds like this problem is solved. I'm pumped.
According to the athletic department, all season tickets now include a seat back. There has always been the option to purchase seat backs as an extra, but now it's just included in the price of your season ticket.
I didn't realize over crowding was a problem these last 6 or so years... *ducks head, dodges shoes*
Everything is good in the world until assholes are involved. Golf, NFL games, etc. In lane- there are fucking young drunks that don't have tickets or have student tickets that want to sit elsewhere. It's been a huge problem. Because.. you have a seating chart, or a nice golf course, or an airline boarding process or - insert anything- and when asshole people get involved its a problem. Last year for the NLDS in Phoenix - Philly fans did their ole Auburn Alabama impression and would not sit the entire game- not for one pitch. Yep a 7 game pro baseball series is totally the iron bowl pro- totally the same. Sit the fuck down. These are expensive seats and its the second fucking inning and nobody is on base. Humans involved. Goes to shit. Happens often.
Your anger is a byproduct of the Braves' inability to not hit 3 or 4 HRs a game and score 10 runs per game. Philly fans would've been sitting all series if Atlanta showed up.
I have nothing to add to this other than to say airplane boarding and deplaning etiquette (or really, lack thereof) is one of my biggest pet peeves. Flying sucks already, no need to make it even worse for those around us.
Yep- everyone is more important than you are. They can bring 3 bags instead of 2, they can stand in the aisle for 5 minutes while you try to board, they can stand back up after they sit down, etc, etc, etc. The fucking worst.
I will never understand everyone's desire to sit on a plane longer than required. Especially now that most every plane has enough carryon luggage space.
Nowadays it seems like the true "lifehack" (I use that ironically) is to check your bags bc everyone uses carryons and loads both their wheelie bag and personal bag onto the overhead bins. The wait times at baggage claims have gone down in my experience.
Another "lifehack" (again, ironic) is to go with taxis when you land instead of Uber / Lyft. Taxis have a nice line up front and therefore there is reduced wait and they have much better definition on pricing so they tend to be more consistent.
Uber is no longer cheaper than cabs and cabs take all forms of e-payment now. Sure, if you are not at an airport or major city, Uber still more convenient.
Yep, I live in DC and fly out of DCA as much as possible. Cabs home from DCA range $20-30 for me whereas Uber / Lyft can sometimes get up to $45+. Regardless, I take advantage of the window time to check out the 14th St bridge while I'm flying in and often metro home instead of taking a ride if traffic is rough.
It's always amazed me that airlines are incentivizing people to carry on vs check baggage. To reduce turnaround times, they should do all they can to avoid people bringing carry on baggage. Not to mention the inevitable conflict caused by the fixed overhead space and general increased anxiety of being on an airplane.
My solution: everyone should get a free checked bag and charge a high fee if using overhead space ($50+).
In the meantime, I typically do gate checks so I don't have to pay for checked luggage and also don't have to fight for overhead space
Carry-on reduces the number of people needed to to deliver and load checked baggage, cutting costs. It also has two unobvious effects: It reduces the overall payload of the airplane increasing fuel economy. It also increases space within the cargo area that can be sold to business that need cargo delivery.
So, unfortunately, the economic incentive would be to continue to keep checked baggage low.
What CMM said +
Also, logistics for checked baggage is tougher because it even exists. No logistic overhead for baggage the passenger carries. No lost luggage for luggage the passenger carries.
No TSA checked baggage costs, etc.
While we're on the subject of airlines and etiquette
this is where your signature comes into play, right?
have you flown on the planes with the sideways overhead bag storage? They legitimately can fit 3-5 rollers in each bin which is more than seats in the row. https://www.businessinsider.com/united-updating-planes-with-in-flight-en... Every flight I've been on with these recently hasn't had a single call out about volunteers to gate check bags.
No idea what percentage of planes they're actually on so I shouldn't have said "most" but the last 4 flights I've taken have all had these.
That and when everyone NEEDS to stand right in front of the luggage carousel right where the bags drop to get theirs. Even if they just took 8 steps back they could literally get it just as quick, but NOOOOOOOOO
I used to not mind air travel. Now I hate it with all of my being. People are selfish assholes
makes you wonder why there are so many selfish assholes. What has created them?
I blame anonymous posting on the internet [ducks]
Cheap air travel, entitlement culture are the two main ones. When you pay 300 dollars round trip from DC to LA, the mindset is different. You wear leggings/flip flops drink beer and get from point A to B. In the 1K ticket suit and tie flying days people were more polite. Air travel is no different than bus travel today. Do you notice what young women adults wear in airports now? next to nothing or pajamas. The convenience is a good thing, don't get me wrong but the low cost is part of how people act. Also in modern american culture we demand our 15 word custom coffee orders, amazon delivers what we want in 24 hours, we have microcomputers and 4k cameras in our hands... of course we are entitled to what we want, when we want it... including a huge fake louis bag as a 3rd carry on because its a "shopping" bag. Of course I can put my bag up, and forget my pillow, so fuck you all, I am going to stand in the middle of the aisle while you are trying to board and arrange MY STUFF NOW. These are the main factors, IMO.
we could totally 5Why this shi*
No doubt. Let's break out the fishbone!
Spot on, this was exacerbated by COVID when there was almost zero business travel and airfares were dirt cheap. I flew several times during 2021 and it was a rough crowd to say the least at the airports lol
I think that they've always been there, but my ability to deal with them is waining because I'm just tired of them. So the older I get the less I want to deal with people.
this is an interesting point - there have always been assholes but as we age our tolerance and patience for them diminishes. Kind of goes in the face of my probing question where I'm assuming that there were fewer assholes 50 years ago and there has been some fundamental change that has created more of them recently. It certainly feels like there are more assholes now than there were even just 15 years ago. But maybe I'm just older and more curmudgeon-y. Maybe I didn't notice them as much when I was younger because I was one of them and as I've aged and matured I've changed and also become more aware of asshole-ish behavior so it just seems more prevalent.
I think people used to be more polite. They were less willing to show that inner asshole. Society is now more willing to show that inner asshole.
this was the assumption (sort of): that there has been an uptick in asshole behavior
The idea that assholes have always been there and we're just noticing them more is an interesting take.
That said, it does seem like "society is more willing to show that inner asshole" - makes me wonder what the root cause for that is
The worst human being on earth outside of (maybe) genocidal maniacs is people like Jack Dougherty- who has fucking monetized - to the tune of millions- being an asshole to people in public. That type of shit encourages this, makes it mainstream and as Mike Tyson said "people do this shit online because in person they would get punched in the face" One insufferable you tube prankster got shot in a mall for harrasing people. The worst. Monetizing being an asshole and harrasing people. That's where we are as a society. We tolerate it (pay for it) more now.
I had no idea who Jack Doherty was so I had to look him up - kid looks like he's 12. Anyway, I think you have a valid point - people paying to see someone be a dick to other people is only encouraging the behavior
What bothers me most is that I suppose it's not illegal to harass you at dinner, but it is illegal to punch him in his face. He literally has a big body guard with him when he does this. He is the worst. He knows there is little you can do about him being a total dick and filming it for money. One day he is going to do it to the wrong person- body guard or not.
I think that 1) everything is online now, we see more behavior. The asshole kid taking out mailboxes with a potato cannon was never shown in the 90s, now they video themselves doing it
2) I think politeness is perceived and often misrepresented. My girls got in an argument because one didn't ask nicely, she did, she had a nice tone and the only thing that was left out was a please. If also hear them say please with a shitty ton, it doesn't make it more polite. People think chickfila has great customer service, but they are the worst, it takes like 90 seconds just to order from the time they say hello, I just want a number 1 with a coke, how they get that to 90 seconds is amazing to me, but they are just wasting my time. McDonalds I can order an have my food in 2 minutes, while I can barely place an order at chickfila in that time. A lot of the pleasantries are just wasting my time. Thr most precious thing I have outside my family is my time. I don't need it wasted. So I think a lot of behavior most would see as rude, or not pleasant, but they are the most respectful of your time.
I went to the social security office for my girls and they had a QR code to sign in, you could still get a human to do it but the QR code worked soooooo much better and texted my phone when I was about ready and then when called, it was so smooth. I watched a number of people come in and complain that there isn't human interaction, yet it was so smooth and didn't require a line outside the place in 90 degree heat. Why I keep going to the SS office in summer I'll never know.
Bingo- no question that people used to be more polite. I'm 53- I have seen a stark change in the way people treat teachers, police, elders in this country. It's sad, IMO. There is momentum in the golf community now to get rid of dress codes at courses. Huge mistake. You are 100% more likely to act like an asshole in a tank top and backwards hat as you are in a proper shirt and shorts/pants, etc. Human nature. I live 15 mins from TPC scottsdale- the Wasted Open is out of hand now- so to reel it in, they are going to restrict alcohol sales and raise entry prices- significantly. It's not that cheap/poor people act like assholes by default- its not stereotyping- its the more skin you have in the game, the less likely you are to pound 15 white claws on the bus ride over. You think twice about that when you pay 500 dollars for a GA ticket to watch golf.
I dont think changing the price will help, every golf tournament I've been to since the 90s has a ton of people using it as an excuse to day drink. They already spend $200 a day on 15 white claws and that's nothing to them. A $500 ticket won't matter. It's just thing to brag about.
"What has created them?" Fuckin'.
"Fuck you, I got mine" culture permeating the country.
This. This is where I'm at with "people" and I can't stand that attitude.
I normally rush to defend my brethren from you jackals, but I'm with you on this. Total jabroni move to stand the whole game in the other team's stadium. Only okay if it's the bottom of the ninth and you're blowing the home team out.
That said, a league championship series is a bigger deal than a regular season college football game - yes, even the Iron Bowl.
IDK- I stand for MUCH of the games at Lane North other than timeouts, extended replay reviews, injuries, and half time.
Football's different.
When I was a kid going to tech games in the early 00's-10s this was an issue with our season tickets a few seasons. We got some 'larger' people (who weren't really even that large just felt the need to really spread out) that would easily take up half of the section of our end seat. Eventually we got seat backs just to repeatedly have them flip our seat cushions up and be on half our cushion, not a whole bunch of hokie respect sitting next to those people.
Yeah this consistency throughout sections is going to be a lot better than an isolated temporary seat back here or there.
I've always said Fuente got a raw deal.
All he wanted to do was reduce overcrowding at Hokies games. I don't think we give him enough credit for his success in this regard.
Bring back the wall stripes!
Wait...how long have they been gone? I totally agree that it looks way better with the stripes, but somehow haven't noticed that they're gone.
They disappeared in between the 2016 and 2017 seasons. And I agree, bring them the hell back.
That's also when our team disappeared so now that we're back it would only make sense.
One of my tailgate buddies was at the stadium last weekend and went out and sat in the seats. Seat comfort got a 'D' rating, not comfortable. Reduced leg room with straight up seatbacks. And he is relatively short.
That checks out with the photo. This especially sucks because that seems like a downgrade from what they already had!
Leg room is for halftime
25 yo me would agree. Current me, fresh off of standing on my feet for 4+ straight hours at a concert on Friday, entirely disagrees. Gimme a seat.
Yeah, I stand almost all of my workday 9+ hours in steel-toed work boots on concrete and I have sneakers I have purchased specially so my foot and legs can recover on weekends.
I know the first few years I went into the game and hoped I could sit the whole game.
Now I know to stay in the grass in lot 18.
I really hope you are wrong. As a 6' plus person, I like my leg room. I take my father in law, 2 knee surgeries and a hip replacement, and my 84 year old mother to the games as well. They need to be able to sit.
Retrofit seats such as the ones shown are almost always uncomfortable and compromise leg room. The bench type seating was not designed with those in mind, and I can imagine they are not going to be very popular to sit in. They'll probably also be uncomfortable on the back of your legs while standing. Sucks but I guess they at least solve overcrowding.
They really don't look comfortable in the pic. But, I wasn't sure if the seat flexed back, which would help a bit. So, yea, those would be pretty terrible. No contours, no flex. Pretty much like sitting up against the wall on the floor. Yikes.
Not sure where your buddy sat WRT to leg room and all that. But I found them fairly comfortable and didn't have any complaint about leg room when testing out some seats in the West stands in the outdoor club area. Maybe they get a lot tighter in the non-club areas. I am 6'2, BTW.
But at the same time, as others have stated, little leg room just means you should have been standing!
6'2" you say .... opens excel ...
If you are editing the excel sheet, I would love to say I am 6'2", 215 lb, None of that is true, but I would like to say it.
I'm 6'2", but I'd prefer not to go on the record with my weight.
The way it is worded (" .. to reduce crowding.")., it sounds like the stadium capacity is being reduced. Is that true?
If so, wouldn't that make the Hokies be less attractive to the in any conference realignment scenario?
It's to reduce students and young alumni packing in sections beyond their capacity by piggybacking into favorable areas. Stadium capacity will remain the same, you just shouldnt have regular sections crushed anymore and it'll be easier to tell when people need to get kicked out of sections they shouldn't be in.
Almost every school is reducing in stadium seating capacity. NFL teams are reducing capacity. The name of the game is better higher quality experience for fewer people.
VT did this because those seats- including the donation level - are insane expensive now- they aren't 75 bucks.
NFL prices now or more. Those level donors don't want assholes without those tickets standing with "their boys". And good for VT for doing it.
I am also glad tech is trying to improve things. I'm usually the first one to our seats just in time for sandman and I'm tired of booting drunk students out.
"No I don't care about your desire to get a closer wobbly video of sandman to post on socials."
The last couple years while escorting people that are 80+ to the game, I end up getting there with 30-45 minutes before the game. We beat the crowds at the gates.
what's it like being an escort for octogenarians?
/sssss
still less weird than being a pool boy at the Falwell estate
It was Jerry Jr. that was weird. The pool boy was just doing a job, and apparently doing it well with very direct supervision from his supervisors. And he lived a pretty good life for awhile by simply being very good at his job.
Well I get free drinks at least. :)
I don't know if it will be in the near or far future for Lane, but my guess is we'll see actual seats (not these portable ones, but like at UNC's stadium for example) for all of Lane stadium.
Now this could mean less capacity or they could renovate of North (wider, connected to West/East, taller/steeper to hold more students and less in East), and/or more capacity via expansion of connecting of corners to make it bowl like (think Clemson stadium).
Yeah I think if these temporary seats prove to be a hit, we'll see permanent seats in Lane in the not too distant future. Its one of those little things that would slightly enhance the gameday experience for everyone, and give Lane a bit of a modern makeover on the cheap.
And speaking of Clemson, I have always thought we could take a page out of their book and spell out 'HOKIES' in the upper deck of the South End Zone, either as part of the new seating or by just painting the concrete/bleachers....
And I do think at some point we will need to consider an expansion of Lane to bring it to 70k+, especially if there is any serious consideration to us being on the radar for the SEC. The North End Zone area makes the most sense for it, though I think there would need to be some bigger picture thinking as well. First, I think we should expand the NEZ just for the sake of consolidating all the students into one section and removing them from the East side. I also think the concourses themselves need a reworking to widen them a bit and reduce the endless amount of chokepoints we currently have. It was noticeable at NCSU 2 years ago that the concourse doesn't feel as cramped despite the fact both the upper and lower bowl shares the same concessions and bathrooms.
The chance of joining the SEC is moving way faster than any expansion would. By the time we've added 10-15k seats, somewhere, it'll be 2030 or later. Who knows what college or NCAA football looks like at that point. Not to mention it's getting easier and easier to not fill the stands. Ask the big SEC schools.
Oh I agree that we wouldn't expand before conference expansion, but we would need to plan to make that happen. And mainly because we'd have higher demand per game because SEC fans travel, as opposed to ACC fans who really just don't.
Who cares if the SEC fans travel if we fill the stands we have now with Hokies.
If we can rake in more money by selling overpriced tickets to away fans, we'd be really stupid to not take advantage of it.
Browsing social media whenever its brought up, Lane Stadium is a bucket list venue for a significant portion of your average college football fans out there. If we do end up in the SEC, we're going to need a stadium of at least 70k to handle demand for most games. And we'll be able to charge a higher price per ticket with that increased capacity than we do now.
And until then a good portion of us - me included will vastly overpay for season tickets and parking. I get that. What I have a problem with is Whit begging me for more like a stop light panhandler so we can buy players for our pro league. That's what sucks. Our tickets are way too expensive for what we get if we are being honest. 4-5K dollars per season for parking and 6 home games- 300 bucks a ticket on average for Rutgers, Marshall, random ACC dogshit basketball program, bottom feeder UVA. Go Hokies. It's not practical on any level, but we have salaries to pay and posh locker rooms to buy. If we can get away fans to pay that, I am all for it of course. The scales will tip when a good portion of smart Hokies fans will pick 1-2 games to go to and buy tickets and parking for those games at a fraction of the cost- let someone else eat the donation cost. Hokie fans have been doing this for bowl games and hoops tourney games for years, BTW. You can get MUCH better tickets not buying through the school. Go Hokies though.
Looks like they painted the mesh maroon. I would have preferred the plastic to have been maroon instead.
Per WDBJ7
That looks a little computer-graphic-ey to my eye. Look at the seatback uprights compared to the Sons of Saturday photo. My guess is this was a conceptual graphic created some point early in the project, but maroon mesh ended up not being a cost-effective option.
edit: or maybe some are black and some are maroon...
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