4 key takeaways from interim AD Mike Smith's visit with the 220 Quarterback Club

Stay up to date follow us on Twitter @RattlerNationFL
Yesterday, FAMU interim Athletic Director Michael Smith visited with the FAMU 220 Quarterback Club at their weekly luncheon to discuss the upcoming football season.  Smith brought with him Rebecca Brown, interim Vice President of Finance and Administration, and Chasity Brown, Director of Business and Auxiliary Services at FAMU.

One of the major topics of discuss were Bragg Stadium readiness for the upcoming season and ticketing.  Here are four key takeaways from that discussion:

·      Stadium.  Bragg Stadium renovations are proceeding on schedule, in-fact ahead of schedule, and will be ready for the first game. 

According to Rebecca Brown, "Because of the stadiums, construction the reconstruction with wider seats, and more rows, there will be 3,000 fewer seats on Bragg's westside. However, in the past few years, outside of homecoming we have never really sold every seat in the house, so we expect that there will still be ample tickets for sale for everyone."  

Some of that lost capacity, we understand may be made up, in the standing room only ledge at the top of the westside, just as it was on the east side.

·      Ticketing.  FAMU's Business and Auxiliary Services Offices will now manage the Athletic Ticket Office, bringing back former long-time Athletic Ticket Office Manager Regina Battle to oversee the ticket office.

Tickets again this year, will distributed digitally, however, Athletics will make printed copies available to all who need them who notify them by August 1.

Fans will still be allowed to bring in seat cushions this year, reversing a previous decision announced earlier.  Athletics is reassessing an earlier announcement about not permitting fans to bring in their chair back seats and will make a final determination later.

·      Scoreboard.  A new scoreboard was not a part of the renovation project, however, the university has secured some funding which allow it to have temporary scoreboard installed in Bragg this season, until a more permanent solution is found.  Because of the current supply chain issues, a more permanent solution to the Bragg scoreboard issue was not available to be put in place in-time for this year’s football season, with having it constructed and shipped.  So, we had to pursue alternative options.  
 
·      Restrooms + Concessions.  Upgrades to the restrooms and concessions stands were not budgeted for the renovation project.  "We realize that this is still very much a need and will work to improve both in the near-future," said iVP Brown.
 
During this phase of the stadium renovation process, and because of the immediate structural and ADA needs for Bragg, FAMU made a very conscious decision to address those, and to improve the AD and Presidents' suites which will provide them with more suitable spaces to do additional fundraising for other stadium upgrades and improvements.