Level spoke with Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt today on Tech Talk at the hall of fame/hall of honor announcement, and here are some key thoughts and notes from that interview.
-First, the project to replace every seatback chair and bleacher in the stadium is well underway, but it is a bit behind schedule due to the unseasonable amount of rain over the last two months. However, the AD still feels great about their progress and believes they'll be finished by early August.
"The seating bowl is going to look like a brand new stadium when our fans come in for kickoff in the upcoming season. The rain has set us back a little bit, but we're never going to complain about rain here. I got a report this morning, and we're still looking at an August 1st completion date, but everything will be finished by the time we kick off the 2015 football season."
-Once the 2015 football season is over, they'll begin moving the business and ticket office from the north endzone and converting it into the new gameday club space. That will add approximately 250 new club level seats. It sounds like it will be an open air club space, including connection to sections 112 A and B, the two new sections on the north end with chairback seats.
-There's obviously a lot of talks of alcohol says going on with Texas announcing their plans to sell it at DKR Memorial Stadium this fall for football games. When asked about Tech's plans for the same thing, Hocutt noted that there are no immediate plans to pursue that option.
"We'll watch and see how everything transpires, but we have no plans in the short term or mid-term future of pursuing alcohol sales in the stadium at Jones AT&T Stadium. That process would require presidential approval, even board of regent approval, but it's nothing that I plan to take forward in the near future."
-As many of you may know, former RRS publisher Robert Giovannetti recently accepted the job as Texas Tech's Senior Associate Athletic Director. Kirby couldn't be more thrilled to have him on his team.
"I could not be more excited for Robert to join us as our senior associate athletic director. As we were talking about the opportunity and the needs that we as an athletics department, Robert and I were having lunch one day, and I simply said, 'Robert, would this opportunity interest you? Because you bring so much to the table.' He understands broadcasting, he understands communications, he understands marketing and fan engagement. He's going to be a tremendous asset."
-The NCAA recently tabled a discussion in regards to an early signing day until next year, a sub-committee that Kirby happens to be on. Here's some insight onto how that decision came about.
"The committee made a recommendation to have an early signing period in the month of December that would be in association with the junior college national signing day in December for a 72 hour window, and that would be for a two year period. Then we would review it after two years. I'm sure the dialogue - they had good reason not to pursue it at this time and talk about it for another year. I don't think it was a perfect solution, but I think it was the best solution that was on the table. We've heard from our coaches for quite some time about their interest in an early signing period for football. I think at some point in the future, we'll probably get there, but the commissioners decided this wasn't the right time, so you have to respect that decision."
-Here's Mr. Hocutt's opinion on the early signing period:
"We have - I believe - approximately 18 or 19 verbal commitments. So, these are young men who are saying, 'I want to come to Texas Tech and play football.' Why not let them sign in December? You save eight weeks, six to eight weeks, of the recruiting process, you save us money in having to continue that recruiting process, you let those young men stop the process and stop other programs from trying to change their mind. I just think there are a number of advantages associated with it when you look at the realities of the recruiting world today."
-Finally, the athletic director noted that there is still a waiting list for both suites and clubs and Jones AT&T Stadium.
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-First, the project to replace every seatback chair and bleacher in the stadium is well underway, but it is a bit behind schedule due to the unseasonable amount of rain over the last two months. However, the AD still feels great about their progress and believes they'll be finished by early August.
"The seating bowl is going to look like a brand new stadium when our fans come in for kickoff in the upcoming season. The rain has set us back a little bit, but we're never going to complain about rain here. I got a report this morning, and we're still looking at an August 1st completion date, but everything will be finished by the time we kick off the 2015 football season."
-Once the 2015 football season is over, they'll begin moving the business and ticket office from the north endzone and converting it into the new gameday club space. That will add approximately 250 new club level seats. It sounds like it will be an open air club space, including connection to sections 112 A and B, the two new sections on the north end with chairback seats.
-There's obviously a lot of talks of alcohol says going on with Texas announcing their plans to sell it at DKR Memorial Stadium this fall for football games. When asked about Tech's plans for the same thing, Hocutt noted that there are no immediate plans to pursue that option.
"We'll watch and see how everything transpires, but we have no plans in the short term or mid-term future of pursuing alcohol sales in the stadium at Jones AT&T Stadium. That process would require presidential approval, even board of regent approval, but it's nothing that I plan to take forward in the near future."
-As many of you may know, former RRS publisher Robert Giovannetti recently accepted the job as Texas Tech's Senior Associate Athletic Director. Kirby couldn't be more thrilled to have him on his team.
"I could not be more excited for Robert to join us as our senior associate athletic director. As we were talking about the opportunity and the needs that we as an athletics department, Robert and I were having lunch one day, and I simply said, 'Robert, would this opportunity interest you? Because you bring so much to the table.' He understands broadcasting, he understands communications, he understands marketing and fan engagement. He's going to be a tremendous asset."
-The NCAA recently tabled a discussion in regards to an early signing day until next year, a sub-committee that Kirby happens to be on. Here's some insight onto how that decision came about.
"The committee made a recommendation to have an early signing period in the month of December that would be in association with the junior college national signing day in December for a 72 hour window, and that would be for a two year period. Then we would review it after two years. I'm sure the dialogue - they had good reason not to pursue it at this time and talk about it for another year. I don't think it was a perfect solution, but I think it was the best solution that was on the table. We've heard from our coaches for quite some time about their interest in an early signing period for football. I think at some point in the future, we'll probably get there, but the commissioners decided this wasn't the right time, so you have to respect that decision."
-Here's Mr. Hocutt's opinion on the early signing period:
"We have - I believe - approximately 18 or 19 verbal commitments. So, these are young men who are saying, 'I want to come to Texas Tech and play football.' Why not let them sign in December? You save eight weeks, six to eight weeks, of the recruiting process, you save us money in having to continue that recruiting process, you let those young men stop the process and stop other programs from trying to change their mind. I just think there are a number of advantages associated with it when you look at the realities of the recruiting world today."
-Finally, the athletic director noted that there is still a waiting list for both suites and clubs and Jones AT&T Stadium.
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