Quack 12

So therefore, you consider half of the Pac-12 to be "not Pac-12 worthy," since there are five smaller stadiums in the league. BTW, Oregon averaged 57,940 last season (SRO), good enough for fourth in the Pac-12, and just ahead of ASU at 56,835. No wonder they pulled 4,000 seats out of SDS.

I remember the 2012 "Blackout the Ducks" game at SDS. Oregon fumbled on their second play from scrimmage, handing ASU a 7-0 lead. The ASU student section was very possibly the loudest in the west at that moment. Then the Ducks ran off 43 straight points, and the place was empty by halftime. Waddya mean, maybe?

You have to appreciate the realism of that rendering. Those Buffalo players look totally confused, and they're moving in four different directions.

It's looking like UO is going all-in on track & field. Eugene lost its bid to host the 2019 world T&F championships to Doha, Qatar by just three votes, even though it was considered by many a long shot to Doha and Barcelona. Apparently the deciding factor was that Hayward Field seats 10,500, and seating for 30,000 was a requirement. Interestingly, the world championships have never been held in U.S., and only once in North America (Edmonton). Rumor is that Hayward will be renovated and expanded in the next few years, and UO will add a national-level indoor T&F facility adjacent to Hayward. There currently is no permanent indoor facility on the west coast.

Ith's the Lou Holth thpelling. The Oregon softball team is getting a new stadium, to be built on-campus where Howe Field now stands. Circa 1939:

The North side of Autzen was landscaped and spruced up last summer. The work includes these odd "pyramids" featuring images of past Ducks. Some have speculated that maybe they're actually hiding the pilings on which the north addition will stand. Regardless, I don't think they'll expand Autzen until they've paid down the B-Ball arena bond at least somewhat.

In terms of return, they're probably one of the better investments a public institution can make. Lecture halls and science labs are nice, but weight rooms pay the bills.