In the arms race that is college athletics, investing in the fan experience isn’t always among the top line items for athletic departments with ballooning payrolls and debt arrangements.
The decision to invest in facility upgrades that benefit the regular fan is nevertheless one that athletic directors need to take seriously or risk alienating their consumer base.
Arizona football fans for example have long lamented that the gameday experience is behind the times. In recent years fans have criticized long lines to enter the stadium, a mediocre sound system (more on that in a minute) and the overall lack of big game atmosphere that accompanies other programs…