Auburn approves upgrades to Plainsman Park

AUBURN – The Auburn University Board of Trustees approved on Tuesday the initiation of upgrades to be made to Plainsman Park.

Tuesday’s approval authorizes the University to begin the increased scope of the project, which will include three main components.

1) First Base Club – The expansion of first base stands, premium seating, club space, concessions, and improvements to the south entrance to Plainsman Park and the future Player Performance Terrace.
2) Right Field Terrace – The expansion of first base stands over the Josh Donaldson Hitting Lab to include premium seating and an enhanced concession experience.
3) Green Monster Terrace – The addition of a unique viewing area over the Green Monster, including improved concessions and restrooms to support patrons in left field.

“Enthusiasm for Auburn baseball has never been higher. Coach Butch Thompson, his staff and student-athletes have achieved remarkable, sustained success, including two trips to Omaha in the past three postseasons,” Director of Athletics Allen Greene said. “These improvements will help Auburn baseball continue its trajectory toward a national championship while elevating the fan experience at Plainsman Park. We appreciate the Auburn University Board of Trustees for the vision, leadership and commitment to help the baseball program reach and remain at the top.”

In September of last year, the Auburn Board of Trustees approved the initial Plainsman Park Development Center – Phase II project and in November approved the selection of Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons, of Jackson, Mississippi, as the project architect.

Auburn Athletics has since determined the project will include a more comprehensive set of improvements at Plainsman Park, which are necessary to enhance fan experience and ensure Auburn baseball remains competitive with its conference and national peers.

“We’re thrilled and thankful that the Auburn University leadership approved the next phase of upgrades to Plainsman Park,” Thompson said. “I believe in our student-athletes and their families, our staff, our fans, and our university, who have all played a role in getting us where we are today. With an already tremendous footprint of our ballpark, these enhancements will provide our fans with one-of-a-kind experiences in college baseball. They will allow us to continue to put our best foot forward as a program and build on the current momentum.”

Auburn Insider from early July on baseball enhancements

In case you missed it, here was the Auburn Live insider talking about baseball needing to keep pace and possible park enhancements, from nearly one month ago.

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Butch Thompson has the Auburn baseball in the best position its been in since the days of Hal Baird.

There have been good days between Baird and Butch, just not three Super Regional appearances, two Super Regional championships and two College World Series appearances in the span of five seasons good.

Attendance was at an all-time high this season as 127,947 fans rolled into Plainsman Park. Of course, that includes the Auburn Regional, so that helps. It doesn’t include, however, the fans that sat behind the centerfield fence or fans that took games in from the parking deck.

Operation Atmosphere took root this season.

Success, fan support, national accolades, national rankings, Auburn baseball was firmly on the national stage nearly all season finishing top ten nationally after their run to Omaha.

That being said, now what with the baseball program? What are some next steps the program can take to enhance the program?

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From talking to sources, it appears that premium seating behind right field above the batting cages could be next on the list to enhance the experience and push the program forward. Final plans and budgets are still being finalized, but things are on track to make that a reality.

The other hot topic for years has been seating high above the left field wall, and believe it or not, that’s a real possibility. When and how it will happen remains to be seen, but the idea isn’t out of the question. I think it’s closer to inevitable than simply an idea.

And if it does happen, it will be one of the best experiences in college baseball.

All of this additional seating would be premium in nature, focused on the experience more than just additional seating. The key, however, is fan support needs to remain high. This past season was great for attendance, but that has to continue for the baseball program to keep pace with what’s going on around the league at Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Arkansas, etc. Programs around the league are making big improvements, but they are improvements that have been planned for years.

Auburn is closing in on that point, it takes time, but needs continued fan support to follow through and make all these changes happen.

And regarding baseball, one more thing that makes what Thompson has done so impressive is how Auburn’s Olympic sports suffer because of the lack of a lottery compared to schools in states with a lottery.

Each institution has the ability to help supplement a scholarship, but because of the lottery in some states, those schools have more money to help supplement scholarships. Arkansas, for example, can offer a player a half scholarship + more money, where Auburn may have to offer a full scholarship to the same player. Auburn is getting 1 for 1, where Arkansas could get 2 for 1.

Therefore, when it comes to baseball for example, Auburn will always struggle to build the quality depth as some programs in the SEC. Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, Kentucky and Missouri are all in states with legal lotteries.

Thompson has the program headed in the right direction, but it’s just going to be more difficult building championship depth and winning a College World Series. When have things at Auburn ever been easy?

Bottom line: Auburn baseball is in a great spot with great coaches. There are plans to continue to enhance the experience around Plainsman Park. But, fans have to continue to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak. It’s going to take an all-around effort to make sure Auburn takes advantage of every opportunity to make up for some of those disadvantages we discussed.