Scott Stricklin answers Florida Gators fans' questions about Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators Athletic Director Scott Stricklin went on WRUF Monday afternoon to talk about the future plans to renovate Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Stricklin spoke freely and openly while also answering questions from host of the show, Steve Russell, as well as fans who emailed and called into the show.

Here are the highlights from the hour-long segment.

Keeping The Swamp where it is

Scott Stricklin acknowledged that the University Athletic Association has explored possibilities about building an entirely new stadium and that nothing is “off the table.” Still, Stricklin made it a point to say that there are a lot of factors that would go into building an entirely new stadium. There is a rich history having the stadium in its central location on campus. Any conversations about a new stadium were more “what if” and the current focus is on renovating the current stadium on its current location.

Stricklin: “There are a lot of examples of iconic old sports facilities that have been modernized and kept what keeps them special intact. I’ve mentioned Lambeau (Field) a couple of times because we went up there and saw it first hand in Green Bay. Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium. All of those have had extensive renovations to be modernized and updated but they still have retained what makes them special. If I had to say what my personal hope and goal is when we get through this process is we’ve figured out a way to make The Swamp to feel like The Swamp but we’ve modernized it, updated it, created some new areas for people but it’s still really loud and intimidating for the other team when they come in here.”

Stricklin plans for student section

Stricklin: “We’re going to have a student section and that’s going to continue to be a really valuable part of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and The Swamp. I think it’s the thing that makes the Swamp unique is the proximity of the seats to the field. How tight it is on the sideline and how steep the rake is. The stands go straight up. They’re not backed off the field. Those are two things that I think are really important. Those are the things that give that feel and that vibe that we all really love. I reference what makes a NFL stadium and college stadium different, I actually wonder — anytime we start spitballing ideas of what to do in the stadium through some of these studies we’ve been doing, I’ll be honest with you, we get to a point and we’re like, ‘where are we going to put the students?’

“The student section is kind of amoeba-like. It’s kind of part on the east side, part in the north, part down low, part up high. I actually think we need to come up with a way to identify the perfect location for students and then build the rest of the stadium around them. Make sure, kind of like the Rowdy Reptiles in basketball, have a really special, defined space that allows them to make a huge impact in the game. we need to take the same approach with whatever we do at Ben Hill Griffin. Giving students their own identity, and having a student section that has its own identity I think there are some things that we can do in renovations to enhance that where the current stadium doesn’t really allow us to do.”

Where the Gators can host recruits?

Stricklin: “We actually put chairs with backs for the last year in the south end zone where recruits sit. There is a need, we currently use the Dizney Gator Room (located by Gate 18) to host recruits on game day. There is a need for a more robust student lounge, recruit lounge, on game days. Ideally, right now they have to leave that room, walk through a concourse, walk down some steps, a stairwell that’s not real attractive to get out to their seats. Ideally, you can somehow connect the Gator recruiting room to where the seats are that the recruits are going to sit. All of that is something we’re going to accommodate in the work that we’re going to get done.”

More gameday experiences around the stadium

Stricklin: “We would like to do some things. We have done some in the last few years with the University Avenue and the tents out at Gator Walk — the tailgate tents. There’s a lot more opportunity there that we have not tapped into. The outer areas, the entrance gates, the concourses, everything that touches people as they enter the stadium or outside of the stadium, a lot of pro clubs have done a really good job with what you’re talking about.”

“The Swamp is one of the few stadiums that is open during the week. People can go and exercise. How can we use that as an asset to make the facility commercially viable during the year? Yes, people can use it to exercise. Maybe the concourse has a high-end food court, like a food hall that you see in some of these big cities, that attracts students. Maybe families that have an opportunity to come. I’m spitballing, I have no plan for this but these are the kinds of things that we sit around and throw against the wall.”