Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes anticipating improved Horseshoe experience next season

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Buckeyes anticipating improved Horseshoe experience next season

Ohio State is improving the Horseshoe for the Buckeyes players by installing new field turf this summer. But the athletic department also has the fans in mind.

The athletic department is working to improve the way its wireless internet system works for fans in the stadium. It is also looking at ways to improve mobile ticketing that was used last season, as well as the mobile parking passes it used.

“We’re just going to get better at our WiFi and all the stuff we implemented last year with the mobile ticketing and mobile parking,” athletic director Gene Smith said at his press conference Wednesday. “We learned a lot last year. So we’ll be able to get better that. We’re activating more apps in the stadium with our WiFi capabilities now, trying to engage the fan more and do things in our space.”

Of course, the new turf for the players is getting the headlines and attention. But the Buckeyes are working to improve the historic stadium for the fans, as well.

Lettermen Live hosted by Roosters

Lettermen Row senior writer Austin Ward hosts a knowledgable group that features former Buckeyes linebacker Bobby Carpenter, former Ohio State quarterback Justin Zwick, Nicole Cox from Roosters and Lettermen Row director of recruiting Jeremy Birmingham.

The panel discusses the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer, which sets sail this weekend. Austin and Birm are going to be on the boat, so they provide a preview of what’s to come on the water.

But the chat really heats up when they break down the Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith press conference from Wednesday. Smith made headlines by talking about scheduling in the future, Ryan Day’s contract negotiations, a potential home College Football Playoff game in the Horseshoe and plenty more.

What does the panel think about Smith’s comments and the direction of the Buckeyes football program — and athletic department as a whole? They break it all down with an important discussion.

You will not want to miss another Lettermen Live show that features plenty more Buckeyes — and Super Bowl — news and analysis, as well as some breakdown from the Gene Smith press conference Wednesday.

Gene Smith, Ryan Day not yet discussing contract

Ohio State coach Ryan Day and athletic director Gene Smith haven’t discussed a new contract for Day this offseason. But that doesn’t mean those conversations won’t happen at some point in the Buckeyes program.

Lettermen Row senior writer Austin Ward has more:

The Buckeyes felt far more pressing needs to complete the staff, and Day had made it clear with both his actions and public comments that he wasn’t looking to leave any time soon.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to Lettermen Row that several teams inquired about Day’s willingness to jump back to the NFL level this offseason after putting together another record-breaking offense with the Buckeyes. But that potentially wasn’t aggressively pursued by Day while he was in the process of hiring new Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and three other assistants after missing out on the Big Ten championship for the first time in his head-coaching career.

READ: Gene Smith, Ryan Day contract talks not yet underway at Ohio State

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