Facilities and Arena discussion

[NewPatriot]

I currently have 3 ex-Mason Baseball players on my men's softball team this Spring... an old 3B, an OF, and a relief Pitcher. I've brought this up many of times with them, especially at the bar during the offseason when we go out for beers. All three are in their late 20's and played at Mason before Covid hit so you can get a sense of their era at Mason.

1. According to 2 of them.... not having lights was a small factor, for the other it was a medium factor but he thought he could get a lot of PT here so he got over it. More deciding factors for these guys....1 chose Mason cause one's father played here (wanted to continue legacy), 1 chose Mason cause he wanted to be close to home (from Fairfax) and the last was a Pitcher at Towson and he transferred to Mason for more playing time/better competition after 2 years.

2. All 3 of told me that at some point during their tenures....they have heard of guys not committing to Mason due to one factor being them wanting to play on a better field / one with lights. For example, One was a high school All-American from VA Beach area and he saw our facilities and field and said no thanks..... one of the guy's hosted him on his campus visit.

So yes.... prior to NIL it seems to have been a factor with some recruits seeing our facilities and not electing to come here.


My guys still laugh, jokingly, about how our field still doesn't have lights.

This is insane. Every High school, every Recreational facility has fields with lights..even the of the little league parks have lights.

Absolutely Pathetic

 

[TweederGMU]

It's my understanding that there are no lights because the school promised the HOA across the street from the baseball field that it would not install any. So, there appears to be three options: renege on the promise, build a new baseball field somewhere else (e.g., where the proposed baseball/cricket stadium was planned), or continue playing there without lights.

According to Marvin's presentation to the BOV they are soon to build a new baseball stadium and field entirely. Can't remember the exact location though... would assume it's over near Braddock road / intramural fields since mason owns all that land over there.

 

[TweederGMU]

Oh when I said baseball doesn't really bring in anything I meant financially. If I were a recruit I would absolutely have the same mentality as the guys you've described. I'm just wondering if in an age of chicken/egg with Mason athletics success if we shouldn't be plowing our resources into bball as even if baseball gets good, it won't really be the golden ticket that basketball would be if it found continued success.

All good.

I wouldn't give up on Baseball.... we sit in a hotbed of baseball talent... NOVA and MD areas have a lot of baseball talent. A lot of great AAU talent and little leagues to feed into Mason, however, in the past 20 years I don't think Bill Brown or Tom O'Connor properly nurtured those types of relationships for recruiting purposes. I think Bill Brown just did his summer camp every year and that's it. They had no real plan on engaging with all the AAU and county/town leagues in Fairfax, PW, Loudoun, etc. to turn mason into a baseball factory when kids get to high school. We could have been a juggernaut for many years if handled correctly in the past.

But still no reason we shouldn't be consistently good every year in baseball with the right recruiting and FACILITIES to match! Meaning a freaking baseball field with gaddamn lights lol

 

[NewPatriot]

All good.

I wouldn't give up on Baseball.... we sit in a hotbed of baseball talent... NOVA and MD areas have a lot of baseball talent. A lot of great AAU talent and little leagues to feed into Mason, however, in the past 20 years I don't think Bill Brown or Tom O'Connor properly nurtured those types of relationships for recruiting purposes. I think Bill Brown just did his summer camp every year and that's it. They had no real plan on engaging with all the AAU and county/town leagues in Fairfax, PW, Loudoun, etc. to turn mason into a baseball factory when kids get to high school. We could have been a juggernaut for many years if handled correctly in the past.

But still no reason we shouldn't be consistently good every year in baseball with the right recruiting and FACILITIES to match! Meaning a freaking baseball field with gaddamn lights lol

Just play the games a Patriot Park North off Willow Springs Road down Braddock Road on the right just past the Parkway. They have new Turfed Fields and lights.

Patriot Park North | Park Authority

Fairfax County, Virginia - Patriot Park North

www.fairfaxcounty.gov

 

[MasonSAE4]

Just play the games a Patriot Park North off Willow Springs Road down Braddock Road on the right just past the Parkway. They have new Turfed Fields and lights.

Patriot Park North | Park Authority

Fairfax County, Virginia - Patriot Park North

www.fairfaxcounty.gov

Turf sucks for baseball. I also don't think Mason really has the luxury of going off campus if it wants anyone other than family of players to ever attend games.

 

[hoopsjunkie75]

Turf sucks for baseball. I also don't think Mason really has the luxury of going off campus if it wants anyone other than family of players to ever attend games.

Isn't that about the norm for the 27 persons and one poodle that attend the games as of now?

 

[MasonSAE4]

Isn't that about the norm for the 27 persons and one poodle that attend the games as of now?

I mean sure but I'm assuming we want a new stadium so that we can increase that

 

[Where's the party?]

Turf sucks for baseball. I also don't think Mason really has the luxury of going off campus if it wants anyone other than family of players to ever attend games.

Turf is a necessity nowadays to keep from losing so many practices and games to weather. Turf fields with natural mounds are the right mix. Getting students to baseball games is harder than getting them to EBA for BBall. Best you can hope for is to get all the parents and grow a non-affiliated fan base with good play and a nice venue.

 

[Jack Strop]

Turf is a necessity nowadays to keep from losing so many practices and games to weather. Turf fields with natural mounds are the right mix. Getting students to baseball games is harder than getting them to EBA for BBall. Best you can hope for is to get all the parents and grow a non-affiliated fan base with good play and a nice venue.

When teams begin their seasons in February and end them in April, there's not much of a window to get grass growing strongly. So, yes, I'd say turf is the way to go.

 

[Ben Chwarmer]

A co-worker like 10 years ago, he was JMU, asked me if we wanted to get a group of co-workers to go to the Friday "night" JMU/Mason baseball game at mason. I looked at him and said you mean afternoon game.... he looked at me like a deer in headlights. He couldn't comprehend how we don't have lights on our field. Yea man.... I feel ya. It was an embarrassing thing to reveal to a fellow rival. My high school baseball field is better than Mason's....and we have lights.

Being the largest university in VA and in one of the richest counties in America and not having a freaking baseball field with lights on it is just flat out embarrassing.

But not shocked as we all know Mason is gonna Mason. Ignorance is bliss.

That’s what makes it even more frustrating. Virginia doesn’t even have a major pro sports team of its own. Sure, DC is nearby, but “nearby” can still mean an hour or more in traffic.

Mason could be a great, affordable family destination where parents bring their kids to Friday night games, but they never seem to recognize the opportunity. A school that size, in this area, still not having lights is just hard to understand.

 

[tblack33]

I don’t think lights are the main thing holding back massive attendance at baseball games. No one really cares about college baseball outside of a handful of the top P5 teams. The market is plenty saturated with the pros and farm teams, including in this area. I’d be curious what average A10 baseball attendance looks like. I can’t imagine it’s more than a couple hundred a game across the league.

 

[Verdad]

I don’t think lights are the main thing holding back massive attendance at baseball games. No one really cares about college baseball outside of a handful of the top P5 teams. The market is plenty saturated with the pros and farm teams, including in this area. I’d be curious what average A10 baseball attendance looks like. I can’t imagine it’s more than a couple hundred a game across the league.

Buuuut, if attendance is going to improve, evening games (that require lights) will be extremely helpful. I would definitely consider going to a 6 or 7pm game on a weekday (which is when we get out best OOC games at home) vs playing hookey from work and taking a kid out of school to go to an afternoon game.

Not a magic bullet, but lights and nights games would definitely help.

 

[Pablo]

College Baseball Attendance Report (2026)

College Baseball Attendance Report (2026)

247sports.com

• 5/19/26
  
  "AVERAGE
  6,044 – SEC
  2,461 – Big 12
  2,243 – ACC
  1,758 – Sun Belt
  1,257 – American
  1,257 – Big Ten
  1,084 – Big West
  
  BIG 12
  15. Oklahoma State (28) – 4,486
  22. TCU (28) – 3,687
  24. Texas Tech (32) – 3,556
  25. Arizona State (32) – 3,553
  30. West Virginia (22) – 2,973
  33. Arizona (29) – 2,837
  42. Kansas State (25) – 2,164
  43. BYU (22) – 2,069
  46. UCF (28) – 2,012
  47. Baylor (29) – 2,010
  50. Utah (24) – 1,606
  51. Kansas (23) – 1,547
  80. Cincinnati (26) – 1,021
  88. Houston (28) – 927
  
  ACC
  11. Florida State (31) – 5,349
  14. Clemson (30) - 4,694
  21. Virginia (31) – 3,883
  27. North Carolina (35) – 3,180
  31. Miami (34) – 2,895
  32. Georgia Tech (34) – 2,891
  35. NC State (34) – 2,711
  36. Wake Forest (30) – 2,533
  45. Louisville (34) – 2,028
  59. Stanford (32) – 1,412
  74. Boston College (26) – 1,049
  90. Virginia Tech (29) – 919
  109. Duke (34) – 714
  112. California (29) – 634
  117. Notre Dame (25) – 621
  164. Pittsburgh (26) – 369
  
  BIG TEN
  13. Nebraska (24) – 5,123
  39. Oregon (28) – 2,433
  52. Purdue (26) – 1,517
  62. Indiana (23) – 1,345
  66. Washington (27) – 1,130
  68. Iowa (27) – 1,116
  69. Ohio State (24) – 1,110
  72. UCLA (32) – 1,050
  76. Penn State (20) – 1,027
  81. USC (33) – 1,017
  86. Michigan (21) – 999
  91. Maryland (23) – 911
  95. Michigan State (24) – 872
  104. Illinois (26) – 759
  132. Rutgers (27) – 509
  154. Northwestern (22) – 393
  303. Minnesota (31) – 53
  
  SEC
  1. Mississippi State (33) – 11,780
  2. LSU (37) – 11,012
  3. Arkansas (34) – 9,748
  4. Mississippi (34) – 9,412
  5. Texas (33) – 7,243
  6. South Carolina (36) – 6,504
  7. Tennessee (38) – 6,336
  8. Texas A&M (33) – 6,030
  9. Florida (35) – 5,869
  10. Auburn (31) – 5,821
  18. Alabama (29) – 4,052
  28. Kentucky (28) – 3,143
  29. Vanderbilt (34) – 3,142
  34. Oklahoma (29) – 2,722
  38. Georgia (38) – 2,495
  60. Missouri (28) – 1,388
  
  AMERICAN
  16. East Carolina (31) – 4,077
  49. Tulane (27) – 1,637
  54. Wichita State (33) – 1,513
  58. Rice (30) – 1,434
  84. UTSA (28) – 1,007
  110. Charlotte (32) – 657
  121. South Florida (32) – 599
  123. Memphis (30) – 590
  124. Florida Atlantic (37) – 565
  133. UAB (32) – 492
  
  BIG WEST
  17. Hawaii (30) – 4,070
  48. Cal Poly (28) – 1,820
  53. Long Beach State (31) – 1,514
  71. Cal State Fullerton (24) – 1,077
  92. UC Irvine (27) – 902
  108. UC Santa Barbara (30) – 726
  129. UC San Diego (23) – 546
  143. UC Davis (26) – 427
  165. Cal State Bakersfield (28) – 364
  179. Cal State Northridge (29) – 324
  256. UC Riverside (28) – 149
  
  SUN BELT
  12. Southern Miss (28) – 5,207
  19. Louisiana (33) – 3,918
  23. Coastal Carolina (29) – 3,642
  41. Troy (26) – 2,193
  44. Georgia Southern (30) – 2,060
  57. Marshall (24) – 1,476
  61. Texas State (34) – 1,385
  64. Louisiana-Monroe (31) – 1,279
  82. Arkansas State (26) – 1,013
  87. South Alabama (30) – 953
  128. Appalachian State (28) – 555
  135. James Madison (26) – 465
  196. Old Dominion (33) – 277
  232. Georgia State (29) – 188
  
  TOP 10 OTHERS
  20. Oregon State (27) – 3,894
  26. UTRGV (21) – 3,546
  37. Creighton (23) – 2,509
  40. Louisiana Tech (31) – 2,266
  55. Fresno State (28) – 1,510
  56. UNC Wilmington (32) – 1,481
  63. SE Louisiana (33) – 1,303
  65. The Citadel (24) – 1,179
  67. Washington State (20) – 1,126
  70. Liberty (31) – 1,109"

 

[GMUgemini]

College Baseball Attendance Report (2026)

College Baseball Attendance Report (2026)

247sports.com

• 5/19/26
  
  "AVERAGE
  6,044 – SEC
  2,461 – Big 12
  2,243 – ACC
  1,758 – Sun Belt
  1,257 – American
  1,257 – Big Ten
  1,084 – Big West
  
  BIG 12
  15. Oklahoma State (28) – 4,486
  22. TCU (28) – 3,687
  24. Texas Tech (32) – 3,556
  25. Arizona State (32) – 3,553
  30. West Virginia (22) – 2,973
  33. Arizona (29) – 2,837
  42. Kansas State (25) – 2,164
  43. BYU (22) – 2,069
  46. UCF (28) – 2,012
  47. Baylor (29) – 2,010
  50. Utah (24) – 1,606
  51. Kansas (23) – 1,547
  80. Cincinnati (26) – 1,021
  88. Houston (28) – 927
  
  ACC
  11. Florida State (31) – 5,349
  14. Clemson (30) - 4,694
  21. Virginia (31) – 3,883
  27. North Carolina (35) – 3,180
  31. Miami (34) – 2,895
  32. Georgia Tech (34) – 2,891
  35. NC State (34) – 2,711
  36. Wake Forest (30) – 2,533
  45. Louisville (34) – 2,028
  59. Stanford (32) – 1,412
  74. Boston College (26) – 1,049
  90. Virginia Tech (29) – 919
  109. Duke (34) – 714
  112. California (29) – 634
  117. Notre Dame (25) – 621
  164. Pittsburgh (26) – 369
  
  BIG TEN
  13. Nebraska (24) – 5,123
  39. Oregon (28) – 2,433
  52. Purdue (26) – 1,517
  62. Indiana (23) – 1,345
  66. Washington (27) – 1,130
  68. Iowa (27) – 1,116
  69. Ohio State (24) – 1,110
  72. UCLA (32) – 1,050
  76. Penn State (20) – 1,027
  81. USC (33) – 1,017
  86. Michigan (21) – 999
  91. Maryland (23) – 911
  95. Michigan State (24) – 872
  104. Illinois (26) – 759
  132. Rutgers (27) – 509
  154. Northwestern (22) – 393
  303. Minnesota (31) – 53
  
  SEC
  1. Mississippi State (33) – 11,780
  2. LSU (37) – 11,012
  3. Arkansas (34) – 9,748
  4. Mississippi (34) – 9,412
  5. Texas (33) – 7,243
  6. South Carolina (36) – 6,504
  7. Tennessee (38) – 6,336
  8. Texas A&M (33) – 6,030
  9. Florida (35) – 5,869
  10. Auburn (31) – 5,821
  18. Alabama (29) – 4,052
  28. Kentucky (28) – 3,143
  29. Vanderbilt (34) – 3,142
  34. Oklahoma (29) – 2,722
  38. Georgia (38) – 2,495
  60. Missouri (28) – 1,388
  
  AMERICAN
  16. East Carolina (31) – 4,077
  49. Tulane (27) – 1,637
  54. Wichita State (33) – 1,513
  58. Rice (30) – 1,434
  84. UTSA (28) – 1,007
  110. Charlotte (32) – 657
  121. South Florida (32) – 599
  123. Memphis (30) – 590
  124. Florida Atlantic (37) – 565
  133. UAB (32) – 492
  
  BIG WEST
  17. Hawaii (30) – 4,070
  48. Cal Poly (28) – 1,820
  53. Long Beach State (31) – 1,514
  71. Cal State Fullerton (24) – 1,077
  92. UC Irvine (27) – 902
  108. UC Santa Barbara (30) – 726
  129. UC San Diego (23) – 546
  143. UC Davis (26) – 427
  165. Cal State Bakersfield (28) – 364
  179. Cal State Northridge (29) – 324
  256. UC Riverside (28) – 149
  
  SUN BELT
  12. Southern Miss (28) – 5,207
  19. Louisiana (33) – 3,918
  23. Coastal Carolina (29) – 3,642
  41. Troy (26) – 2,193
  44. Georgia Southern (30) – 2,060
  57. Marshall (24) – 1,476
  61. Texas State (34) – 1,385
  64. Louisiana-Monroe (31) – 1,279
  82. Arkansas State (26) – 1,013
  87. South Alabama (30) – 953
  128. Appalachian State (28) – 555
  135. James Madison (26) – 465
  196. Old Dominion (33) – 277
  232. Georgia State (29) – 188
  
  TOP 10 OTHERS
  20. Oregon State (27) – 3,894
  26. UTRGV (21) – 3,546
  37. Creighton (23) – 2,509
  40. Louisiana Tech (31) – 2,266
  55. Fresno State (28) – 1,510
  56. UNC Wilmington (32) – 1,481
  63. SE Louisiana (33) – 1,303
  65. The Citadel (24) – 1,179
  67. Washington State (20) – 1,126
  70. Liberty (31) – 1,109"

I swear I found a full NCAA attendance pdf once for baseball but all I could find was their top 50. It drops off pretty quickly. Needless to say no A10 teams were in the top 50 attendance for baseball.

 

[Pablo]

https://virginia.sportswar.com/uploads/2024/1/753620597369.jpg

 

[jkh1978]

I think more families should be out to all sports. Get lights so the schedule is more convenient and we will be there.
I don’t know what would work but there’s got to be more advertising or promotions. I lived here many years before I started coming out to events and now I know how great they are.

 

[GMU1983]

We need a descent d1 stadium if so, I would go. I am not going to the current high school stadium with nice dugouts!

 

[Portlandian]

Ooof those are low figures across the conference. Is it even worthwhile to carry baseball and softball as a conference?

 

[Pablo]

Interestingly, St. Bonaventure's baseball field didn't even have bleacher seating until this season - https://gobonnies.com/sports/2021/8/12/inside-athletics-facilities-Fred-Handler-Park.aspx

"The home of St. Bonaventure Baseball will have a new look when the team opens the 2026 season inside Fred Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field.

Bona's longtime facility underwent a $1.5 million renovation project in the summer and fall of 2025 with improvements that will take the program into a new era.

Improvements include a new backstop and netting system extending down the third base line; bleacher seating with backrests for over 400 fans; ADA accessible seating behind home plate; a two-story press box with enhanced broadcast and media capabilities and updated sound system. The entire project is being funded through private donations."

 

[tblack33]

Solely from a ROI perspective, we’ll never get back the probable millions of dollars it will take to build a new stadium. For those that are fans of the baseball team I totally get it, but I think the argument that there’s this massive group of people who will attend games that haven’t in the past because our facilities are subpar isn’t rooted in reality. I’d rather spend whatever the minimum needed to renovate the current field and pour the rest of that money into basketball.