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[Wolfpack Ram]

@WillWeaverRVA has a bunch of you freaking out over nothing. As I stated, VCU will play its home games at the Diamond this year. VCU has known that would probably be the case for months now and I confirmed it a good while ago from VCU. In fact, I was told last August that VCU would play their home games at the Diamond this season. FYI - CarMax Park isn’t even finished and VCU baseball starts in a month. The lights to CarMax are on just about every night as they are working past sunset to finish the stadium. The Squirrels have not screwed VCU!!’

Regarding Sportsbacker Stadium, my understanding is VCU’s spring track season will be there as their new track is still under construction.

This is all construction logistics, and for only this Spring. Again, VCU is not getting screwed by anyone - outside of having to play all day games at home. Also, I would not be surprised to see VCU play UVA at CarMax in order for the Squirrels to use that game as an operational “dry run” prior to the Squirrels season opener if the stadium is ready.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

College baseball is very underrated. When it's at peak its as exciting as anything.

Sadly the Diamond is not a good environment for it, and until the last month of season weather is not the best locally. Not too much fun sitting at the Diamond at 40 degrees. That said love the program. I'd be bummed if we got rid of baseball

VCU is not getting rid of baseball. They just made a huge commitment to baseball by signing a long term lease to play at CarMax, including their own dedicated locker room in the new stadium.

 

[Ramaholic]

VCU is not getting rid of baseball. They just made a huge commitment to baseball by signing a long term lease to play at CarMax, including their own dedicated locker room in the new stadium.

The article says that the selling of Sportsbackers and the agreement last October for the Squirrels to be partners with VCU fell thru and has thrown a "wrench" into the construction plan. The article says the only thing signed was a non binding memorandum of understanding. And that it fell thru. The Squirrels say they have repurposed the space initially intended for the VCU locker room. Are you certain VCU signed a lease? Why wouldn't that be in the article? I think @willweavers posting of the article and press release is not freaking us out but giving us the only solid, verifiable information we have had on the baseball situation since November.

 

[Scuffy McGee]

This is incorrect. VCU will play its home games at the Diamond this coming year. VCU has known that would probably be the case for months now. They moved the lights from the Diamond to CarMax, so all home games at the Diamond will be day games.

All those new attributes added to the new yard and all that money spent and CarMax Park couldn’t even get a new set of lights? I thought maybe that would be the case so they didn’t have to use old ones that have taken dozens of foul balls and homers off the bats of Ryan Klesko, Andruw Jones, and Johnny Estrada.

 

[mike7842]

The article says that the selling of Sportsbackers and the agreement last October for the Squirrels to be partners with VCU fell thru and has thrown a "wrench" into the construction plan. The article says the only thing signed was a non binding memorandum of understanding. And that it fell thru. The Squirrels say they have repurposed the space initially intended for the VCU locker room. Are you certain VCU signed a lease? Why wouldn't that be in the article? I think @willweavers posting of the article and press release is not freaking us out but giving us the only solid, verifiable information we have had on the baseball situation since November.

VCU cancelled their support for the Crossings Golf Course. Now it is overgrown with weeds.

 

[Ramaholic]

All those new attributes added to the new yard and all that money spent and CarMax Park couldn’t even get a new set of lights? I thought maybe that would be the case so they didn’t have to use old ones that have taken dozens of foul balls and homers off the bats of Ryan Klesko, Andruw Jones, and Johnny Estrada.

I thought the same thing. You would think lighting improvements in terms of illumination and energy efficiency has improved to the point CarMax would want new lights. I work nearby and walk my dog there after work. I see lights on at the old Diamond. I never paid attention to how many lights there were before, so maybe they removed some of them. But the Diamond looks just as illuminated (from my vantage point walking) as CarMax which also has the lights on.

 

[Scuffy McGee]

VCU is not getting rid of baseball. They just made a huge commitment to baseball by signing a long term lease to play at CarMax, including their own dedicated locker room in the new stadium.

Uh, buddy. You seen the news lately? They quite literally came out yesterday and said that VCU Baseball will NOT be playing at CarMax Park…

 

[TAEKWONDO]

I first started my support for VCU when I finished my military service in 1974. I have supported VCU with attendance and money over the many years as an alumni member. I am getting to the point where I believe nothing told to me by the athletic department or the Rao administration and that is sad!

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

The article says that the selling of Sportsbackers and the agreement last October for the Squirrels to be partners with VCU fell thru and has thrown a "wrench" into the construction plan. The article says the only thing signed was a non binding memorandum of understanding. And that it fell thru. The Squirrels say they have repurposed the space initially intended for the VCU locker room. Are you certain VCU signed a lease? Why wouldn't that be in the article? I think @willweavers posting of the article and press release is not freaking us out but giving us the only solid, verifiable information we have had on the baseball situation since November.

CBS 6 showed video of the signing on their news in October. Ed was shown signing the lease, along with Lou DiBella. Below are related articles.

Future of Diamond District is written in ink with new agreement’s signature

VCU, City of Richmond, and Navigators Baseball signed a key agreement for the Diamond District Project, advancing redevelopment and new baseball facilities.

www.12onyourside.com

VCU, Squirrels, EDA finalize agreements for new ballpark - Richmond BizSense

“This is a model of how a university, a municipality and a professional sports organization can come together to make really important change happen," VCU's Ed McLaughlin said at Monday's ceremony.

richmondbizsense.com

VCU approves lease for baseball team to play at CarMax Park

VCU's board approved a 30-year lease in which VCU will pay about $400,000 annually in rent.

richmond.com

Also, I confirmed through someone with VCU sports facilities at the SLU game that VCU would play their home games at the Diamond this season.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

All those new attributes added to the new yard and all that money spent and CarMax Park couldn’t even get a new set of lights? I thought maybe that would be the case so they didn’t have to use old ones that have taken dozens of foul balls and homers off the bats of Ryan Klesko, Andruw Jones, and Johnny Estrada.

For starters, those lights were not around for Klesko, Jones and Estrada. They were recently installed at the Diamond.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

Uh, buddy. You seen the news lately? They quite literally came out yesterday and said that VCU Baseball will NOT be playing at CarMax Park…

The second article says this season. I know what I was told at the SLU game by someone in the know.

And FYI - If Ed went through a press conference signing a fake lease in front of the press, then shame on him for misleading VCU alumni/fans.

 

[Scuffy McGee]

For starters, those lights were not around for Klesko, Jones and Estrada. They were recently installed at the Diamond.

Gotcha. When were they installed? Over a few seasons ago? You would still think that rationally, a new stadium that has gotten all this pomp and circumstance would get new, modern, potentially technologically advanced, state of the art lights. With the emphasis being on new.

 

[Scuffy McGee]

The second article says this season. I know what I was told at the SLU game by someone in the know.

And FYI - If Ed went through a press conference signing a fake lease in front of the press, then shame on him for misleading VCU alumni/fans.

So are you saying VCU will not play baseball at CarMax this season but you think they’ll start doing so in 2027?

 

[Ramaholic]

Gotcha. When were they installed? Over a few seasons ago? You would still think that rationally, a new stadium that has gotten all this pomp and circumstance would get new, modern, potentially technologically advanced, state of the art lights. With the emphasis being on new.

I am surprised the Squirrels would install state of the art lighting in an arena that was going to be demolished and in a city that may not even have MiLB. We had a suite there and the squirrels didnt fix anything in those suites the past few years bc they knew they would be leaving. But with construction costs soaring, I guess you gotta do whatever it takes. I don't think anyone being interviewed (the Squirrels, the City or VCU) is giving us the real on what is truly happening with the new ball park.

 

[Ramaholic]

The second article says this season. I know what I was told at the SLU game by someone in the know.

And FYI - If Ed went through a press conference signing a fake lease in front of the press, then shame on him for misleading VCU alumni/fans.

The article says it was a "non binding memorandum of understanding". In other words, it was meaningless. But VCU used the moment to make it look like things were fine and progressing in the right direction.
This was known in earlier times as "fiddling while Rome burns"