Allen Fieldhouse renovations included in reveal of KU’s ‘To The Stars’ strategic plan
Kansas Athletics on Wednesday unveiled a comprehensive strategic plan that includes renovations to its basketball, football and baseball facilities.
According to a KU news release, the plan, entitled, “To The Stars,” was constructed with the help of a 46-person committee that spent “more than 14 months on the elaborate, comprehensive plan,” which included a survey of “more than 4,000 people in a commitment to diverse perspectives.”
The strategic plan, according to KU Athletics, “focuses on Kansas Athletics’ values, inclusive excellence, student-athlete wellness and experience, community engagement, philanthropy, financial sustainability and other critical areas for success.”
Specific projects are not finalized, as the main objective right now, according to KU, is to “develop a 10-year comprehensive sport-specific facilities master plan that outlines capital priorities, improvements and costs.”
Here’s a look at the “capital projects” portion of the plan introduced Wednesday.
An Allen Fieldhouse capital project for KU’s basketball arena will “enhance in-game, in-seat experience through new technology (videoboard(s), lighting, sound system).”
The fieldhouse project is also set to “improve overall fan experience through concourse renovations (concessions, restrooms, aesthetics, branding) and team store expansion, as well as “augment premium hospitality spaces to rival the best in college basketball.”
No financial details have yet been released by KU.
KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self commented at Big 12 media day last week about upcoming fieldhouse improvements.
“I think I know in general,” Self said. “Inside Allen, videoboard obviously, a new sound system. There will be some things that are done cosmetically inside We are limited what we can do inside because of building codes.
“The biggest thing will be amenities around it. It will become much more hospitable for donors, more hospitality areas, upgrades to the underbelly so to speak whether mechanical, bathrooms, concessions, all those things too It’ll be a big upgrade. I don’t know if you’ll notice a ton. Fans will definitely notice. It’s for the fans.”
As far as an upgrade to Hoglund Ballpark, the home of KU baseball, KU’s capital project plan released Wednesday indicates a goal to “improve the student-athlete experience through a renovated locker room and new player lounge.”
KU Athletics will, “evaluate, plan and create a funding path for a significant reimagination of the stadium, focused on fan experience.”
There has been much talk this semester of the upcoming renovation plan for Booth Memorial Stadium, home of KU football, as well as the Anderson Family Football Complex next to the stadium.
Before the TCU game, KU announced a project for “major upgrades to football facilities that would be paid for by private donations, economic development funds, premium seating sales in the stadium, and future development opportunities that will be created on the site.”
Wednesday’s comprehensive plan indicated that upgrades to and around the stadium are meant to “transform the game-day experience for our fans through a reimagined seating bowl design; expanded concessions, restrooms and accessible seating locations; improved concourse circulation; and new and diverse premium amenities.”
Also, to “create year-round usable space for more large-scale activities that drive economic impact to the community.”
The Anderson Football Complex would be improved, KU said Wednesday, “through enhanced spaces dedicated to sports performance, nutrition, sports medicine, meeting rooms and technology, and recruiting and culture-building space.”
Another objective to “maximize efficiencies and space utilization by integrating elements of Anderson Family Football Complex and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.”
But Wednesday’s KU Athletics strategic plan goes beyond improvements to venues and related facilities.
There are categories under the headings “Culture building, leadership and integrity; competitive excellence (sport improvement, recruiting and resources, capital project); inclusive excellence; student-athlete wellness; student-athlete experience; name, image and likeness; engagement; development; and financial sustainability and shifting landscape of higher education and college athletics (governance, compliance and risk management).
In the much-talked about area of NIL, KU made it clear in Wednesday’s plan that it considers assisting student-athletes in profiting off their own NIL a priority.
Objectives listed in this area include “empowering the Directors of NIL to be innovative and progressive in the NIL landscape.” The university also seeks to “put an emphasis on internal working groups that focus specifically on football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and Olympic sports,” and to “lean on our third-party experts (Altius, OpenDorse) to provide insights and protection in the NIL Space.”
The strategic plan announced Wednesday includes some goals for the performance of KU’s sports teams. Goals are to “rank Top-30 in Learfield Directors Cup Standing within five years,” as well as to make “postseason appearances” and rank in the “top third of Big 12 Conference standings in all sport programs.”
