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Ahead of Syracuse football’s home opener Saturday versus Ohio, SU Director of Athletics John Wildhack addressed the media to discuss the advancements made to the JMA Wireless Dome along with many other topics surrounding the athletic department. Wildhack was joined by the university’s Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Peter Sala, who gave further insight into the renovations.

Here’s what Wildhack and Sala said in their Wednesday morning press conference:

Dome renovations

Throughout the spring and summer, the JMA Wireless Dome went through part of what Sala calls “phase two” of its renovation project. A large portion of the phase included reseating and replacing the bleachers with blue chairback seats, just one step in enhancing the fan experience.

Sala said discussions of a redefining project began in 2016 with the meeting of the Board of Trustees. So far, it has resulted in a revolutionized look for the 44-year-old building. Syracuse’s CFO says he and his staff have gone through every seat, making sure everything is right.

For football, the seats have decreased from 49,057 to 42,784. The student section will be switched from the section 102 area to the east end zone, a 500-seat increase. Student season tickets are already sold out, but Sala says they are exploring additional single-game ticket options for students. For basketball, Sala says the total will stay around the 33,000-34,000 benchmark.

Along with seat changes, the Dome has had a 114% increase in seating to accommodate people with disabilities while also lowering all ramps to the aisles so that they are now compliant. The aisles were widened to four feet and glass railings were added to ensure views weren’t obstructed.

“It looks like a totally different building,” Wildhack said. “It looks great, and I can’t wait for our fans to experience it.”

The air-conditioning of the building has improved with the cooling process starting Friday afternoon for Saturday games. Sala said that during the summer concerts the Dome hosted, they even asked to warm the building up because of how cold it was. Wireless connection remains to be seen, but the JMA Wireless systems should be up and running, per Sala.

Sala, who worked on the roof renovation previously, says this was a much more difficult project and is far more important because of how directly it impacts fans. With the renovations inside the Dome, the Miron Victory Court will be completed later this fall. The Dome still needs some finishing touches before Saturday’s kickoff but Sala said, for the most part, it’s ready for SU fans to take their seats.

“We’re ready for Saturday,” Sala said. “We’ll go right to the wire on Friday night, getting things done.”

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

NIL discussions

When discussing Name, Image and Likeness in college sports, Wildhack said Syracuse’s fundraising goals throughout the community have increased since the hiring of Brown in late November.

“We’ve made great progress. Over the past nine months, we have had more businesses, local businesses, step up in a meaningful way,” Wildhack said.

One of the businesses Wildhack used as an example was Feldmeier Equipment, Inc. The company’s main headquarters are in Syracuse, and with the help of its president and CEO Colby Clark, it has helped transform SU’s NIL efforts.

“​​We need that corporate support,” Wildhack said. “That’s going to enable us to have a competitive NIL program. Because if we do, you can see the results. If you don’t have a competitive NIL program, Kyle McCord is not here. Fadil Diggs isn’t here. Some of our veterans who returned aren’t here.”

Wildhack also discussed the ongoing House v. NCAA settlement case and how it could affect SU Athletics. Currently, the settlement (which hasn’t been passed yet) would have Power Four schools paying over $20 million per year over the next 10 years. While Wildhack says he and every athletic director in the country are currently trying to figure out the complicated nature of the settlement, his goal is to remain competitive no matter the circumstance.

“I’m not going to commit to a specific number yet today, because we’re figuring this out. We spend a portion of every day on it, in terms of various modeling and scenario planning. But we will be competitive,” Wildhack said.

The JMA Wireless Dome went under renovations this summer to replace its old bleacher seating with padded, chairback seats. Brycen Pace | Asst. Photo Editor

Football season excitement

Before speaking on the excitement surrounding Syracuse football, Wildhack announced the school will honor one of its legends. The late Dick MacPherson, who coached the Orange from 1981-90, will become the ninth inductee into SU’s Ring of Honor.

MacPherson will be honored during Syracuse’s Nov. 23 home game versus UConn and also will have the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry dedicated to him.

Segwaying into the 2024 season, Wildhack said he is “very pleased” with what head coach Fran Brown and his staff have done throughout training camp. Brown has assembled a “really, really good team” in Wildhack’s eyes that has grown closer through competition in training camp.

Wildhack hopes to see progression in the strength and durability of the team. The Orange have increased their size across the roster and he sees it as a possible chance to erase the November breakdowns that have plagued them in the past.

Entering his ninth football season as the Director of Athletics, Wildhack sees a difference in the state of SU’s program heading into 2024.

“This is the most excitement I’ve seen going into a season,” Wildhack said. “We had a lot in 2019 coming off the 10-win season, but I think this eclipses it.”

Published on August 28, 2024 at 12:00 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky