AUBURN | The cutting edge Woltosz Football Performance Center was recently completed.
A $30 million project at Plainsman Park to add premium seating, club space and additional seating on the right field terrace and atop the Green Monster in left was approved by the Board of Trustees Feb. 3 and will begin this summer.
What’s next when it comes to Auburn’s facilities? Athletics director John Cohen has a pretty good idea.
“The basketball practice facility has to be addressed,” said Cohen. “We have three different teams who are sharing that facility and it's not exactly the situation we want it to be. We have to address some issues around volleyball and having a permanent place to practice.
“Obviously it's been widely discussed over many, many years of Auburn about the North End zone, and we want to have a plan for that, a long-term plan.”
A new practice facility for men’s basketball attached to Neville Arena along with a separate space for volleyball is expected to be the next big project.
Improving the North end zone at Jordan-Hare Stadium is in more of a discussion stage at the moment.
“We’re trying to make some long-term decisions on what's in the best interest for our fans,” said Cohen. “What I do know is there’s an incredible demand for premium seating at Auburn University. I mean, it's incredible. So I feel like that has to be addressed. We have to address this incredible demand for premium seating.”
The new football-only facility has opened up a lot of space in the athletic complex, which previously housed football. Part of that will be filled with the rehab and sports medicine group that is currently in the building next to Plainsman Park, freeing up more space for the baseball coaches.
There are several other smaller projects that can be addressed in the near future.
“We definitely have needs in soccer. We definitely have needs in our tennis program as well as softball,” said Cohen. “Softball is being addressed right now. I know that we just built them one of the best indoor facilities that exist in that sport. Their locker rooms could be addressed along with gymnastics this summer. We're excited about that.
“So we have several ongoing projects. We have to continue, absolutely have to continue to add to our facilities, but there's no question that the landscape has changed.”
That change has come due to Name, Image and Likeness. NIL collectives have become crucial in building competitive rosters. Many donors can’t afford to contribute large amounts of money to both the collective and Auburn’s Tigers Unlimited (TUF) ticket priority system.
Changes are likely coming to TUF while schools like Auburn look for other ways to fund facility improvements. The new ESPN 10-year deal, which is worth $300 million per year to the SEC starting in 2024, will be a big boost, and could be further increased with the addition of a ninth conference game.
“I don't think there's going to be a Power five school that's going to raise money for resources, for facilities in the same way that they have before. There is no question. It's never gonna be the same as it was,” said Cohen.
“So I've heard this quote many times. John Cohen didn't come up with it but I love this quote: Things are never gonna be the same, but they don't have to be like they are right now. So I'm very certain that we can do some really positive facility improvements but at the same time, we have to understand that things are changing.”
