We all know that Bragg Memorial Stadium is a stronghold in the rich legacy that is Florida A&M athletics.
We’ve witnessed the joys of victory and the heartbreak of defeat in “Our House.”
These images have blinded the student body from the obvious modifications that need to be made to the home of the Rattlers.
The biggest drawback might be the railing assistance for fans going up steep stairs, or lack there of. Pointing out obvious safety hazards should be objective number one when contemplating the design of a collegiate football stadium with a, generously given, 25,500 seating capacity.
The rails used in Bragg go up approximately 6 sets of steps before ending. The remaining flights are left up to balance and the prayer you say prior to letting go.
Leaving no room for error on any step, people who are afraid of heights are discouraged from being loyal fans without the fear of tumbling backward to an embarrassing demise.
Seating is priority for sports fans. The number of people that your stadium can hold prepares event goers for the level of traffic they are going to face. The official capacity of the stadium has increased from the original 10,500 to 13,200.
With such a large capacity, there is no reason for people standing on top of people during every game. The seats create an awkward closeness with the person next to you and when the sun is out body heat can create unwanted odors.
People relish in the halftime experience when the band goes to the field, so they have the opportunity to occupy the seats left by the Marching “100.”
Every problem that plagues our beloved home field has a simple fix. Adding rails that follow the layout of the stairs, and expanding the seating to accommodate the many people trying to enjoy the game can enhance the overall experience of being home.
Allow the fan comfort to take precedence over numbers, and we will really have something to “Bragg” about.
Royal Shepherd for the editorial board.