We mentioned this a few days ago, but in case you missed it, according to Columbus Business First Ohio State is reportedly considering building a new, 4,000 seat hockey arena near the Schottenstein Center. And while a new hockey venue will be the focus of that story, the new development will also include a bunch of new buildings, including an indoor track and an already-planned wrestling, gymnastics, and fencing facility.
There are a couple of things to unpack here. First of all, while a new hockey venue would be really fun to rub in the face of the likes of Miami University (as I mentioned in the Dubcast this week) and probably help out with recruiting against the Penn States of the world, it's also technically unnecessary given that the Schott is a thing that still exists. Of course, something being "technically unnecessary" has never stopped Ohio State from starting construction on anything before, so there's really no reason to stop now.
The second thing about this that's interesting is a shift to a more specialized approach to sports and how Ohio State fans will consume them. The Schottenstein Center is the ultimate in modular sports arenas, and because it can accommodate almost any sporting event imaginable it kind of sucks at showcasing almost all of them. Still, given that the thing cost over $100 million to construct less than 20 years ago, one would think that would give Ohio State pause in undermining some of the functions that it serves. With the construction of all these new sports venues, one would be wrong, apparently.
In fact, very wrong. While Columbus Business First did some good reporting on this, I've been able to uncover some additional building projects that are currently in the planning stage. Here's a full map of what Ohio State is thinking of doing in the next year or so:
As you can see, there are a number of projects planned all over campus, including near some iconic Ohio State landmarks. It's a lot to parse through, however, so that's why I've focused on these projects to give them a little context. Let's take a look!
Lacrosse is an often overlooked sport, but in Ohio, it is becoming increasingly popular. As a result, the university is planning a brand new training facility (1, above) that will hopefully accommodate both the men's lacrosse and women's field hockey teams. Field hockey would be especially interested, as Columbus could apply to make the university the training grounds for the US Olympic team.
Rowing has never really had a dedicated space on the level of what you see at the likes of Yale and Princeton, and frankly, it's about time that Ohio State got on board. This new portage (2) will also allow for competitive fishing on the muddy banks of the Olentangy.
ESports are coming to Ohio State! Ever witnessed the madness of a Korean Starcraft tournament? Well, now you will, at the low low cost of some band practice fields that no one ever uses. This beautiful new venue (3) will host Smash Bros. tournaments, Pokemon throwdowns, and even the odd Overwatch matchup! Also, the Oval will become the location of a new music stage (4), which will host entertainers brought to Ohio State to delight athletes and prospective athletes. And their families, of course. And a few select non-athlete students who win a lottery.
These four motivational towers will serve as both encouragement and a warning to football players. Three black, foreboding gothic spires (5-7) will form a triangle around a massive pyre. After every loss during the regular season, a white flag of shame will be raised upon one of the spires. After a fourth loss (which of course would be an unacceptable disaster in of itself), the 50-foot high pyre (8) will be lit, signaling to the university that all students and faculty need to prepare themselves for the coming Mad Max-ian hellscape that will surely result after such a bad season. Sources tell me that there were similar plans for spires involving the basketball team, but funding wasn't available for the required 20 structures.
A 1,300-foot tall panopticon (9) will serve as Urban Meyer's residence and seat of power. From on high he will issue edicts to both his players and the university, and his word is law. All who oppose him will be crushed beneath the heel of his eternal boot.
Who needs a new building (10)? Synchronized swimming does, y'all!
Seems like Gene Smith could push for more? You're right! That's why all of the areas within the dotted lines are now officially the property of the Ohio State athletic department. If you happen to live within one of these areas, please be on the lookout for a notice of eviction arriving in your mailbox sometime in the next two weeks. You will have an additional two weeks to move out before your apartment or house is transformed into a giant ice bath for the baseball team.
In all seriousness, the autonomy of the athletic department gives it a lot of leeway in terms of the kinds of facilities that it deems necessary to build. If hockey needs an arena, if wrestling needs a venue, if basketball at some point wants a "B" location for special events or whatever, they're going to get it.
But what supporters, students, and alumni of Ohio State need to ask themselves is at what point do these improvements stop having anything to do with the school itself, and how much responsibility does the athletic department bear in using its prodigious revenue to directly impact all students who attend OSU. Because if the answer is anything but "none at all," that should impact future building and planning by one of the few self-sufficient athletic departments in the country.
