MCLAMB: Reconnect The Bridge, Build A Better Park

NC State stepped off the bus in Ruston, Louisiana, and prepared to begin postseason play in the NCAA Baseball Championships.

The regional, hosted by Louisiana Tech, featured two Power-5 schools, but it was the park that caught the attention of folks arriving from out-of-state. 

Having only been back in play for a few months following a renovation to repair damage from a tornado in 2019, Louisiana Tech rebuilt its park quickly and effectively. After the natural disaster, there was immediately a plan in place, and it was executed with expeditious efficiency.

Once the Wolfpack advanced to the Super Regionals, that meant a trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas to face the top-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.

Big-time baseball means big-time facilities, and Arkansas has invested heavily in its program. Baum-Walker Stadium resembles a better-than-average ballpark for a Triple-A franchise, and it has many of the amenities folks demand from their fan experience. More additions to Baum-Walker are currently underway and coming soon, as being top-ranked is no reason to rest on laurels.

It is not hard to wonder what those schools would have thought if they had to visit NC State.

The Wolfpack baseball program has been in the news quite a bit in recent weeks, and that is not completely basked in glory, but it has created a palpable momentum.

Deep down, almost all who have even a remote interest in NC State know that what currently exists within Doak Field at Dail Park in terms of the facility itself does not suffice. Yet, for all the agony that seems to come from the ending of each of its seasons since 2012, the Wolfpack has produced enough successful baseball during that timeframe that it somewhat clouds that knowledge.

In fact, the results over the past decade have effectively glossed over the deficiencies so well that they remain, but that day is coming to an end.

NC State’s baseball program does not just need a better facility. It is also a program that has shown it deserves more.

There is banter and speculation about why improvements to Doak – or simply building something new – have not happened, but underneath the surface is a truth.

At this point, none of that matters, nor will harping on It effectively utilize the momentum to finally get the plan in place so that the job gets done.

And it will require teamwork. As a result, NC State’s athletic administration will almost certainly solicit its leaders in the baseball program to ascertain what its wants and needs are. 

It should not stop there. Donors will have their say, but fans – especially season ticket holders – and students, both current and incoming, should also have their voices heard. Do not be afraid to ask the faculty. They will have an interest in where things are built. Find out if they actually are sports fans. If so, and they do not go to games, find out what it will take to get them to come.

Be available to speak, but also be open to listening. This cannot just stabilize the base; it should also build on it.

Fair or not, the NC State athletic department has not been seen in the greatest light since Friday. So this is a chance – a huge opportunity – to not just build a ballpark but also build a bridge back to those who are most unhappy right now. 

If the athletic department does try, they will require a fair chance from their constituents to articulate the future vision properly. Administrators in charge cannot be dismissed out of hand before they present their case.

NC State showed what it could accomplish when Reynolds Coliseum was renovated. The school can also have one of the best baseball facilities in the nation if they are motivated, working together, and truly want it. 

As it relates to baseball at NC State, there is a team, its leaders, its families, its fans, and those in charge of putting them all in the best position to succeed.

There are currently a lot of wolves, but there is not a Wolfpack.

And that sums up the crossroads NC State is at. Everyone is embarrassed, hurting, and/or angry. The end of the season has fragmented things in many ways.

But if everyone pulls together now, the baseball program, the athletic department, the University, and those who love NC State passionately can and will come out this stronger than ever. It starts with collective investment in the Wolfpack baseball program. 

Reconnect the bridge to other Wolfpackers. Give NC State a better baseball park.