Nippert Changelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Maybe Sort-of Accept The Soccer-Based Renovations To Nippert.

In what has long been suspected since the first renditions of FC Cincinnati at Nippert were released with the team’s announcement, renovations have begun to accommodate an MLS regulation-sized soccer field by removing sections in the southern corners of historic Nippert Stadium. The move has been met with some backlash from UC football fans as it is seen as destroying the very pleasing visuals of the lower bowl that feature the classic brick and mortar walls that have contributed to Nippert being called one of the most beautiful and intimate college football stadiums in the country to the point of being compared to “the Wrigley field of college football.” Being a diehard UC football fan myself I too see this move with some skepticism. In trying to play devil’s advocate with gut-instinct I took a moment to try to look at both sides of this new arrangement with as fair a lens as my mind is capable. After all, I still consider myself far ways away from fully embracing soccer as a suitable past time but that’s probably just me needing to get over myself. This next passage may seem abrasive to FCC fans but just read through to the end before getting out your keyboard shaped pitchforks.

To the FC Cincinnati fans, from a UC fan:

We were here first. Nippert is ours. It’s on UC’s campus and for most of us it is sacred ground.

This is the gut reaction of most Bearcats fans toward these changes. FCC fans have to respect this fact and the tremendous amount of success and passion you have for your team cannot displace this in the hearts of Bearcats fans. The timing is not ideal because with the lack of success UC Football has had the last two seasons, Bearcat fans are looking to hold on to any and all remnants of the brief golden years of UC football and Nippert is so inseparable from them that any change to it is sure to reflect the changes that have hit the program as it continues to drift away from those past successes. Cutting out the chunks in the sidelines changes the visual appeal of Nippert’s lower bowl as well as the classic look that people who have grown up watching the Bearcats expect when they come to the stadium.

Nostalgia is a powerful force.

But now let’s look at the good the UC can reap from FCC outside the obvious rent check an extremely popular and successful Pro soccer team can give to the future of Bearcats’ sports.

Starting with the tangibles:

-The flexibility that the new turf that was installed is truly amazing. With the end zone cutouts, UC has the ability (If they can shell out the money) to change end zone themes from game to game. Imagine having a different colored end zone and C-Paw (although the midfield cutout didn’t work out so well thus far) for conference games or high-profile Non-Conference games. The military appreciation game themed sideline markers show the potential of this and if you would’ve shown me old-turf pictures compared with the painted on yard markers and end zones I would not be able to tell there was a difference. The potential in this alone with UC not having to foot any of the bill made the addition of FCC a bonus for the UC-only minded game day experience.

-There has been some chatter about a new scoreboard, that FCC will pay for. I definitely noticed the age of the video board this past season with several pixels out and the relative smallness of it when juxtaposed with the new addition means that if this comes to fruition it would be a huge boon to UC Football.



-In trying to consider football only benefits to the changes, the south end zone itself is extremely close to the brick wall and it has been very fortunate that no player has been injured running into it if they ran a corner route in the back of that end zone. These renovations will benefit player safety even if it hasn’t yet been as issue. Again, trying to keep the focus on UC’s benefits here

Now some intangible benefits:

-The bitter reality is that UC is not in a power 5 conference and with the Big 12 bending the knee to the power brokers at ESPN and shutting the door on expansion it won’t be for quite some time. UC is living off the exit fees from the old Big East and after 2018 that money will run out. The athletic department will need to take in as much money as they can get their hands on to just sustain the level of investment they’ve made in athletics over the past decade and it still won’t be enough. Having good relations with big time local business leaders, as well as potential MLS club can help fill the gaps, though I still think not nearly enough (another topic for another time)

-Accommodating FC Cincinnati will pay huge dividends to all of the University of Cincinnati. This is something that I cannot preach enough. How many times do the local suburban parents recite the dated trope of Clifton being a run-down crime ridden neighborhood and still have the old image of pre-2000 UC in their mind? The UC that was a commuter and (with the long-standing exceptions of DAAP and CCM) a safety school that was pretty much a large parking lot with run down buildings and no true identity. The biggest boost that FC Cincinnati can give to UC is getting people to Clifton so they can see for themselves how much this place has changed and become a true destination school. Getting families to come and spend time on UC’s campus as much as possible as young as possible is the best way to cultivate a bigger base of Bearcats for an uncertain future and changing once and for all the mental image that people that don’t visit Clifton have of our beautiful University.

Final Thoughts

FC Cincinnati fans: Nippert can be yours too, but it is ours. Respect that and try to understand that it is difficult for us right now

For Bearcats Fans:

You have to respect the passion that FC Cincinnati fans have for their team. They will appreciate Nippert as long as it is their home too and will be a good thing no matter what changes occur. Civic pride will indelibly link to Nippert Stadium. So are the changes ideal? No. But all the good that FC Cincinnati can do for the future of the University warrant giving this a chance and it may be time to swallow our pride and learn to quit worrying and maybe accept the soccer-based renovations to Nippert

-Joe Scherp

@THIS_IS_NOT_JOE