Bill Self thinks David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium renovations are ‘fantastic’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bill Self praises renovated Kansas football stadium ahead of August 23 opener.
- Stadium rebuild completed in one year, impressing Self with speed and design.
- Self views stadium's atmosphere as useful for recruiting, not a deciding factor.
Like many in the Lawrence community, Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is a big fan of the renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Still, he’s yet to step foot inside the new-look ‘Booth.’ The Jayhawks will host their football season opener against Fresno State on August 23 in the renovated stadium.
“I’ve driven around it countless times like everyone else, but I think it’s fantastic,” Self said about the stadium. “It amazes me … you see homes that can’t get built in two years and you build a stadium like that where we were only out of place for one year. Looking back now … what a small obligation or price to pay for something that could end up this good or this positive.
“I can’t wait to be there on the 23rd, and I think it’s going to be fantastic. I think we will have a team that’s obviously (able to) play to the level the stadium looks and that should be pretty high level. It should be an exciting time.”
Self is no stranger to using the stadium as a recruiting tool. He’s known to bring recruits visiting to the stadium.
As for whether he thinks the new-look stadium will help in recruiting...
“Recruiting has changed,” Self said. “How nice your football stadium is when guys are sitting there isn’t going to be a determining factor on a decision. Just like Allen Fieldhouse will not be a determining factor with their guys. There’s more important things in players’, agents’ and families’ minds, but the energy and atmosphere around the visit will still play a factor in connecting an individual and wanting to be part of that.
“It’s going to be positive, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to misspeak and say that the stadium is going to help basketball recruiting. It won’t. The atmosphere, hopefully inside the stadium and the energy will hopefully be something that adds to a recruits’ experience.”
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Bill Self thinks David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium renovations are ‘fantastic’."
