Neutral Site Games
- Thread starter Queztastic
- Start date
Now that the popularity of football has exploded of late in England and in the Irish Isles, maybe RU could go back to Ireland but this time, be involved in a kickoff classic (over Labor Day Weekend), similar to what Penn State/UCF did last year...which brought 25,000-30,000 US Fans over to Ireland for about a week and a game.
Meadowlands? Screw that...reach for the stars, again.
Last year's game set an attendance record for a college football game in Ireland (53,304), breaking the record Notre Dame/Navy had set 2 years prior.
When RU played there some 26 years ago...it was in December, vs Pitt, with no national tv coverage in the US and drew a small crowd at the game (less than 20,000) in a stadium that no longer exists.
Boston College and Ga Tech are set to play at the next Emerald Isle Classic in 2016 and maybe RU could play a team there in 2018.
Ireland today almost doesn't resemble what it was like in Dec 1989 when RU played there.
Meadowlands? Screw that...reach for the stars, again.
Last year's game set an attendance record for a college football game in Ireland (53,304), breaking the record Notre Dame/Navy had set 2 years prior.
When RU played there some 26 years ago...it was in December, vs Pitt, with no national tv coverage in the US and drew a small crowd at the game (less than 20,000) in a stadium that no longer exists.
Boston College and Ga Tech are set to play at the next Emerald Isle Classic in 2016 and maybe RU could play a team there in 2018.
Ireland today almost doesn't resemble what it was like in Dec 1989 when RU played there.
it is only a home game for them if RU fans don't bother showing up. The Texas Bowl wasn't a K-State dominated crowd because the RU fans represented. I'd go to Dallas to watch RU and Oklahoma kick off the season. Even if outnumbered 3:1, I'm sure there are enough loudmouths from Jersey (like me) who give give our guys a decent crowd advantage.
There are kickoff games in Atlanta, Dallas (Arlington), and Houston now and they are among the best games in Week 1. I'd like to see a kickoff game in East Rutherford or Chicago / Indy where a B1G school is one of the teams. This is one area where I think the B1G has lagged behind the SEC and Big 12.
I haven't seen any realistic mentions of chances of such an opportunity, but if it existed as an 8th game, then it would be fine. My only issue at this point is our schedule is very tough with the B1GE slate and lots of good OOC home and homes.
+1 The atmosphere at those games sucked and I have been to every game we played there.
The problem with a neutral site game in the meadowlands as a one and done...1/2 the programs that could bring 25k-35k are in the big ten already
Penn state
Ohio state
Michigan
Nebraska
Texas
Alabama
Notre dame
Don't see this happening anytime soon
Penn state
Ohio state
Michigan
Nebraska
Texas
Alabama
Notre dame
Don't see this happening anytime soon
Def not a fan of a game at the meadowlands.
I however, unlike many, like the pinstripe bowl here and there. It's in NYC so it is cool to play there sometimes. Meadowlands is pointless when we have our home stadium a half hour down the tpike
I however, unlike many, like the pinstripe bowl here and there. It's in NYC so it is cool to play there sometimes. Meadowlands is pointless when we have our home stadium a half hour down the tpike
Best neutral site places for RU are probably Atlanta or Orlando...both cities now in the Labor Day Weekend neutral site series.
Or...another trip to Dublin..with 18 months notice...plenty of time for the half of million RU alumni to plan a vacation to Ireland in late August (heck, thousands probably already do that during each summer...just arrange it around the game).
MetLife is not a "road trip/celebration/holiday vacation"...RU vs almost any SEC Team in Atlanta or Orlando....RU vs Southern Cal or Oregon in Ireland, etc....
Get on the big stage, screw MetLife as a location.
Stop thinking about the Meadowlands...start thinking Atlanta, Orlando, Ireland, etc...
I don't think there is a good Meadowlands neutral site game 1 and done opportunity. I know we would not like this but I can see Yankee stadium looking to get a Syracuse vs. Rutgers neutral site game. I think this game at the Meadowlands would only attract about 60k fans while it would sell out Yankee Stadium. Plus I don't think the Meadowlands would be able to pay enough to convince both schools to drop a 1 and done home game. They both would need about $3mil or more.
Downside to this @ yankee Stadium would be:
- game would need to be in November after baseball season is done
- Pinstripe bowl already matches up the B10 vs. ACC so it would essentially eliminate 2 schools from the pool that are draws for this bowl game.
Downside to this @ yankee Stadium would be:
- game would need to be in November after baseball season is done
- Pinstripe bowl already matches up the B10 vs. ACC so it would essentially eliminate 2 schools from the pool that are draws for this bowl game.
Knight light
Rutgers isn't bringing 20,000 to Orlando or Atlanta labor day weekend for a game.
This is why it's the meadowlands or bust for a neutral game
Rutgers isn't bringing 20,000 to Orlando or Atlanta labor day weekend for a game.
This is why it's the meadowlands or bust for a neutral game
Really?
A season opening Kickoff Classic game would be bigger than any RU past bowl game, plus kickoff games like this are announced years in advance and most take place over Labor Day Weekend when millions are taking trips/vacatoons anyway...why not go to an exciting place and see RU play a traditional Top 10 (and many times ranked) team in a game like that?
I don't think RU has played any Top 10 team in any bowl (just check, none of RU Bowl Opponents were ranked in the Top 25) and a kickoff game like that in Atlanta or Orlando, where tens of thousands of the HUGE RU Alumni base resides in FL, Atlanta, NC, SC, etc....heck, RU would only need to sell 10,000 tix to alums in NJ to hit 20,000 or so.
I think you would be surprised to see the RU interested in playing a National Power Top 10-20 type historical program on Opening Weekend (a long holiday weekend at that).
Heck, Penn State and UCF brought over 30,000 fans, alumni, students to Ireland....I think RU could draw 20,000 almost anywhere along the East Coast.
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Looking at it in more detail, I am finding it very hard to find a location and opponent that would work. Louisville and Indiana can both have fans drive to Indianapolis so it works out for them. Non-driving distance locations would probably be weary about taking someone like an Indiana. Orlando's not worried b/c they've got Alabama on the other end in 2018.
In looking for locations and matchups, I would take into account the following:
- driving distance for fans;
- perceived desirability of location;
- name recognition of opponent.
I find it hard to find a location and opponent that would work. It is difficult to find a site where there is a marquee matchup where both fan bases can drive an equal distance, not giving one fan base an edge over another. Pittsburgh would be almost equal distance between New Brunswick and Louisville, and while I would love to play Louisville again, I don't have a great desire to travel Pittsburgh. Plus Louisville fans already can go to Pittsburgh for an in-conference game vs. the Panthers, so I don't think that's happening.
Going south, once you get past DC, there's not many potential venues other than Charlotte and that's getting too far out of driving range and creates too much disparity in travel distance for fans.
If we were to play in DC (about 200 miles from NB), perhaps an opponent could be W.Virginia (about 200 miles away) V-Tech (about 270 miles although DC would be like a home game for them), S.Carolina (about 475 miles) or Tenn (about 480 miles). The North Carolina Schools are closer than USCe, but I don't think a Rutgers v. Wake Forest / Duke / UNC / NC State would generate as much interest.
Of the other suggestions that I've seen, Cuse in Yankee Stadium and whomever in Orlando are the only other ones that look appealing. I would love to outnumber Cuse fans in Yankee Stadium 3 to 1.
In looking for locations and matchups, I would take into account the following:
- driving distance for fans;
- perceived desirability of location;
- name recognition of opponent.
I find it hard to find a location and opponent that would work. It is difficult to find a site where there is a marquee matchup where both fan bases can drive an equal distance, not giving one fan base an edge over another. Pittsburgh would be almost equal distance between New Brunswick and Louisville, and while I would love to play Louisville again, I don't have a great desire to travel Pittsburgh. Plus Louisville fans already can go to Pittsburgh for an in-conference game vs. the Panthers, so I don't think that's happening.
Going south, once you get past DC, there's not many potential venues other than Charlotte and that's getting too far out of driving range and creates too much disparity in travel distance for fans.
If we were to play in DC (about 200 miles from NB), perhaps an opponent could be W.Virginia (about 200 miles away) V-Tech (about 270 miles although DC would be like a home game for them), S.Carolina (about 475 miles) or Tenn (about 480 miles). The North Carolina Schools are closer than USCe, but I don't think a Rutgers v. Wake Forest / Duke / UNC / NC State would generate as much interest.
Of the other suggestions that I've seen, Cuse in Yankee Stadium and whomever in Orlando are the only other ones that look appealing. I would love to outnumber Cuse fans in Yankee Stadium 3 to 1.
[QUOTE="Queztastic, post: 472566, member: 5380"
I find it hard to find a location and opponent that would work. [/QUOTE]
You are obviously short-sided.
RU can bring 10,000 plus to bowl games across the country to see them play 5-6 loss teams on just a few weeks notice...yet you and others don't think a game almost anywhere on the East Coast, planned YEARS in advance against a historical Top 10-20 team could work?
Heck, RU has never EVER played a bowl game vs a ranked team.
Imagine if RU opened a season vs #4 or #3 type program?
RU Fans from across the country would show up for a game like that...not just those from NB (as a previous poster kept pointing out).
I find it hard to find a location and opponent that would work. [/QUOTE]
You are obviously short-sided.
RU can bring 10,000 plus to bowl games across the country to see them play 5-6 loss teams on just a few weeks notice...yet you and others don't think a game almost anywhere on the East Coast, planned YEARS in advance against a historical Top 10-20 team could work?
Heck, RU has never EVER played a bowl game vs a ranked team.
Imagine if RU opened a season vs #4 or #3 type program?
RU Fans from across the country would show up for a game like that...not just those from NB (as a previous poster kept pointing out).
Pass on the first two (unless Orlando is a bowl) and not going to Ireland for a football game.
Am I missing something? Are not we playing a couple of those in Piscataway this season?
We are not playing a BE/AAC schedule anymore.
Topic is non-conf games...especially huge kickoff classic type games.
Rutgers home non-conf schedule is:
Div I-AA NORFOLK STATE
WASHINGTON STATE
None are ranked.
Again, RU fans seem to be able to show up across country with just a few weeks notice to see RU play non-ranked teams (with 4-5 losses), yet wouldn't be able to do the same to see RU play a Top 10 team to open up the season along the East Coast...where tens of thousands of RU Alumni already live.
But we are most certainly playing "National Power Top 10-20 type historical program" as part of the conference slate.
Even if only playing highly ranked teams for every home date was a reasonable goal I'm not sure playing at a neutral site is worth trying to achieve that dream.
Even if only playing highly ranked teams for every home date was a reasonable goal I'm not sure playing at a neutral site is worth trying to achieve that dream.
So is Alabama...so is Auburn...so is Texas...so is Oklahoma.. so is Penn State...so is Florida State...so if Florida, etc...
Seems that those traditional powers are able to secure major season opening non-conf kickoff classic type games for their players/fans.
In these cases they are generally moving to a game venue many hours drive closer to larger metropolitan areas/the bulk of their fan base than their home field location. It is something of a novelty for them also.
We have a home field that is a half hour train ride from Times Square. We've done Met Life/Yankee Stadium.
We've got some good P5 OOC match-ups in the book. I'm not saying "Hell No - Never". If we can secure a big enough pay day we probably should. But absent that I'm missing the up side for us.
Its pretty simple.
Sat Sept 5th: RU opens the season vs Div I-AA Norfolk State on ESPNews
Meanwhile in Atlanta:
Saturday 3:30 pm: CBS National TV: Louisville vs #6 Auburn
Meanwhile in Dallas:
Saturday 8 pm: ABC National TV: #20 Wisconsin vs #3 Alabama
Big D is a major population center, which you can't say about those two places.
We got the biggest one of them in our back pocket.
Obviously means nothing in regards to college football kickoff classic games...as no stadium (or help from city/county) wants to fund a type a game like that (again) in the NYC Area.
Meanwhile, other places across the country...from Houston to Dallas to Indianapolis to Atlanta to Orlando to even Ireland, are jumping at the chance to put on major kickoff classic games on Labor Day Weekend.
I disagree. I have been to Dallas for a kickoff weekend and it just isn't the same. I'm sure Atlanta is fun, but going to UGA for a weekend would be much better.
These games also are just an opportunity to gauge fans (and schools). Basically, schools are already highly capable of throwing these events themselves, but they hire a middleman to do it for them instead. The fans end up suffering. All tickets for those "big" games are as expensive as the big bowl games -- think $200 face for a decent seat.
And, just about every NFL stadium is surrounded by a giant parking lot and then some highways. Not nearly the same as getting to spend time beforehand on a campus.
Alabama schedules those games because they don't like playing on the road in non-conference (check how often they've done that in recent years).
There is simply nothing better about a neutral site game compared to a home and home series.
Again, the only reason that is the case (i.e., that those games are "big") is that SEC programs are not generally willing to do home and homes where they have to play a road game. If they were, those games would be the biggest games...
Yes, Jerry's World is located somewhat in the middle of no where....but the Dome in ATL is basically right in downtown, right next to the Convention Center...right next to the Olympic Park...right next to all the major hotels and the bustling downtown (everything from the Aquarium to Coca-Cola to Ga Tech to The Varsity et al).
Sure Athens, GA is a fun place to go for road games but teams are also looking for $$$ for non-conf neutral site games...and that's something major stadiums/cities can offer up.
Looks like there are going to be 20,000 empty seats in Charlotte & Arlington for their neutral site games this weekend.
http://www.thestate.com/sports/coll...th-carolina/usc-football/article33295701.html
http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/09/02/alabama-wisconsin-tickets-sales-slow
http://www.thestate.com/sports/coll...th-carolina/usc-football/article33295701.html
http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/09/02/alabama-wisconsin-tickets-sales-slow
