Over the past 2-3 weeks there have been two interesting developments in football scheduling. First off, the Arkansas Razorbacks and Texas A&M Aggies look set to play a 6-8 year series in Dallas at Jerry Jones' new facility. The teams will each get $5 million per year for the game. The ARK vs. TAMU series will begin as early as 2009.
Last week, the Atlanta Sports Council announced that Alabama and Clemson will open the 2008 season at the Georgia Dome in a game to be sponsored by the Chick-Fil-A. The game appears to be part of an effort by the city to schedule a yearly season opener at the Dome between SEC and ACC opponents. Rumored payout for the Atlanta game, which will be televised by ABC or ESPN at 8:00 pm EST, is in the $2 million neighborhood.
As you know, last year FSU and Bama played in Jacksonville while Kansas and Missouri agreed to play in Kansas City for two years as part of their rivalry. Other teams considering or booking neutral site games include:
- Notre Dame:
2009 vs. Washington State in San Antonio
2011 vs. TBD in Orlando
2012 vs. Baylor in Dallas (Tentative)
2014 vs. TBD in Orlando
Missouri:
2007-2010 vs. Illinois in St. Louis
2007-2008 vs. Kansas in Kansas City
FSU:
2008 vs. Colorado in Jacksonville (rumor)
2012 vs. TBD in Orlando
2014 vs. TBD in Orlando
In the past, these games were very common. Georgia and Auburn played in Columbus from 1916-1958. Mississippi State and Ole Miss tangled in Jackson from 1973-1990, and Alabama played Auburn in Birmingham from 1904-1988 (well...when they were speaking to each other they played there).
I personally think that neutral site games are good for college football in general. Although, the series at the Georgia Dome is specifically bad for UGA in that it further opens the city of Atlanta up to other programs recruiting in our backyard. Something that annoys Coach Richt.
Hopefully, our athletic department will take note of the trend and keep the Florida game in Jacksonville. If Bama playing in Atlanta helps their recruiting in Georgia, then wouldn't UGA playing in Jacksonville help our recruiting in Florida?
See Also
-- GT will feel the Clemson/Bama series the most - GTP
PWD
28 comments:
The CU/Bama game in ATL doesn't bother me one bit. Good for the city in getting the game.
Unfortunately, I have to go now since I married into a Bama family and my brother went to Clemscum - but that's my cross to bear.
Go Dawgs!!
For more on the positive impact of the game on the city of Atlanta you can look here.
For more on the positive impact of the game on the city of Atlanta you can look here.
clem/bama hurts tech more than it hurts us, IMO.
Don't forget the greatest upcoming neutral site game of them all:
2012: Navy v. ND in.. Dublin, Ireland
I think each team getting $5 million is a bit steep. And the WSU/ND game in San Antonio is a bit of a head scratcher unless the Irish are trying to bolster their Catholic ties with Hispanics.
RE: Games in ATL
It seems like another plausible game would be the "Snow Bird Bowl" where all the fans that are normally driving up and down I-75 stop off in ATL for a game on their way to Florida. Possible match ups:
Michigan St vs. South Florida
Michigan vs. FSU
Ohio State vs. Miami
Ontario vs. Florida
I mean if they are going to be here anyway, let's make a few extra bucks (no pun) off them.
One potential setback for Atlanta could be that those teams that play in the opener won't want to go to the Chick-fil-a Bowl. That could limit their pool of quality teams to choose from, since the ACC doesn't have many anyway and end up hurting the bowl.
Speaking of bowls, how long before the Gator and CBS beg the SEC to get involved in what was once a proud bowl down there in Jacksonville? That would give the SEC 5 New Year's Day games and push our Peach Bowl participant back to the #6 team in the league instead of #5. Sad to see the upper deck empty at the Gator Bowl.
If it means there will be more good matchups then I'm for it.
I wish we could pick up one of those Notre Dame dates in Orlando. How awesome would that be to have a huge game right in the gator's backyard?!!?
I would think Urban Meyer will have a huge problem with these ND dates...
The ACC really hasn't done the Gator Bowl well.
does anyone know when the new AP poll comes out after tonight? And just curious, what does the (sic) mean when people put it in their posts? Thanks.
we seem to be bringing in anybody we darn well please so im not worried about our recruiting.
Glad to see the Bama/Clemson game coming to the dome. The ATL Sports Council figured that would get better crowds than those watching NFL teams practice against the Falcons.
I love vogue. I get all my magazine subscription at speedimpex.amazonwebstore.com and foreignmags.com
(sic) spelling incorrect
Or just incorrect altogether, as with "Georgia Tech fans (sic)," because you can't really call any of their "fans" true fans.
Jones to SMU today at 4 PM, bringing the prophecy of Carl to fruition: "Look for Hawaii to drop its football program altogether after this embarrassment and focus instead on cliff diving and sacrificing young hotties to their volcano god."
anon 10:43
Sic is from a Latin word that means "thus" or "so". It is often inserted into quoted passages which contain errors in order for the reader to understand that the representation of the quoted material is accurate, even though it may seem inaccurate. You will find it accompanying quotes that contain spelling errors, grammatical errors, or errors of fact.
However these days it is often used to make fun of something or someone else - as evidenced by anon 2:53...
The economic impact of these events is overblown. It assumes that no one else would come to Atlanta during that time or that locals would not spend money. Locals may well stay away from downtown because of the crowds so you have someone from out of town buying beers instead of a local.
It also assumes that no conventions or other meetings will be held; although around the first of the year this might be a good bet. Less so in late Aug/early Sept (although ATL in August is a dreadful place to be).
As close as Alabama and Clemson are to GA, I am not sure it makes that big of a deal. I have never quite understood why Bama does not get more Georgia recruits; let's be honest, it has a richer college football history than any other team albeit that is dated and maybe the kids these days do not know that much about it (same situation with Notre Dame).
I would love to go to the ND-Navy game in Dublin---I really like Ireland! Maybe UGA could schedule a game with ND there!
skidawg85 continues to prove that he is an idiot.
Question: Why are we still playing UF in Jacksonville? I don't care what anyone says, this is not a neutral site. I'd much rather play Athens/Gainsville . . . not that I really have any desire to go to Gainsville. Wouldn't it be better for us to have home field advantage every other year? Can't Richt end this the way Bama/AU quit playing in B'ham?
ugagirl,
Ask Bama fans how well leaving Bham went for them. I am not saying it is the same, but Auburn definitely got the better end of that deal.
An Athens, Jax, Gainesville, Jax... rotation is probably the most likely solution.
jasonc,
Well playing in Jacksonville isn't working out so well for us given the record. Obviously this was our year, but the record speaks for itself.
A rotation between Athens, Jax, Gainsville, Jax . . . ? I like it. I'm just tired of our fans treking hours to Jax/St. Simons for the weekend when for most of their fans it's a short trip.
Our senior class is 2-2 in the Gator Bowl and we still lead the overall series. That's not bad for a perennial away game. Personally, I don't care if we play in Jacksonville or not. I don't mind the trip. Then again, I do enjoy Athens tailgating and more of it cannot be a bad thing.
And while I do agree with skidawg that the economic impact of these events are massively overblown, many cities buy into the idea hook, line, and sinker. Jacksonville is certainly prone to that type of thinking. They practically give us the stadium these days.
Just saw the final AP poll:
Georgia is ranked #2!
What a finish!
The Cocktail party needs to stay in Jax. It IS a neutral location. Tickets are split 50/50. Sure we have a bit longer of a trip, but that doesn't affect the players on the field - hell, they stay in a hotel 30/45 min outside of Athens for our home games. Not to mention this game is treated as somewhat of a homecoming for all of the south georgia UGA fans. The biggest factor in UFs recent success against us in this game isnt the location, but the bye week they have had to rest and prepare.
This is a great tradition that gets national attention for the program and makes a kick ass fall vacation for us fans.
what about playing the cocktail party at the georgia dome then jax and rotate like that...
or if the universities really really want to have it home every once and awhile then
georgia dome/ gainsville/ jax/ athens..
the last idea is least likely... because thats alot of changing around.. i personally like the tradition of playing in jax.. this year was my first time going to that game, im 20 years old and have been to every place the dawgs have played.. im a huge fan, but let me just tell you that the time a had in jax was 2nd to none, maybe it was the outcome of the game but even before i had the biggest smile on my face that wouldnt go away, i was just soaking in all that is the cocktail party, frat beach on ssi the night before, the landing, i loved it all.. a great guy who was a top 500 contributer sold me 2 lower level 20 yard line tickets for face value, there was 3 of us, me and 2 girls, so i tried to sit down there, there was no extra seats but everyone around me didnt mind let me stand up close to them.. it was an overall great expierance, i cried happy tears as did the old man right behind me 3 times during the game, an hour later when my gf was telling her friends about how excited i was..
and then a week later when my best friend was talking about it.. im not ashamed to tell the world about it.. haha yeah i cried, but hell who doesnt get a little emotional, when you've been a life time dawg and you see something happen that you have only expieranced twice in your life, and your there for it.. its something you'll never forget! i remember being a freshman in hs, watching the dawgs romp arkansas in the SEC title game, and looking over in the final seconds and watching my dad the one person ive never seen cry, cry happy tears after enduring 25 years of hope gone, and finally grabbing that SEC title, these are raw emotions only a dawg fan can understand.. We are ranked #2 in the final ap, and may be a preseason favorite for number 1... Until next year, i love all of you guys that i randomly meet in athens on a saturday! GO DAWGS! and PWD you do a great job with the blog.. thanks for your insite, and the other guys too.
158....
To quote a convo on a message board years ago....
Dawg1: "I'm screwed because there's no way that I'm going to cry at my own wedding."
Dawg2: "Why is that a problem?"
Dawg1: "Because my fiance has seen me cry during the Battle Hymn Solo pre-game in the stadium."
Dawg2: "Simple solution. Just play Battle Hymn at the wedding."
LMAO!
Post a Comment