From our friend Paul Banks...
Report: Michigan wants to play NU at Soldier Field next year
- Thread starter lou v
- Start date
From our friend Paul Banks...
“While Soldier Field has the smallest capacity of any NFL venue, it still holds 61,500, which is much higher than either of NU's two temporary venues. Given the extremely high number of Michigan transplants who reside in the Chicagoland area and its reasonably close proximity to the state itself, selling out the stadium should not be an issue.
Fans of college football's all-time winningest program are known for 1) being a nationwide base and 2) traveling very well. It makes perfect business sense for all involved to have Soldier Field host this game.“
While I’m not privvy to the math, it actually probably makes a whole lot more business sense for NU to price gouge Wolverine fans by over-charging for single-game tickets on the lakefront. Or playing that game at Wrigley, as there’s already a revenue-sharing plan in place with the Cubs that would have to be negotiated with the Bears + Chicago + Chicago Park District.
All the more reason to have it at Wrigley
What a bunch of BS. NU has an endowment reported to be north of 13 billion but to earn a few extra bucks they sell out the players by making them play in essence an away game due to the crowd disparity. They sell out us mopes who are loyal enough to be season ticket holders through thick and thin by making us sit surrounded by those insufferable Wolverine fans.
Does NU have a marketing class, How To Alienate Your Customers?
F’em.
Does NU have a marketing class, How To Alienate Your Customers?
F’em.
The endowment has nothing at all to do with the Athletic Department budget. And the article is all about how Michigan wants to play the game at Soldier Field, not that NU is entertaining the idea or working with Michigan to make it happen.
They took the money grab for Illinois and OSU this year, if they can find a bigger venue for UM next year, they will take the money grab again.
With all the TV money, gifts from the big spenders like the Ryan family, any argument that the Athletic Department is short of funds and therefore must schedule games away from Evanston to earn money rings hollow.
And if that gigantic endowment is off limits to the Athletic Department, is it there only to boast that NU is in the same financial league as the Ivies?
With all the TV money, gifts from the big spenders like the Ryan family, any argument that the Athletic Department is short of funds and therefore must schedule games away from Evanston to earn money rings hollow.
And if that gigantic endowment is off limits to the Athletic Department, is it there only to boast that NU is in the same financial league as the Ivies?
There was no “money grab for Illinois and OSU this year,” those were contractually obligated games played at Wrigley to fill a quota after the Cubs spent money to make it easier to play football at Wrigley Field. Were those games more expensive than Lakefill games? Yes. Does it make sense for NU to charge more for higher-demand games? Also yes.
The gigantic endowment is there primarily for educational purposes. Ya know, the whole reason the university exists in the first place.
It isn't about being short of funds. It's about having more funds to invest in the program/pay players. Do you prefer that we have more money or less?
Please enlighten me how the games at Wrigley and earlier games at Soldier Field have helped improve the athletic department and the teams.
Has all that publicity and money made the football team any better?
Has all that publicity and money helped fill the empty seats at a 12,000 to 15,000 seat temporary stadium?
You asked a question and I answered it. Not sure how instead playing those games on the lakeside (which would’ve been cold and miserable for Illinois, by the way) would have helped achieve that any better either.
Would have been more of a home crowd advantage at Lakeside. Which would be better for the team, I’d guess. But definitely better for us fans.
I was in Spain visiting a sick friend for the OSU game, but being outnumbered 5 or 6 to 1 at the Illinois game, a home game, wasn’t pleasant.
You’re right, the outcomes would probably be the same.
I realize we can’t avoid the Wrigley contractural obligations, but after being at the first Wrigley game against Illinois, I don’t understand why Phillips wanted to play there more.
My two cents:
0.01: Just need the Athletic Department to decide, straight up, if they want to "sell" a home game or not. I would be disappointed to hear the answer be yes, but I would also understand from an economical standpoint.
0.02: If they decide to sell it, then after what I witnessed at Wrigley this year for Ohio State, I'd hope they would package this game into season tickets where actual NU fans might be able to get a discount and show up. If as a season ticket holder I/we just get swept into the price gouge, then honestly, I might just sit this one out (which I never do, but something's gotta give).
0.01: Just need the Athletic Department to decide, straight up, if they want to "sell" a home game or not. I would be disappointed to hear the answer be yes, but I would also understand from an economical standpoint.
0.02: If they decide to sell it, then after what I witnessed at Wrigley this year for Ohio State, I'd hope they would package this game into season tickets where actual NU fans might be able to get a discount and show up. If as a season ticket holder I/we just get swept into the price gouge, then honestly, I might just sit this one out (which I never do, but something's gotta give).
Wrigley game prices were heavily discounted for STHs as we were able to buy without surcharges/fees. For IL/OSU we paid around 30% less than the general public sale through the Cubs.
The first game atmosphere was electric (and on gameday) and we would have won if our starting QB weren’t injured in the prior week’s electric win.
Honest question: were you at the Wisconsin game on the Lakeside? Because that was probably a solid 85-90% Wisconsin red.
I was there. I recall more red for Indiana, but it’s a lousy color either way.
This is a silly conversation. When we had our own 50,000 seat home stadium, it would be overwhelmingly filled with maize and blue for a game like this. If we had it in our little 12,000 seat temporary stadium, there will be quite a lot of maize and blue. Once we have the game in our 35,000 seat brand new stadium, it’s gonna be overwhelmingly maize and blue again.
Even if the game was at soldier field, and I’m skeptical, that’s not selling a home game. There is nowhere we can go with a ton of NU fans. The game is still in Chicago.
Even if the game was at soldier field, and I’m skeptical, that’s not selling a home game. There is nowhere we can go with a ton of NU fans. The game is still in Chicago.
This reeks of Bo and Don Canham's standing offer during the Dark Ages to move any home games vs. Michigan from Dyche to Ann Arbor.
This 2013 articles says five games. I believe we've now played four (Purdue, Iowa, Ohio State, Illinois - the first Illinois game preceded this agreement). I'm assuming we'll play at least one there next season and then be done with it. It would be nice to win one, especially since I've attended all of them.
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