What do you think of neutral site conference games in the B1G?

25 January 2013
21 Comments

Comments

buckeyedude on 25 Jan 2013 - 7:15am #

Once again, it's all about the Benjamin's.

"Here officer, hold my beer while I find my license."

cajunbuckeye on 25 Jan 2013 - 7:22am #

If I could have my way, the Buckeyes would play once a year in the Superdome. Laissez les bon temps roule!!!

An angry fan...rooting for an angry team...led by angry coaches

Buckeyevstheworld on 25 Jan 2013 - 7:26am #

Depends on where this "neutral" site is located.

Though any stadium within 1,000 miles of Ohio State, will hardly be neutral.

"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.

AndyVance on 25 Jan 2013 - 7:47am #

The obvious reason for Ohio State (or M*ch*g*n, for that matter) not to forgo home games is that The Shoe can hold significantly more fans than any other stadium that might logically host a neutral site game. According to this list, the next closest target in terms of capacity is the Cotton Bowl at 92,100 seats, and then the aforementioned MetLife Stadium at 82,566. LucasOil, btw, only seats 70,000.

With Ohio State already looking to raise ticket prices to cover the loss of an 8th home game for the next few seasons, giving up one to host a neutral site game doesn't make sense.

For anyone in the conference not named M*ch*g*n, Penn State or Ohio State, and maybe Nebraska or Wisconsin, giving up a true home game probably isn't smart money.

bukyze on 25 Jan 2013 - 8:14am #

As mentioned above, it is about money, and OSU will never give up a home game because of this. But I wouldn't mind playing a neutral site game every once in a while, but only on one condition - it HAS to be outdoors. Maybe the Ravens' (Maryland) or Giants'/Jets' (Rutgers)stadium.

Bucksfan on 25 Jan 2013 - 9:01am #

"Hey, welcome to the Big Ten, Rutgers and Maryland, where academics and campus life are extremely important to us. That's why we asked you to join. We are really excited and think you both are a great fit. That said, we're not really interested in having Ohio State, Michigan or Penn State waste their time actually playing football on your campus. Your facilities are not adequate compared to other B1G teams, and we actually only asked you to join so we can play football at NFL stadiums in your market. Thanks!"

bukyze on 25 Jan 2013 - 9:47am #

Touche!

BucksfanXC on 25 Jan 2013 - 10:00am #

Pretty much. Which I'm fine with as a one-off. But I kinda want to go to Maryland and Rutgers to watch a game. Maybe they play in the Meadowlands/etc. their second visits, that gives them a few years (one year at home, one year away, one year at NFL/NBA stadium, one year away) to save up some of that new B1G/BTN money and spend it adding 20-30k seats to their current facilities.

“Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.” - Woody

Alhan on 25 Jan 2013 - 10:26am #

I said "Hate it" at the thought of Ohio State losing any games at The 'Shoe. If you look at it from the perspective of moving games that would be played in small, subpar stadiums to bigger venues to allow more butts in the seats, I suppose I don't have as much of a problem with it. I don't think, however, that they need to be at a "neutral site". Just move them to the closest NFL stadium and call it good.

You can kill a fly with your slipper or a cannon. Either way, the fly dies. -Ramzy

buckeyedude on 26 Jan 2013 - 1:09am #

That's what I said, except you said it more poignantly. I said it more succinctly.

"Here officer, hold my beer while I find my license."

IBLEEDSCARLETANDGRAY on 25 Jan 2013 - 10:08am #

The only place I'd be ok with giving up a home game for would be playing in the Rose Bowl. Then it would be freaking awesome to see OSU beat someone down there twice in a season.

"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever

Kurt on 25 Jan 2013 - 10:41am #

Meh, shoulve've been an option. It's sort of sad that as conferences grow the 'haves' and 'have-nots' even within a single conference have widened so drastically.

DMcDougal24 on 25 Jan 2013 - 10:49am #

Does the B1G championship count? I'm okay with that being at neutral site, but I don't want ordinary conferences games to be at neutral site- it's perfectly fine the way it is.

cplunk on 25 Jan 2013 - 11:53am #

There are a ton of OSU, TSUN and PSU fans here in the DC area. Maryland's stadium holds 54k. FedEx field, where the Redskins play and not that far from College Park, holds 82k. I guarantee MD can sellout FEdex for those three opponents. Why wouldn't they want the extra cash?

mr.green on 25 Jan 2013 - 12:16pm #

This is so true. And why wouldn't Indiana want to play a "home" game against Wisconsin at Soldier Field if they could sell it out? This makes lots of sense.

Savage45 on 25 Jan 2013 - 12:22pm #

Rutgers should have to play us in the Meadowlands and Maryland should be required to host us at Fed Ex Field. I have no interest in traveling to College Park or Piscataway, but New York City (NJ) and Washington DC (Landover)are more appealing.

Other than the two new comers I'm in favor of keeping games on campus.

Alex on 25 Jan 2013 - 12:29pm #

growing up 20 mins from Rutgers' campus I will say there are two things the school does well:

fun tailgating set-up
Grease Trucks

The latter is definitely worth one trip to New Brunswick/Piscataway.

As for the Meadowlands, that is in New Jersey (East Rutherford) and there is nothing around Met Life Stadium. It is definitely not NYC.

If you want NYC, hope RU plays OSU in a neutral game at Yankee Stadium. It's just a subway ride from Manhattan vs having to go NJ Transit from Manhattan to Seacaucus to Meadowlands.

Also, M&T Bank Stadium (Ravens) in Baltimore might be more fun than FedEx field. I've been to both and FedEx is cool but it's kind of in the ghetto in Landover, MD. M&T is located in the inner harbor in downtown Baltimore.

As for the rest of the B1G, I would say Northwestern;s stadium is probably less enjoyable than RU or UMD. I would move those games to Soldier Field.

Some may say the same for Illinois, but Memorial Stadium has a certain history and traditional feel to it.

cplunk on 25 Jan 2013 - 12:52pm #

M&T is definitely a better stadium (FedEx is awful for getting in and out), but most the OSU, TSUN, and PSU fans in the area are in Northern Virginia and DC itself. With traffic, a trip to M&T for a game is a royal pain and will take most the day. FedEx is much closer time-wise than M&T. That's the big problem with the DC area; you can't think in terms of distance, you have to think in terms of travel time. M&T isn't that much farther from the NVA and DC B1G fans in terms of miles, but it's hours more travel time thAnks to our wonderful area traffic.

luckynewman13 on 25 Jan 2013 - 1:40pm #

I would be fine with the idea if we move to a nine game conference schedule. That way in place of the unbalanced 4-home and 5-away (or vice versa) schedule, every team would play 4-home, 4-away. 1-neutral (Chicago or New York).

yrro on 25 Jan 2013 - 2:01pm #

I think it's fine as long as we are also going to an extra conference game, and it isn't every year.

J.Mo on 26 Jan 2013 - 7:43pm #

The B1G needs to appreciate that the conference is home to the best two stadiums in college football and it's also home to some incredible stadiums and campus Gameday experiences.