FSU sets new series in football

[nawlinsgator]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

Here's the difference and I've been over this several times in several threads, but some people still don't get it and I presume never will!

Bama's big in-state rivalry game is Auburn - an SEC game. So is Tennessee's with Vandy. And LSU doesn't have a big in-state rivalry game at all. And none of those teams have an annual neutral site game like UF. In addition, UF, LSU and Bama have all had recent stadium expansion projects and need the revenue from 7 true home games to pay off the loans.

The difference is the combination of the neutral site UGA game, coupled with the FSU game. That combination takes an away game we could possibly exchange for a home-and-home series like those other schools do. Between the SEC schedule and FSU game, UF only has 4 games each year in Gainesville. So with a 12-game schedule, all 3 remaining games MUST be home games.

Because Bama, LSU and Tennessee don't have neutral site or established OOC rivalries, they have the ability to play their 7 home games and still schedule an away OOC game every year.

UGA is in the same basic position as UF as far as the neutral site game and in -state OOC rival, but what's different is that they aren't currently paying for any major stadium expansion projects like the others, so they can get away with just 6 home games.

Bama and LSU have much OOC schedules than UF. LSU usually has not 7, but 8 home games! Both schools have just as many cupcakes on their schedule as UF. Again the difference is they have the extra game they can trade for a home-and-home each year.

I also think it's funny how many people want to move the Florida Georgia game on campus or get rid of the FSU game. Most schools would give their left nut to have a neutral site game like FL/GA or a great rivalry game like FSU. Can't believe how many people would choose to give those up so we could play a high profile game against a meaningless opponent.

Great job spelling it out!

[GatorLaw]

To me it isn't a question of "our schedule is already plenty strong." I know it is. To me it's a question of fan interest and media attention. I don't want to add Ohio State or Oregon or anyone like that. I'd just like to see us play someone - almost anyone - from a BCS conference other than the ACC that we don't normally play. Maybe someone like Purdue or Illinois or Minnesota or Washington or any number of other similar teams - i.e. teams that aren't generally real good but that are in another BCS conference and another part of the country. It wouldn't affect our SOS that much and it sure would generate more interest and attention than the Citadel et al. And we don't have to do it every year. How about just every 3-4 years? Couldn't our revenue stand a new home-and-home that infrequently?

[GatorLaw]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

Here's the difference and I've been over this several times in several threads, but some people still don't get it and I presume never will!

Bama's big in-state rivalry game is Auburn - an SEC game. So is Tennessee's with Vandy. And LSU doesn't have a big in-state rivalry game at all. And none of those teams have an annual neutral site game like UF. In addition, UF, LSU and Bama have all had recent stadium expansion projects and need the revenue from 7 true home games to pay off the loans.

The difference is the combination of the neutral site UGA game, coupled with the FSU game. That combination takes an away game we could possibly exchange for a home-and-home series like those other schools do. Between the SEC schedule and FSU game, UF only has 4 games each year in Gainesville. So with a 12-game schedule, all 3 remaining games MUST be home games.

Because Bama, LSU and Tennessee don't have neutral site or established OOC rivalries, they have the ability to play their 7 home games and still schedule an away OOC game every year.

UGA is in the same basic position as UF as far as the neutral site game and in -state OOC rival, but what's different is that they aren't currently paying for any major stadium expansion projects like the others, so they can get away with just 6 home games. . . .

I was reading along about LSU, Alabama, et al and how they're different from us because they have no elite, OOC, in-state rivals. And I was wondering how you were going to distinguish UGa since they do have a significant in-state rival that's OOC and also has a neutral site game just like we do. And then I see it's because UGa isn't expanding its stadium. Which distinguishes them from LSU, Alabama, et al (I assume since you say so, I don't know anything about their stadiums). But how does that distinguish UGa from us since we're not engaged in any major stadium expansion either?

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by GatorLaw

I was reading along about LSU, Alabama, et al and how they're different from us because they have no elite, OOC, in-state rivals. And I was wondering how you were going to distinguish UGa since they do have a significant in-state rival that's OOC and also has a neutral site game just like we do. And then I see it's because UGa isn't expanding its stadium. Which distinguishes them from LSU, Alabama, et al (I assume since you say so, I don't know anything about their stadiums). But how does that distinguish UGa from us since we're not engaged in any major stadium expansion either?

UF will need the 7th game until the West Skyboxes are paid off. I don't know exactly when that is but this will be the first time UF will only have 6 home games at BHG as we are playing in Miami, so those of you wishing for that big OOC road game are getting your wish this year!

I find it hard to believe the skyboxes and other recent projects are paid off yet, but who knows. The next question, if they are paid off, is whether we give up the 7th game for a few years to add some home and home games (I hope not to see too much of Miami) or if they do further upgrades like East side skyboxes. I know people say it can't be done because of the Florida Gym, but I bet they can find a way if they really want. With the economy, my guess is they don't do much to BHG in the next few years except lower cost cosmetic upgrades like they did in the East side concourses this year.

As for UGA, the last major expansion project they did was completed in 2003. I know they have some major expansion plans on the table they want to do, but the question is how long they put it off with the economy and with decreasing ticket demand.

If UF doesn't do anything and UGA does, we could see the exact opposite of what we see now, where UF is playing the extra high profile OOC game and UGA is playing more cupcakes.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by GatorLaw

To me it isn't a question of "our schedule is already plenty strong." I know it is. To me it's a question of fan interest and media attention. I don't want to add Ohio State or Oregon or anyone like that. I'd just like to see us play someone - almost anyone - from a BCS conference other than the ACC that we don't normally play. Maybe someone like Purdue or Illinois or Minnesota or Washington or any number of other similar teams - i.e. teams that aren't generally real good but that are in another BCS conference and another part of the country. It wouldn't affect our SOS that much and it sure would generate more interest and attention than the Citadel et al. And we don't have to do it every year. How about just every 3-4 years? Couldn't our revenue stand a new home-and-home that infrequently?

That's probably exactly what you'll see ... at best. You're probably never going to see UF playing Ohio State or Texas or a huge school like that during the season.

It's probably going to be a rotation of Miami every few years and maybe more regional opponents (along the lines of GT or NCSU). In the 90s I remember we played at Syracuse and lost.

[jcp]

Originally Posted by gator1986

Imagine if we crossed off FSU, now add in Ohio St say next year and then 3 years down the road. Does anyone know what kind of game this would be?

I am tired of beating Ohio State.

[KronoGator]

Originally Posted by jcp

I am tired of beating Ohio State.

Yeah, I thought people wanted the cupcakes gone, osu is a giant cupcake.

[gator1986]

Originally Posted by jcp

I am tired of beating Ohio State.

Doesn't matter... It would still be a big seller for both schools... I hate OSU too, but I would love to play them every once in a while to keep it going...

[nawlinsgator]

Originally Posted by jcp

I am tired of beating Ohio State.

Spurrier, Ritch, Miles, and Saban all got to beat Meyer. Why should we deny Muschamp the opportunity? :-)

[gator1986]

Originally Posted by nawlinsgator

Spurrier, Ritch, Miles, and Saban all got to beat Meyer. Why should we deny Muschamp the opportunity? :-)

Lol I like that..

[SoonerDean]

Originally Posted by gator1986

I agree but Oklahoma had the same amount of time like Boise st. I just don't really buy the preparing for a conference slate, yes I understand preparing for each game as they come but Georgia, VA Tech, Oregon all had the same amount of time as Boise St to prepare.

You should not over prepare your team, looking ahead gets you burnt, and maybe your right maybe that's what those teams have done is look ahead. That's not Boise's fault, they came and played like they should and flat out won. Every team had the same amount of time to prepare, no excuses.

True. What people forget is that Boise was undefeated and ranked within a spot or two of Oklahoma in that Fiesta Bowl and the 2006 OU team probably overachieved that season. OU booted their starting QB 1 week before practice and played the year with a WR at QB The Fiesta Bowl was 2 evenly matched teams that the "no name" upstart team won in dramatic OT fashion.

I think that most people agree that Boise can game plan for their big regular season opponents for several weeks before the game. Play in a BCS conference and you have to focus on your weekly opponent much more.

Back on topic:

OU has a similar rivalry game at a neutral site each year (Texas), but OU doesn't have an FSU type game that they schedule each year. Because they don't have a FSU, OU is playing at least one of the following each year until 2022: ND, Ohio St, LSU, Tenn, Army and Nebraska. Army is the least marquee, but many fans are most excited about that game as a road trip to take.

I would be interested to see how many UF fans would trade the FSU game for a non-con schedule like OU will have for the next 8 years. As an outsider, I would guess that most would rather keep FSU.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by SoonerDean

True. What people forget is that Boise was undefeated and ranked within a spot or two of Oklahoma in that Fiesta Bowl and the 2006 OU team probably overachieved that season. OU booted their starting QB 1 week before practice and played the year with a WR at QB The Fiesta Bowl was 2 evenly matched teams that the "no name" upstart team won in dramatic OT fashion.

I think the problem is that despite the record and ranking, nobody really took BSU seriously at the time. I think most BCS conference schools felt like they should be able to line up and plow over the lowly BSU team. It's hard for any coach to get a team up for a team it feels it's should be easily better than. Just like UF against Louisville.

Originally Posted by SoonerDean

I would be interested to see how many UF fans would trade the FSU game for a non-con schedule like OU will have for the next 8 years. As an outsider, I would guess that most would rather keep FSU.

I would choose to play FSU with no hesitation. I understand why people want the variety, but I'd take a rivalry game like FSU that has meaning each and every year over playing games that while they might be high-profile games, really don't have the much significance.

And I was much more excited 2 years ago about the FSU game than I was the Ohio State bowl game. Same in 2010 with Penn State or 2007 with Michigan. Were any of you seriously more excited about those bowl games than you were about the FSU game?

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by gator1986

With Boise St. I kind of wish Florida would get on the same path here. JMO but it would be nice to see Florida play a top out of conference team every year even if it is Boise St., it would definitely get Florida fans more excited and pumped... But like I said just my opinion.

Hey I'm all in favor of dropping fsu and playing a big OOC opponent home and home. It would be really great to travel and the variety would be most welcome.

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by gator1986

Ok I agree but not every team in the SEC is really hard... Better than most yes, but why not set a home and away wit Oklahoma, or Ohio St? Possibly Texas or maybe USC... Something to give the fans a reason to be real pumped about the season... I completely understand we play LSU, USCe, Georgia, and FSU every year with the possibility of Alabama, and Texas A&M.... Every once in a while, but if you threw in one of those other teams, then you can easily justify the hardest schedule argument, along with playing in the SEC...

No No, we already play the hardest schedule over time. We've already played more final ranked opponents in the last 10 years and in the last 20 or 25 or 30 etc than anybody else in America as is. We have no reason to make our schedule yet more difficult. Dropping fsu and replacing them with those sorts of intersectional opponents would make sense though. We would still have one of the tougher schedules in the country since we play in the SEC but going from the toughest in America already to absolutely insanely difficult -and losing money in the process - makes no sense at all.

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

I also think it's funny how many people want to move the Florida Georgia game on campus or get rid of the FSU game. Most schools would give their left nut to have a neutral site game like FL/GA or a great rivalry game like FSU. Can't believe how many people would choose to give those up so we could play a high profile game against a meaningless opponent.

the sow game doesn't mean as much to me (and obviously many other Gators) as it seems to mean to you.

Want a rivalry game? We could pick up the phone and schedule scUM any time we want to. They'd be quite happy to do it. Hell, everybody wants to be rivals with Florida. Go on and go to the national message boards and see. One of the teams everybody wants to play the most is.....Florida. That's hardly surprising considering we're the big Daddy smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest talent hotbeds in the country. Who wouldn't wan the exposure they'd get by playing us? In fact, on pretty much all the national boards you will see endless whining from others that they don't get to play Florida.....no matter how completely nonsensical it would be for us. You'll hear it from Iowa fans, Oregon fans, TCU fans, Wisconsin fans etc. Why in the hell we would want to play in the middle of a bunch of flat corn fields with a smattering of pasty white natives by playing somebody like Iowa is beyond me....but boy oh boy do they want to play Florida.

We could schedule pretty much anybody we want home and home if we did not automatically just give that slot away to fsu every year. I for one would rather we had a home and home vs ND then one vs UCLA then one vs Texas, then UNC, then say Nebraska etc etc. Our fans would be psyched to see them come to Gainesville and would be equally psyched to visit some really historic venues and/or cool destination cities. Instead we are saddled with sow. whoopeee.

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by SoonerDean

I would be interested to see how many UF fans would trade the FSU game for a non-con schedule like OU will have for the next 8 years. As an outsider, I would guess that most would rather keep FSU.

A LOT of us would make that trade from reading these threads on this board and other boards the last several years. Our AD will never go for it since he seems to think they are somehow entitled to that spot on our schedule but plenty of us would LOVE to play such games and get to travel to different places etc etc.

Many of our fans are rather bored with fsu every year (we'll gladly play them as an occasional opponent just not every year) and besides....that game gets taken for granted by everybody else around the country. "yeah sure UF plays fsu every year but who else do they play OOC?"....even though of course their team doesn't play an opponent nearly as good as fsu every year. We hear a lot of that. I want to play in places like ND stadium or the Big House at Michigan. I want to see some cool places to visit like LA or Seattle or Austin. Lastly I want some dang variety. I was THRILLED we got to play Missouri and aTm last year. FINALLY! Some new opponents!....other than just rotating cupcakes every year which is all we seem to do and nobody cares about that anyway.

[nawlinsgator]

I actually really wouldn't mind seeing us play some OCC bigname teams in place of FSU as long as they are still see them regularly...maybe every 2 to 4 years.

[gator1986]

Originally Posted by nawlinsgator

I actually really wouldn't mind seeing us play some OCC bigname teams in place of FSU as long as they are still see them regularly...maybe every 2 to 4 years.

This is have no problem with you know play say at FSU this season, the following next season we have a home against Oklahoma, the next following season we have a home game vs FSU and the next season we have an away game Oklahoma... Just to mix it up, I understand the money isn't there right away, but over an extended amount of time more money flow should come in. Plus imagine the networks that would be scratching and clawing at each other to get this game on their market? I just think this would be a great idea for Florida.... Muschamp said " they'll play you, and they'll beat you" well I just want to see it, because I love that attitude.

[Wormwood56]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

UF will need the 7th game until the West Skyboxes are paid off. I don't know exactly when that is but this will be the first time UF will only have 6 home games at BHG as we are playing in Miami, so those of you wishing for that big OOC road game are getting your wish this year!

I find it hard to believe the skyboxes and other recent projects are paid off yet, but who knows. The next question, if they are paid off, is whether we give up the 7th game for a few years to add some home and home games (I hope not to see too much of Miami) or if they do further upgrades like East side skyboxes. I know people say it can't be done because of the Florida Gym, but I bet they can find a way if they really want. With the economy, my guess is they don't do much to BHG in the next few years except lower cost cosmetic upgrades like they did in the East side concourses this year.

As for UGA, the last major expansion project they did was completed in 2003. I know they have some major expansion plans on the table they want to do, but the question is how long they put it off with the economy and with decreasing ticket demand.

If UF doesn't do anything and UGA does, we could see the exact opposite of what we see now, where UF is playing the extra high profile OOC game and UGA is playing more cupcakes.

Atlanta, you seem to have a better handle on the logistics of this than most here. Can you do a two year VERY ballpark cost analysis of playinig a home and home with a good AQ conference team versus The Citadel every two years?

We know that The Swamp would sell out against a good real team, versus, what, 90% capacity versus a rent-a-win (even if it is announced as a sold out game). What other costs are there?

In the away year, we would lose gate receipts which would amount to what? For the sake of argument, let's say $20 a ticket x 90,000 ($1,800,000)? Round it up to $2M. if it is MUCh more, however, do tell. I'm talking about concessionaires, luxury boxes, etc. In 2009, our revenue at home averaged about $2.4M. So $2.5M it is.

Then tell us what we would make by traveling to ________. How much of that gate would we get? and if that game happens to be on a Thursday night, or another time when it is a prime time game, how much network revenue $$$ would we get, rather than watching rent-a-win on PPV? How much would that $2.5M be whittled down? Not to mention the savings from not having to turn the lights on, pay the consessionaire staff, security, and other overhead that is probably sizable. Not to mention an increased ticket price against said team when they come to Gainesville. Of course, this could also be cancelled out by airplane travel to the road game, hotels, etc.

Then there is the rent for the rent-a-win. How much is that? How much do we pay a team to come to the Swamp for their slaughter?

Also, in 2009, our net proceed fromothe Georgia game was $1,888M, about $500K less than a home game, so it isn't like we would only play SIX home games a year. Our cut with UGa is substantially more than a road game.

In 20009, Florida was the third highest revenue producer from sports in the nation. is our budget THAT tapped out that there is no room? Has our accountants become like politicians in Washington, DC?

So in a nutshell, we can (a) add up the revenue lost with a road game, then (b) tally up the savings from expenditures we would no longer have, and add this to the additional revenue we would make from major network television, etc. Wonder what the bottom line would be?

People all say we can't afford it. I would love to see a semi-professional cost analysis done to really see the numbers.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by Wormwood56

Atlanta, you seem to have a better handle on the logistics of this than most here. Can you do a two year VERY ballpark cost analysis of playinig a home and home with a good AQ conference team versus The Citadel every two years?

I can't do a cost analysis, but it really isn't necessary.

Here's a simple point that a lot of people don't seem to understand. It doesn't matter how many people are in the stands. It's all about SEASON ticket sales! The reality is that up until this past year, all those cupcake games that were only 75% full were SELLOUTS! Even this year, they were probably just a few thousand seats short of a sellout.

The tickets were sold and the Athletics Association already had their revenue. It made no difference that the seats were empty. The only thing they were missing out on were concessions and the relatively few parking spaces the University gets revenue from. They don't make money from hotels or restaurants, so it makes almost no difference to them.

The point here is that the athletics association has had little financial incentive to schedule better teams.

Now that might start to change because for the first time in DECADES, season tickets didn't sell out. That means there were seats that weren't generating revenue. Now for the first time in decades, they need to start looking at how to sell out those season tickets. That may be adjusting the contribution needed to buy tickets, or reducing prices or maybe, just maybe providing a slightly better product.