The RiverCity Showdown, The Florida Classic & FSU vs UF

[Coolyfett]

Questions

What is the deal with the River City Showdown game is it dead? Does anyone know whats up with it as of now?

The Florida Classic, would it do better in Jax?, Jax Stadium is better than the Citrus Bowl...Its one of the top HBCU games Jax should take it away....Famu has to go through Jax to get there and Jax is between both schools. Orlando is not. The GatorBowl should try to take it away.

FSU vs UF.....same thing as above. Jax is in the middle of both schools home & home is cool. How bout a Home-home-nuetral? That game would do well in Jax and could replace the River City Showdown.

What do you think of these ideas?

[thelakelander]

You don't have to go through Jax to get to Orlando from Tallahassee.  Doing so takes much longer than driving down I-10 to I-75 to the Turnpike.  While the Citrus Bowl is a dump, Orlando is superior when it comes to entertainment.  Besides, it doesn't matter where the game is played because FAMU will come out on top 9 out of 10 times.   Nevertheless, throw the schools enough money and I would not be suprised to see them accept the cash and relocate the game one day.

[tufsu1]

The River City showdown is not dead, but FSU has no plans to play a game in Jax. for at least a few years....and the Gator Bowl Association seems to be concentrating on the SEc and Big 10 now.

I don't think FSU and UF will move off campus to Jax. (remember UF already takes a home game every other year (UGA) and brings it here.

The FAMU/BCC thing isn't a bad idea....and may be worth exploring.

[fieldafm]

The GBA is still actively working for another RCS, but it will be a few years.  Don't be suprised if another FSU/Bama game happens 

The FSU/USF game last year almost happened in Jax(still can't stand USF for nixing that one, AND beating the Noles and putting up some weak billboard in Tampa as a result).

As for the HBCU idea... the JU/BCC opener a few years ago was slated to be played in the Gator Bowl.  The price became higher than what was originally quoted and so the game moved to Daytona.  That was a real shame quite honestly.

There was a HBCU neutral site matchup for a few years... I forget who played though.  The guarantee and facility fees are pretty high for a neutral site game at Jax Municipal, so its not as though its as financially lucrative as a FSU/Bama game. 

There was a distinct possibility of a Notre Dame/Navy game before big bad Yankee Stadium made the schools an offer they couldnt refuse.

[duvaldude08]

Yes for some time the Gateway Classic was played here. (BCC vs whoever) FOr about 10 years. The last game was in 2006 and they no longer have it now. I do believe that it is a money issue when it comes to colleges using the stadium. The Gateway Classic, for example, didnt attract the biggest crowd. SO they probably spent more money than they were bringing in. Famu has played maybe one game here back in 1998. They either played Savannah states or Hampton, cant remember which one. ( I was like 16)

I believe the cost of the stadium would be the only reason they would not consider Jacksonville for the Florida classic. For long years that game bounced around. They also had it Tampa a few times, but eventually settled in Orlando. We would be a great location because we are literally are the half way point from Tallahasse and Daytona, give or take 30 minutes.

[fieldafm]

Yes for some time the Gateway Classic was played here. (BCC vs whoever) FOr about 10 years. The last game was in 2006 and they no longer have it now. I do believe that it is a money issue when it comes to colleges using the stadium. The Gateway Classic, for example, didnt attract the biggest crowd. SO they probably spent more money than they were bringing in. Famu has played maybe one game here back in 1998. They either played Savannah states or Hampton, cant remember which one. ( I was like 16)

I believe the cost of the stadium would be the only reason they consider Jacksonville for the Florida classic. For long years that gamed bounced around. They also had it Tampa a few times, but eventually settled in Orlando. We would be a great location because we are literally alot the half way point from Tallahasse and Daytona, give or take 30 minutes.

Ok, it was annoying me so I went and looked at my ticket stub(I have an annoying habit of saving all my stubs, lol).  I went in 04 for BCC vs Savannah State.  The stadium was about half full and not all of the food vendor sites inside the stadium were open. 

Here is an article from the Daytona paper about the cancelled Classic when JU and BCC were slated to play(I was REALLY looking forward to that game, and wound up driving down to Daytona to attend with a very sour taste in my mouth):

The 53rd annual Gateway Classic was supposed to be contested today at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (formerly Alltel Stadium) between B-CU and Jacksonville University.

Thompson said the city of Jacksonville informed B-CU in April that it could no longer provide the school free use of the stadium. B-CU could not afford to pay a fee of between $90,000 and $120,000 to lease the facility, Thompson said, so today's season opener was moved to Daytona Beach.

B-CU will play JU at 4 p.m. at Municipal Stadium here.

"Bethune's known for quite a while that they needed to work to be self-sufficient," said Michael Bouda, the manager of the Jacksonville Economic and Development Commission's Sports and Entertainment Board. "They've known for three years that (the Classic) wasn't going to be funded this year."

Not only were the Wildcats disappointed to not be playing in Jacksonville this year, but so were the JU Dolphins, who had never played in the Jaguars' facility before.

"There was a lot of excitement about this game," said JU athletics director Alan Verlander. "And then we hired Kerwin Bell (as the team's new head coach) and there was even greater interest. But the bottom line is with all the stuff going on in Tallahassee with tax reform, it's hard to justify the city spending six figures for a football game when they're talking about cutting police officers."

Bouda said the Classic hasn't attracted enough people in recent years to justify the city footing the bill. Last year's game with Southern drew a record crowd of 23,241, according to paid attendance figures released by B-CU. But the actual attendance count in the 73,000-seat facility was only about 17,000, Bouda said.
Thompson said even if the school could schedule strong opponents like Southern every year it would not be able to pay stadium fees. Corporate sponsorships, would help, he said, but the school would still require assistance from the city.

Thompson said the school's administration will meet with Jacksonville city officials in the "foreseeable future" to discuss possible solutions.

"Just because they're going to play in Daytona now does not preclude them from going back to Jacksonville in the future," Bouda said. "But I think you have to build the game with a strong opponent every year. To come back this year with JU in a game that they don't anticipate a very big crowd is a step back."

[duvaldude08]

Thanks Fieldafm!!! I figured it was a money issue. It if it were still the "gator bowl", that would have not been an issue. But to justify using a 73,000 seat stadium for the free, is a little tough. That is why Raines and Ribult stopped having there annual game there at the Gator bowl. Once Alltel stadium was built, they had it there for one year and never returned because they couldnt afford it. They do need to step it up, Im shocked we were letting them use it on the house. I hope it returns one day. I miss going.

[Coolyfett]

You don't have to go through Jax to get to Orlando from Tallahassee.  Doing so takes much longer than driving down I-10 to I-75 to the Turnpike.  While the Citrus Bowl is a dump, Orlando is superior when it comes to entertainment.  Besides, it doesn't matter where the game is played because FAMU will come out on top 9 out of 10 times.   Nevertheless, throw the schools enough money and I would not be suprised to see them accept the cash and relocate the game one day.

oh brother good greif....A rattler alumni lol. I know its one of the bigger classics, Definite TOP 5. I guess Orlando is a better city for it based on attractions.

Go BC-U!!!

[Coolyfett]

The GBA is still actively working for another RCS, but it will be a few years.  Don't be suprised if another FSU/Bama game happens 

The FSU/USF game last year almost happened in Jax(still can't stand USF for nixing that one, AND beating the Noles and putting up some weak billboard in Tampa as a result).

As for the HBCU idea... the JU/BCC opener a few years ago was slated to be played in the Gator Bowl.  The price became higher than what was originally quoted and so the game moved to Daytona.  That was a real shame quite honestly.

There was a HBCU neutral site matchup for a few years... I forget who played though.  The guarantee and facility fees are pretty high for a neutral site game at Jax Municipal, so its not as though its as financially lucrative as a FSU/Bama game. 

There was a distinct possibility of a Notre Dame/Navy game before big bad Yankee Stadium made the schools an offer they couldnt refuse.

Navy!!! I forgot about them....Would a Navy VS FSU annual game be of interest to Jax? Would it make money?

[Coolyfett]

Thanks Fieldafm!!! I figured it was a money issue. It if it were still the "gator bowl", that would have not been an issue. But to justify using a 73,000 seat stadium for the free, is a little tough. That is why Raines and Ribult stopped having there annual game there at the Gator bowl. Once Alltel stadium was built, they had it there for one year and never returned because they couldnt afford it. They do need to step it up, Im shocked we were letting them use it on the house. I hope it returns one day. I miss going.

I would think a JU vs UNF game would have more hype. The Florida Classic is a bigger game.

Does anyone know where the ACC championship game is now? Did it do well in Tampa Bay?

[fieldafm]

UNF does not have a football team.

ACC championship game is being played in Charlotte this year.  Tampa was a TOTAL flop.  For the teams Jax had to work with in their last two years of the game, the GBA did VERY well given the circumstances.  Again, the first year was a sellout when good teams played.  2005 had tickets distributeed of 72k, 06 was 62k+, and 07 was 53k(Boston College's ticket sales were virtually non-existant this year).  Tampa had 'distributed'(20k were free mind you) 53k tickets in 08, but only 27k people showed up(43k was Jacksonville worst year, in the rain and fog).  Last year(with an excellent traveling school in Clemson) 57k were 'distributed' with turnstile count that was around 42k(still worse than Jacksonville's worse game pitting two very ho-hum teams together on a day marked by rain and fog).

The fact that only four ACC universities have an undergrad population over 20,000 was a major factor in the Gator Bowl signing a contract with the Big 10 and SEC instead of seeking to renew with the ACC.  I don't like either conference(proud FSU grad and BIG time ACC fan), but the economic argument is clear.

On a side note... strike em Rattlers