Quote
By Garry Smits,
The Times-Union
With ticket sales lagging for Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference football championship game between sixth-ranked Virginia Tech and No. 12 Boston College, Gator Bowl Association president Rick Catlett said his optimism is waning about Jacksonville keeping the event.
Catlett believed that 65,000 tickets sold was the minimum needed to keep the game from moving to Charlotte, N.C., or Tampa next year. With BC fans avoiding a chance to see their team play for a BCS conference title for the first time in school history and public sales low, the actual number of tickets sold is on track to be about 10,000 less than that goal.
"It's a long shot, but I never give up hope," Catlett said. "The weather report for Saturday is very good, a lot better than last year, so we're hoping for very strong walk-up sales. I won't pack it in until the ACC says they're not coming back."
ACC athletic directors, faculty representatives and league officials will meet today to discuss the championship game and other issues. Speculation was that a vote might be taken on the site of next year's title game, but Catlett said that it's his understanding the vote isn't likely to happen until mid-December.
The first ACC championship game, in 2005 between Florida State and Virginia Tech, sold out Municipal Stadium. However, last year's Wake Forest victory over Georgia Tech sold around 60,000 tickets, and the prospects for reaching that amount seem bleak this year.
Catlett said he will respect the ACC's decision if the league moves the game out of Jacksonville.
"The most important thing is for the conference to grow this game," Catlett said. "If it's not us, then I understand. I don't want to get into blaming people. For whatever reasons, whether it's the economy or the ticket prices being too high or something else, the fans of the schools involved haven't traveled here in the past two years, and we haven't sold as many tickets locally as we would have liked.
"But Jacksonville's got nothing to be ashamed of. The city has done everything it needs to do to make this game special."
The box offices at the north end zone of the stadium will open at 9 a.m. Saturday for walk-up sales. Seats available include the club sections ($125), lower bowl sideline ($80) and lower bowl end zone ($70). Tickets will be available for purchase through halftime.
Fans also can purchase tickets online today by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or www.gatorbowl.com, and by calling Ticketmaster at (904) 353-3309.
garry.smits@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4362
This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/113007/spo_221603432.shtml.
QuoteACC Championship Game schedule of events
Today
9 a.m.-noon: ACC FanFest field trip for area youth, Pepsi Plaza, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
Noon-1:15 p.m.: ACC coaches and awards luncheon, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Ballroom (tickets are $25).
6-8 p.m.: ACC Legends reception, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Ballroom (tickets are $50).
5-10 p.m.: ACC FanFest, featuring Phil Vassar in concert, Pepsi Plaza, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (admission is free).
10 p.m.: Fireworks on the St. Johns River.
Saturday
All events at Pepsi Plaza, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: ACC FanFest.
10-10:30 a.m.: Virginia Tech pep rally.
10:45-11:15 a.m.: Boston College pep rally.
11:30 a.m.: ACC mascots game.
After the game-8 p.m.: ACC champion postgame party.
When BC beat Clemson a few weeks back, Catlett knew this would happen. The GBA did everything they could. Unfortunately, the timing was bad with Miami and FSU being down.
Why should the city be made to feel guilty about not buying tickets for 2 teams we all could care less about? I guarantee you the SEC Championship sells all their schools allotted tickets and doesn't pan them back to Atlanta and threaten to yank the game if a certain number of tickets aren't sold.. BS, I say. Good riddance if they do go. They won't do any better anywhere else.
Quote
"But Jacksonville's got nothing to be ashamed of. The city has done everything it needs to do to make this game special."
I would suggest, El Paso, Texas... They have a big stadium, and it's the "garden spot" of the Southwest! LOL!Ocklawaha
I would love for the game to stay and I am actually going tomorrow to show my support, but to blame Jacksonville for the fact that many of their ACC member schools do not have good football traditions or large traveling fan bases is frankly ridiculous. I seriously doubt that they would do any better in Tampa or Charlotte and would probably do worse. The weather is bad in Charlotte and Tampa is more remote and harder to get to by car than Jacksonville. Perhaps they need to look in the mirror and get their own football houses in order before blaming others. For example, Boston College is a small private school which would not stand a chance were they in the SEC and would have 5 losses so this wouldnt even be an issue. In the ACC, we are supposed to pretend that they are some sort of powerhouse. A decent Florida team (8-3 at the time) absolutely destroyed FSU (who is supposed to be a mid-tier ACC team this year and was 7-4 at the time). So, the bottom line is the football isnt as good and the schools for the most part dont bring their own fans.
BTW, I have been to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta several times (traveling up there from Jacksonville) and I have never met nonpartisan locals at the game. The people I have met were all fans of the respective schools who either travel to the game from their states or who happen to live in Atlanta. Neither Jacksonville, Tampa nor Charlotte has the population base and alumni base for the ACC like Atlanta does for the SEC so it is hard to believe that the ACC officials are holding us to that standard. Anyway, I hope they stay but if they leave they are making a mistake in my view.
Quote from: RiversideGator on November 30, 2007, 03:54:36 PM
I would love for the game to stay and I am actually going tomorrow to show my support, but to blame Jacksonville for the fact that many of their ACC member schools do not have good football traditions or large traveling fan bases is frankly ridiculous. I seriously doubt that they would do any better in Tampa or Charlotte and would probably do worse. The weather is bad in Charlotte and Tampa is more remote and harder to get to by car than Jacksonville. Perhaps they need to look in the mirror and get their own football houses in order before blaming others. For example, Boston College is a small private school which would not stand a chance were they in the SEC and would have 5 losses so this wouldnt even be an issue. In the ACC, we are supposed to pretend that they are some sort of powerhouse. A decent Florida team (8-3 at the time) absolutely destroyed FSU (who is supposed to be a mid-tier ACC team this year and was 7-4 at the time). So, the bottom line is the football isnt as good and the schools for the most part dont bring their own fans.
BTW, I have been to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta several times (traveling up there from Jacksonville) and I have never met nonpartisan locals at the game. The people I have met were all fans of the respective schools who either travel to the game from their states or who happen to live in Atlanta. Neither Jacksonville, Tampa nor Charlotte has the population base and alumni base for the ACC like Atlanta does for the SEC so it is hard to believe that the ACC officials are holding us to that standard. Anyway, I hope they stay but if they leave they are making a mistake in my view.
well if BC is so terrible, they should lose to Va Tech and then will get a chance to play a team from the "powerhouse" SEC conference in the Chick-Fil-A (Peach) Bowl.
The SEC has tradition but they aren't that much better than the ACC (see Wake over vandy and Clemnson over USC last week)...in fact, they may be as overrated year-iun year-out as the Big Ten
This year it appears the SEC was overrated big time along with the Big Ten. Btw, if Missouri wins Florida could end up playing Zook's boys in a bowl game.
Quote from: RiversideGator on November 30, 2007, 03:54:36 PM
I would love for the game to stay and I am actually going tomorrow to show my support, but to blame Jacksonville for the fact that many of their ACC member schools do not have good football traditions or large traveling fan bases is frankly ridiculous. I seriously doubt that they would do any better in Tampa or Charlotte and would probably do worse. The weather is bad in Charlotte and Tampa is more remote and harder to get to by car than Jacksonville. Perhaps they need to look in the mirror and get their own football houses in order before blaming others. For example, Boston College is a small private school which would not stand a chance were they in the SEC and would have 5 losses so this wouldnt even be an issue. In the ACC, we are supposed to pretend that they are some sort of powerhouse. A decent Florida team (8-3 at the time) absolutely destroyed FSU (who is supposed to be a mid-tier ACC team this year and was 7-4 at the time). So, the bottom line is the football isnt as good and the schools for the most part dont bring their own fans.
BTW, I have been to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta several times (traveling up there from Jacksonville) and I have never met nonpartisan locals at the game. The people I have met were all fans of the respective schools who either travel to the game from their states or who happen to live in Atlanta. Neither Jacksonville, Tampa nor Charlotte has the population base and alumni base for the ACC like Atlanta does for the SEC so it is hard to believe that the ACC officials are holding us to that standard. Anyway, I hope they stay but if they leave they are making a mistake in my view.
Well don't forget that Clemson beat South Carolina, Wake Forest beat Vandy and earlier this year FSU beat Alabama.
Quote from: RiversideGator on November 30, 2007, 03:54:36 PM
I would love for the game to stay and I am actually going tomorrow to show my support, but to blame Jacksonville for the fact that many of their ACC member schools do not have good football traditions or large traveling fan bases is frankly ridiculous. I seriously doubt that they would do any better in Tampa or Charlotte and would probably do worse. The weather is bad in Charlotte and Tampa is more remote and harder to get to by car than Jacksonville. Perhaps they need to look in the mirror and get their own football houses in order before blaming others. For example, Boston College is a small private school which would not stand a chance were they in the SEC and would have 5 losses so this wouldnt even be an issue. In the ACC, we are supposed to pretend that they are some sort of powerhouse. A decent Florida team (8-3 at the time) absolutely destroyed FSU (who is supposed to be a mid-tier ACC team this year and was 7-4 at the time). So, the bottom line is the football isnt as good and the schools for the most part dont bring their own fans.
BTW, I have been to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta several times (traveling up there from Jacksonville) and I have never met nonpartisan locals at the game. The people I have met were all fans of the respective schools who either travel to the game from their states or who happen to live in Atlanta. Neither Jacksonville, Tampa nor Charlotte has the population base and alumni base for the ACC like Atlanta does for the SEC so it is hard to believe that the ACC officials are holding us to that standard. Anyway, I hope they stay but if they leave they are making a mistake in my view.
Geography does give Charlotte a leg up. Four teams are in NC proper and Clemson is also within 130 miles. If the game had been in CLT last year, more Wake Forest fans would have showed up. For this year, CLT is driving distance from VA Tech, but is more like flying distance to Jax. I haven't done the research but there must be exponentially more flights from Boston to CLT than Boston to Jax, since CLT is a hub airport. As for the weather, that can be an issue in SOME years, but most of the teams are in local climates at LEAST as far north as Charlotte is, so they are use to it.
Also, it would only have taken $800,000 or so for the game to be a sellout this year. If CLT were presented with the same situation, it is hard to believe that the corporate titans of CLT wouldn't have split the tab, bought the tickets and given them to their employees. Losing Barnett Banks, Independent Life, Gulf Life, AHL, etc. takes a toll that shows up in situations such as this.
While the SEC is the strongest football conference year-to-year, both ACC and ACC had off years this year. Tampa is no doubt out of the picture.
What if the game is in Charlotte and it's a FSU/Miami matchup? Good luck to them.
Quote from: copperfiend on December 01, 2007, 01:42:45 PM
What if the game is in Charlotte and it's a FSU/Miami matchup? Good luck to them.
Large schools with big fan base. Tons of flights from the three Miami airports to CLT on USAirways. If both are going well enough to be in the championship, there shouldn't be much problem.
QuoteThird year not charm for city
The ACC is expected to take its game elsewhere due to low attendance.
By Garry Smits, The Times-Union
Jacksonville bid a likely goodbye to the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship game Saturday after three years of close games, good weather and spotty attendance.
"We did everything we could to make this a first-class experience for the teams and college football fans," said Gator Bowl Association president Rick Catlett, whose organization ran the game. "We're proud of what we did."
Now, it will be the turn of either Charlotte, N.C., or Tampa to make a go of it.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a brief news conference during halftime of the Virginia Tech-Boston College game that a decision on where the event would go would be reached "in a couple of weeks."
Swofford said the options are moving the game to a city for multiple years, or rotating the sites, as the Big 12 Conference does with its title contest.
"We're looking for the best model to make it successful, regardless of who's playing," Swofford said.
Swofford wouldn't rule out the conference keeping the game in Jacksonville, but almost no one at the league office or with the GBA believes it will.
After the first ACC title game between Florida State and Virginia Tech sold out in 2005, in spring-like weather, last year's chilly, rainy game between Wake Forest and Georgia Tech sold just over 62,000 tickets. With sparse support from BC fans and public sales waning because of the absence of a team from Florida, Saturday's game sold only 53,212 tickets.
A chamber-of-commerce weather day didn't seem to spark walk-up sales, and only a few dozen fans were in the upper bowl of the stadium.
Since GBA officials admitted earlier this year that only a sellout would keep the game in Jacksonville, the ACC is likely to take the game to Charlotte, which is located within a drive of no more than several hours from most ACC schools.
The distance to Jacksonville was one of the main reasons cited by BC fans for the lack of Eagles supporters coming to this year's game.
"Charlotte is about 1,000 miles closer," said Marc Hogan, a 1997 BC graduate who lives there. "You can drive from Boston in one day there. It's a little tougher to Jacksonville, and there are no connecting flights from Boston to here."
Mike Szarowicz, a 1999 BC graduate, said the school's small enrollment is a constant problem in ticket sales to postseason games.
"You can fit our living alumni in Michigan Stadium," he said, referring to BC's estimate of 100,000 living alumni. "It's a small private school."
When it was pointed out that Wake Forest has 40,000 living alumni and sold more tickets to last year's ACC title game than BC, Szarowicz shrugged and said: "Well, that's frustrating. I agree that we could do better."
While Virginia Tech fans supported yet another game in Jacksonville, some said they would welcome a day trip to Charlotte.
"You can drive to Jacksonville from Virginia in one day, but it's a long day," said Daphne Jamison of Smith Mountain Lake, Va. "Of course, I don't know that we'd get weather like we get in Jacksonville."
garry.smits@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4362
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/120207/col_222103914.shtml
Quote from: tufsu1 on November 30, 2007, 10:58:22 PM
well if BC is so terrible, they should lose to Va Tech and then will get a chance to play a team from the "powerhouse" SEC conference in the Chick-Fil-A (Peach) Bowl.
The SEC has tradition but they aren't that much better than the ACC (see Wake over vandy and Clemnson over USC last week)...in fact, they may be as overrated year-iun year-out as the Big Ten
Well, considering that BC did lose to VT, perhaps your statement was prophetic. Also, comparing the cellar dwellers in each conference does not in any way prove that the conferences are comparable. The SEC is better than the ACC on the whole and we all know it. Looking at the top tier is more indicative. For example, the ACC has no team as good as LSU, Georgia or Florida. VA Tech is the best team in the ACC apparently but they would be a mid-tier team in the SEC. This is the bottom line.
BTW, the SEC is projected to have 2 teams play in BCS bowls one of whom (LSU) will be playing for the National Championship and the ACC just has one by virtue of the system automatically sending their champion to a BCS bowl.
Also:
Quote(updated through the 2006 season):
The SEC holds an 245-114-10 (.678) all-time advantage.
Since 1990, the SEC leads the ACC in head-to-head games with a 65-50-2 (.564) record.
http://www.secsportsfan.com/sec-vs-acc-football.html
And:
QuoteThe SEC has the most alumni playing in the NFL. The 2007 NFL opening day active rosters showed 263 former SEC football players on NFL rosters. The ACC was second with 238 players; the Big Ten was third with 234; Pac-10 -- 183; Big 12 -- 176; Big East -- 84. (FYI -- Tennessee is the top SEC team with 36 players in the NFL; Georgia second with 35.)
The SEC has led the nation in football attendance for 9 straight years â€" averaging 75,706 fans per game in 2006...
In 2006, the SEC led all conferences in winning percentage vs. non-conference opponents with an incredible .854 winning percentage. According to the 2005 SEC Football Fan guide the SEC holds an all-time 72.4% non-conference winning percentage. That all-time percentage obviously went up after 2006...
Most scouting services ranked 6 SEC schools in the top 10 nationally in the most recent recruiting season. Rivals.com, for instance, had Florida #1 and Tennessee #2. No other conference came anywhere close.
http://www.secsportsfan.com/sec-football.html
Off the top of my head, Georgia (SEC) has won 6 straight over Georgia Tech (ACC) and Florida (SEC) has won 4 straight over FSU (ACC). Since 2000, SEC teams have won 2 National Championships and the ACC just 1.
I think these stats pretty much settle the matter. The SEC is superior to the ACC. Case closed.
Quote from: thelakelander on November 30, 2007, 11:23:52 PM
This year it appears the SEC was overrated big time along with the Big Ten. Btw, if Missouri wins Florida could end up playing Zook's boys in a bowl game.
How does it appear this? The SEC teams this year at the top are all quite good and have knocked each other off giving each top SEC team 2-3 losses. We just dont have a clearly dominate team in the SEC this year, but LSU is probably the best in the conference. The SEC is the best conference in the nation year in and year out, including this year. See my post above for proof, not conjecture.
Quote from: vicupstate on December 01, 2007, 09:54:29 AM
Geography does give Charlotte a leg up. Four teams are in NC proper and Clemson is also within 130 miles. If the game had been in CLT last year, more Wake Forest fans would have showed up. For this year, CLT is driving distance from VA Tech, but is more like flying distance to Jax. I haven't done the research but there must be exponentially more flights from Boston to CLT than Boston to Jax, since CLT is a hub airport. As for the weather, that can be an issue in SOME years, but most of the teams are in local climates at LEAST as far north as Charlotte is, so they are use to it.
Also, it would only have taken $800,000 or so for the game to be a sellout this year. If CLT were presented with the same situation, it is hard to believe that the corporate titans of CLT wouldn't have split the tab, bought the tickets and given them to their employees. Losing Barnett Banks, Independent Life, Gulf Life, AHL, etc. takes a toll that shows up in situations such as this.
While the SEC is the strongest football conference year-to-year, both ACC and ACC had off years this year. Tampa is no doubt out of the picture.
I agree that Charlotte is more centrally located to the ACC schools, but there are only 40,000 living Wake Forest alumni and BC only 100,000 living alumni. With the SEC, the University of Florida for example has 50,000 students alone with hundreds of thousands of living alumni many of whom are very avid football fans. The main problem with the ACC game is, aside from VA Tech, Miami and FSU, the ACC is a basketball conference with little winning football tradition.
BTW, weather in Charlotte today is a balmy high of 56 with the temps dropping into the 40s tonight and a chance of rain. I dont know how many Charlotteans would sit through an average game with teams they dont care about in bad weather. Even if BOA steps up and buys all of the unsold tickets, there would still be a lot of empty seats in Charlotte. I just think the ACC needs to be a little more realistic as to the football passion in their conference.
Based off play this year, the SEC is not head and shoulders above all conferences. Yes, its above the ACC, but with FSU and Miami down that's not saying much. I'd say this year, the Big 12 could give them a run for their money. They also have two teams that are projected to play in BCS bowls (OU & Kansas) and another that was ranked #1 in the country before last night's loss to Oklahoma.
Btw, I can't believe LSU jumped over three teams to move to #2. If I were a Georgia fan, I'd be pissed. Conference championship or not (since there's no rule saying you have to win your conference to play in the big dance), Georgia was playing the best ball in that conference during the second half of the season with a pretty young team.
Georgia could have been there if they had taken care of business earlier in the season. Not getting blown out by Tennessee would have helped. LSU on the other hand lost two very close games in triple overtime but they were to lesser teams. I still think a two loss LSU is still better than any of the 1 loss teams out there though. We will see how it all shakes out in a few weeks. The bowl games are a good indication of conference strength.
BTW, here are the rivals.com bowl projections: http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=746471
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 02, 2007, 01:50:54 PMBTW, weather in Charlotte today is a balmy high of 56 with the temps dropping into the 40s tonight and a chance of rain. I dont know how many Charlotteans would sit through an average game with teams they dont care about in bad weather. Even if BOA steps up and buys all of the unsold tickets, there would still be a lot of empty seats in Charlotte. I just think the ACC needs to be a little more realistic as to the football passion in their conference.
For all its recent progress, Charlotte alone can't change the fortunes of this albatross. The ACC needs to build up its football tradition before this championship game will take off. I think they would be better off rotating the game for while.
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 02, 2007, 02:03:37 PM
Georgia could have been there if they had taken care of business earlier in the season. Not getting blown out by Tennessee would have helped. LSU on the other hand lost two very close games in triple overtime but they were to lesser teams. I still think a two loss LSU is still better than any of the 1 loss teams out there though. We will see how it all shakes out in a few weeks. The bowl games are a good indication of conference strength.
BTW, here are the rivals.com bowl projections: http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=746471
A loss is a loss and LSU dropped their last game of the regular season with all the marbles on the line. Yes, Georgia had some injuries and lost early on, but that team responded by whipping Florida by 12, blowing out Auburn, held Kentucky (who beat LSU) to 13, and scored 31 on a pretty good Ga Tech defense. I think a healty Oklahoma, USC, Oregon (if Dixon was still around) or Georgia would give LSU fits. Unfortunately, OSU sneaked in this thing with a pathetic schedule and will be exposed again while better teams are on the outside looking in.
RG....you are proving to be like many other Gator fans....you need to wake up and realize that good football is played all over the country....not just in the SEC....I agree that the top tier of the SEC is better than the top tier of the ACC but the difference isn't as big as you think.
Three examples of the ACC beating the SEC during the regular season have been shown...now let's see what happens in the bowl games.
Sure LSU pummeled Va Tech...but that was a Sat. night in Baston Rouge (almost no road team wins those games) and Va Tech was still trying to put their offense together.
You also quoted that the SEC has the most players in the NFL....you may want to check the #1 and #2 schools in terms of NFL players....that would be Miami and FSU of the ACC...'Nuff Said!
tufsu:
1) I agree that good football is played all over the country. I just said that the best college football is played in the SEC.
2) Thanks for reminding me of the most compelling piece of evidence that the SEC is better than the ACC right now. The SEC Champs LSU absolutely destroyed the ACC Champs VA Tech 48-7 this year in a head to head match up. Ouch.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=272510099
3) As for NFL players, there has been some good talent at Miami and FSU obviously. However, both programs have really dropped off here lately. In the 90s, they were the premier football programs in Florida. This is not that case anymore.
Quote3) As for NFL players, there has been some good talent at Miami and FSU obviously. However, both programs have really dropped off here lately. In the 90s, they were the premier football programs in Florida. This is not that case anymore.
Everything runs in cycles. You can't stay at the top every year. For Florida, this is good, because now they'll finally be able to beat Miami next year. That's something the Gators haven't done in over 20 years.
OUCH! :'(
Quote from: thelakelander on December 03, 2007, 12:09:29 AM
Quote3) As for NFL players, there has been some good talent at Miami and FSU obviously. However, both programs have really dropped off here lately. In the 90s, they were the premier football programs in Florida. This is not that case anymore.
Everything runs in cycles. You can't stay at the top every year. For Florida, this is good, because now they'll finally be able to beat Miami next year. That's something the Gators haven't done in over 20 years.
It isnt as if we have been playing Miami every year for the past 20 years either. Either way, look for the Gators to win big against Miami in 2008.
All streaks must come to an end. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Florida canceled the rivarly when Miami was playing some of its best ball ever in the late 80s. Currently, Miami has a six game winning streak with four coming in the last six years, including a 41-16 thumping in 2002 and the crazy Brock Berlin comeback a year later. With that said, Miami will definately be huge underdogs next year with a team full of freshman going up against Tebo.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 04, 2007, 12:21:17 AM
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Florida canceled the rivarly when Miami was playing some of its best ball ever in the late 80s.
This was done when the SEC went to divisional play and increased the mandatory number of SEC games to 8. So, with FL-GA always being played in Jacksonville, we had to drop the home and away series with Miami in order to insure a minimum of 6 home games in Gainesville. Now that the NCAA allows for 12 football games in the regular season as opposed to the previous limit of 11, we can add them back on which has happened at least for one home and away series. The bottom line is Miami has had a lot of success in the 1980s and 90s but are in serious decline now coming off a losing season at 5-7 and 3-6 in the ACC. I expect a little payback for the Gators in 2008.
oh the poor poor Gators....they needed 6 home games every year with an 11 game schedule....why, splitting the revenue of an 85,000 seat stadium with GA every year wasn't enough?
Other big name teams were able to make it work with 5.....even my beloved Temple Owls (who are by no means big time) had 4 game home seasons quite often...and this year FSU played 5 at home with a 12 game schedule
of course the home schedule is the "official" reason UF dropped the rivalry....lets see whether UF and Miami play each other every year now that 12 game schedules are allowed....they didn't in 2006 or 2007!
Quote from: tufsu1 on December 04, 2007, 10:59:44 AM
oh the poor poor Gators....they needed 6 home games every year with an 11 game schedule....why, splitting the revenue of an 85,000 seat stadium with GA every year wasn't enough?
Other big name teams were able to make it work with 5.....even my beloved Temple Owls (who are by no means big time) had 4 game home seasons quite often...and this year FSU played 5 at home with a 12 game schedule
of course the home schedule is the "official" reason UF dropped the rivalry....lets see whether UF and Miami play each other every year now that 12 game schedules are allowed....they didn't in 2006 or 2007!
Well, in Gainesville, as opposed to at Temple and FSU, we have 90,000 plus fans who are very excited to come to every game and who pay a lot of money for 6 home games so this is sort of due to them. And, if we were ducking Miami why have we played them so many times since dropping the series due to scheduling contraints?
BTW, why is a Temple/FSU fan carrying water for the Miami Hurricanes?
And, Miami was lucky to play us when they were good and we were bad. They got us for home and away during the Zook era (who despite his relative success at Illinois was a bumbling failure at UF) and we never played them during our national championship seasons or when we were so good in the mid to late 1990s. This is an accident of timing and will be corrected in 2008 and 2009. Book it.
Some claim that the Gator's good teams of the late 90s are a direct result of Miami's probation. The Hurricanes lost 31 scholarships during that period and were banned from postseason play sending many top high school players in the State to UF and FSU in the process and enabling them to get a better hold on recruiting in South Florida.
The Zook era parallels Miami's decline with Coker leading the Canes down the tubes. Nevertheless, they were still able to handle the Gators, laying the wood to them 27-10 in the 2004 Peach Bowl. The Hurricanes are a QB and a DL or two away from being a decent team again. Depending on if Miami's top rated recruiting class pans out this year, I can see this upcoming home & home end up with the Gators winning in 2008 and Miami in 2009.
As for FSU, I wonder how long are they going to stay with Bowden? Its time for a coaching change.
Quote from: thelakelander on December 04, 2007, 01:12:18 PM
As for FSU, I wonder how long are they going to stay with Bowden? Its time for a coaching change.
look for an announcement this week
Interesting. Any idea on who takes his place?
Quote from: thelakelander on December 04, 2007, 01:21:40 PM
Interesting. Any idea on who takes his place?
Terry Bowden ;D
i thought Bowden just signed a 1 year extension...
I thought so too.
Quote from: adamh0903 on December 04, 2007, 02:35:36 PM
i thought Bowden just signed a 1 year extension...
It has been rumored that OC Jimbo Fisher will be his successor. We could see 2008 be the Bobby Bowden Farewell Tour.
Yeah, I can see that, he did a great job turning the offense around this year ;D
Quote from: adamh0903 on December 04, 2007, 02:51:42 PM
Yeah, I can see that, he did a great job turning the offense around this year ;D
There is only so much you can do with limited talent. How did Urban Meyer's offense look the first 2 years in Gainesville?
Quote from: adamh0903 on December 04, 2007, 02:51:42 PM
Yeah, I can see that, he did a great job turning the offense around this year ;D
the overall results aren't much different than last year....but it did take time to learn the new offensive schemes...players say the playbook is triple what it was last year....and the offense was far less predictable during games this year
also note that FSU was 0-5 in its division last year, 3-2 this year...the real test of the new system will be next year when most of the tough games (BC, Va Tech, UF, Clemson) are at home
screw the acc im going back on what i said lets seen if we can change it so we could have florida georgia game in altanta every other year and the years its in atlanta the sec chapionship game should be in jax
The ACC Football Championship goes to ... Tampa
AND Charlotte
QuoteCharlotte to host ACC football title game
KEN TYSIAC
Charlotte officials on Wednesday received their long-awaited opportunity to play host to the ACC football championship game.
But the game will stay in Florida two more years before coming to Bank of America Stadium.
The ACC announced Wednesday that it will hold the 2008 and 2009 games in Tampa and gave Charlotte the games in 2010 and 2011. The dates for the games at Bank of America Stadium are Dec. 4, 2010, and Dec. 3, 2011.
A news conference is scheduled at 2 p.m. today at Bank of America Stadium to announce details.
ACC athletics directors and faculty athletics representatives unanimously approved the plans during a conference call Wednesday morning.
A city-wide convention scheduled in Charlotte on the weekend of the 2008 game affected the sequencing of the games. The Association for Career and Technical Education will hold its 2008 convention Dec. 4-6 in Charlotte, occupying key hotels and ancillary event areas that weekend.
Although the ACC originally asked for bids for 2008-10, awarding the game over a four-year period accommodated Tampa's and Charlotte's requests to play host for consecutive, two-year periods.
"We are extremely excited about the future of the ACC Football Championship game at these sites," ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. "Both Tampa Bay and Charlotte are tremendous destinations in terms of their football venue, community support and partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Both locations have outstanding leadership as well as surrounding communities that have embraced the opportunity to continue the growth of our championship game."
Charlotte was outbid by Jacksonville for the first round of ACC championship games after the conference expanded to the 12 teams the NCAA requires to hold a conference championship game.
Three years of declining attendance - as Jacksonville drew 72,749 in 2005, 62,850 in 2006 and 53,212 in 2007 - opened the door for Charlotte and Tampa.
Its location within 275 miles of eight ACC schools was a plus for Charlotte as conference officials hope for higher attendance at future games. Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tim Newman said that with construction on a number of attractions scheduled to be finished in 2010, the city will have more entertainment options and 3,500 additional parking spaces at that time.
"We'll have the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Wachovia Cultural Complex which is being built, and all that will add to a great experience for ACC fans," Newman said.
Tampa impressed ACC officials with its management of the 2007 ACC men's basketball tournament and is seen as a potential draw for fans because of its warm weather and location on the Florida Gulf Coast.
Good riddance. They were impressed by Tampa's ability to host the ACC basketball tournament? I am sorry but that is comparing apples to oranages. Lets see how they do trying to sell more than 50,000 tickets as opposed to say 15,000 for an arena event. The ACC hopping around every two years is not helping their cause either. What a bunch of fruitcakes on that committee. It should have been in Charlotte all along.
From what I have heard from an insider, the Gator Bowl doesnt even want the ACC game back because those losers cant fill up a stadium to save their lives and then have delusions of grandeur in demanding big paydays from the host city. The bottom line is the Gator Bowl lost big money on the game for the last two years and would rather focus on games with teams that actually have fans who travel, like FSU-Alabama and the Gator Bowl game. I agree with the good riddance sentiment. I went to the game this year and it was frankly boring with the only positive being that you could buy booze in the club seats. I hardly watched the game. Good luck with Charlotte and Tampa. I'm sure the mighty ACC will sell out in those cities. ::)
Tallahassee, Gainesville and Tuscaloossa are not exactly 'traveling'. The Gator Bowl can pick and choose who attends. Not exactly the same.
After having tried Tampa and Charlotte for two years the ACC will know what 'theory' holds, climate or geography. I still say that once Charlotte gets it, it won't move again. Basically, Jax just got unlucky, but CLT will make its own luck.
Did anybody hear about ticket prices? The ACC is lowering the tickets so they start at $25 instead of $60.
Quote from: vicupstate on December 13, 2007, 08:37:57 AM
Tallahassee, Gainesville and Tuscaloossa are not exactly 'traveling'. The Gator Bowl can pick and choose who attends. Not exactly the same.
After having tried Tampa and Charlotte for two years the ACC will know what 'theory' holds, climate or geography. I still say that once Charlotte gets it, it won't move again. Basically, Jax just got unlucky, but CLT will make its own luck.
Tuscaloosa isnt traveling?? It is an 8 hour drive to Tuscaloosa from Jacksonville - about as long a drive as it was for some of the ACC participants - yet they probably had as many or more fans in the game vs. FSU than did the Seminoles. That is an example of a football fan base, my friend. Being from South Carolina, you probably just wouldnt understand.
As for Charlotte, time will tell. I dont think the problem is climate or geography either. I predict the game will be a dog no matter where it is played unless certain schools play each other in it (FSU, Clemson or VA Tech mainly). The ACC just isnt a good football conference and doesnt have a good fan base. This is the bottom line with this game.
BTW vic, you sure sound like a Charlotte booster. ;)
significantly reduced ticket prices will make a big difference....I bet many more folks in Jax would have paid $25 for an upper level seat vs. the $60 or $70 they wanted this year
Quote from: tufsu1 on December 13, 2007, 12:58:07 PM
significantly reduced ticket prices will make a big difference....I bet many more folks in Jax would have paid $25 for an upper level seat vs. the $60 or $70 they wanted this year
Nice of the ACC to make ticket prices reasonable after they leave town. Now if sales increase as a result, they can credit the new city instead of the lower prices. Oh well...
Seriously - I could care less. I went in 06 (the game in the rain), but not this last year.
I'm sorry - if BC gets to the game again, and has another 3,500 empty seats, this will show you that it wasn't Jacksonville.
The ACC just doesn't really have much tradition as a conference, unlike the SEC (or even the Big 12). Personally, I think for the first few years it should be a rotating show, hosted at or near a campus of someone who is likely to make it.
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 13, 2007, 12:50:10 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on December 13, 2007, 08:37:57 AM
Tallahassee, Gainesville and Tuscaloossa are not exactly 'traveling'. The Gator Bowl can pick and choose who attends. Not exactly the same.
After having tried Tampa and Charlotte for two years the ACC will know what 'theory' holds, climate or geography. I still say that once Charlotte gets it, it won't move again. Basically, Jax just got unlucky, but CLT will make its own luck.
Tuscaloosa isnt traveling?? It is an 8 hour drive to Tuscaloosa from Jacksonville - about as long a drive as it was for some of the ACC participants - yet they probably had as many or more fans in the game vs. FSU than did the Seminoles. That is an example of a football fan base, my friend. Being from South Carolina, you probably just wouldnt understand.
As for Charlotte, time will tell. I dont think the problem is climate or geography either. I predict the game will be a dog no matter where it is played unless certain schools play each other in it (FSU, Clemson or VA Tech mainly). The ACC just isnt a good football conference and doesnt have a good fan base. This is the bottom line with this game.
BTW vic, you sure sound like a Charlotte booster. ;)
8 hours is still a day's drive. The AL state line is only 100 or so miles farther than FSU. Regardless, it doesn't compare to a flight from Boston to JAX. Do they even have direct flights?
Obviously you haven't spent much time in SC, or know much about college football, to make a statement like that. Clemson and USC both are known for their loyal fan base. Both have a long tradition of being highly coveted for Bowl games. SC is as football-crazy as AL, OK, TX or FL. I doubt you can name one team anywhere, that sells out every home game in a large stadium, good years and BAD (usually bad) as USC. It took something like 8 bowls games for them to win one, but they sold all their allotted tickets every time. Clemson's fan base is comparable to that as well.
Speaking of Bowl games, if the ACC is so weak of a football conference, full of teams with no loyal following, how has the Gator Bowl survived all these years?
The truth is except for BC, Wake Forest, and Vandy, ALL the teams in both conferences would easily fill a large stadium.
As I said before, Jax just got dealt a bad hand.
As for Charlotte, I call them like I see'um. If Charlotte can't keep the game, then TRULY no city can. It is easily the most civic-minded city I know of, and it wouldn't lose prestige and a tourism windfall over $700,000.
Quote from: vicupstate on December 13, 2007, 03:53:25 PM8 hours is still a day's drive. The AL state line is only 100 or so miles farther than FSU. Regardless, it doesn't compare to a flight from Boston to JAX. Do they even have direct flights?
Actually yes - via Delta Connection.
I believe twice a day.
Don't forget the $10-$50 Skybus directs from Boston/Jax daily via St. Augustine.............
Man, we really blew it! Boy, Jax has really messed up now! Dang, I can't beleive that Jax lost the ACC Championship to Tampa, and Charotte; Oh the humanity! This is definitely a big blow to the city of Jax! :'( Just Kidding :D. No one in Jax gave a damn about that game anyway. I hope that the next year's ACC champ game features the two powerhouses BC & Wake Forest to the tune of about 25,000 at the Ray Jay.
Quote from: Dapperdan on December 12, 2007, 03:08:11 PM
Good riddance.
Exactly.
The game itself is not what is important.
Jax lost a chance for national exposure for three consecutive years.
The biggest thing is the economic impact. Had the game been closer to a sellout, Jax would have had the game three more years. At 10 million a year for three years, that's significant.
The key to getting more hotels DT is occupancy and rates, and early December is normally slow for hotels.
Quote from: vicupstate on December 14, 2007, 09:36:48 AM
The game itself is not what is important.
Jax lost a chance for national exposure for three consecutive years.
The biggest thing is the economic impact. Had the game been closer to a sellout, Jax would have had the game three more years. At 10 million a year for three years, that's significant.
The key to getting more hotels DT is occupancy and rates, and early December is normally slow for hotels.
I'm with you on that, and it would be great for the hotels to be full during that game. The problem is that in my opinion, the event just doesn't work for Florida (unless the event is a "home" game, with an FSU or Miami in the game).
Think about it - there is almost no tradition in the ACC (especially when you compare it to the SEC), so when you take two teams, who really aren't rivals, and play a game in a city that could really care less about the game, it just won't work.
The Super Bowl is different - many locals don't go to the game (mainly because they can't), but corporations use it as an event for clients and vendors. The ACC doesn't have that (and it probably won't unless one of the following things happen):
1. College Football goes to a playoff, where you have to win your conference to be part of the dance. Georgia almost made it to the title game, and didn't even play in their conference championship.
2. We wait 15+ years for tradition to develop.
Seriously, if next year the ACC championship game is between Boston College and Wake Forest, good luck Tampa. Tampa doesn't have THAT much stronger of a corporate presence than JAX does, but I guess they are a shorter drive from Orlando and south florida.
I still think this game will struggle because of Geography - the ACC is so much more spread out than the SEC. I listened to some local sports talk guy say that he couldn't believe that the BC fans didn't come down here for the game. Yes, that's a tough one to believe.
For two people:
1. 2 Last Minute Airline Tickets at $250 each - $500
2. 2 Tickets to the game at $80 each - $160
3. Two nights hotel downtown at $150 each - $300
4. Transportation to/from the airport at $30 each way - $60
5. Miscellaneous Money - $100.
Yes, I'm shocked that more people didn't drop over $1,100 last minute at christmas time.
QuoteACC puts hopes for championship game in move to Charlotte
With Jacksonville abandoned after three years of hosting the Atlantic Coast Conference championship football game and Tampa a dismal failure in its first attempt last year, ACC officials don't have many specifics for how they will try and sell more tickets and generate more interest in this year's game at Raymond James Stadium.
And they might simply shrug their collective shoulders and wait for 2010 and 2011, when the game is played in Charlotte, N.C., a location more geographically central to the ACC and in the middle of the conference's traditional base in North Carolina.
"Charlotte is more in the middle of our footprint," North Carolina State athletic director Lee Fowler said Monday following meetings involving ACC athletic directors, football coaches, basketball coaches and faculty representatives, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island. "We've tried Jacksonville, and we're trying in Tampa. I'd like to see how the game performs in North Carolina."
Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver, whose football team has played in three of the four ACC title games, was even more direct.
"We've got to get to Charlotte," he said....
The issue of the championship game wasn't on the agenda Monday, but ACC commissioner John Swofford said efforts are ongoing to figure out a way to boost the attendance higher than the 27,360 turnstile count last year when Virginia Tech defeated Boston College 30-12.
"We're constantly talking about what we can do," he said. "It might not come up this week."
The 2008 title game was one year after just over 30,000 watched Virginia Tech beat Boston College 30-16 in the third of three games in Jacksonville. In 2006, an estimated 40,000 showed up in the rain to watch Wake Forest defeat Georgia Tech 9-6.
Only the inaugural ACC title game sold out. That was in 2005, when 72,749 saw Florida State beat Virginia Tech 27-22.
full article: http://www.jacksonville.com/sports/college/florida_state_seminoles/2009-05-12/story/acc_puts_hopes_for_championship_game_in_move
The game has been a disaster since the first year. Funny how many people piled on Jacksonville but Tampa barely got 20k last year.
Look at the teams playing though. Only 2 teams have very large fan bases that will travel, FSU and UM.
It will be real smart move to take it to Charlotte when FSU and Miami make their comeback and no one goes up there to watch it.
Quote from: reednavy on May 12, 2009, 09:41:05 AM
Look at the teams playing though. Only 2 teams have very large fan bases that will travel, FSU and UM.
Va Tech, NC State and Clemson normally travel well.
The problem is that only VTech has made it there. The other 2 haven't really been close yet.
The ACC is just not the SEC and what the match up is in a given year will make much more of a difference than the venue. I do not blame the ACC for trying different things in the hope of making it a success. I believe I would do this same traveling show for the first decade see what I think of the efforts put on by the different cities then pick one and try to build a tradition. (FSU fan in the interest of disclosure)
QuoteIt will be real smart move to take it to Charlotte when FSU and Miami make their comeback and no one goes up there to watch it.
I think that was the mindset in keeping it in Florida originally, however, it's been such a moving target & FSU and Miami have been anything but perennial.
Quote from: reednavy on May 12, 2009, 09:41:05 AM
Look at the teams playing though. Only 2 teams have very large fan bases that will travel, FSU and UM.
when have you ever seen Miami fans travel?