Pac-10 looking at Las Vegas for title game

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 3:05 PM MDT in Football

Joe Schad over at ESPN had some interesting news about the potential of the Pac-12 title game being played in Las Vegas and other possible locations.

Beyond Vegas, the conference is looking at Glendale (Arizona), Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego.

It doesn't appear there is a favorite, but I'm sure most Ute fans would rather Las Vegas host the conference title game because of its close proximity to Salt Lake City.

Of course, as we're well aware of, Sam Boyd Stadium's capacity would be an issue and though the stadium isn't terrible, the dirt parking really needs to be updated to appeal to other Pac-10 fans.

But we'll see how this shakes out. I expect a great deal more of information next month when the athletic directors meet to discussion divisions, and I assume, a championship game location.

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Location for championship game

Personally, I think San Francisco would work well if they tried to have it in the 49ers’s stadium, especially with a new stadium being built in 2014.

by CodeMonkey76 on Sep 22, 2010 3:12 PM MDT reply actions

I wouldn't be opposed to SF...

Glendale, San Diego, L.A. and San Francisco are essentially the same distance from Salt Lake.

Vegas is about six hours closer.

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 3:29 PM MDT up reply actions

I'd rather have it in Glendale

It is a lot warmer there in December, than it is in Vegas.

by utefan713 on Sep 22, 2010 3:40 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

Well that's true...

But I’m guessing we’ll get way more fans for a title game if it’s in Vegas than anywhere else.

So, as a whole, Vegas would be the ideal situation if you’re looking at creating a home-field advantage for the Utes (or the closest thing that comes to it in a title game).

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 3:42 PM MDT up reply actions

agreed

I don’t know why people bash vegas so much, it is a great place

by utahmanami on Sep 22, 2010 8:48 PM MDT up reply actions

I like all of the options EXCEPT Vegas (and Oakland).

And I live in Vegas and I don’t want the game here. Sam Boyd SUCKS. It’s a good destination, but it’s a horrible stadium. Maybe if they agree to pave the freaking parking lot and increase the seating by 10k for the game. Otherwise, no thank you.

And Oakland sucks. Personally I don’t love the idea of a December game in the Bay Area, but if it happens, it needs to be in the niner’s stadium (especially if they get a new one).

Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.

by displacedute on Sep 22, 2010 3:52 PM MDT reply actions

Yeah...

I’m guessing the Pac-10 would probably need stadium upgrades if they go with Vegas.

Seattle and San Francisco are probably out because of weather in December.

L.A. still doesn’t have an updated NFL stadium.

So the other options are San Diego, Glendale and Vegas. Glendale is probably the favorite with the Cardinals’ new stadium.

But I still like Vegas because it probably means 10-15,000 or more fans from Utah’s side than any other venue. With so much on the line in a conference title game (whether it’s title game or the Rose Bowl), the more Ute fans the better (if we’re lucky enough to get there, of course)!

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 3:58 PM MDT up reply actions

So I did a little bit of Wikipedia research.

Here are the attendance figures for the ACC CHAMPIONSHIP (universally considered a failure). Keep in mind that Sam Boyd’s capacity is about 40k:

2005: 73,000 (VA Tech v. FSU)
2006: 63,000 (Wake v. GA Tech)
2007: 53,000 (VA Tech v. BC)
2008: 27,000 (VA Tech v. BC)
2009: 57,000 (GA Tech v. Clemson)

Not sure what the problem was in 2008 (I think the location change may have hurt them), but other than that one year the attendance has been above 50k every year, and the average through 5 years (even including that horrible year) is 55,000.

So without a stadium expansion and upgrade, Vegas needs to be out of mind. NFL Stadiums in or near PAC 10 towns (Seattle, San Fran, Oakland, LA, San Diego, Denver, Phoenix) or college stadiums in warm weather (Arizona, ASU, Rose Bowl, Coliseum)

Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.

by displacedute on Sep 22, 2010 4:21 PM MDT up reply actions

Like I said, I'm going at it from a Utah POV.

I want as many fans there as possible. If it’s held in Glendale, we’ll get a good amount, but nowhere NEAR what we could bring to Vegas.

I know Vegas can add temporary bleachers to their stadium to bring capacity up. But you’re right, it’d be well below what you see for most conference championship games.

Just for fun, though, the 27,000 fans for 2008:

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 4:35 PM MDT up reply actions

I think the location must have had a lot to do with that.

Not to mention the rematch factor. I was thinking it might have been a ranking thing, but 6th and 11th in the country sounds pretty good to me.

Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.

by displacedute on Sep 22, 2010 4:40 PM MDT up reply actions

Also assuming BC has a smaller fan base than most typical schools in the ACC.

They only have 14,000 or so students and their stadium seats less than RES.

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 5:10 PM MDT up reply actions

True, but they were in the 2007 game and there were 53k there, so that can't explain the entire dropoff.

Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.

by displacedute on Sep 22, 2010 5:58 PM MDT up reply actions

I believe 2007 was their first trip to the ACC Championship game...

So that could explain it.

If you look at the photo, most fans there are Virginia Tech fans.

Maybe BC fans just didn’t feel like traveling a second year in a row.

Plus, the economy was FAR different in 2007 than 2008. This was only a couple months after the stock market collapsed.

by JazzyUte on Sep 22, 2010 6:04 PM MDT up reply actions

Actually from a Utah POV..

Mile High Stadium gives an edge to we Ice Bowl veterans…

by Ravenous Ute on Sep 22, 2010 7:34 PM MDT up reply actions

Jazzy, you need to visit SF in December

In the 3.5 years I’ve been here the weather isn’t an issue in mid-January until March when it rains almost every day. Mid to late December is fine… Both Candlestick and McAfee (Raider’s) current stadiums are dumps. Sam Boyd would be a better venue than either.

by SanFranUte on Sep 22, 2010 9:16 PM MDT up reply actions