IUP Football 2020

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pitt, West Virginia and Syracuse would be better off today had Penn State been admitted to the Big East. There would still be a formidable Big East instead of those schools being stuck as second tier ACC schools. The Big East would raking in big bucks bring in the biggest Northeastern TV markets and would have kept the BIG in check.

Imagine a Big East Foosball Conference like this...

Penn State
Pitt
West Virginia
Temple
Syracuse
Boston College
Rutgers
UConn
Virginia Tech
Miami
Cincinnati
Louisville
and possibly Notre Dame.

They could have picked off Maryland and maybe Virginia as well.

Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, seton Hall and Villanova would have been fine being non foosball members.

A lot of bad moves were made by the Big East and the BIG was the big winner.

The Catholic Mafia that ran the Big East didn't even really want Pitt back then. But, they knew (and hated) that football was driving the bank account. They wanted the Big East to be the show in basketball. And, it was for a long time. The 80s and 90s Big East basketball was insane. Celebrity coaches. Star players. National titles. Big cities. The Big East Tournament in the Garden was must-see TV. They also cashed in big time on that new little TV station (ESPN). It was a different time, too. There weren't 75 games on a night. If you wanted to watch basketball you watched the Big East as it was usually the only game on. It made the coaches rock stars ... Boheim, John Thompson, etc.

The Penn State thing ... lot of theories. One was that the Big East only wanted schools from cities with major TV networks. Ideally, major cities. Penn State also had a horrendous basketball program. You're correct, though. Had the Big East landed JoePa ... who knows what D1 would look like today.

[Fightingscot82]

Heather Lyke was the best thing to happen to Pitt athletics since Ben Howland. I am fairly indifferent to Pitt but as an observer she seems to have made excellent decisions. If she somehow made an Oakland stadium happen she'd be recommended for canonization.

[iupgroundhog]

If she somehow made an Oakland stadium happen she'd be recommended for canonization.

To a yinzer it might seem like a silly question but to me it's not.

What would an on-campus stadium do for Pitt? Give me a brief cost/benefit analysis.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

To a yinzer it might seem like a silly question but to me it's not.

What would an on-campus stadium to for Pitt? Give me a brief cost/benefit analysis.

It's nearly impossible. There's no room in Oakland. Pitt would have to buy up a huge area, tear it down, etc. It would cost a fortune.

[Fightingscot82]

It's nearly impossible. There's no room in Oakland. Pitt would have to buy up a huge area, tear it down, etc. It would cost a fortune.

This. Pitt Stadium's biggest shortcoming carried on to the Pete because it's essentially the same footprint: there's not even space for VIP parking. Going to anything on Pitt's campus sucks because of parking. One thing beyond cost is that Oakland beyond 5th and Forbes is very residential. The lights, noise, and parking would be terrible. Imagine buying a million dollar home in Schenley Farms then having that built in.

[iupgroundhog]

An on-campus stadium for Temple is much further ahead - planning-wise, anyway. It's the pro-development side versus the uprooted community side in North Philly.

Read the link below as well as the comments which pretty much cover the gamut of thinking about it.

I would love to see it personally. But, of course, I would not be forced to relocate myself and my family, life, etc.

My personal view is this is one of those things where people look back years later and ask 'Why did we oppose this?'

https://temple-news.com/temple-offic...ll-be-delayed/

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

This. Pitt Stadium's biggest shortcoming carried on to the Pete because it's essentially the same footprint: there's not even space for VIP parking. Going to anything on Pitt's campus sucks because of parking. One thing beyond cost is that Oakland beyond 5th and Forbes is very residential. The lights, noise, and parking would be terrible. Imagine buying a million dollar home in Schenley Farms then having that built in.

It's nearly impossible. There's no room in Oakland. Pitt would have to buy up a huge area, tear it down, etc. It would cost a fortune.

Yeah, it is nearly impossible to even park your car in Oakland. LOL.

IUP24 and I discussed the possibility of a stadium on or near the Pitt campus sometime back. He and his father are season ticket holders. It would not be an easy thing to do as you guys alluded to the fact that there is just really no reasonable place to put one. IUP24 did mention one nearby place that is not actually on campus that possibly would be suitable for it. Maybe if he is still reading he can discuss that. I don't know the area good enough to speculate.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

This. Pitt Stadium's biggest shortcoming carried on to the Pete because it's essentially the same footprint: there's not even space for VIP parking. Going to anything on Pitt's campus sucks because of parking. One thing beyond cost is that Oakland beyond 5th and Forbes is very residential. The lights, noise, and parking would be terrible. Imagine buying a million dollar home in Schenley Farms then having that built in.

Residential is one word. Scary is another.

On the rare occasion I was at Pitt Stadium for packed games ... talk about a bottleneck. You couldn't park. Anywhere. Getting in to Oakland is awful on a normal day. Add 50,000 for a game ... forget about it.

I find most of those yapping about a new stadium are ones who never experienced the 'thrills' of an Oakland game day.

The elderly had no shot of walking up the hill.

I actually think Heinz is a good venue. Easy to tailgate. Plenty of parking. Easy access (usually). Lots of bars. Casino. Scenic.

It's not ideal but it isn't bad. The product on the field has been the issue. If you want attention as a college team in a pro town ... you best win. A lot.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yeah, it is nearly impossible to even park your car in Oakland. LOL.

IUP24 and I discussed the possibility of a stadium on or near the Pitt campus sometime back. He and his father are season ticket holders. It would not be an easy thing to do as you guys alluded to the fact that there is just really no reasonable place to put one. IUP24 did mention one nearby place that is not actually on campus that possibly would be suitable for it. Maybe if he is still reading he can discuss that. I don't know the area good enough to speculate.

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The area known as Panther Hollow has widely been considered the only option.

[Fightingscot82]

The area known as Panther Hollow has widely been considered the only option.

Yeah and it's only qualifier is that it's open land near Oakland. Several problems:
1. Schenley Park belongs to the city.
2. Still some residences adjacent to the area.
3. Somehow even a worse parking situation than Pitt Stadium.

[IUPNation]

The Catholic Mafia that ran the Big East didn't even really want Pitt back then. But, they knew (and hated) that football was driving the bank account. They wanted the Big East to be the show in basketball. And, it was for a long time. The 80s and 90s Big East basketball was insane. Celebrity coaches. Star players. National titles. Big cities. The Big East Tournament in the Garden was must-see TV. They also cashed in big time on that new little TV station (ESPN). It was a different time, too. There weren't 75 games on a night. If you wanted to watch basketball you watched the Big East as it was usually the only game on. It made the coaches rock stars ... Boheim, John Thompson, etc.

The Penn State thing ... lot of theories. One was that the Big East only wanted schools from cities with major TV networks. Ideally, major cities. Penn State also had a horrendous basketball program. You're correct, though. Had the Big East landed JoePa ... who knows what D1 would look like today.

I hate Penn State being in the BIG.

Pitt would be getting more money if there was a Big East with all those schools. I think their athletic stature would be bigger. The ACC has done nothing for the old Big East members. To many old rivalries in the East died.

[IUPNation]

It's nearly impossible. There's no room in Oakland. Pitt would have to buy up a huge area, tear it down, etc. It would cost a fortune.

[iupgroundhog]

I touched on that in post #246.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I hate Penn State being in the BIG.

Pitt would be getting more money if there was a Big East with all those schools. I think their athletic stature would be bigger. The ACC has done nothing for the old Big East members. To many old rivalries in the East died.

The ACC is a Southern league. Pitt and the other 'Yankee' schools were simply a necessity. Maryland leaving the ACC was a catastophe.

The Big East was Pitt's home. Now they are the unwanted but needed stepchild in the Johnny Reb league.

Is what it is ... but it's not a good fit. No rivals. It's just blah.

Pitt's heaviest core boosters think they are a national powerhouse (or should be). And, Pitt has some extremely rich and powerful alums. It reminds me of the the IUP core in men's basketball. They think it's Duke.

[WarriorVoice]

With all due respect to Penn State, prior to entering the Big Ten, they realized they needed to be attached to a conference to remain relevant on the big stage. Notre Dame is the only legitimate independent left in CFB, and the Big Ten provided the right mix of blue-chip programs as well as enough patsies for Penn State to find a home and carve a path to an NC. They are much better off in the Big rather than remaining as an Indy.