D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

[ctrabs74]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

It has been a few years for me being there. I remember I5 between SEA and Tacoma being crowded. About like I25 between Denver and CSprings, and the traffic int the Dallas area.

DFW area traffic seems to depend on which side of the Metroplex you're on. From what I've picked up in my first few weeks in North Texas, traffic tends to be heavier on the Dallas side of the Metroplex (I-35E, I-30, 635) than it does on the Fort Worth side (I-35W, 820 Loop) during rush hour, though 114 through the "Lake Cities" of Tarrant County (Westlake, Northlake and Southlake) can be tricky until the freeway starts. Though, I'm not really one to talk, as I live in Flower Mound and commute to Grapevine/Coppell for my night shift job (a 20 minute commute with little traffic).

It's been a couple of years since I've been in Colorado, but I can attest to 25 being a little bit of an adventure during rush hour, though I've dealt with worse traffic having lived in Pittsburgh until recently.

[UNA_Texan]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

It should be at the stadium of the highest seeded team, so that as many fans as possible can enjoy it. Neutral site games for D2 are just a disaster. A huge inconvenience for all concerned and abysmal attendance.

Not all universities can meet the requirements of hosting a N.C. game.

It is fine to consider D2 a local/regional fan base...but how does one have a local regional N.C.

The town the school is in needs to have the infrastructure to support the game. That means adequate hotels, a broadcast quality stadium. The teams have to have meals, the media need a hotel, the NCAA, and the teams in 2 hotels.

Take a town like Chadron ...fine for most games, but only 2 3 star or better hotels, a stadium which does not hold the minimum NCAA requirements, and a press box which is little more than a food truck.

My 2-A HS in Texas was better prepared for a game.

[LSCfan1]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

I have coached & watched games at both.

Toyota is a very good soccer facility. Grass field specifically for soccer. Even the locker rooms are geared towards soccer. In my opinion, it is not very football or football fan friendly.

The Star has a great field, great facilities, and is 100% built for football and the football fan. Much better game experience all round. Plus you have 20+ restaurants, a few shops, and Omni Hotel on the campus. I mean it's an experience

When it comes to playing football, watching a game, and overall experience The Star is BY FAR the hands down winner!

The only issue is if you expect more than 12k fans. If so....I would look at Allen Eagle Stadium, and then next would be AT&T (Jerry World).

I hear McKinney ISD is much nicer.

[LSC Fan]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

DFW area traffic seems to depend on which side of the Metroplex you're on. From what I've picked up in my first few weeks in North Texas, traffic tends to be heavier on the Dallas side of the Metroplex (I-35E, I-30, 635) than it does on the Fort Worth side (I-35W, 820 Loop) during rush hour, though 114 through the "Lake Cities" of Tarrant County (Westlake, Northlake and Southlake) can be tricky until the freeway starts. Though, I'm not really one to talk, as I live in Flower Mound and commute to Grapevine/Coppell for my night shift job (a 20 minute commute with little traffic).

It's been a couple of years since I've been in Colorado, but I can attest to 25 being a little bit of an adventure during rush hour, though I've dealt with worse traffic having lived in Pittsburgh until recently.

Have you been to Austin? What once was a breeze from the south side to the north side (vice versa) of Austin now can take an hour or more, especially if there is an accident on I-35. Heck, someone being pulled over slows down traffic to a fricken crawl.

[Redwing]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Not all universities can meet the requirements of hosting a N.C. game.

It is fine to consider D2 a local/regional fan base...but how does one have a local regional N.C.

The town the school is in needs to have the infrastructure to support the game. That means adequate hotels, a broadcast quality stadium. The teams have to have meals, the media need a hotel, the NCAA, and the teams in 2 hotels.

Take a town like Chardonnay...fine for most games, but only 2 3 star or better hotels, a stadium which does not hold the minimum NCAA requirements, and a press box which is little more than a food truck.

My 2-A HS in Texas was better prepared for a game.

Not much difference than a semi-final game.

[Boohaha]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Not much difference than a semi-final game.

Yep, why let teams host at all. Its a bogus reason all around. Most fans that are going to travel are will do so no matter what, at least with highest seed hosting there will be a sizable crowd to support the game.

Last years game had just under 5k attendance Commerces home semi final ha over 10k.

What looks better on TV, what brings more exposure?

[Brandon]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Not much difference than a semi-final game.

It is different because of the experience the NCAA is trying to provide the kids. That's why KC was so great. The kids were overwhelmed by the stadium. It felt big time to them. Semifinal games are simply like a regular season game but with more on the line and more restrictive rules.

There is also a difference in the ESPN set up between the semis and the championship. More cameras. More personnel. More planning.

Sure, you could replicate the semifinal experience for the championship game but the NCAA is trying to provide more than that to the kids.

[Brandon]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Yep, why let teams host at all. Its a bogus reason all around. Most fans that are going to travel are will do so no matter what, at least with highest seed hosting there will be a sizable crowd to support the game.

Last years game had just under 5k attendance Commerces home semi final ha over 10k.

What looks better on TV, what brings more exposure?

The stadium in Kansas City looked better on TV than any D2 stadium out there, in spite of the lackluster attendance by both teams. The stadium was a big reason the NCAA wanted to leave Florence. The people were tremendous in Florence. The best. But the stadium is in need of being replaced. UNA is trying to build a new stadium now, but who knows what the timetable would be. In addition, you might have forgotten that Commerce would have been required to save 3,000 seats for West Florida fans behind the UWF bench. Eventually those would be released, but there would be sections saved for UWF fans that would not have been filled, even if TAMUC had 15,000 at the game somehow.

[ASUPops]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

I hear McKinney ISD is much nicer.

Than Allen Eagle Stadium???

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Give them an "A" for effort.

[Boohaha]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

The stadium in Kansas City looked better on TV than any D2 stadium out there, in spite of the lackluster attendance by both teams. The stadium was a big reason the NCAA wanted to leave Florence. The people were tremendous in Florence. The best. But the stadium is in need of being replaced. UNA is trying to build a new stadium now, but who knows what the timetable would be. In addition, you might have forgotten that Commerce would have been required to save 3,000 seats for West Florida fans behind the UWF bench. Eventually those would be released, but there would be sections saved for UWF fans that would not have been filled, even if TAMUC had 15,000 at the game somehow.

i see the point on the seats for UWF but great games are about the crowd not the stadium. Most kids i know would rather play in a lesser stadium with a better atmosphere than play in Jerry world or somewhere infront of fewer people than their home crowds.

Commerce averaged more folks than attended the NC Game. im betting Commerce would have filled their stadium and had folks watching in the parking lot.

[Brandon]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Commerce averaged more folks than attended the NC Game. im betting Commerce would have filled their stadium and had folks watching in the parking lot.

Right. I agree. That's why I mentioned the 15,000. But there would have been holes where people standing in the parking lot would have sat the week before.

[Boohaha]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

Right. I agree. That's why I mentioned the 15,000. But there would have been holes where people standing in the parking lot would have sat the week before.

how long does the opposing team have to purchase tickets? after the game starts they can fill those seats cant they?

Even still a few holes is better than a 1/4 filled 20k soccer stadium to me.

[Outsider]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

My 2 cents from a perspective of one who was in DII for a long time and now seeing the FCS world. Both of them are still similar in that they are both primarily regionally and alumni based systems. Outside of that, there isn't much of a fan base. Look at us still. ACU is in a town of about 120,000 people with 3 other private universities, in FCS DI sports and we still have a limited fans base. We are averaging up to about 10,000+ for our home games now, but still lucky to get 2000 at an away game. Still, the NCAA FCS sees the importances and positives of a neutral championship venue that is somewhat centrally located. For us, Frisco has worked well and has actually developed a pretty good following as it has built itself up. It does improve exposure. Frisco could also work for DII, or another central city. The new Star Ford Center would actually be a really good venue: new, indoors, seats 12,000 and would have everything for great TV coverage. It isn't too big. It is football specific. It is centrally located and easy to get to. Finally it has a metroplex around it to pull in other possible spectators, even if they wouldn't be a large percentage.

[ASUPops]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

i see the point on the seats for UWF but great games are about the crowd not the stadium. Most kids i know would rather play in a lesser stadium with a better atmosphere than play in Jerry world or somewhere infront of fewer people than their home crowds.

Commerce averaged more folks than attended the NC Game. im betting Commerce would have filled their stadium and had folks watching in the parking lot.

Nah.....I'll pick Jerry World.

I remember playing at Texas Stadium in December and at Redman Stadium in September.....HUGE difference for me.

[Boohaha]

Re: D2 Championship Football Game-Needs New Site

really? talk about crickets the LSC festival sucked, and there at least we had the draw of the whole conference.