USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

[JackJD]

Press conference tomorrow: USD moving its "home" game against NDSU from the DakotaDome to Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls. I've talked to a couple of strong USD supporters who are pretty upset about the decision to take the game out of the friendly confines of the Dome. They're threatening to not buy season tickets (I know one has had tickets for at least 20 years).

USD will now have only four games in the Dome in 2012.

The NDSU v. USD game is set for the pheasant opener...kickoff at 6:00 p.m.

I guess it's not my concern but it's difficult understanding why they'd move a game against the defending FCS champs. We may hear something (doubtful) about financial arrangements at the press conference tomorrow but it's hard to believe USD will make more money taking the team to Sioux Falls compared to playing at home.

Maybe it'll turn out to be a brilliant idea for the Coyotes.


Remember when SDSU moved its game with UC-Davis in 2005, to Howard Wood? Jacks won 16-14 in front of 7,239 fans...almost all Jacks fans. That season, SDSU had eight home games so it moved one to Sioux Falls. The season home-game attendance average in 2005 (counting the UC-D game) was 6972 -- not bad for those days when you're talking about the gate receipts for eight games. [Last year the Jacks averaged 12,105 per home game -- not the best but pretty good considering the team had lost some luster until Sumner took over. I predict this year, with Sumner calling the plays, the attendance will set a new season record.]

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

That's dumb. They are soooo much better at home.

[joeboo22]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

unless there is big money tied to it I don't understand it one bit

Also Zimmer said it was the same day as the Augie-USF game... is that true?

USD is better at the dome, plus if you are going to move a game, move a game that won't sell out or be near a sellout like the NDSU game will.

[JackJD]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

I did not know the NDSU v USD game would be on the same day as the USF v Augie game. USD had better hope that the USF v Augie is in a different time slot (the USD game starts at 6) so that some college football fans aren't required to make a choice about which game to watch. There may be some fans who will attend both games.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

maybe NDSU doesn't have the cash after buying those huge a$$ rings to fill the bus with diesel to get all the way to Verminville. keeping it at half a tank down and half a tank home.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

Does the game really count for USD if it's played in Sioux Falls?

On the surface it doesn't make sense. But, what if USD is trying to make inroads into the SF market like SDSU has done. So wouldn't putting a game IN SF help accomplish that. I haven't looked at their schedule, but NDSU is obviously their most attractive opponent at home this year and would make sense (most years) to choose that game. However, pheasant opener weekend????? That makes little sense at all.

[Nidaros]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

Does the game really count for USD if it's played in Sioux Falls?

On the surface it doesn't make sense. But, what if USD is trying to make inroads into the SF market like SDSU has done. So wouldn't putting a game IN SF help accomplish that. I haven't looked at their schedule, but NDSU is obviously their most attractive opponent at home this year and would make sense (most years) to choose that game. However, pheasant opener weekend????? That makes little sense at all.

This looks like a page out of the Carr Report and sometimes the experts are wrong. For those who do not recognize the name, its the first study made for SDSU in making the move to D1. I see the importance of getting a footing in the SF market, but as the UC-Davis game in 2005 game revealed, the SF interest was not there, nor was it automatic frothing at the mouths by the populace who lacked SDSU connections.

I think too with this game, you will see the same red and the same green that you would have seen in Vermillion. NDSU fandom does travel in herds,and you save the ridiculous Bison fans a half tank of diesel as Sturgis has suggested by holding the game in SF. I am thinking they might top the 8000 that SDSU drew against Davis but you got to pay rent for the useage of HW Field, and what does it do to help the business community of Vermillion? Nothing, but does SF have a Buffalo Wings joint? Now something like that waters the mouth of the vocal Bison fans.

We will see soon how this works out. I have a string around my finger to remind me to re-order my season ticket. Got to get this done by May1. My time flies when you are getting old.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

This looks like a page out of the Carr Report and sometimes the experts are wrong. For those who do not recognize the name, its the first study made for SDSU in making the move to D1. I see the importance of getting a footing in the SF market, but as the UC-Davis game in 2005 game revealed, the SF interest was not there, nor was it automatic frothing at the mouths by the populace who lacked SDSU connections.

I think too with this game, you will see the same red and the same green that you would have seen in Vermillion. NDSU fandom does travel in herds,and you save the ridiculous Bison fans a half tank of diesel as Sturgis has suggested by holding the game in SF. I am thinking they might top the 8000 that SDSU drew against Davis but you got to pay rent for the useage of HW Field, and what does it do to help the business community of Vermillion? Nothing, but does SF have a Buffalo Wings joint? Now something like that waters the mouth of the vocal Bison fans.

We will see soon how this works out. I have a string around my finger to remind me to re-order my season ticket. Got to get this done by May1. My time flies when you are getting old.

I think the failure in Sioux Falls was more about Brookings and other out state people making some kind of statement and not willing to drive down for the game than any kind of lack of support from Sioux Falls. I think it would be a much different story today. I would support a non-marquis game, but not a rival like NDSU or USD. I'm sure what there is for a Vermillion business community will not be happy about this announcement. I imagine the Sioux Falls Sports Authority made it worth USD's while.

[joeboo22]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

I think the failure in Sioux Falls was more about Brookings and other out state people making some kind of statement and not willing to drive down for the game than any kind of lack of support from Sioux Falls. I think it would be a much different story today. I would support a non-marquis game, but not a rival like NDSU or USD. I'm sure what there is for a Vermillion business community will not be happy about this announcement. I imagine the Sioux Falls Sports Authority made it worth USD's while.

I agree with some of that, I bet the SFSA is giving a pretty good deal, and I bet that if SDSU played a game in SF it would be much better attended today then it was in 04 or whenever it was. However I still don't really get the decision, or agree with it. First of all, your students, now I do find it hard to make any case for the USD students because every football game I've ever watched of USD's, shows an empty student section during the second half. But your students are someone you are suppose to want to attend the game, you are suppose to make it easy to attend the game. My guess is few students will make the trip up to SF. And second is what you previously stated, the business community, they sponsor games, buy tickets, buy season tickets, etc. If you are moving a game, and probably the biggest (non-D-Days game) of the year, how are they going to feel about it?

I get the inroads, and so on. But first of all its South Dakota, second of all its Sioux Falls. Everyone in Sioux Falls who wants to go to USD has the option to drive down their on a saturday. I know gas is spendy but its a pretty easy trip. And I think the Sioux Falls argument is overblown. The businesses of Sioux Falls that are going to back college athletics will do so, and those that won't won't.

If you want inroads, play a basketball game their, because lets be honest, no one goes to the dome to watch basketball

[LakeJack]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

Does the game really count for USD if it's played in Sioux Falls?

On the surface it doesn't make sense. But, what if USD is trying to make inroads into the SF market like SDSU has done. So wouldn't putting a game IN SF help accomplish that. I haven't looked at their schedule, but NDSU is obviously their most attractive opponent at home this year and would make sense (most years) to choose that game. However, pheasant opener weekend????? That makes little sense at all.

The Yotes are likely to get pounded on the field and the stadium will be full of green. Not sure this will be USD putting its best foot forward in the SF market. Moving the game to SF is sure to anger the home folks in Vermillion also, but hey best of luck to them.

[Nidaros]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

I think the failure in Sioux Falls was more about Brookings and other out state people making some kind of statement and not willing to drive down for the game than any kind of lack of support from Sioux Falls. I think it would be a much different story today. I would support a non-marquis game, but not a rival like NDSU or USD. I'm sure what there is for a Vermillion business community will not be happy about this announcement. I imagine the Sioux Falls Sports Authority made it worth USD's while.

I resent your references to out state SD as being unimportant in other posts made by you and to suggest some kind of a conspiracy in relation to the UC Davis game is ridiculous. I want you know I drove down to SF from Arlington to the UC Davis game and I recognized a ton of people from out state SD at the game. We were all waiting to see the SF people show up and they did not show, only the alums who drive up to Brookings from SF on a regular basis. Would it be different now? Yes maybe and maybe not. I guess we can only guess. The Davis game was in our first or second year of the transition period, so maybe today it might be different. USD and Vermillion have not been supportive of each others as much as the Brookings Community supports SDSU. That is a given, but Omaha seems to crap all over UNO when it comes to support so being in an populus area does not always guarentee success. Auburn Alabama is a small community and trying to get a motel room on a game day is nearly impossible.One can get bogged dowm in demographics and you get no where. Its the product on the field that draws the crowd, and if USD wants to appease all those alums in SF, then so be it.

Why would the SF Sports Authority waive or partially waive the rent for this game as you have suggested? They have a budget to make like everyone else if anything the SF sports authority would put a premuim on this game when you consider the travelers from NDSU who will be at the game.

[LakeJack]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

P.S. It is a whole lot easier for USD to move a game to HW. The Dome only seats 10,000 and they rarely if ever fill it. HW also holds 10,000 fans. SDSU avg. more fans per game then either one of those Stadiums hold. We would lose at least 3,000 fans by moving a game from Coughlin-Alumni to Sioux Falls plus home filed advantage, plus student support, plus the good will of the Brookings locals, plus ticket revenue, plus well you get my point.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

Matt Zimmer's take:

http://mattyzimmer.tumblr.com/post/2...ems-like-a-pbi

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

One thing that hasn't gotten mentioned yet (unless Zimmer brought it up; haven't read his take yet) is that this basically kills the chance of USD student support at the game. USD has a tough time getting students to stay for a whole game in Vermillion. There isn't a chance that they will drive up to Sioux Falls for a game.

[Southeast]

Re: USD v NDSU in Sioux Falls

How can you kill something (student support) that is already dead? I also have been to a few recent USD games and stared across the dome at those ugly (and empty) brown bleechers where the students should have been sitting.

I can see why this idea is worth trying for USD. They badly need to try and improve attendence and the local Vermillion/Yankton area has not been filling the dome (even for big games). What do they have to lose?

They did pick an interesting time to try it though. Pheasant opener, USF/Augie, and NDSU is a dangerous combo. USD will probably be (at best) 3-3 by the time this game rolls around and I definitely think that NDSU has good odds of having the majority of fans in attendence. What good does this game do for USD if they suffer a bad loss in front of a crowd that is 50%+ there to see NDSU? That's quite a risk and maybe there was a better game to move.