If anyone says the game should be.......

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

I agree 100 %. And since the games are guaranteed sell-outs,let's get one of the network affiliates in SF (not a cable station) to broadcast it live - the way they have jumped on the resumption of the rivalry on their newscasts,they will be interested. That way we can spark interest not only for a thousand or two in Sioux Falls,but in all of South Dakota,NW Iowa and SW Minnesota.

Wherever the game is held, it would be safe to say:

1-The game will be sold out.
2-The game will be on local network TV.
3-Many fans will not be able to get a ticket.
4-Not all students who want to attend will be able to attend.

A few things we can assume if the game is held in Sioux Falls:

1-USD and SDSU season ticket holders will be able to watch the game in person every single season.
2-The atmosphere will be a little less great.
3-Several thousand students will be able to see the game every single season.

A few things we can assume if the game is held in Vermillion:

1-Every SDSU season ticket holder will not be able to attend.
2-The atmosphere will be awesome for USD fans.
3-USD will use their limited capacity to drive season ticket sales.

A few things we can assume if the game is held in Brookings:

1-Every USD season ticket holder will not be able to attend.
2-The atmosphere will be awesome for SDSU fans.

This game is a once in a lifetime opportunity for both schools to work with each other for the benefit of each schools fans every single season, setting a positive tone for the new rivalry. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for both schools to have an additional FBS-like payday every single season.

[goon]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

If the consultant thought it was a good idea then, what makes it a bad idea now? The legends of failure in Sioux Falls have been dramatically overstated, IMO.

I used to think the Sioux Falls Davis game was a flop, until I actually looked up the attendance figures for that year. There were 7239 people at that game. The average attendance that season for our home games was 6972 (even less if you take out Hobo Day and Beef Bowl). The next season, SDSU averaged 9652. All that growth can't be attributed to the Sioux Falls game, but I bet it helped (the next season was my first as a season ticket holder).

As for Manhattan, that game drew 2083 fans. The average attendance in Brookings that year was 2070. I brought multiple people to the Manhattan game who hadn't been to a game since the State/U days, and they all walked away amazed at the new level of competition (If I recall correctly, Andre Gilbert had multiple dunks that game). I think they have all watched at least 1 Jackrabbit basketball game with me since then, many have seen several.

Granted, neither of those games made money for SDSU, but they did expose new people to SDSU athletics and the level of competition. The SDSU/USD game at HWF would almost certainly make money and increase exposure.

You also forget that we have grown our season tickets and we did it while not playing our biggest rival. add one more 16K home game and the season tickets increase with a nother big name game, it adds more regular season tickets plus one more big one for the community. Taking that way from Brookings just does not at up. Plus it goes both ways, USD fans bring money into brookings and SDSU fans will bring money to vermintown. Now it would have to have huge garuntees to be able to make this affordable to counter the impact one game can have in a year. No way SF can match taht.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

I don't do season tickets because my work schedule is a rotating schedule. I have to work weekends at times. I buy my tickets for the games I can actually make it too.

I'm not trying to be confrontational, but this was exactly my point.

You know that you can get a ticket, very easily, for any SDSU game (including the USD game) by calling into the ticket office or walking up to the box office prior to the game. Why would you ever buy season tickets?

If you knew you were going to be off work, and the only way to see the USD game was with a season ticket, would you buy season tickets if you were also going to attend at least 2 other games in Brookings? Serious question.

[NoVaJack]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

I nominate this thread as the biggest straw man thread in the history of this forum.
It ain't happening.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

You also forget that we have grown our season tickets and we did it while not playing our biggest rival. add one more 16K home game and the season tickets increase with a nother big name game, it adds more regular season tickets plus one more big one for the community. Taking that way from Brookings just does not at up. Plus it goes both ways, USD fans bring money into brookings and SDSU fans will bring money to vermintown. Now it would have to have huge garuntees to be able to make this affordable to counter the impact one game can have in a year. No way SF can match taht.

One more rivalry game at a stadium without a capacity isn't going to increase season tickets dramatically.

The problem I have is that we don't want to build a 16K seat stadium. We want to build a 22K seat stadium. Is the entire population of Brookings going to show up every Saturday to fill that stadium?

If I was a Brookings business owner, I would want SDSU fans from Sioux Falls bringing money to Brookings every week of the football season. Not just USD fans one week every two years. Building a big Sioux Falls fan base doesn't add up to one big one for the Brookings community, it adds up to 4 or 5.

[NoVaJack]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

One more rivalry game at a stadium without a capacity isn't going to increase season tickets dramatically.

The problem I have is that we don't want to build a 16K seat stadium. We want to build a 22K seat stadium. Is the entire population of Brookings going to show up every Saturday to fill that stadium?

If I was a Brookings business owner, I would want SDSU fans from Sioux Falls bringing money to Brookings every week of the football season. Not just USD fans one week every two years. Building a big Sioux Falls fan base doesn't add up to one big one for the Brookings community, it adds up to 4 or 5.

Population State College, Pa. Approximately 40,000
Football game attendance: 106,000 and change
consecutive sellouts: Since JoPa was a whippersnapper

[SoDakJack]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

One more rivalry game at a stadium without a capacity isn't going to increase season tickets dramatically.

The problem I have is that we don't want to build a 16K seat stadium. We want to build a 22K seat stadium. Is the entire population of Brookings going to show up every Saturday to fill that stadium?

If I was a Brookings business owner, I would want SDSU fans from Sioux Falls bringing money to Brookings every week of the football season. Not just USD fans one week every two years. Building a big Sioux Falls fan base doesn't add up to one big one for the Brookings community, it adds up to 4 or 5.

We have grown the fan base without having to cave-in to a game in Sioux Falls.

I just don't understand why anyone would want to penalize the home teams fans. If all the USD fans can't get into the game at CAS then that will drive them to get seats for sure at their stadium the following year. And the same goes the other way.

If you move the game to SF, then you have to guarantee that every student that wants to get in does and the same goes for season ticket holders. Now, I am not the greatest at math but I am pretty sure that the SFSA doesn't have a venue that can come close to that.

And, if the game will be televised no matter where it is held, then the lazy SF residents that can't seem to muster the time to drive 45 minutes can watch it on TV. Personally, I want the home field advantage and the money that brings into a town that has supported the university.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

Population State College, Pa. Approximately 40,000
Football game attendance: 106,000 and change
consecutive sellouts: Since JoPa was a whippersnapper

You were saying something about straw man...

Centre County, Pennsylvania (where Penn State is located) has 144,000 people. There are an additional ~382,000 in adjacent counties.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

HOWARD WOOD FIELD
2000 W. Russell. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Holding 10,000 people. Field turf was installed to replace the natural grass after a renovation project in 2003. The stadium is conveniently located near the Sioux Falls Convention Center and the Sioux Falls Arena and is wonderful for all types of sporting and entertainment events.


5000 tickets for USD
5000 tickets for SDSU

By 2012 we might have up to 3000 season ticket holders. How many tickets do you set aside for students. The more season tickets you sell, the number of tickets available to students decrease (won't sit well with students that they are not given a chance to go to the game). Sioux Falls doesn't have a stadium that would work. Even after they refurbish Howard Wood it will still be a nice High School Football/Track Stadium.

[goon]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

You were saying something about straw man...

Centre County, Pennsylvania (where Penn State is located) has 144,000 people. There are an additional ~382,000 in adjacent counties.

If SF and its 150k 45 minutes away dont come up for games, just for one football game a year in a small stadium will not increase peolpe who can see it.

If you say to make sure you make it increase season tickets sales, yet most people in SF will be a casual fan, who would not by season tickets. If they had a large enough stadium you would have a point. The larger the stadium we have the more for potential revenue we can make. Its a fine line but when you can have more then half your games sell out, allowing more fans to make those games brings in more business and fans.

If anything you should be preaching to make a smaller stadium in Brookings, say 14K to maximize season ticket sales and eliminate walk up sales. By limiting the number of seats SF could bring, you limit your exposure also. So it cancels any positives by having it in SF because the stadium limits potential fan interest.

But taking it from brookings hurts the local base and business and students. WE are building a great game day environment in Brookings, last thing we want to do is lose that advantage. Frankly more commercials hyping the game day experience and tailgating and quality football is what SF needs, not the actual sporting event.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

We have grown the fan base without having to cave-in to a game in Sioux Falls.

We have grown, no doubt. We are currently at 2200 season ticket holders and want to build a 22,000 seat stadium. That is a pretty big spread, IMO. At the current pace, how many years will it take to reach 10K season ticket holders? At about 500 a year, I'm estimating about 16 years (assuming we have decent football teams for the next 16 years) Even 5000 season ticket holders would dramatically impact our athletic budget.

I just don't understand why anyone would want to penalize the home teams fans. If all the USD fans can't get into the game at CAS then that will drive them to get seats for sure at their stadium the following year. And the same goes the other way.

If all the SDSU fans can't get seats for a game at a stadium in Sioux Falls with a limited seating capacity, that will drive them to buy season tickets every year. Not just on years when the team is good, not just on years when USD comes to Brookings, but every year.

Those home team fans that don't want to or can't buy season tickets can still buy walk up tickets to every other home game, and won't feel obligated to show up after Hobo Day when it starts to get chilly. And they'll still be able to watch the game on TV.

If you move the game to SF, then you have to guarantee that every student that wants to get in does and the same goes for season ticket holders. Now, I am not the greatest at math but I am pretty sure that the SFSA doesn't have a venue that can come close to that.

Would every student that wants to get in be able to get in if the game were at CAS? One thing I can almost guarantee is that there will be restrictions on the amount of students admitted the first time we play USD in basketball in Frost Arena. There almost were last year for a women's game.

Season ticket holders could be guaranteed a seat until the student allotment and season ticket numbers exceeded capacity of HWF. At that time, the rivalry could resume play at each team's home field. By that time, everyone is hooked on driving to Brookings (or Vermillion) every Saturday each fall.

And, if the game will be televised no matter where it is held, then the lazy SF residents that can't seem to muster the time to drive 45 minutes can watch it on TV. Personally, I want the home field advantage and the money that brings into a town that has supported the university.

I take issue with calling Sioux Falls residents lazy, when there are a lot of us who do drive 45 minutes for every home game, including the games in November. There are a lot more who make it to a couple games a year, but don't buy season tickets. Why do you think Sheels is full of SDSU gear??? Must be because of all those Brookings people doing their shopping in Sioux Falls.

Were Brookings residents lazy when SDSU played Davis or Manhatten and they couldn't muster the time to drive to Sioux Falls to support "their" team??? Hell, Brookings residents don't even support the men's basketball team with decent attendance figures most of the time.

I'm from the Brookings area, and would prefer to watch games in CAS. BUT, if it makes sense money wise and could be leveraged into more season ticket holders, I would be all for the USD game in Sioux Falls, despite my own personal preferences.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

HOWARD WOOD FIELD
2000 W. Russell. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Holding 10,000 people. Field turf was installed to replace the natural grass after a renovation project in 2003. The stadium is conveniently located near the Sioux Falls Convention Center and the Sioux Falls Arena and is wonderful for all types of sporting and entertainment events.


5000 tickets for USD
5000 tickets for SDSU

By 2012 we might have up to 3000 season ticket holders. How many tickets do you set aside for students. The more season tickets you sell, the number of tickets available to students decrease (won't sit well with students that they are not given a chance to go to the game). Sioux Falls doesn't have a stadium that would work. Even after they refurbish Howard Wood it will still be a nice High School Football/Track Stadium.

I would guess HWF capacity could be increased to 14,000 without too much trouble. CAS has a capacity of 10,000, but we don't seem to have too much trouble fitting 16K in there.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

I've really chuckled at this thread...and SF Rabbit Fan gets credit for not taking no for an answer. But it isn't going to happen. SDSU is not going to take a home game, which everyone believes will draw a capacity crowd, and move it to Sioux Falls...play at HWF, which as many have said is a poor place to watch a game (and endzone bleachers that hold 6000 extra seats don't just materialize magically for one game a year). We're not going to take it away from the students, who pay a sizeable activity fee to the program (and it is per credit hour, not per game). I'm not sure why anybody wants to comment more on this thread...Justin Sell knows this will be a home game...David Saylor wants to hold it at the Dome (but if anybody could possibly "profit" by moving it to Sioux Falls, it would be the Coyotes...however, it is very unlikely they will give up the "Dome" advantage.) But if y'all want to keep arguing the point...fire away.

[Jacks-02]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

Not to mention the last thing Coach Stig wants to do in a big conference game is to give up home field advantage. We are building the program to be a perennial playoff contender, why would you want to take home field advantage away from the team for a game against one of your two biggest rivals? Also, considering we'll likely have NDSU/USD at home in alternating years, you'd be giving up your biggest non Hobo Day crowd of the year at home.


I admire your persistence SF_Rabbit_Fan, but you still haven't sold me and I doubt your idea would get very far with Mr. Sell or Coach Stig either.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: If anyone says the game should be.......

If SF and its 150k 45 minutes away dont come up for games, just for one football game a year in a small stadium will not increase peolpe who can see it.

If you say to make sure you make it increase season tickets sales, yet most people in SF will be a casual fan, who would not by season tickets. If they had a large enough stadium you would have a point. The larger the stadium we have the more for potential revenue we can make. Its a fine line but when you can have more then half your games sell out, allowing more fans to make those games brings in more business and fans.

If anything you should be preaching to make a smaller stadium in Brookings, say 14K to maximize season ticket sales and eliminate walk up sales. By limiting the number of seats SF could bring, you limit your exposure also. So it cancels any positives by having it in SF because the stadium limits potential fan interest.

But taking it from brookings hurts the local base and business and students. WE are building a great game day environment in Brookings, last thing we want to do is lose that advantage. Frankly more commercials hyping the game day experience and tailgating and quality football is what SF needs, not the actual sporting event.

I actually do wonder if not having a maximum capacity at CAS has hurt season ticket sales.

There are a lot of people from Sioux Falls (and Madison, and Watertown, and Huron) who come to between 1-4 home games a year but aren't season ticket holders. Why would they be when they know they can walk up and buy a ticket if the weather is nice. If the weather is lousy, they'll stay home.

I guess I just believe that there are a lot of people out there who would buy season tickets if there was a real incentive to do so. Salesmen attempt to create a sense of urgency. What's the sense of urgency for average SDSU fans (1-4 games a year) to buy season tickets?