Should the Stagg Bowl find a better site or stay in Salem, Va.

[hazzben]

Here's an interesting tidbit.

Kansas City has won the bid to host the DII title game, starting next year. It will be played in Sporting Park - an amazing venue typically used by Sporting KC, the MLS team. It's a state of the art stadium that seats 18-20k, but every seat feels like you are right on top of the action.



First, I realize KC is outside the typical D3 footprint. But this is a large city that rallies well around smaller events. There's a reason why the NCAA awarded KC with the right to host multiple different sport championships from multiple different levels. This is a big city with a small town feel that has historically loved small college athletics. The NAIA DI basketball championships are held in Kemper arena in KC every year. The city knows its history, that the tournament dates back to Dr. Naismith and a national championship for small colleges. It gets coverage on the local radio and TV to a remarkable extent. The week of the tourney, the sports radio guys talk about it constantly.

All that to say, this is a large metro area that has bids to multiple small college or non-revenue championships in the upcoming years (volleyball, soccer, etc.). I'm pumped to go see the DII game next year. It's in The Legends area: great restaurants, hotels, infrastructure and a killer venue. While outside the d3footprint a bit (though much closer for TX, IA, MN, WI, IL and West Coast schools, it has a major airport that would make flying easier & cheaper. Having seen multiple soccer games at Sporting Park, I think it's a great fit for a D2/3 title game. It's not too large, will get local support (KC loves their college sports) and is a beautiful stadium.

I have no idea if they bid for the D3 game or not. But it sounds like they bid for about everything else, and came away having won a ton of bids. They cleaned house.

Of similar note: they estimated the D2 game would bring in $1.5 mil in local revenue. I don't know what the Stagg brings in to Salem. But the lady who heads the KC Athletic Commission (or some such name) was pumped by this figure. There was no scoffing at it being small potatoes, she and the 810 Sports (the major radio affiliate) were very excited to have landed the events. So excited they gave airtime to just having won the bids, while the actual games are still a year out!

[D3MAFAN]

Another assessment of the popularity is the TV numbers.

I cannot remember which year D-3 (Stagg Bowl) outdrew D-2 on TV.

Just having a lot fans viewing is a sign of broad support.

last year it was pretty close, but as with all tv ratings, you have to consider what else was on at the time. 

Game should start at least at 8 to give individuals on the west coast a chance to watch it after normal work hours.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

FYI: Salem has hosted more than Division III games in the past... and will do so in the future (Division II lacrosse this May). I can't even remember how many championships they have hosted so far, but I believe I read correctly that next week's Stagg Bowl will mark the 57th Division III championship - and I don't think they are counting last year's MBB Elite 8 weekend.

http://i.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/images/2013/12/11/bidinfographic.jpg
http://odaconline.com/odac/2013-14/releases/121113-ncaa-site-selections

[Hawks88]

After reading the article above about the DII championship I went to the Florence newspaper site to see what they had about losing it. Not much so far.

http://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/article_9ed911cc-6294-11e3-a723-10604b9f6eda.html

Interesting that the guy who led the bid to get the game 28 years ago died earlier this year.

[Ralph Turner]

Move to Kansas City for the D2 championship

http://www.d2football.com/viewnews.php?id=24491

From D2football.com

[smedindy]

Well, everything IS up to date in Kansas City.

[Pat Coleman]

Kansas City is smack in the middle of the footprint of one of the top conferences in Division II (their MIAA) and if Duluth or Mankato continue to be contenders, they're 6-8 hours' drive straight down 35.

One thing to remember about the D2-II bracket is it is completely regionally based. Two teams from the same region can't meet for the title as long as the playoffs remain structured in this way.

[Ralph Turner]

North Dakota State won its third straight D1 FCS championship today in balmy Frisco TX.  It was in the 66 degrees at the conclusion of the game, 67 degrees warmer than Fargo.

"RealFeel" was 60 degrees in Frisco TX versus -23 in Fargo ND.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

And they did not do a good job maintaining the field... blaming icy weather a month ago for the cause. What did they do in the last month to fix the field?

[D3MAFAN]

I am not sure anyone watch the ND State game against Towson, but nobody should have to or ever play on that field. The game was tough to watch.

[Ralph Turner]

The Dr Pepper Field in Frisco is a soccer field for FC Dallas.  IMHO, a soccer pitch needs a different turf from a football field. In Texas, the grasses that we used to have on football fields had more structural integrity and were "grittier" to hold cleats  and for pivoting (I guess stems and roots to the grass) than one would have to permit the true roll of a soccer ball across the pitch (more blades on the grass).

My thought was that 300 lb linemen and 230 lb LB's generate more torque and are more destructive to turf than a 160 lb midfielder.

[AO]

The Dr Pepper Field in Frisco is a soccer field for FC Dallas.  IMHO, a soccer pitch needs a different turf from a football field. In Texas, the grasses that we used to have on football fields had more structural integrity and were "grittier" to hold cleats  and for pivoting (I guess stems and roots to the grass) than one would have to permit the true roll of a soccer ball across the pitch (more blades on the grass).

My thought was that 300 lb linemen and 230 lb LB's generate more torque and are more destructive to turf than a 160 lb midfielder.

Dr Pepper is the name of the nearby AA Baseball stadium.  No negative points for confusing the name as Toyota stadium has had a different name each of the last 3 years.  The grass they use seems to hold up just fine for all the high school games they host.  They wanted to make it even better for the fcs title and ended up making it worse when the cold weather came through.

Nick Shafer, the stadium's vice president of operations blamed the weather for the poor field conditions, saying in a written statement distributed at halftime, "The facility replaced the turf on the field between the hash marks on Nov. 18. Shortly thereafter, an ice storm came through Frisco and ice sat on the field for a week. This prevented the grass from taking root underneath the turf. We haven't changed any field preparation from years' past. The only difference this year is that weather did not cooperate with us."

Tigers coach Rob Ambrose dismissed any notion that the turf affected the play. "In the end, we played in snow, red turf, busted turf, you name it," he said, referring to a snowstorm that blanketed the team's win against Eastern Illinois and the red-colored field at Eastern Washington. "It doesn't matter."

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks, my bad. That field used to be called Pizza Hut Park. +1 for the correction!