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

[HScoach]

Not that I'm a fan of moving the game, but I would sure like the game to be played in decent wind/rain conditions.  I'm not saying we need 70 and sunny, but it would be nice to not have a 50/50 chance of high winds. 

[Gray Fox]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

[PurpleSuit]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

Factually that is incorrect, and the last time the games were in Ohio was 25+ years ago.  Hardly relevant.

[SUADC]

This game could possibly played at the Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

This can give some of our troops an opportunity to see Division III Football at its best. The stadium is great, the facilities are great, and the people there are just outstanding. I have played their twice and I have to say it was awesome.

Here are some links:

http://www.navysports.com/facilities/nmcm-stadium-360/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy-Marine_Corps_Memorial_Stadium

[Gray Fox]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

Factually that is incorrect, and the last time the games were in Ohio was 25+ years ago.  Hardly relevant.

The FACTS are here.  You can interpret them any way you wish, Purple Suit.

http://d3football.com/playoffs/index

[smedindy]

If the whole point is avoiding inclement weather then maybe the game should be played in South Florida, Southern California or the Cayman Islands. I've seen plenty of bowl games played in snow, even in El Paso and Shreveport. Nothing like watching the Poulan / Weed Eater Independence Bowl played in a blizzard!

Frankly it should be played where D-3 fans can gather with relative ease, knowing that it's going to be some distance for some teams or fans no matter what.

[PurpleSuit]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

Factually that is incorrect, and the last time the games were in Ohio was 25+ years ago.  Hardly relevant.

The FACTS are here.  You can interpret them any way you wish, Purple Suit.

http://d3football.com/playoffs/index

1985 and 86 looked like they were played in Alabama.  I wasn't a Math major but I'm pretty sure 1,879 and 2,000 are lower than the two years played at Kings Island.

[Gray Fox]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

Factually that is incorrect, and the last time the games were in Ohio was 25+ years ago.  Hardly relevant.

The FACTS are here.  You can interpret them any way you wish, Purple Suit.

http://d3football.com/playoffs/index

1985 and 86 looked like they were played in Alabama.  I wasn't a Math major but I'm pretty sure 1,879 and 2,000 are lower than the two years played at Kings Island.

I realize that you want to just drive down the street to see your favorite team.  But they can't win every year forever.

Let me restate my original statement.  The location with the lowest average attendance was the two years it was in Ohio.   It was broke, so they fixed it.
It works in Salem.  They want it. Keep it there.

[wesleydad]

I agree with Gray Fox on this.  Why should it be moved is my question?  Most of the crowd comes from the teams involved and most can get there if they want.  Salem does a great job and wants the game.  I will repeat what I said before, I know others could do it, but you had to be there at 7 in the morning of the blizzard of the century to have an appreciation for what the town did to get the field, parking lot, and streets cleared for people to get there.  It isnt broke so it doesnt need to be fixed.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It is quite simple, really... if someone else wants it... they need to bid for it. Then the NCAA can compare the bids (because, obviously, Salem will bid) and decide where to take the game. This is the same deal for the men's basketball championship weekend. So far, no one that I am aware of actually bids against Salem... so it is a moot point unless we actually get a bid and the NCAA is forced to make a decision.

[smedindy]

I would vote for the Cayman Islands myself. But then I'd go to the Stagg Bowl and never come back.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I did notice that the attendance in Florida was pretty damn good, despite (or because of?) six different teams in three years, none very 'local'.  Cayman Islands might not be a bad idea!

But only if Stone Station wants a trip to paradise.

[PurpleSuit]

The two years with the lowest attendance were when the games were in Ohio.

Factually that is incorrect, and the last time the games were in Ohio was 25+ years ago.  Hardly relevant.

The FACTS are here.  You can interpret them any way you wish, Purple Suit.

http://d3football.com/playoffs/index

1985 and 86 looked like they were played in Alabama.  I wasn't a Math major but I'm pretty sure 1,879 and 2,000 are lower than the two years played at Kings Island.

I realize that you want to just drive down the street to see your favorite team.  But they can't win every year forever.

My desire for the Stagg Bowl to move to Canton has little to do with my alma mater's success on the football field.  While Salem does a nice job with the Stagg Bowl, I feel that Canton/Stark County could do better and do more for DIII football.  I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. 

Most of the crowd comes from the teams involved and most can get there if they want. 

The vast majority of DIII football schools are closer to Canton than Salem and most by a large margin.  I don't have the numbers in front of me, but its not close.

I will repeat what I said before, I know others could do it, but you had to be there at 7 in the morning of the blizzard of the century to have an appreciation for what the town did to get the field, parking lot, and streets cleared for people to get there. 

I was there actually before 7:00 am.  I will not say that Salem did not work hard to make the game possible, but it was not the most efficient effort.  Garbage trucks with snow plows on the front plowing the way...huh?  There were more "snow plows" off the side of the road on the way to the stadium than trucks actually cleaning the road.  Not to mention the stadium's staff handling of snow removal/ticketing policy.  I know it was a once in a decade storm, but other locations are far more capable of dealing with the weather.

At the end of the day, I guess we will see what happens.  But Salem/Roanoke is not the DIII paradise that many on the boards claim that it is.

[K-Mack]

At the end of the day, I guess we will see what happens.  But Salem/Roanoke is not the DIII paradise that many on the boards claim that it is.

Depends how you define paradise. Mostly people on our boards and who go to Salem appreciate the effort that is put in to making the Stagg Bowl feel like the big game in town and making the players feel like they're at home.

None of the intelligent posts I read say that another city can't replicate that, but that the volunteer work and the ground-level effort is a starting point before outbidding Salem.

The discussion was a little less minds-made-up and hyperbole-filled when skunks_sidekick introduced the Canton idea several pages back.

Would be interesting to see what they could do with it. Let's see if they bid.

[skunks_sidekick]

This all started when some of us (me in particular) asked the question........why not?

From there the discussion went to some of the folks that are involved with the planning, promotion, and implementation of sports entertainment in the Canton/Stark County, OH, area.  The interesting thing is they were already debating making a bid on the game. 

As I have previously stated, the motivation to bid on the game might be a bit stronger due to the fact that the Canton/Stark County area is losing the OHSAA state football championships for two years.  Canton/Stark County has an almost unheard of volunteer support structure already in place, amazing facilities, natural entertainment draws (Pro Football HOF), and is well-versed and capable to handle any inclement weather. 

From the discussions I have had with the powers that be, the bid will be forthcoming.  I would expect some of the folks involved in putting the bid together will be down in Salem this week.

As someone who is lucky enough to frequently travel, and also who is willing to just "jump on a plane" and go, I am all for a very southern location for the Stagg Bowl.  The weather in Salem has been iffy at best.  The weather in Canton, OH will amost always be colder than Salem, but not really by that much. 

I happen to think that Canton can put together a great bid, and from there the committee can decide what is best for the game.  Either way it's a win-win.