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

[Ralph Turner]

Your response beat me to it.  Sorry about the sarcastic remark. I apologize. Only belatedly did I realize that your specific request was for more information.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Your response beat me to it.  Sorry about the sarcastic remark. I apologize. Only belatedly did I realize that your specific request was for more information.

No apology needed. It's all good.   

[couchcru11]

I would encourage UMHB to put together a bid and see what happens.

I thought they already put in the bid with Shenadoah (TX)?

[Pat Coleman]

I would encourage UMHB to put together a bid and see what happens.

I thought they already put in the bid with Shenadoah (TX)?

I would encourage them to bid with their on-campus stadium if the current bid is not accepted.

[badgerwarhawk]

I don't have a problem with continuing the Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Given that the majority of DIII programs are on the east coast it makes sense to hold the championship game there.  Yes, I'd rather see warmer weather but moving some place further removed from the base of the the division would probably hurt attendance more than help it.  This way it's close enough to many DIII programs and their fan base so they can attend even when their particular team is not participating.

[AO]

I don't have a problem with continuing the Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Given that the majority of DIII programs are on the east coast it makes sense to hold the championship game there.  Yes, I'd rather see warmer weather but moving some place further removed from the base of the the division would probably hurt attendance more than help it.  This way it's close enough to many DIII programs and their fan base so they can attend even when their particular team is not participating.

The base isn't in Salem.  The ODAC and USA South are nearby, and that's pretty much it.

If someone created a graphic from that map that made the team names with higher attendance larger, you'd see the Midwest and not the East as the base of D3.

[Pat Coleman]

I don't have a problem with continuing the Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Given that the majority of DIII programs are on the east coast it makes sense to hold the championship game there.  Yes, I'd rather see warmer weather but moving some place further removed from the base of the the division would probably hurt attendance more than help it.  This way it's close enough to many DIII programs and their fan base so they can attend even when their particular team is not participating.

The base isn't in Salem.  The ODAC and USA South are nearby, and that's pretty much it.

If someone created a graphic from that map that made the team names with higher attendance larger, you'd see the Midwest and not the East as the base of D3.

Higher attendance such as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference? In Virginia?

Rank Division III Teams Games Attendance Average In Avg.
1. Minnesota Intercollegiate 9 48 161,870 3,372 -131
2. Old Dominion Athletic # 8 41 121,609 2,966 -532

[D3MAFAN]

I don't have a problem with continuing the Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Given that the majority of DIII programs are on the east coast it makes sense to hold the championship game there.  Yes, I'd rather see warmer weather but moving some place further removed from the base of the the division would probably hurt attendance more than help it.  This way it's close enough to many DIII programs and their fan base so they can attend even when their particular team is not participating.

The base isn't in Salem.  The ODAC and USA South are nearby, and that's pretty much it.

If someone created a graphic from that map that made the team names with higher attendance larger, you'd see the Midwest and not the East as the base of D3.

I think Salem is in a decent location, but I wouldn't mind a rotation. Maybe Chattanooga, TN, Indianpolis, IN, North Texas Somewhere.

[Andy Archibald]

If you want North Texas, Allen High School in the Dallas area has a stadium that would be more than sufficiant... holds 18,000

[AO]

I don't have a problem with continuing the Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Given that the majority of DIII programs are on the east coast it makes sense to hold the championship game there.  Yes, I'd rather see warmer weather but moving some place further removed from the base of the the division would probably hurt attendance more than help it.  This way it's close enough to many DIII programs and their fan base so they can attend even when their particular team is not participating.

The base isn't in Salem.  The ODAC and USA South are nearby, and that's pretty much it.

If someone created a graphic from that map that made the team names with higher attendance larger, you'd see the Midwest and not the East as the base of D3.

Higher attendance such as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference? In Virginia?

Rank Division III Teams Games Attendance Average In Avg.
1. Minnesota Intercollegiate 9 48 161,870 3,372 -131
2. Old Dominion Athletic # 8 41 121,609 2,966 -532

You could obviously do worse than put the game near the ODAC, but the Stagg won't see the full attendance benefit since the ODAC doesn't look capable of sending another team to the game.  If you really want to create atmosphere at the game, don't worry about the neutral fans. 

[K-Mack]

AO,
I'd check out the graphic if you created it (and could you also make it so that you can drop teams off the map and we can use it to see who's within 500 miles come playoff time?) but I'd be willing to bet someone is just not going to make it appear.

Would also be willing to hear where you think it should be (with specifics) and if there's any interest anywhere.

A few things that are understood by longtime readers of this thread:

1) Salem is not the geographic center of D-III. That'd be closer to Columbus, Ohio.
2) There are places with better weather than Salem. Salem does come close to weather conditions in most of the D-III playing country.
3) If somebody wants to outbid Salem for the game, somebody's going to have to want the game as much as it does.

So if you were just speaking in generalities, fine. There are more teams in the midwest than in Virginia. But beyond that, where would be a good place, and what community has the mix of an appropriately-sized facility, etc. to make it work.

Salem can be improved on, but there's no no-brainer out there, IMO, and no community that has shown interest that has any improvement to offer besides better weather but longer travel.

[AO]

AO,
I'd check out the graphic if you created it (and could you also make it so that you can drop teams off the map and we can use it to see who's within 500 miles come playoff time?) but I'd be willing to bet someone is just not going to make it appear.

Would also be willing to hear where you think it should be (with specifics) and if there's any interest anywhere.

A few things that are understood by longtime readers of this thread:

1) Salem is not the geographic center of D-III. That'd be closer to Columbus, Ohio.
2) There are places with better weather than Salem. Salem does come close to weather conditions in most of the D-III playing country.
3) If somebody wants to outbid Salem for the game, somebody's going to have to want the game as much as it does.

So if you were just speaking in generalities, fine. There are more teams in the midwest than in Virginia. But beyond that, where would be a good place, and what community has the mix of an appropriately-sized facility, etc. to make it work.

Salem can be improved on, but there's no no-brainer out there, IMO, and no community that has shown interest that has any improvement to offer besides better weather but longer travel.

The graphic would be fun, but the data speaks for itself.  Salem loses the "number of teams with good attendance within 500 miles" to Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago and Minneapolis.  I think the value of moving the Stagg around the country to different/bigger/hometown audiences outweighs whatever other advantage Salem might have.  I also think you could have a good atmosphere with 10,000 fans in Lucas Oil Stadium or the new Metrodome.  Bethel had 7500 in attendance playing in the Dome last week.  It didn't require years of planning and a perfect bid to host a game there.

[wally_wabash]

I think you would get a ton of casual D3 interest in the game if it were in a place like Indy or Columbus (for instance, me) and probably boost the attendance of the game a little, but enough to make it worth playing in a place like LOS?  I don't know.  There's something about playing in a cavernous stadium with 20% capacity (if that) that I think takes away from the atmosphere a bit. 

The upside to a place like Minneapolis is that it's easy to get to (relative to Salem anyway), but the downside is the same as Salem...you're kind of off center from the bulk of the D3 fan base.  Are there going to be significantly more people attracted to a Minneapolis Stagg Bowl that doesn't feature a MIAC or WIAC team than there would be for the same game in Salem?  I'm not sure there would be. 

[jknezek]

AO,
I'd check out the graphic if you created it (and could you also make it so that you can drop teams off the map and we can use it to see who's within 500 miles come playoff time?) but I'd be willing to bet someone is just not going to make it appear.

Would also be willing to hear where you think it should be (with specifics) and if there's any interest anywhere.

A few things that are understood by longtime readers of this thread:

1) Salem is not the geographic center of D-III. That'd be closer to Columbus, Ohio.
2) There are places with better weather than Salem. Salem does come close to weather conditions in most of the D-III playing country.
3) If somebody wants to outbid Salem for the game, somebody's going to have to want the game as much as it does.

So if you were just speaking in generalities, fine. There are more teams in the midwest than in Virginia. But beyond that, where would be a good place, and what community has the mix of an appropriately-sized facility, etc. to make it work.

Salem can be improved on, but there's no no-brainer out there, IMO, and no community that has shown interest that has any improvement to offer besides better weather but longer travel.

The graphic would be fun, but the data speaks for itself.  Salem loses the "number of teams with good attendance within 500 miles" to Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago and Minneapolis.  I think the value of moving the Stagg around the country to different/bigger/hometown audiences outweighs whatever other advantage Salem might have.  I also think you could have a good atmosphere with 10,000 fans in Lucas Oil Stadium or the new Metrodome.  Bethel had 7500 in attendance playing in the Dome last week.  It didn't require years of planning and a perfect bid to host a game there.

It does require A bid, something that wasn't submitted this year. Your fantasy isn't a bad idea, but until places start to bid it simply CAN'T happen. As far as we know, the choices are Shenandoah Texas, Bradenton FL, and Salem VA. Maybe some others bid, but it doesn't appear like your favorites show the inclination to participate.

The last four sites have been OH, AL, FL, and Salem VA (back to 1973 in total). Kings Island OH had it for two years in '83 and '84 before it returned to Phenix City AL. So with the exception of those two years, the Stagg is as close to where you want it as it has ever been.

As for not needing a perfect bid, I agree. But to become the champ you have to knock off the champ. That means the bid needs to be better than Salem's. Until it happens, this is just a never ending whine. We can't force other places to bid or the NCAA to award it to places that show no interest in hosting.

[Teamski]

Just throwing this out here: How about Selby Stadium at OWU? Close enough to Columbus, historic and can hold 9,000 and has a large press box.

If you are going to host it in OH, might as well use Fawcett Stadium in Canton. 

Funny thing about that field is that a lot of team radios can't reach the box from across the field.  They are too far.  Wesley's wasn't even close when they played there several years ago.  The assistants had to sit in the stands!

-Ski

Interesting. Who did Wesley play in Fawcett?  Malone or Walsh maybe?

Perhaps Mount Union should have been more gracious hosts and given their guests (the visiting team) the better accommodations.

I thought that he was being more polite than he needed to be.   

Ralph, I believe Ski was talking about playing Walsh at Fawcett in 2011, not at Mt. Union.

The Press Box at Mt. Union is on the Visitor Sidelines, so I don't think headset communications would be an issue there.

It was against Walsh that year.  You had to be in the middle of the field before we could get the headsets to work.  No such problems at Alliance.....

-Ski