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

[Jonny Utah]

Im still pushing for the 1-aa/2/3 game but even without three games you could always thrown in a coaches conference/clinic or some sort of NFL and college combine or something.  Maybe even the NCAA could hold football type leadership conferences or any of that other crap they do.  Then they can force people to work those games at the same time....

Good idea.

Maybe that's why the D3 coaches meet every year in Salem and D3 coaches and players host a clinic (some years) for kids on the morning of the Stagg Bowl.

I still don't see more than a passing crossover interest in D2 and I-AA bowls ... How many of you knew it was UMass and Appy State, and another rematch, Grand Valley and NW Missouri State?

K-Mack

D3 football coaches have gone and will go to the stagg bowl no matter where it is, thats a given.

And maybe Im just the only one who loves to watch all 1-AA games and d2 games when their championships are on TV.  Ive watched every Umass game in the playoffs (Im from Mass), and I also knew all about Grand Valley State (a powerhouse d2 team).

Put it in Florida in December and Im goin.....

[section13raiderfan]

Tomorrow in USA TODAY, Page 3C everybody ... Salem gets love!

I did not edit the piece however, so I hope there's no mistakes. 

Glad to see we're still the JV. 

Now Pat! In some parts of the world page 3 is the most read part of the daily newspaper. Take England for example. Just type   page3.com   into your computer and see what I mean. OK so this is not D3 related....but its at least DD. Everyday its another beauty too.  

[allsky7]

Im still pushing for the 1-aa/2/3 game but even without three games you could always thrown in a coaches conference/clinic or some sort of NFL and college combine or something.  Maybe even the NCAA could hold football type leadership conferences or any of that other crap they do.  Then they can force people to work those games at the same time....

Good idea.

Maybe that's why the D3 coaches meet every year in Salem and D3 coaches and players host a clinic (some years) for kids on the morning of the Stagg Bowl.

I still don't see more than a passing crossover interest in D2 and I-AA bowls ... How many of you knew it was UMass and Appy State, and another rematch, Grand Valley and NW Missouri State?

K-Mack

D3 football coaches have gone and will go to the stagg bowl no matter where it is, thats a given.

And maybe Im just the only one who loves to watch all 1-AA games and d2 games when their championships are on TV.  Ive watched every Umass game in the playoffs (Im from Mass), and I also knew all about Grand Valley State (a powerhouse d2 team).

Put it in Florida in December and Im goin.....

Jonny,

     I followed JMU in the I-AA playoffs until they got eliminated. (I live in VA) Haven't paid a bit of attention to it since. Would I enjoy watching the I-AA or D2 finals....sure. Would I fly somewhere to watch them play...doubtful. I would however, make an extra effort for D3. The fact that I played D3, had a father who coached D3, and have been around D3 all my life has a little something to do with it. I admit that. Would I fly to FL for the Stagg Bowl? Maybe in a given year I might but year in and year out, probably not. Granted, I live an hour and 20 minutes from Salem so that is a "no brainer". Would I drive 6 or 8 hours for the Stagg Bowl year in and year out....probably. As I have mentioned in previous post...I think once air travel becomes the only practical way for fans to get to the host city, it will eliminate a large number of potential fans that will attend. Anywhere in FL is going to make driving impractical for a large majority of D3 fans. I may be wrong on this but I'd be willing to bet that if the Stagg Bowl were in FL, a significant number of the fans of the teams playing would not attend. Especially with ESPN carrying the game.
     Anyway, just my humble opinion. I'm sure there will always be some disagreement on this topic.

[Ralph Turner]

Tomorrow in USA TODAY, Page 3C everybody ... Salem gets love!

I did not edit the piece however, so I hope there's no mistakes. 

Glad to see we're still the JV. 

Now Pat! In some parts of the world page 3 is the most read part of the daily newspaper. Take England for example. Just type   page3.com   into your computer and see what I mean. OK so this is not D3 related....but its at least DD. Everyday its another beauty too.  

Now raiderfan, this is an upscale web site.  We cannot have any cookies from visiting Page 3 of that London tabloid being dropped on this family-oriented meesage board or in Pat's server.

And if fans you thought that Knightstalker's "signature line" was a little risque, then stay away from Page 3!                                     

[section13raiderfan]

No harm meant Ralph. I was just trying to lift Pats spirits a little. Pat if you think it necessary you can delete my post. I will not be upset at all. Go Raiders!

['gro]

maybe it's just me, but the line for driving/flying is around 400-500 miles. And when you're talking about a quick weekend like the stagg bowl, then flying has it's advantages. Plus, with christmas the next weekend, flight deals should be available. I'll take 6-7 hours total airport to airport trip time (and for most probably quicker) vs. 8 straight hours in a car anyday. And a 500 mile drive is going to cost you about $180 (at a $0.36/mile burden on your vehicle, that's more than just gas) what's a plane ticket gonna cost $220?

So I'm the other guy with Johnny U that wants the game in Florida and to make an event out of it - add the 2 other championship games and/or have a conference, clinics etc. Not that salem is doing anything wrong, but if you put all that together and threw in the beach, I'm in.

And if the mean ole UMASS fans ask "who the hell is mount union anyway?" then TELL THEM!! Educate them. Make some friends who just like to watch football.

[Ralph Turner]

No harm meant Ralph. I was just trying to lift Pats spirits a little. Pat if you think it necessary you can delete my post. I will not be upset at all. Go Raiders!

Appropriate contrition and humility, raiderfan!  Proud of you!   

+1 Karma!

Travel safely and have a good Stagg Bowl!

Hmmm, I wonder how much traffic has been driven to the Page 3 web page by that post.

['gro]

On a sad note, I was planning on going to the DI-AA game this Friday (I don't support either team, the game is about 20min from my house) but it sold out!!

[allsky7]

maybe it's just me, but the line for driving/flying is around 400-500 miles. And when you're talking about a quick weekend like the stagg bowl, then flying has it's advantages. Plus, with christmas the next weekend, flight deals should be available. I'll take 6-7 hours total airport to airport trip time (and for most probably quicker) vs. 8 straight hours in a car anyday. And a 500 mile drive is going to cost you about $180 (at a $0.36/mile burden on your vehicle, that's more than just gas) what's a plane ticket gonna cost $220?

So I'm the other guy with Johnny U that wants the game in Florida and to make an event out of it - add the 2 other championship games and/or have a conference, clinics etc. Not that salem is doing anything wrong, but if you put all that together and threw in the beach, I'm in.

And if the mean ole UMASS fans ask "who the hell is mount union anyway?" then TELL THEM!! Educate them. Make some friends who just like to watch football.

gro,

     You make some valid points. Not sure where you can get a $220 plane ticket though. I've never had one that cheap out of Roanoke. Course, I don't usually fly the week before Christmas. Your point is still well taken. I suppose cheaper air fare might be a plus of moving to a larger city too but I still say D3 would get lost in a larger city.
     Well, we have beaten this topic to a pulp. Guess we will just  have to leave it up to the powers that be. But for now... GO PURPLE...GO SALEM...GO D3!!! 

[tmerton]

I still don't see more than a passing crossover interest in D2 and I-AA bowls ... How many of you knew it was UMass and Appy State, and another rematch, Grand Valley and NW Missouri State?

I definitely knew about the 1-AA game as I had watched the semi-finals last week.  I had not seen boo in the news about D2 in the media, though I certainly know about Grand Valley.  Seems to me that 1AA and D3 are going strong within their respective fan bases; I don't have a similar feel for D2 even though there are a few D2 programs out here.  They seem to get about as much press as JCs.

[Jonny Utah]

maybe it's just me, but the line for driving/flying is around 400-500 miles. And when you're talking about a quick weekend like the stagg bowl, then flying has it's advantages. Plus, with christmas the next weekend, flight deals should be available. I'll take 6-7 hours total airport to airport trip time (and for most probably quicker) vs. 8 straight hours in a car anyday. And a 500 mile drive is going to cost you about $180 (at a $0.36/mile burden on your vehicle, that's more than just gas) what's a plane ticket gonna cost $220?

So I'm the other guy with Johnny U that wants the game in Florida and to make an event out of it - add the 2 other championship games and/or have a conference, clinics etc. Not that salem is doing anything wrong, but if you put all that together and threw in the beach, I'm in.

And if the mean ole UMASS fans ask "who the hell is mount union anyway?" then TELL THEM!! Educate them. Make some friends who just like to watch football.

gro,

     You make some valid points. Not sure where you can get a $220 plane ticket though. I've never had one that cheap out of Roanoke. Course, I don't usually fly the week before Christmas. Your point is still well taken. I suppose cheaper air fare might be a plus of moving to a larger city too but I still say D3 would get lost in a larger city.
     Well, we have beaten this topic to a pulp. Guess we will just  have to leave it up to the powers that be. But for now... GO PURPLE...GO SALEM...GO D3!!! 

Well no matter where you have it 80%? of the fans will be fans of those two schools and still mostly former players, families, and relatives and friends of the players at that.  So your going to get 3000-5000 if you put the game in Bangor, Maine or Miami, Florida.  Then your going to get maybe 1000 people from the area to go.  But like you ask yourself, would I go if its here or there?

Am I going to Salem Va ever to see a team other than Ithaca play?  No

Am I going to Miami, Fla ever to see a team other than Ithaca play? Maybe, that would be a fun trip without the football

Can I drive to Salem or Fla? No

Can I fly into Mia for around $250? Yes

Can I fly into Salem/Roanoke for around $250? No

Would I go to Salem to see 3 football games? No

Would I go to Fla to see 3 football games? Probably at least once. 

[patcummings]

It should be noted that my flight to Roanoke from Philadelphia is $240.

[Jonny Utah]

It should be noted that my flight to Roanoke from Philadelphia is $240.

yea I just looked quick and there were no flights that were cheap.  is Roanoke close to Salem where you would have to get a car?  or is transportation any good there (public)

['gro]

Don't mention Miami, it's "too big" and a D3 game would get lost... you know a monster truck rally might accidently get booked at the same stadium the same day, sending purple raiders running for their lives.

Bradenton is small enough to host (not sure of the stadium size), yet close enough to 3 airports, many attractions, and the beach.  If that city put together a quality bid package, the NCAA would be bananas not to take it. Give it to FL for 2 years (just the stagg bowl, I'd like all 3 but it's not that important), see what happens.

['gro]

JU, obviously none of these guys have heard of the mancation.  In college, you and your buddys went on road trips. You cram 5-6 guys in a honda accord, drive off to either spring break or another friends college, eat cheap, drink cheaper, and usually sleep on a floor or in a recliner.

Now that you're older, wiser, and hopefully more financially stable... you go on the mancation. You call your buddies, pick a desination (Vegas, Mardi Gras, Florida), and you go banana's... making sure to send text messages to significant others to tell them that you are "behaving". Now the whole point of this post.

Mancation in Salem... all right.
Mancation in Tampa, FL... AIGHT!!!