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

[Pat Coleman]

You haven't lived until you've seen 5,000 people in a 70,000 seat stadium.

It works for lacrosse. Not for this.

[realistic]

Keith - you mentioned that it probably won't be in Salem forever and I agree that it is good that other places are showing interest.  However, one yearly destination has worked very well for the D-I college world series.  Now, I know that the Stagg Bowl is not an event on the scale of the CWS but it shows a precedent of one location embracing a game and turning it into a destination/event.  That is what Salem has done and it is what they do when they host other events.  I was very impressed when my sister played in the D-III softball world series there.

Pat - great point about the big stadiums.  That would be a horrible move.  I can't help but think of the Metrodome during the last MIAC weekend of the season.  Even 6-8 thousand makes it look pathetic.

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

I am not advocating it.  I just threw it out there because it already plays host to events.

48,443 people attended D1 Men's Lacrosse championship 7th all time for a championship, behind 6 men's basketball championships

13,000 Fans for the two Turkey Bowls I mentioned. 13,000 might not seem like alot but for teams in MD.  That is alot.

Baltimore is a football and lacrosse town.  There might just be more than 5000 fans at a game.  It would be nice.

[realistic]

right, but the 13,000 fans have big rooting interest in those teams.  How many local fans show up to a Mary Hardin Baylor vs Linfield Stagg Bowl?

As for the lacrosse...the sport is taking off more than ever but it helped to have Johns Hopkins playing 5 miles from campus, no?

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

See Lax has always been popular where I came from, I think ever since ESPN has put it on thier programing and with it being played at these huge venues has really caused it to take off. John Hopkins helps a little bit but not 48,433. Also advertsing for the event started a year before.  The same with Notre Dame playing Navy.  They are selling tickets when the schedule was released the year before.

Pat-I haven't seen 5,000 fans in a 70,000 seat stadium.  However I have seen 900 fans in 10,000 seat stadium (Greensboro home games) and 690 fans in 20,000 seat stadium (Greensboro vs Guilford at the Coliseum.)  I think however there might be more closer to 1000 this year if it is still played there.)

What do I say about that "plenty of good seats still available"

[Jonny Utah]

Those lax championships are going to get 40,000+ no matter where they are today.

[Pat Coleman]

What do I say about that "plenty of good seats still available"

And what I say is "not appropriate for the Stagg Bowl."

[K-Mack]

Keith - you mentioned that it probably won't be in Salem forever and I agree that it is good that other places are showing interest.  However, one yearly destination has worked very well for the D-I college world series.  Now, I know that the Stagg Bowl is not an event on the scale of the CWS but it shows a precedent of one location embracing a game and turning it into a destination/event.  That is what Salem has done and it is what they do when they host other events.  I was very impressed when my sister played in the D-III softball world series there.

Well,
that's an interesting comparison with Omaha.

I don't know if you've read my previous posts on this board, but I've been pretty pro-Salem. I guess what I was saying is that I don't think it has to be in Salem forever, but you do have to find a site that is what Salem is (in terms of geography and with the perfect-size stadium) and does what Salem does (in terms of the volunteers it takes to put the event on, in terms of being embraced by the local community and media, etc.)

Someone made an interesting case for Canton ... except for the giant stadium, I could see that being a really competitive bid, if they ever made one.

[K-Mack]

The latest resurfacing of this topic, via the Stagg Bowl-week Daily Dose:

114.  R24aider Says:
      December 13th, 2007 at 10:18 am e

      Current forecast for Saturday, 38 and Rain. I know Salem does an outstanding job, but I also think that MT and UWW deserve better than 38 and rain. These two teams have battled the elements for four weeks (esp. UWW) and now the biggest game of their football careers.... 38 and rain. The NCAA seems to do a good job saving money by scheduling the playoffs according to proximity, you would think they could take some of these savings and send the two finalists to Naples, or Arizona, or anywher warm. What about the poor parents, finally get to see their sons in the game of games and have to endure those horrible elements. I know the coaches and players will tell you they don't care, but it's the principle of it. The NCAA is sending horrible Michigan 8-4 to the Capital One bowl, and I would rather watch Mt and UWW anyday. Oh but they are DI. Kids are Kids DI or DIII and what a thrill it would be for our DIII kids to play somewhere like, maybe, Disneyworld. Good luck to Mount Union and Wisc. Whitewater. I know both teams will leave "it" on the field but most importantly I hope the Kids have a great time, especially the seniors.

115. Pat Coleman Says:
      December 13th, 2007 at 10:41 am e

      Ironic. What about the poor parents indeed? Not everyone is wealthy enough to drop money on a flight to FL or CA!

116. Raiderdude Says:
      December 13th, 2007 at 11:44 am e

      I am not sure on the logic there Pat. Most DIII schools are not state supported and thus the cost of tuition, etc. is much higher. If the parents can afford those costs, a plane trip, etc. should be also.

      I have always wondered how so many can afford these package trips to travel to the south and west for the college bowl games. Money is made available if needed I suppose for the "experience".

      I think the biggest difficulty most of us have is with the game schedule versus the holiday season events. Most of us work during the week and there are only so many weekends in December prior to Christmas. The game being on the 17th is placed directly in conflict with those other holiday activities with family, work, etc. Not saying ti needs changed but it does make it logistically difficult to balance all the needs. I, for one, have three other events scheduled for that morning and evening which makes the trip impossible.

      In fact, our evening holiday party engagement starts at 7pm and I am showing up late so I don't miss the end of the game!

      For what it's worth..............

119. D3Keith Says:
      December 13th, 2007 at 1:07 pm e

      The game belongs in Salem for several reasons:

      1) The committee and the city give it the attention it deserves, and it gets better every year because they make an effort to add something, whether it be TV-quality lighting, instant replay and a giant video screen and now this year turf.

      2) Discussing strictly proximity, most Division III teams are located in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and northern Midwest. Salem is not only in driving distance for a majority of teams (though the West keeps sending teams, and that doesn't seem to work for them), its weather on game day closely approximates what you might find at a game elsewhere in D3 that day.

      It might be nice to take a sunny vacation in conjunction with the Stagg Bowl, but you have to remember, we don't get two months to work on travel plans. Fans get 7 days, so team bus trips like the one UWW is sponsoring, or being within a day trip of the game site is important.

      Asking people to get flights from Ohio or Wisconsin to some southern locale on 7 days notice would be quite a burden, much more than is necessary.

      There are years, like UMHB vs. Linfeld, when everyone is stuck doing that. But it's no coincidence that the highest attendance by far in Salem's Stagg history was when Bridgewater (3 hrs) played Mount Union (driving distance, 6 hrs maybe?)

      As far as the timing of the game during the holidays, how else are you gonna get 10 games and 5 weeks of playoffs in?

      With all due respect, I don't believe you've thought this through as throroughly as the people who have planned this game for the past 15 years. They are not looking out for the fans who want to make their holiday parties and get a tan for Christmas as much they are for the student-athletes that could potentially play in the game.

120. D3Keith Says:
      December 13th, 2007 at 1:25 pm e

      Also, R24aider (I realize Raiderdude was half of those posts as well, but this one's for you):

      The game has been played in Florida (Bradenton) and Alabama (Phenix City) as well as Kings Island Ohio (not a warm locale, but assuming that's the amusement park of the same name), and I don't get the sense (having done the knowledge on the history) that any of those places were a success, attendance-wise or in the attention they were able to give the game.

      In Phenix City for instance, they used local officials crews that had not done Division III games all season ... you might think an SEC crew is better suited to do this game, but a D3 crew better knows the nuances of the D3 game and, it is the opinion of the NCAA director of championships that it's the officials' championship too, so they try to select a top-rated crew from around that isn't from a conference close to either team.

      Also, I know it's cool to bash the NCAA, but come on ... I'm surprised you don't know this. The NCAA has nothing to do with sending anyone to any bowls, Capital One or otherwise. The NCAA administers the championships in every sport and divisions I-AA, II and III ... but since I-A refuses to have an actual championship, the bowls, individually owned corporations by the way, with CEOs and local business interests, are who picks up the tab for team travel and everything else associated with putting on a bowl.

      I think you really knew that and just had a lapse.

      I feel like we have this discussion about whether the game belongs in Salem a couple times a year. Wait, we do, so I set up a thread a long time ago to discuss it.

      Should the Stagg Bowl find a better site or stay in Salem, Va.?: http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=4975.0

      You are entitled to your opinion, but I think you should familiarize yourself with all sides of the argument before forming it.

[Jonny Utah]

Its just an opinion but.....

I will probably never go to Salem, Virginia to see a Stagg Bowl that doesn't involve Ithaca.  I would go to Florida and make a trip out of it.....

[Ryan Tipps]

Maybe a balancing opinion then....

Even though I didn't have anything really invested in the teams, I started making the five-hour drive to the Stagg Bowl beginning with the 2004 game. Coming to those games helped me fall in love with the area around Salem: the mountains, the markets, the people.

And that led me make the decision to move to the Roanoke Valley this past March.

I'm not saying that's what everybody should or would do, but I think the atmosphere in Salem and the surrounding region is well worth the trip, and I had more interest in coming here than I would have to some of the hotter parts of the U.S.

[Pat Coleman]

I guess I wonder if it's worth resurfacing this discussion just because someone commenting on the blog has the oh-so-original idea to play the game elsewhere. Are we going to break a lot of new ground here?

[pg04]

Its just an opinion but.....

I will probably never go to Salem, Virginia to see a Stagg Bowl that doesn't involve Ithaca.  I would go to Florida and make a trip out of it.....

I would go if it were in florida, since I live here.  However, I don't think I'd mind visiting Salem, Virginia either. 

[Ralph Turner]

I guess I wonder if it's worth resurfacing this discussion just because someone commenting on the blog has the oh-so-original idea to play the game elsewhere. Are we going to break a lot of new ground here?

I appreciate that you kept this discussion on the website as an archive or previous material.  New viewers can read this and learn more about the reasons that the Stagg Bowl is in Salem.  There is an incredible amount of collective history on these message boards and blogs, which can be searched by the curious.

Thank you for not deleting this thread.

[Pat Coleman]

No problem -- I'm OK with it staying around. Just not sure how much it needs to get bumped to the top.