Since it's been discussed so often on here, I thought there might be interest in this article about a new stadium in St. Petersburg that they're hoping to open in 2012.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/28/Rays/R...ownt.shtml

The pertinent sentence:

Quote:Although the stadium will be designed for baseball, it will be able to accommodate other events, including football, which could lead to a college football bowl game.

Such a bowl game could be played in the Rays current stadium (Tropicana Field) before 2012 if there were enough incentive. Also, since one of the criticisms of this idea was that it would be stupid to play a bowl game indoors in Florida in December, it's noteworthy that this new stadium will have the ability to play in the open air as well as with a retractable "roof."



USFFan

The design of this stadium doesn't seem to accomodate a big bowl or even any football game for that matter. It's only going to seat about 34,000.

Orange Eagles Wrote:The design of this stadium doesn't seem to accomodate a big bowl or even any football game for that matter. It's only going to seat about 34,000.

big bowls no... but minor pre christmas bowls should be little problem.

they'll probably put additional seating to improve the sight lines and up the attendance to at least 40,000, which wouldn't be too bad for a mid range bowl. the emerald bowl looks to be a near perfect comparison considering both parks are on a bay. it would be a good replacement for birmingham, but the key is whether we'll be able to drop cusa and add a bcs matchup.

Emerald Bowl

USFMike Wrote:they'll probably put additional seating to improve the sight lines and up the attendance to at least 40,000, which wouldn't be too bad for a mid range bowl. the emerald bowl looks to be a near perfect comparison considering both parks are on a bay. it would be a good replacement for birmingham, but the key is whether we'll be able to drop cusa and add a bcs matchup.

Emerald Bowl

I actually am hoping this stadium isn't built. It would mean the end of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix and as an avid IndyCar Series fan I would hate that. St. Pete has been one of the few street races to actually be successful.

That would be awesome for the 4th bowl for the Big East

If the newspaper is reporting that the proposed new Devil Rays stadium can be configured for a bowl game then it can be configured for a bowl game. This is a great development and hopefully the Big East office is on top of the latest events. We have repeatedly been told that they will be proactive in trying to set up a bowl in the Tampa area and this is a perfect opportunity to get things going.

it can start as early as the next bowl cycle using Tropicana Field.

MLB should of built a baseball stadium on the waterfront in TAMPA...near Ybor City...near the Aquarium...near the Ice Palace...as that area...a nice hub of activity near downtown today...would of been cemented as a great place to live/work/play if a baseball stadium were built there in the 90's.

Baseball will never work in "ST PETE"...as folks from the Tampa side...hate the long drive...especially for a baseball game on a weeknight.

By having baseball in St Pete...it killed any chance of folks living just east of downtown Tampa from going to weeknight games...as no one is going to drive 75-90 mins on a weeknight each way to watch the Devil Rays.

Baseball in TAMPA would of made sooooo much more sense.

It would actually make sense to start a bowl at Tropicana Field in 2009 featuring Big East #4 against Navy. The reason for this is that we are scheduled to be without the Texas Bowl again that season and the Poinsettia Bowl is dropping Navy in favor of MWC vs. Pac-10 after this year.

We need to move quickly, though, because committees in both Baltimore and Washington are floating proposals to Army and Navy for cold weather outdoor bowls in those cities and, if the Big East does not act to keep friends close and enemies closer, they may sign out of desperation.

KnightLight Wrote:MLB should of built a baseball stadium on the waterfront in TAMPA...near Ybor City...near the Aquarium...near the Ice Palace...as that area...a nice hub of activity near downtown today...would of been cemented as a great place to live/work/play if a baseball stadium were built there in the 90's.

Baseball will never work in "ST PETE"...as folks from the Tampa side...hate the long drive...especially for a baseball game on a weeknight.

By having baseball in St Pete...it killed any chance of folks living just east of downtown Tampa from going to weeknight games...as no one is going to drive 75-90 mins on a weeknight each way to watch the Devil Rays.

Baseball in TAMPA would of made sooooo much more sense.

While I will agree that I would have liked to have seen them put a baseball stadium in the Ybor/Channelside type of area, I think it's too Tampa-centric to dismiss the draw of a stadium in St. Pete. While folks in New Tampa are not likely to be thrilled with the new ballpark, fans in the Sarasota/Bradenton area are more likely to come.

USFFan

KnightLight Wrote:MLB should of built a baseball stadium on the waterfront in TAMPA...near Ybor City...near the Aquarium...near the Ice Palace...as that area...a nice hub of activity near downtown today...would of been cemented as a great place to live/work/play if a baseball stadium were built there in the 90's.

Baseball will never work in "ST PETE"...as folks from the Tampa side...hate the long drive...especially for a baseball game on a weeknight.

By having baseball in St Pete...it killed any chance of folks living just east of downtown Tampa from going to weeknight games...as no one is going to drive 75-90 mins on a weeknight each way to watch the Devil Rays.

Baseball in TAMPA would of made sooooo much more sense.

Downtown St. Pete to downtown Tampa is like a 20 minute drive...where are you getting 90 minutes from? Look it up on Google Maps. Once the light rail is built across the bay you wouldn't even have to drive it.

When in the hell is USF going to build a football stadium?

BTW, I was down there a few weeks ago at a business conference at Sypris. Right across the street, actually. The week Wide Spread Panic played.

Zipfanatik Wrote:

KnightLight Wrote:MLB should of built a baseball stadium on the waterfront in TAMPA...near Ybor City...near the Aquarium...near the Ice Palace...as that area...a nice hub of activity near downtown today...would of been cemented as a great place to live/work/play if a baseball stadium were built there in the 90's.

Baseball will never work in "ST PETE"...as folks from the Tampa side...hate the long drive...especially for a baseball game on a weeknight.

By having baseball in St Pete...it killed any chance of folks living just east of downtown Tampa from going to weeknight games...as no one is going to drive 75-90 mins on a weeknight each way to watch the Devil Rays.

Baseball in TAMPA would of made sooooo much more sense.

Downtown St. Pete to downtown Tampa is like a 20 minute drive...where are you getting 90 minutes from? Look it up on Google Maps. Once the light rail is built across the bay you wouldn't even have to drive it.

1) Those that live East of Tampa (i.e. Brandon area, N/E New Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, etc...) ALL have to fight RUSH HOUR traffic across the Bay for mid-week games. (Hint...multiply that 20 min drive by 3 or more times).

2) You will be amazed at how many locals from each side of the Bay that do not like to drive to the "other" side.

3) Yes...mass transit would certainly help, regardless where a new stadium were to be located.

4) An outdoor stadium would be better than the ugly dome in St Pete (has high school lighting on poles that stick out over the field), but I don't think the Rays will ever average 30,000 plus fans a game...as long as they play in St Pete...a city who's population drops by 25% or so in the summer...as all the snow birds who own condos there "take off" back up North every April.

Krocker Krapp Wrote:It would actually make sense to start a bowl at Tropicana Field in 2009 featuring Big East #4 against Navy. The reason for this is that we are scheduled to be without the Texas Bowl again that season and the Poinsettia Bowl is dropping Navy in favor of MWC vs. Pac-10 after this year.

We need to move quickly, though, because committees in both Baltimore and Washington are floating proposals to Army and Navy for cold weather outdoor bowls in those cities and, if the Big East does not act to keep friends close and enemies closer, they may sign out of desperation.

I don't see why we would want a annual bowl matchup with Navy. They are from our region already, and we typically have one or more of our teams play them each year already.

I guess the positive is that Navy has a great following which would be sure to attract bowl-goers, but I just don't see that as the best. Perhaps though it would be needed to get the bowl off the ground.

The last thing you want is another CUSA, MAC, Sunbelt, etc. matchup. That would be unacceptable.

I think you need a Big 12 or an SEC matchup if you're going to go #4 with this.

Now personally I'd like to see this venue become our #2 vs the #2 Pac 10 team and in alternate years our #3 vs the #3 Pac 10. And the sister bowl rotating those #2 and #3 the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. San Diego is a great holiday destination for us easterners, just like St Pete.

A new Devil Rays stadium would probably work anywhere in Tampa Bay if the team was winning. It's true the Brandon area traffic is a mess and adds a lot of drive time. Since the Bucs and Lightning play in Tampa I still like the idea of the Rays in St. Pete so the Bradenton/Sarasota folks have an entertainment option that's not so far. And 75% of about a million people in Pinellas County alone is still a good population base to draw from. An open air stadium is not a problem from a precipitation standpoint since it rarely rains but Sat.-Sun. afternoon games in 92 degrees and high humidity would be a problem for the players and the fans.

RebelKev Wrote:When in the hell is USF going to build a football stadium?

Once we can build one that will withstand having fans jumping up and down...



Thanks, I'll be happy to play in the same stadium where they'll be holding the Super Bowl in 2009.

USFFan

Bearcat 1984 Wrote:

Krocker Krapp Wrote:It would actually make sense to start a bowl at Tropicana Field in 2009 featuring Big East #4 against Navy. The reason for this is that we are scheduled to be without the Texas Bowl again that season and the Poinsettia Bowl is dropping Navy in favor of MWC vs. Pac-10 after this year.

We need to move quickly, though, because committees in both Baltimore and Washington are floating proposals to Army and Navy for cold weather outdoor bowls in those cities and, if the Big East does not act to keep friends close and enemies closer, they may sign out of desperation.

I don't see why we would want a annual bowl matchup with Navy. They are from our region already, and we typically have one or more of our teams play them each year already.

I guess the positive is that Navy has a great following which would be sure to attract bowl-goers, but I just don't see that as the best. Perhaps though it would be needed to get the bowl off the ground.

The last thing you want is another CUSA, MAC, Sunbelt, etc. matchup. That would be unacceptable.

I think you need a Big 12 or an SEC matchup if you're going to go #4 with this.

Now personally I'd like to see this venue become our #2 vs the #2 Pac 10 team and in alternate years our #3 vs the #3 Pac 10. And the sister bowl rotating those #2 and #3 the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. San Diego is a great holiday destination for us easterners, just like St Pete.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Have you forgotten last year's shady side deal between Navy and the Meineke Car Care Bowl already? We can never allow that to happen again. Never. It might be the Gator Bowl next time. The Big East needs to step up and take control of the situation. From now on, Army and Navy should go to the bowls that we tell them to go to, rather than letting them steal ours.

Army or Navy would be a very respectable #4 opponent. The only Big East teams who play them often are Connecticut, Rutgers, sometimes Pitt, and occasionally Syracuse. That still leaves the half of the conference located the closest to Tampa a great opportunity to take them on. It is nice to talk about getting BCS opponents but they are all tied up with other contracts right now and that detail will be difficult to change.

SEC BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS Selection (Primarily Sugar)
2 - Big 12 (Cotton / Independence)
2 - Big Ten (Capital One / Outback)
2 - ACC (Chick-Fil-A / Music City)
1 - CUSA (Liberty)

BIG 12 BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS Selection (Primarily Fiesta)
2 - SEC (Cotton / Independence)
2 - Big Ten (Alamo / Insight)
2 - Pac-10 (Holiday / Sun)
1 - CUSA (Texas)

Do you notice a pattern? A BCS bowl, six against BCS teams from three conferences, and one final bowl against a non-autobid league squad.

BIG TEN BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS Selection (Primarily Rose)
2 - SEC (Capital One / Outback)
2 - Big 12 (Alamo / Insight)
1 - ACC (Champs Sports)
1 - MAC (Motor City)

The Big Ten would fit into the same pattern by adding the previously rumored game for their #8 against an ACC team in Atlanta in the future.

ACC BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS Selection (Primarily Orange)
2 - Big East (Gator / Meineke Car Care)
2 - SEC (Chick-Fil-A / Music City)
1 - Big Ten (Champs Sports)
1 - Pac-10 (Emerald)
1 - WAC (Humanitarian)

The ACC would fit into the same pattern by leaving the Emerald for the previously rumored game with their #7 against Big Ten #8 in Atlanta.

PAC-10 BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS Selection (Primarily Rose)
2 - Big 12 (Holiday / Sun)
1 - ACC (Emerald)
2 - MWC (Las Vegas / Poinsettia)
1 - WAC (Hawaii)

The Pac-10 line-up would get worse if the ACC leaves the Emerald and they have to replace them with a more geographically sensible WAC.

BIG EAST BOWL OPPONENTS
1 - BCS (Primarily Floating)
2 - ACC (Gator / Meineke)
1 - MAC (International)
1 - CUSA (Papa John's)

The addition of Tampa as #4 against Army/Navy does not look so bad when you consider how all of the desirable BCS opponents are taken.

One other thing to think about is that I have also always advocated having Notre Dame and Air Force, if the MWC has extra bowl eligible teams, as back-ups for Army and Navy. The Fighting Irish would get first priority once they have used their Gator and Sun rotations and are still not good enough for the BCS. We would get to play them as a bowl opponent rather than letting them steal one of our bowl spots from us.

It is nice to be a dreamer but I think the Big East needs to be practical. This bowl needs to be started as soon as possible and Army/Navy is the easiest way to accomplish that. I am sure they would prefer a bowl in Tampa, or even Boise, to a cold weather outdoor game like those being proposed for Baltimore and Washington recently. Notre Dame, Air Force, and then a 7-5 or 6-6 leftover are perfectly fine back-up options.

KK; you might get your wish, 8 win Troy is sitting at home & Acadamies have no bowl tie-in. NCAA might think about another bowl next yr. Maybe NCAA lets combo deal between Bir & Tampa with tie-ins between SB, BE, Acadamies & C-USA. Your right tough MT should be on plane tomorrow to Indy with finacing & commitment from Tampa.