I have always been curious - why don't more schools take advantage of the Hawaii exception to go to Hawaii and play a 13th game?
It seems to me that it would be beneficial despite the travel costs - functioning like a kickoff game or pre or midseason bowl at a destination location, and extra practice, team building.
In my opinion, schools could do this to get in a mid-major game and then schedule another top tier competition game. For instance, Tennessee this year would have benefited from an extra game before going into conference play, or could have used the extra game to help with bowl eligibility (please no slamming if thats not the way it works!) Take 2016's schedule with the Virginia Tech game at Bristol. That year we were also supposed to play Nebraska. If we got an extra game, we could have played both in addition to our 3 "gimme games" and our 8 game conference schedule.
Also, I wish this were an option in more NCAA football console games.
2002 ended in a near-riot. Our team bus had to come on the field to get our cheerleaders and some fans out of the stadium safely. They were being pelted with beer bottles by the Hawai'i crowd.
2008 was the dirtiest played game I've ever seen. And I heard stories from people who went there who said it was the most hostile environment they've ever seen for a visiting fanbase (those people didn't go to the 2002 game).
Unfortunately the articles on these events are now behind paywalls. But here's one article from the Honolulu paper that got posted on CSN a few years back: http://towson.csnbbs.com/thread-332576.html
I would imagine even for an SEC program like the Vols that it does not make financial sense.
Take the additional revenue from the extra home game and subtract the expense of sending a college football team to Hawaii for 2-3 days (you need to adjust to the time difference).
Then take into consideration the additional risk for injury and the possibility (however remote said teams fans may think) that they could lose to a program like Hawaii.
No slam on Hawaii at all coming from me. I just know how voters like to turn their nose up to the slightest thing.
It makes zero sense to make to trip for maybe a few hundred K for a school like Tennessee. The potential loss of revenue in the new playoff world, the hit to their strength of schedule, and increased injury risk make it a non-starter.
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2014 11:41 AM by GO Coogs GO!!!.)
(10-22-2014 11:17 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote: I have always been curious - why don't more schools take advantage of the Hawaii exception to go to Hawaii and play a 13th game?
That is a long trip. Actually works best for teams who are not quite bowl ready, and can give them sort of an in season bowl trip. If you are a west coast team it is not as bad. But if you are an east coast team, I mean playing in California is bad enough. Triple the distance, then you get Hawaii.
I do think that Hawaii games might be more favorable if they had them on Friday night. Gave teams an extra day to get back and get back into their routine, and not feel the need to have a bye week afterward.
Further on this note, I don't know why a Puerto Rico FBS school hasn't emerged yet. I think they could be successful getting a ton of home games since it's (1) cheap to fly to Puerto Rico, and (2) in a good timezone for TV coverage. I imagine a school could be successful just off of other teams' fans coming through the gates, without even needing a large home fanbase.
(10-22-2014 12:02 PM)adcorbett Wrote: Same reason none have emerged in Canada. There are no non-US schools that I am aware of that are part of the NCAA.
Division 2 there is:
Simon Frazier University. Vancouver, British Columbia
It is the highest level allow by the NCAA.
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2014 12:08 PM by MWC Tex.)
(10-22-2014 11:56 AM)Eichorst Wrote: Further on this note, I don't know why a Puerto Rico FBS school hasn't emerged yet. I think they could be successful getting a ton of home games since it's (1) cheap to fly to Puerto Rico, and (2) in a good timezone for TV coverage. I imagine a school could be successful just off of other teams' fans coming through the gates, without even needing a large home fanbase.
The problem with going to an island to play isn't flying the team. The problem is all the equipment that is usually trucked has to be flown in as well. That easily doubles whatever the travel costs are to play in the 48 states.
(10-22-2014 12:16 PM)mikeinsec127 Wrote: The problem with going to an island to play isn't flying the team. The problem is all the equipment that is usually trucked has to be flown in as well. That easily doubles whatever the travel costs are to play in the 48 states.
I assume no one likes to use "alternate" equipment. But perhaps one solution would be for Hawaii to get Nike to help offset costs by supplying standard equipment for teams to use. Big names teams like USC who have played there probably still bring their own stuff, but schools that are not as rich could save a lot of money with that. Nike could even make jerseys for every road team who plays there.
(10-22-2014 12:02 PM)adcorbett Wrote: Same reason none have emerged in Canada. There are no non-US schools that I am aware of that are part of the NCAA.
Puerto Rico is part of the US
And there are PR schools in DII, like UPR-Mayaguez (the Tarzans and Janes)
The Conference Championship game has certainly limited schools in taking advantage of it. What would make sense is for schools who don't play each other during the season, but both play at Hawaii, to arrange a game against each other during the week of the championship game, contingent on neither school qualifying for their conference championship game.
It is a territory true, but a gray area in terms of rather technically part of the US or not, depending on what you are talking about. If that makes sense. For example, you almost always fly out of an international terminal to go to Peurto Rico. But you don't need a passport. They have congressional representation, but can't vote for President. They have US military protection, but pay no income taxes.
Wait, seriously: their mascot is the Tarzan and Janes? That is awesomely horrible.
There is another advantage though. IIRC, and someone correct me, I believe the NCAA made a ruling that a 6-7 team who played an extra game, is still bowl eligible, including those who play at Hawaii (to prevent teams from being scared to play there). An extra game to get bowl eligible can be a very good thing.
(10-22-2014 12:33 PM)adcorbett Wrote: There is another advantage though. IIRC, and someone correct me, I believe the NCAA made a ruling that a 6-7 team who played an extra game, is still bowl eligible, including those who play at Hawaii (to prevent teams from being scared to play there). An extra game to get bowl eligible can be a very good thing.
Actually no.
For Bowl eligilbity-
1st is the normal 6-6 with 1 counting FCS win.
after that-
1 6-6 with a win against any FCS team.
2 6-6 with 2 FCS wins
3 6-7 team due to playing at Hawaii.
4 transitioning teams with at least a 6-6 record
5 5-7 teams based on APR results
(10-22-2014 11:36 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote: We did it in 2002 and 2008. Never again.
2002 ended in a near-riot. Our team bus had to come on the field to get our cheerleaders and some fans out of the stadium safely. They were being pelted with beer bottles by the Hawai'i crowd.
2008 was the dirtiest played game I've ever seen. And I heard stories from people who went there who said it was the most hostile environment they've ever seen for a visiting fanbase (those people didn't go to the 2002 game).
Unfortunately the articles on these events are now behind paywalls. But here's one article from the Honolulu paper that got posted on CSN a few years back: http://towson.csnbbs.com/thread-332576.html
Those stories remind me of the last 30 seconds of this video:
(10-22-2014 11:56 AM)Eichorst Wrote: Further on this note, I don't know why a Puerto Rico FBS school hasn't emerged yet. I think they could be successful getting a ton of home games since it's (1) cheap to fly to Puerto Rico, and (2) in a good timezone for TV coverage. I imagine a school could be successful just off of other teams' fans coming through the gates, without even needing a large home fanbase.
American has a campus in Puerto in addition to the one mentioned earlier.
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2014 01:14 PM by C2__.)
(10-22-2014 12:30 PM)adcorbett Wrote: It is a territory true, but a gray area in terms of rather technically part of the US or not, depending on what you are talking about. If that makes sense. For example, you almost always fly out of an international terminal to go to Peurto Rico. But you don't need a passport. They have congressional representation, but can't vote for President. They have US military protection, but pay no income taxes.
Wait, seriously: their mascot is the Tarzan and Janes? That is awesomely horrible.
They are US Citizens
Yes, their Men's mascot is a bulldog named Tarzan, Women's is named Jane
(10-22-2014 12:16 PM)mikeinsec127 Wrote: The problem with going to an island to play isn't flying the team. The problem is all the equipment that is usually trucked has to be flown in as well. That easily doubles whatever the travel costs are to play in the 48 states.
I assume no one likes to use "alternate" equipment. But perhaps one solution would be for Hawaii to get Nike to help offset costs by supplying standard equipment for teams to use. Big names teams like USC who have played there probably still bring their own stuff, but schools that are not as rich could save a lot of money with that. Nike could even make jerseys for every road team who plays there.
I doubt adidas, Reebok, Under Armor, etc. would be on board with that. I imagine it would be a breach of contract for schools who are with other apparel companies.
