Ohio has also moved next season’s game against Northwestern from a home game in Peden Stadium to a road date in Evanston, Ill. The Bobcats were locked into a ‘2-for-1’ deal with the Wildcats, meaning Ohio would visit Northwestern twice in return for one home game against the Big Ten opponent. The ‘Cats visited Northwestern in 2005, were slated to host the Wildcats in 2008, and scheduled to return to Northwestern in 2010. In an amendment, finalized less than two weeks ago according to Hocutt, Ohio and Northwestern have agreed to move the 2008 game to Northwestern and have dropped the 2010 matchup from the contract.

The decision was financial, Hocutt said.

“(The 2-for-1 contracts) are not advantageous to us fiscally,” he said. “Because of financial reasons and the restrictions of the 2008 schedule, we felt we were required to restructure this contract.”

Northwestern will pay Ohio $350,000 to play the game on its home field next season, according to Hocutt, the same amount Ohio received in 2005 and would receive in 2010. The money would be more than the expected amount of revenue Ohio could have generated with a home game against the Wildcats next season, and is far less than the market price the Bobcats could get for another money game in 2010.

For example, Ohio will receive $700,000 to visit Ohio State next fall. By restructuring the Northwestern contract, Ohio was able to increase expected revenue for the game next fall and open up a slot for a similar payout in 2010.

“Finances are tight and we must do whatever we can to maximize revenue,” Hocutt said. “But, we still remain committed to fielding a competitive schedule.

“Our goal is to have a Division I-A opponent come to Peden on an annual basis,” he added. “And we feel good about that after we get through 2008.”

Ohio’s non-conference schedule in 2008 includes road games at Wyoming, at Ohio State and, now, at Northwestern. With eight Mid-American Conference games, and a potential home opener with a Division I-AA foe, the Bobcats will likely have five home games and seven road contests in 2008.

“Ideally we want to have six home games (with a 12-game schedule) every year,” Hocutt said. “And in both 2009 and 2010, we think that will be case.”

Ohio has lined up home dates with Division I-A opponents in the three years following 2008 including: Connecticut in 2009, Louisiana-Lafayette in 2010 and old rival Marshall in 2011.

http://www.athensmessenger.com/main.asp?...cleID=5376

Bobcat future OOC schedules:

2008
@Wyoming
1-AA team
@Northwestern
@Ohio State

2009
Connecticut
@Tennessee
1-AA Team

2010
@Georgia
@Marshall
1-AA Team
Louisiana

2011
Marshall
1-AA Team

get rid of the 1-AA"s

I bet we will have to lower ticket prices because we are dropping home games with BSC teams. I guess we will end up with two Division II schools for home games so we can have our six home games. My wife is an OU grad and I am thinking we will give up on buying season tickets next year unless they drop our prices. We usually go to one or two games a year, but I afraid Frank will leave us now. A sad day for the Flagship school of Ohio!

Not to be smart, but isn't this the 3rd home game against a BCS team you have dropped? Money must be tight in Athens, and that sucks for everyone.

Looking forward to the Ohio game. Glad to see that's still on the schedule-they'd be the best team we'd face this year on our OOC.

IULurker Wrote:Not to be smart, but isn't this the 3rd home game against a BCS team you have dropped? Money must be tight in Athens, and that sucks for everyone.

Northwestern is the second team, the first was a home game with Virginia Tech.

Losing the VT home game was a big, big dissapointment. At least however Ohio made 1.1 million on its renegotiation to make up for a small payday in game 1 at VT.

That we are only making 350k for NW and giving up a home game in the process really stinks. We would of had a home game in 2008 AND a 350k payday in 2010. This is complete robbery.

I could understand if the Ohio philosophy is all money games but they want to have a 1-A opponent in the house every season too, so why give up the remaining 1 for 1 with Northwestern which fits in the mold of a beatable peer 1-A school?

If Ohio needed another payday it should have given up one of the FCS tune up games instead of the Big Ten.

Flat Tire 2 Wrote:I bet we will have to lower ticket prices because we are dropping home games with BSC teams. I guess we will end up with two Division II schools for home games so we can have our six home games. My wife is an OU grad and I am thinking we will give up on buying season tickets next year unless they drop our prices. We usually go to one or two games a year, but I afraid Frank will leave us now. A sad day for the Flagship school of Ohio!

What? I thought you were a Marshall fan.

You were right about 1 thing, 5 dollar ticket prices.

Bobcats want 2010's check in 2008 is what this means. 350K might not mean a whole lot, but its more than Frank's salary. This could be a proactive way to pay for a raise and extension to Frank's contract. 3 more years at 350K a year would be the NW game and the Ohio State game revenues. Once Ohio has these games in place then they can give Frank a boost in pay.

OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:Bobcats want 2010's check in 2008 is what this means. 350K might not mean a whole lot, but its more than Frank's salary. This could be a proactive way to pay for a raise and extension to Frank's contract. 3 more years at 350K a year would be the NW game and the Ohio State game revenues. Once Ohio has these games in place then they can give Frank a boost in pay.

You are only partially right. What it means is that schools will now pay more than 350,000 for the Bobcats, so in 2010, instead of making $350k, you will make $500k+.

templefootballfan Wrote:get rid of the 1-AA"s

Amen to that!

OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:Bobcats want 2010's check in 2008 is what this means. 350K might not mean a whole lot, but its more than Frank's salary. This could be a proactive way to pay for a raise and extension to Frank's contract. 3 more years at 350K a year would be the NW game and the Ohio State game revenues. Once Ohio has these games in place then they can give Frank a boost in pay.

Frank's salary including perks I believe is above 350k. This is not including the bonuses he made last year by making a bowl.

If they really want to pay more for a coach long term they have to build up the Ohio Bobcat Club and you do that with quality home games.

Imagine if we played a schedule like this:

2008
Nebraska
@Southern Cal
Florida
@LSU

2009
@Nebraska
Southern Cal
@Florida
LSU

Do you not think it wouldn't help recruiting, fan support, and donations?

Kit-Cat Wrote:

OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:Bobcats want 2010's check in 2008 is what this means. 350K might not mean a whole lot, but its more than Frank's salary. This could be a proactive way to pay for a raise and extension to Frank's contract. 3 more years at 350K a year would be the NW game and the Ohio State game revenues. Once Ohio has these games in place then they can give Frank a boost in pay.

Frank's salary including perks I believe is above 350k. This is not including the bonuses he made last year by making a bowl.

If they really want to pay more for a coach long term they have to build up the Ohio Bobcat Club and you do that with quality home games.

Imagine if we played a schedule like this:

2008
Nebraska
@Southern Cal
Florida
@LSU

2009
@Nebraska
Southern Cal
@Florida
LSU

Do you not think it wouldn't help recruiting, fan support, and donations?

Seriously dude, do you honestly think that a schedule like that is possible? Please answer no or I'm quitting the Internets.

Kit-Cat Wrote:Imagine if we played a schedule like this:

2008
Nebraska
@Southern Cal
Florida
@LSU

2009
@Nebraska
Southern Cal
@Florida
LSU

Do you not think it wouldn't help recruiting, fan support, and donations?

What would being 0-4 OOC do for your donations, not to mention the injuries your team would suffer? A schedule like that for any MAC team would be a death wish. But, not to worry. Ohio couldn't come up with the $$$ to pay any of those teams' guarantee to play at Peden.

For a team that crossed the 50 yardline only once against a sub-par VT team to even contemplate such a thing is insanity, anyway.

Of course, it is not a rational, thinking AD writing these things, it's Kit-Cat. Oh......never mind.

Geez oh Pete. WE ARE NEVER, EVER, EVER PLAYING NEBRASKA. EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER.

If you ask why, I'm going to brain you. If you try and dispute it, I'm going to kneecap you.

Pulltown Falcon Wrote:

templefootballfan Wrote:get rid of the 1-AA"s

Amen to that!

We will as soon as the Ohio A&M and Floridas of the world do.

Scheduling an I-AA like Appalachian State might be a tougher test for BCS teams, as opposed to a Temple. Plus, IAA get a smaller payout.

Gooch Wrote:

Kit-Cat Wrote:

OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:Bobcats want 2010's check in 2008 is what this means. 350K might not mean a whole lot, but its more than Frank's salary. This could be a proactive way to pay for a raise and extension to Frank's contract. 3 more years at 350K a year would be the NW game and the Ohio State game revenues. Once Ohio has these games in place then they can give Frank a boost in pay.

Frank's salary including perks I believe is above 350k. This is not including the bonuses he made last year by making a bowl.

If they really want to pay more for a coach long term they have to build up the Ohio Bobcat Club and you do that with quality home games.

Imagine if we played a schedule like this:

2008
Nebraska
@Southern Cal
Florida
@LSU

2009
@Nebraska
Southern Cal
@Florida
LSU

Do you not think it wouldn't help recruiting, fan support, and donations?

Seriously dude, do you honestly think that a schedule like that is possible? Please answer no or I'm quitting the Internets.

In Kit-Cat's universe, anything is possible. Honestly, I thought he was going to make a conjecture in this thread that the move was made due to Ohio U's imminent entry into the Big Tenleven.

As for the 1-AA comment. I honestly see no problem with 1-AA's to secure the extra home game.

I've been against playing 1AA teams but given our start, it sure looks appealing this coming weekend.......

Now we just need to avoid "Wolverine syndrome."