Hey Pollard stop agreeing to these games

[flycy]

It's mind-blowing how many people insist that we should "just find" the $1.5 million every single year to avoid playing games like we did yesterday... as if it isn't nation-wide public knowledge that ISU will likely be operating significantly in the red in future years if we want to remain competitive in the NIL era. But yes - the AD is just supposed to find that extra $1.5 million lying around somewhere... every single year.

I swear - some fans brains don't operate in reality.

Do I like ISU playing in places like Athens, OH or Jonesboro, AR? Of course not - but I also understand why it happens and I've accepted that reality instead of ******** about something that isn't going to change anytime soon simply because the AD's finances won't allow for it to happen.

I'm sure if you let Jamie know you would write a check for 2 mil every year if he just stopped playing these games he would oblige. The math is pretty simple, when you do this, you get two games without cost. The price of not going on the road is to buy 2 games. It would be nice if we could at least get 2 home and 1 away out of the deal. I think in the financial climate these MAC type schools have the upper hand. I actually don't get what Ark St gets out of it. I get they get a better chance to beat a big school, but those stands weren't full, they didn't get any significant money out of either year. How do the TV rights work in this case, did they get that.

 

[ISUTex]

How much money does ISU net for an average home game? Tickets, concessions, parking etc..

I have no idea. Does anybody know? I really don't want to Google it or read through this thread either.

 

[Hoggins]

Find the money. Take it from Olympic sports if you have too.

 

[WIBadger]

Find the money. Take it from Olympic sports if you have too.

Why?

 

[Raiders70]

I was surprised how empty the stands were for their game of the decade at home. There must be no one there for a regular SBC game. Attendance has really taken a plunge at the G5 level over the last 20 years.

 

[besserheimerphat]

Find the money. Take it from Olympic sports if you have too.

Then it won't be long before we cant field a team. Bot a competitive team, but a team period. Which will cause the Big 12 to drop us. We're already at the minimum number of sports needed for Big 12 and NCAA FBS membership. Lots of those kids aren't getting full rides already.

 

[BCClone]

Should we have athletes go door-to-door selling The World's Best Chocolate bars? Maybe host a monthly bake sale? Scavange the campus trash bins for cans? We're willingly leaving money on the if we don't...

Just put up collection bins for the cans. I’m sure that would raise a cool million.

 

[nrg4isu]

Can we let this dumb thread die already? It's up there with the rotting thread and the hot seat douchebag.

 

[deadeyededric]

If you're worried about losing a game as a Big 12 school at Arkansas State you've got bigger problems than scheduling. I can't stand the idea of ducking anyone. More interesting games are needed. Jfc if you're scared of playing against a non-scholarship FBS school like Drake you're sad. Maybe we should cancel the entire season because we may lose a game.

 

[Letterkenny]

Can we let this dumb thread die already? It's up there with the rotting thread and the hot seat douchebag.

Hot seat guy was probably the second biggest reason for the program's turn around behind only Rocco Becht.

 

[IcSyU]

How much money does ISU net for an average home game? Tickets, concessions, parking etc..

I have no idea. Does anybody know? I really don't want to Google it or read through this thread either.

Obvious answer is under $1.5-2m or we would buy out the game.

The biggest reason it won't happen now is any incremental increases in ticket prices have to fund the deficit. 10% is added to the existing deficit trying to buy out of an away game so instead of coming up with $20m you need to come up with $22m.

And to whoever asked before, the host has the TV rights.

 

[besserheimerphat]

If you're worried about losing a game as a Big 12 school at Arkansas State you've got bigger problems than scheduling. I can't stand the idea of ducking anyone. More interesting games are needed. Jfc if you're scared of playing against a non-scholarship FBS school like Drake you're sad. Maybe we should cancel the entire season because we may lose a game.

I don't think anyone is "scared of losing." They think it's a perception problem, like maybe if we dont play these games THEN the kewl kids will like us and let us sit at their lunch table.

There is nothing outside of consistently beating the top-half teams in the B1G and SEC that will earn us respect. That's it. It doesn’t matter if we play a G5 on the road.

 

[yoteforever]

Who should we schedule instead? We already played USD…..

USD again….in Vermillion. Lol

 

[madguy30]

I don't think anyone is "scared of losing." They think it's a perception problem, like maybe if we dont play these games THEN the kewl kids will like us and let us sit at their lunch table.

There is nothing outside of consistently beating the top-half teams in the B1G and SEC that will earn us respect. That's it. It doesn’t matter if we play a G5 on the road.

And the top teams in those conferences aren't going to want ISU because of the perception thing and here we are.

 

[flycy]

Hot seat guy was probably the second biggest reason for the program's turn around behind only Rocco Becht.

Are you one of the fools that think the coaches changed everything because of a loudmouth jerk.

 

[aeroclone]

How much money does ISU net for an average home game? Tickets, concessions, parking etc..

I have no idea. Does anybody know? I really don't want to Google it or read through this thread either.

This is the big piece of this puzzle that hasn't been answered. The argument for traveling is that it costs $1.5M to buy an opponent without a return game. But that isn't the total net cost. That should at least be partially offset by the revenue from the added home game. Tickets, concessions, merch, and parking.

I think there could also be long term opportunity as well. These would typically be winnable games, and warmer weather games in September. Those make for a positive fan experience that could convert more people to donors or season ticket holders over the years.

The question is a little more complex than simply the buy game price.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

If only JP had realized it would be 110 degrees in Jonesboro when he scheduled this game 11 year ago.

More times than not it's still going to be miserably hot down there in weeks1-3. I don't really care if we go on the road to play a G5 but IMO we need to stay up north.

 

[IcSyU]

This is the big piece of this puzzle that hasn't been answered. The argument for traveling is that it costs $1.5M to buy an opponent without a return game. But that isn't the total net cost. That should at least be partially offset by the revenue from the added home game. Tickets, concessions, merch, and parking.

I think there could also be long term opportunity as well. These would typically be winnable games, and warmer weather games in September. Those make for a positive fan experience that could convert more people to donors or season ticket holders over the years.

The question is a little more complex than simply the buy game price.

And you really don't think Iowa State knows the answers to every single one of those items?

Holy **** people.

 

[Nor'MidWester]

This is the big piece of this puzzle that hasn't been answered. The argument for traveling is that it costs $1.5M to buy an opponent without a return game. But that isn't the total net cost. That should at least be partially offset by the revenue from the added home game. Tickets, concessions, merch, and parking.

I think there could also be long term opportunity as well. These would typically be winnable games, and warmer weather games in September. Those make for a positive fan experience that could convert more people to donors or season ticket holders over the years.

The question is a little more complex than simply the buy game price.

I would imagine with CyTown being a thing in a few years these away games at G5 teams will be done. Can't afford to lose all that revenue from home football traffic when you only have 6 or so home games to begin with. Have there been any similar games scheduled since CyTown was announced? I dont believe so.

Anyways we only have one more bad away game left at Bowling Green in '27 and then Tulane which some people are ok with I guess (September in New Orleans sounds quite moist) so hopefully we only have to deal with this a couple more times.

 

[aeroclone]

And you really don't think Iowa State knows the answers to every single one of those items?

Holy **** people.

I would hope so, but they certainly haven't shared their data on that with the public. The numbers JP keeps throwing out are simply the buy game cost paid to the other school. So the cost to avoid these games is likely far less than what we have been told. Why? No way to know for sure, but it makes me wonder if all things considered the net cost is low enough that it may make the AD look cheap for taking the road game route and they don't want the negative PR.

Seems similar to the alcohol conversation, where the AD is more than happy to talk about budget challenges, but then handwaves away an easy revenue source used by nearly all of our peers.

I'm generally a huge JP fan, but making an unwise decision to pinch a few pennies in this scenario wouldn't be off brand.