Should be held
-in the South due to the North being too cold in early Jan for a large chunk of fans, and the Southwest not having enough of a I-AA presence.
-between 20k (less than 20k too small) and 35k (more than 35k too big, and really more than 30k might be too big).
If you further limit it to I-AA that narrows it down to:
1. Chattanooga
2. FAMU's Bragg Memorial in Tallahassee. 25.5k listed capacity, which would be about the perfect size.
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pi ... ragg.shtml
Tallahassee has a medium sized airport, but is about 2.5 hrs from the nearest major airport in Jacksonville, and would have enough hotel availability.
3. JSU expanding to 24k for 2010, which would be about perfect size.
http://www.jsugamecocksports.com/sports ... h=football
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Snow_Stadium
According to mapquest they're about 1.25 hrs east of Birmingham, about 1.75 hrs west of Atlanta, & about 2 hrs south of Chatty. Not near/by the mtns of N GA like Chatty is, so would be a little warmer than Chatty, and are closer to Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world & Delta's main hub. Would there be enough hotel availability?
4. Southern's Mumford in Baton Rouge since they're getting a 16.5 million facelift and with expansion will according to the article bring them to 29k capacity.
http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews. ... ion?blog=2
Baton Rouge has a medium size airport and is 80+ miles from New Orleans, which has a major airport. Would have enough hotel availability.
5.Citadel's Johnson Hagood if the NCAA ended their BS boycott in SC, 22k, would be nice. They held the NC in 83-84':
http://www.citadelsports.com/ViewArticl ... ID=1180796
Charleston has a medium sized airport, and would be enough hotel availability.
6. ODU's renovated Foreman Field, 20k. According to the below article, it could be expanded beyond the 20k.
http://www.norfolk.com/2009/05/anticipa ... -expansion
Has Norfolk International Airport nearby, and hr from Richmond, and is a little warmer than Richmond since its on/near the water. Would be enough hotel availability.
7. ASU, Boone: Nearest major airport would be Charlotte Douglas International 1.5-2 hrs, too cold in the Blue Ridge Mtns in early Jan, hotel availability could be a concern.
8. JMU, Harrisonburg (*2011 completed expansion will bring it to capacity to 24k). Nearest major airport would be Washington Dulles, close to 2 hrs, too cold in the Blue Ridge Mtns/Shenandoah Valley in early Jan, hotel availability could be a concern. Basically would be the same problem as having it in Boone.
9. GSU, Statesboro. Capacity is listed at 18k, but they did host the NC 89'-91', and close to 26k saw GSU beat Stephen F Austin with temp bleachers and SRO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulson_Stadium
But 2.5 hrs+ to the nearest major airport, Jacksonville, FL, and 3 hrs from ATL. Would it have the hotel availability to handle 20k+ fans from outside the state of GA?
10. Current UR Stadium, 22k capacity. Site lines on the visitor side suck, as between the 30s you are very far from the action due to its bowl shape. Would need major renovation, which would have to be paid for by the City of Richmond. Don't see this happening.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University ... nd_Stadium
Course being the state capital they do have a medium size airport and plenty of hotel availability. Probably not far enough south.
11. Aggie Stadium at NC A&T in Greensboro, 22k
12. Crampton Bowl at Ala State in Montgomery at 21,800
13. Lewis Crewes Stadium at Ala A&M in Huntsville at 21k
14. Jack Spinks Stadium at Alcorn State in Lorman, Miss at 22,500
15. Roy Kidd Stadium, EKU, Richmond, 20k
http://www.worldstadiums.com/north_amer ... ates.shtml
I should have stated an indoor stadium would be do able for the North, but I didn't think there are any indoor stadiums that seated 20-35k, much less I-AA (UNI Dome seats 16+K).
Even if you did include the northeast, the Yale Bowl (61+k) and Franklin Field (UPenn) in Philly (52+K) are too big. That leaves between 20-30k UD, Princeton and Harvard unless I left anyone out.