FCS Title Game Fight Heating Up

[danefan]

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010 ... rtscollege

In less than a month, representatives from Chattanooga and Frisco, Texas, will be in Indianapolis making their presentations to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.

Both cities are trying to earn the NCAA's nod to host the next three Football Championship Subdivision national title games, and they will present their cases on Feb. 25. Chattanooga and Finley Stadium have been the home of the game for the past 13 years, while Frisco, a Dallas suburb, is trying to bring the game to Pizza Hut Park.

Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee president Scott Smith said he and his staff have been working on the presentation. This is just the second time Chattanooga has had to bid on the game since it became the host site in 1997.

"It's such a gray area for us because you don't want to overstate the obvious since the game's been here 13 years," he said, "but then you don't want to overlook something that may seem unimportant to us but be important to them."

Frisco officials are also working on their presentation, and this week they launched an online ticket pledge initiative on the Web site collegefootballfrisco.com. On the Web site, visitors can express an interest in buying tickets should Frisco be awarded the game, though there is no obligation to purchase tickets at a later date.

"It's just a way for us to gauge interest and show the NCAA that the interest exists," Frisco Mayor Maher Maso said. "If we didn't have a good sense that there would be a high level of interest, we wouldn't have (bid)."

Maso said he didn't have any pledge numbers yet since the site has been up for less than a week, but he said he gets plenty of feedback elsewhere.

"I have several ways I communicate, though e-mails, Facebook and that kind of thing, and there's a lot of excitement," he said.

Chattanooga doesn't need to do a pledge initiative since it has actual ticket sales numbers to present to the NCAA. The paid attendance for the 2009 title game between Montana and Villanova was 14,328.

That's the lowest total since 2003, yet it included a record 10,651 tickets sold locally through the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga box office or online.

Even though the Sports Committee hasn't initiated a pledge drive, there is a way for those interested in keeping the game in Chattanooga to show their support. A "Friends of the FCS National Championship Game in Chattanooga" Facebook page was created Tuesday and it had 296 members as of 8:30 Wednesday night.

[dbackjon]

Glad Chatty is fighting back.

10K of local tickets is impressive

[danefan]

Glad Chatty is fighting back.

10K of local tickets is impressive

I think it may be deceiving though. How many of those 10,000 tickets were actually purchased by App St fans and then sold to Griz and Nova fans?

The game needs 10,000 locals that will actually purchase and use those tickets.

[89Hen]

The game needs 10,000 locals that will actually purchase and use those tickets.

Careful, they may run out for you and the Griz fans who are going next year no matter who plays.

[danefan]

The game needs 10,000 locals that will actually purchase and use those tickets.

Careful, they may run out for you and the Griz fans who are going next year no matter who plays.

I'd be included in the "locals" category. I shouldn't use the term locals. I should have said that the game needs 10,000 tickets to be sold and used that aren't affiliated with 2 teams playing.

[Willie]

The game needs 10,000 locals that will actually purchase and use those tickets.

Careful, they may run out for you and the Griz fans who are going next year no matter who plays.

Smartest thing you've said yet.

[bluehenbillk]

Tired of all these threads guys, from what I've heard it's almost a done deal before the presentations happen. The NCAA will follow the $$ and the $$ is considerably larger coming from TX, and not just from ticket sales. From what I've heard, unless there is a unforeseen dramatic change, the NC is moving WSW.

[AZGrizFan]

Tired of all these threads guys, from what I've heard it's almost a done deal before the presentations happen. The NCAA will follow the $$ and the $$ is considerably larger coming from TX, and not just from ticket sales. From what I've heard, unless there is a unforeseen dramatic change, the NC is moving WSW.

[slulionsfan]

I've said before that I think Frisco is the better option and will probably land the game; but if nothing else, the competition will force Chattanooga to make improvements. I don't have a problem with Chattanooga, and wouldn't object to it staying there, but you don't want the Championship experience to become stagnant if you want the FCS game to grow in the minds of the general public.

[Appaholic]

Careful, they may run out for you and the Griz fans who are going next year no matter who plays.

I'd be included in the "locals" category. I shouldn't use the term locals. I should have said that the game needs 10,000 tickets to be sold and used that aren't affiliated with 2 teams playing.

Well, I bought 2 tickets for my wife, my buddy & myself so we could leave @ halftime to tailgate & come back inside 2nd half....now, if only everybody else used that same system of prioritization.....

[danefan]

I'd be included in the "locals" category. I shouldn't use the term locals. I should have said that the game needs 10,000 tickets to be sold and used that aren't affiliated with 2 teams playing.

Well, I bought 2 tickets for my wife, my buddy & myself so we could leave @ halftime to tailgate & come back inside 2nd half....now, if only everybody else used that same system of prioritization.....

That's a good move.

[Grizo406]

Ronbo poster this pic on eGriz, I I found it to be highly entertaining...



One of my questions is; If Frisco is so interested in hosting the National Championship FOOTBALL game, why are they using a freakin' soccer poster to do it?

[FargoBison]

Ronbo poster this pic on eGriz, I I found it to be highly entertaining...



One of my questions is; If Frisco is so interested in hosting the National Championship FOOTBALL game, why are they using a freakin' soccer poster to do it?

They probably wanted a pic of a full stadium, I doubt high school games fill the place, even if it is Texas.

[BDKJMU]

I'd be included in the "locals" category. I shouldn't use the term locals. I should have said that the game needs 10,000 tickets to be sold and used that aren't affiliated with 2 teams playing.

Well, I bought 2 tickets for my wife, my buddy & myself so we could leave @ halftime to tailgate & come back inside 2nd half....now, if only everybody else used that same system of prioritization.....

In order for people to do that in a 20 min half, they'd have to be parked in one of the lots next to the stadium. Assuming 5 min walk from seats to vehicle and 5 min back would only leave you about 10 min tailgate time in order to insure you didn't miss any action. And if you stopped to piss along the way in a crowded bathroom, maybe 5 min to tailgate. So you bought 3 extra tickets just to do that?

[TexasTerror]

How is Chatty fighting back?

Outside of their presentation, it seems to be a whole lot of nothing. The SLC/Frisco has more cards up their sleeves and unless Chatty does too, the current locale is a sinking ship.

Chatty does not properly support the game and relies on fans from the participants to show up. The game in Frisco will not need to rely on the Appies and Grizwalds annually.

[putter]

How is Chatty fighting back?

Outside of their presentation, it seems to be a whole lot of nothing. The SLC/Frisco has more cards up their sleeves and unless Chatty does too, the current locale is a sinking ship.

Chatty does not properly support the game and relies on fans from the participants to show up. The game in Frisco will not need to rely on the Appies and Grizwalds annually.

I hope you are right...

[TexasTerror]

CSN looks inside the 'title fight' with the latest Speaking of the Southland blog entry.

From the sounds of it, Frisco just has one thing to prove to the NCAA selection group while Chattanooga may be showing a poker face, hoping that Frisco can not prove that one thing or really be in for a knockout blow!

[grizbymarriage]

How is Chatty fighting back?

Outside of their presentation, it seems to be a whole lot of nothing. The SLC/Frisco has more cards up their sleeves and unless Chatty does too, the current locale is a sinking ship.

Chatty does not properly support the game and relies on fans from the participants to show up. The game in Frisco will not need to rely on the Appies and Grizwalds annually.

Okay, so just to be clear. You're saying when the mighty Wofford Terriers are playing the awesome JMU Dukes in an FCS Championship game on the first Friday night after New Year's,that you sincerely believe Frisco, Texas, folks are going to pack that stadium?

Wow. I have some beachfront property inside the Butte city limits for sale - interested?

[CatMom]

How is Chatty fighting back?

Outside of their presentation, it seems to be a whole lot of nothing. The SLC/Frisco has more cards up their sleeves and unless Chatty does too, the current locale is a sinking ship.

Chatty does not properly support the game and relies on fans from the participants to show up. The game in Frisco will not need to rely on the Appies and Grizwalds annually.

Okay, so just to be clear. You're saying when the mighty Wofford Terriers are playing the awesome JMU Dukes in an FCS Championship game on the first Friday night after New Year's,that you sincerely believe Frisco, Texas, folks are going to pack that stadium?

Wow. I have some beachfront property inside the Butte city limits for sale - interested?

Not specifically Frisco folks but FCS folks. You have to understand that the DFW area is a hotbed of FCS alums and a lot of SLC people already are wanting to go...I'm one, so there's a start.

[TexasTerror]

Not specifically Frisco folks but FCS folks. You have to understand that the DFW area is a hotbed of FCS alums and a lot of SLC people already are wanting to go...I'm one, so there's a start.

+1

It will not take much out of the ordinary for the Frisco effort to consistently outdraw the local showing by the Chattanooga brass.

[89Hen]

The game in Frisco will not need to rely on the Appies and Grizwalds annually.

Bullshit.

[henfan]

I second that bullshit emotion. The financial success of the FCS NC Game is always going to be incumbent largely upon support from fans of the participating teams.

[TexasTerror]

Bullshit.

How is it BS?

Chattanooga is a flop annually unless the participants bring a boatload of fans. Bringing fans will always be nice and really make for a great environment and boost attendance - but the goal of Frisco is to sell it out yearly.

I second that bullshit emotion. The financial success of the FCS NC Game is always going to be incumbent largely upon support from fans of the participating teams.

Chattanooga can not do this unless the match-up is right and for that, it is time to move on.

Frisco just needs to prove the interest is there and that is what they are doing while Chatty puts on a 'poker face' and hopes Frisco falls flat.

[Col Hogan]

Just show interest...so weak...if no one shows up except for fans of the two teams...you can tell the NCAA "Well, we intended to sell those tickets..."

[89Hen]

but the goal of Frisco is to sell it out yearly.

Yeah, I'm sure Chatty's goal is to sell as few as possible.

The bullshit call comes from all you folks who think locals are going to come out in droves to see Northern Iowa play Elon the same day as the Cotton Bowl down the road.