Southern Miss away game might move to Jackson

[GhostOfJackie]

Word around Hattiesburg is that the new AD is looking for a big pay day. With their outstanding debt to the University, the athletic department is taking steps just to insure they can survive in the long run. Their debt piled up under the old administration and the new is trying to counter that. Away games with big pay days will fix their problem. Sources tell me that Lucas and Hammond are discussing moving their home game against us to Jackson and maybe back to Starkville. That would be completely ok with me. CUSA and Sun Belt should always be home games for us.

 

[shsdawg]

Word around Hattiesburg is that the new AD is looking for a big pay day. With their outstanding debt to the University, the athletic department is taking steps just to insure they can survive in the long run. Their debt piled up under the old administration and the new is trying to counter that. Away games with big pay days will fix their problem. Sources tell me that Lucas and Hammond are discussing moving their home game against us to Jackson and maybe back to Starkville. That would be completely ok with me. CUSA and Sun Belt should always be home games for us.

THIS is the only game we should ever play in Jackson, and only when it's their home game and they won't agree to move it to Starkville.

 

[engie]

THIS is the only game we should ever play in Jackson, and only when it's their home game and they won't agree to move it to Starkville.

So we should only play USM's home games in Jackson, but never South Alabama's, Troy's, La Tech's, etc... So ultimately what you are saying is that USM is below those other programs, since the rest are too good to play their home games at the Vet, but it is right up USM's alley... Got you.

 

[Coach34]

Yep- I told y'all we were moving fast on all this

USA in 2014
USM in 2015
LA Tech in 2016

 

[StillTbonewannabe]

Ole Miss's AD was on Head to Head the other day talking about OOC games. He said UM and State were both paying around 875k for games but one game buy games were going around 1.2 million now. That is the reason that State and Ole Miss will be making trips to Troy, Tulane, Mobile, Ruston and other places. We will have to make these trips to keep out of USM's situation. I would rather play in Jackson than Mobile or Troy or Ruston. It gives us more of a home field advantage since we would have around 40k in Jackson or 5 or 10k in Troy.

 

[Irondawg]

So how much more would USM make off a move to jackson?

Attendance goes from 33K or whatever their stadium holds to probably 50k so at $40 a pop that's $680K in additional ticket sales.

I'm not sure what the rent for the Vet would be or how they'd split parking and concessions. But the city of h'burg would not be very happy with the loss of revenue I'm sure.

Would MSU pay them $1M or something to get it away from H'burg? If so, I'm sure that would help.

But rather than move their premier home game, i would expect them to try and buyout some of their non-conf. small opponent games and try to sell themselves to a bigger name opponent that will give them $2M. It's clear that EJ might be a disaster and also that they don't have the resources to buy him out. So might as well find a way to make as much as possible off away games next year b/c home attendance will be way down.

 

[shsdawg]

So we should only play USM's home games in Jackson, but never South Alabama's, Troy's, La Tech's, etc... So ultimately what you are saying is that USM is below those other programs, since the rest are too good to play their home games at the Vet, but it is right up USM's alley... Got you.

When you put it that way, yes. I said before, I think we should buy those out or pay them to move to Starkville. I KNOW, that's evdentlyout but that doesn't mean it isn't what I think should be done. As for USM we sould nevr give them the satisfaction of playing them down there. UM is doing this right by refusing to do it.

 

[engie]

We will have to make these trips to keep out of USM's situation.

Our fan support dwindling, and our TV money going from(what will soon be) $30+ million/yr to about $1.5 million/yr?

I don't expect to see us playing these games for much longer... JMO... Once the stadium expansion is done + the new tv contracts, the "incentive" structure will change drastically, and we will have to revisit things then...

 

[shsdawg]

If I remember correctly this was one of the reasons we quit playing down there. When you subtracted the loss of concessions and added the other extra expenses to play down there like rent, we made as much or more on campus. Our stadium only seated 45k back then too.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

Yep- I told y'all we were moving fast on all this

USA in 2014
USM in 2015
LA Tech in 2016

Well, not because it was on the officially unofficial MSU message board. But because USM is hurting for money.

In other words, Coach34 has nothing to do with this.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

Our fan support dwindling, and our TV money going from(what will soon be) $30+ million/yr to about $1.5 million/yr?

I don't expect to see us playing these games for much longer... JMO... Once the stadium expansion is done + the new tv contracts, the "incentive" structure will change drastically, and we will have to revisit things then...

What?

 

[gravedigger]

We quit playing down there because given a choice to put money into Starkville our Jackson, Starkville is the better investment for our school. That and we increased seating capacity so that difference in ticket sales was made nil. Jackson has one advantage as best I can tell. Play there if and only if it saves us a lot of money rather than away. Never ever should we pass up the chance to use Davis wade when we can make money. If I never step foot in that stadium again it will be too soon. The only reason I need is the example of how poorly the colts game was handled.

 

[Coach34]

Well, not because it was on the officially unofficial MSU message board. But because USM is hurting for money.

In other words, Coach34 has nothing to do with this.

ok, to clarify my earlier post- USM has been contacted by people to purchase the game and move it to Jackson

 

[MSUDawg4Life]

Doesn't matter. The numbers don't work.

USM will keep that game at home.

 

[shsdawg]

Our fan support dwindling, and our TV money going from(what will soon be) $30+ million/yr to about $1.5 million/yr?

I don't expect to see us playing these games for much longer... JMO... Once the stadium expansion is done + the new tv contracts, the "incentive" structure will change drastically, and we will have to revisit things then...

Yep. You nailed this.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

ok, to clarify my earlier post- USM has been contacted by people to purchase the game and move it to Jackson

USM contacted other people to try and make this happen. Other way around than what you said. But I'm sure you talked to the President about it and got that inside scoop.

 

[DBdawg.sixpack]

I hope they keep it in H burg for the simple fact it's only an hour from my house

 

[patdog]

How do the numbers not work if they move the game from a 35,000 seat stadium to a 60,000 seat stadium? That's $1.2M just from ticket sales. I know there will be expenses, but not that much.

 

[Coach34]

USM contacted other people to try and make this happen. Other way around than what you said. But I'm sure you talked to the President about it and got that inside scoop.

I cant say who the President has contacted and whatnot, I dont know- I do know for a fact they have been contacted by a private group

 

[maroonmadman]

There were a lot of reasons we moved games out of Jackson.

In addition to the ones gravedigger listed. The Starkville city fathers started putting a lot of pressure on MSU for more home games, i.e. more revenue for Starkville. However this was not the principle reason.

1. Memorial Stadium is a neutral site, therefore you cannot bring recruits according to NCAA rules. This was the rule back then, don't know if it has been changed.
2. USM and MSU were splitting gate revenue 50-50. USM was NOT putting %50 of the fans in the stands, don't let any delusional USM fan feed you a line of BS otherwise. MSU was about %65, USM %30 and the remaining %5 interested 3rd parties.
3. Towards the end time of games at Memorial Stadium, we were haveing trouble selling out the stadium in Jackson. This included the Egg Bowl game. Crowds were averaging between 40-50K. A sellout crowd of 40K at Scott Field put more money in our pockets.
4. Atmosphere. The on campus atmosphere is light years ahead of Jackson, even in the best of times at Memorial Stadium. The ONLY time a game in Jackson was better than on campus was if it was held on the w/e of the State Fair. Pay attention to this **** C34. IF you mate a football game in Jackson with an event like tha State Fair you stand a much better chance of a sellout, especially if you tie the two together. Like free admission to the State Fair if you show your game ticket, free rides, etc.

This thing COULD work, but it will take a lot of work from the city of Jackson, JSU - they manage Memorial Stadium now, UMMC - we will need their parking spaces, to keep this from turning into a big cluster 17 like the Colts/Saints game. I would also consider a beer tent in the parking lot for pre-game festivities, maybe a local band or two as well. If you can't drink inside. Get the local beer distributors in on this, maybe consider a Craft Beer thing.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Totally agree...

THIS is the only game we should ever play in Jackson, and only when it's their home game and they won't agree to move it to Starkville.

and I have never liked scheduling USM in Hattisburg. They throw around the 'anyone, anytime, any place' crap but they don't mean State or even OM.

Besides State & OM, they have played 18 SEC teams, lost 17 of 18 and NONE were in Hattisburg.

W/L</SPAN>	Date</SPAN>	PF</SPAN>	Opponent</SPAN>	PA</SPAN>	Location</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/9/1995</SPAN>	20</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	24</SPAN>	Birmingham, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	11/4/1995</SPAN>	0</SPAN>	Tennessee</SPAN>	42</SPAN>	Knoxville, TN</SPAN>
W</SPAN>	8/31/1996</SPAN>	11</SPAN>	Georgia</SPAN>	7</SPAN>	Athens, GA</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/7/1996</SPAN>	10</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	20</SPAN>	Birmingham, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/27/1997</SPAN>	13</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	27</SPAN>	Birmingham, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	11/8/1997</SPAN>	20</SPAN>	Tennessee</SPAN>	44</SPAN>	Knoxville, TN</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	10/31/1998</SPAN>	20</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	30</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	10/30/1999</SPAN>	14</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	35</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/2/2000</SPAN>	16</SPAN>	Tennessee</SPAN>	19</SPAN>	Knoxville, TN</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	11/29/2001</SPAN>	15</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	28</SPAN>	Birmingham, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/21/2002</SPAN>	7</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	20</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	10/11/2003</SPAN>	3</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	17</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	10/16/2004</SPAN>	3</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	27</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/10/2005</SPAN>	21</SPAN>	Alabama</SPAN>	30</SPAN>	Tuscaloosa, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/2/2006</SPAN>	7</SPAN>	Florida</SPAN>	34</SPAN>	Gainesville, FL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/8/2007</SPAN>	19</SPAN>	Tennessee</SPAN>	39</SPAN>	Knoxville, TN</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/6/2008</SPAN>	13</SPAN>	Auburn (AL)</SPAN>	27</SPAN>	Auburn, AL</SPAN>
L</SPAN>	9/2/2010</SPAN>	13</SPAN>	South Carolina</SPAN>	41</SPAN>	Columbia, SC</SPAN>

<TBODY>
</TBODY><COLGROUP><COL><COL><COL><COL><COL><COL></COLGROUP>

 

[Maroon Eagle]

.
4. Atmosphere. The on campus atmosphere is light years ahead of Jackson, even in the best of times at Memorial Stadium. The ONLY time a game in Jackson was better than on campus was if it was held on the w/e of the State Fair. Pay attention to this **** C34. IF you mate a football game in Jackson with an event like tha State Fair you stand a much better chance of a sellout, especially if you tie the two together. Like free admission to the State Fair if you show your game ticket, free rides, etc.

This thing COULD work, but it will take a lot of work from the city of Jackson, JSU - they manage Memorial Stadium now, UMMC - we will need their parking spaces, to keep this from turning into a big cluster 17 like the Colts/Saints game. I would also consider a beer tent in the parking lot for pre-game festivities, maybe a local band or two as well. If you can't drink inside. Get the local beer distributors in on this, maybe consider a Craft Beer thing.

When I was a student at State, I once attended a game versus USM that was during the State Fair. I thought it was pretty fun.

If there was something craft beer related, I'd be there... I don't know if it can be on state property now though. The Jackson Bandits had trouble with the Coliseum because of that in the past.

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

What he's saying is that Southern has the best chance to beat us.....

....out of South Alabama, them and Louisiana Tech. In most years, obviously not our current year where LT is undefeated and USM is, well, defeated.

I happen to agree with that. I think a big factor in the Jackson games is which teams are likely to beat us. USM, Troy, La. Tech. I think we should play the USA game in Mobile because we won't lose and it's good for recruiting there.

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

You need to quit pushing for moving South Alabama.....

USM and Louisiana Tech are understandable. Small towns, their home stadiums, decent teams, no recruiting value at all. Move those to Jackson, I agree.

I don't understand why you think it's so bad to play a game in Mobile, where there are many State fans nearby in the city and on the Coast, a fertile recruiting ground where we need to be camped out, and above all, virtually no chance of losing the game.

 

[rabiddawg]

I was there for the Saints Colts game. It was a cluster17 for sure. But that stadium is close to 70000 if I'm not mistaken. Would be awesome to sell out USM's home game there to State people.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

But haven't you heard, games in Jack-town for 3 straight years and none on the Coast ever is 'better for the program'?

This is the first i've heard of 3 straight years of games in Jackson. That is just laughably insane. And so much for 'Our State'. Might as well just make it 'Our Jackson'.

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

Don't try to align with me, I saw your opinion the other day.....

....and I don't agree with you. We may agree on the South Alabama, but for different reasons. You're being just as selfish with wanting the game on the Coast, as Jackson follsk wanting it in Jackson.

I'm looking at the big picture and asking what is best for Mississippi State, and I believe Coach34 is too, that's why I can understand his position. All you selfish pricks need to start doing the same. MSU isn't here to serve you. And last time I checked, Jackson was "our state"'s capital. Stands to reason why it's an important City for MSU.

 

[patdog]

Everybody keeps talking about the Saints-Colts game and what a cluster-17 that was. But it's not like that was the only NFL game they played there. There was an exhibition game in the stadium for something like 4 years in a row. I went to 1 or 2 of them. And I didn't notice any real problems.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Do you

think that there would be more than 30k State fans at a game in Mobile?

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

Probably not, but that's not the only reason to play that game.....

.....money is a bigger reason, recruiting is another, and 2 games vs. USA in Starkville another. Being close to some MSU fans is just a consolation prize.

If you want to move it to Jackson, fine. But it should be lower on the priority list than Louisiana Tech and Troy especially. Probably even lower than USM since USM could likely beat us. USA stands no chance.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

Damn I didn't realize those jokes are 1-18 against the SEC (not MS). Thats horrid. And I think Troy, USA, and LA Monroe will be better programs in a few years than they are. UAB and Troy already are. Heck, I think Southern is on the mid-lower end of CUSA. I wouldnt mind just playing them for about 6 years in a row and beating their tails in. Then stop playing them forever and tell them they are "scared" to play us.

 

[thunderclap]

That's a helluva breakdown you got there.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I'm

going to now start assuming that the "don't move it from Starkvillez!!1" sentament is a joke...


1) I'm of the opinion that winning helps our recruiting over anything else, location of games played included.

2) The more State fans there the better. Period.

3) Nobody is saying that it has to be the USA game, but for you to act like it's stupid to even consider it, is stupid.

 

[fishwater99]

This....

I'm looking at the big picture and asking what is best for Mississippi State, and I believe Coach34 is too, that's why I can understand his position. All you selfish pricks need to start doing the same. MSU isn't here to serve you. And last time I checked, Jackson was "our state"'s capital. Stands to reason why it's an important City for MSU.

It's the people who live on the coast and North MS that are bitching about having a game in Jackson. The folks in the Jackson are are all for it, except for Catvet and other people scared of the "crime".

 

[Spidey.sixpack]

and I have never liked scheduling USM in Hattisburg. They throw around the 'anyone, anytime, any place' crap but they don't mean State or even OM.

Besides State & OM, they have played 18 SEC teams, lost 17 of 18 and NONE were in Hattisburg.

W/L	Date	PF	Opponent	PA	Location
L	9/9/1995	20	Alabama	24	Birmingham, AL
L	11/4/1995	0	Tennessee	42	Knoxville, TN
W	8/31/1996	11	Georgia	7	Athens, GA
L	9/7/1996	10	Alabama	20	Birmingham, AL
L	9/27/1997	13	Alabama	27	Birmingham, AL
L	11/8/1997	20	Tennessee	44	Knoxville, TN
L	10/31/1998	20	Alabama	30	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	10/30/1999	14	Alabama	35	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	9/2/2000	16	Tennessee	19	Knoxville, TN
L	11/29/2001	15	Alabama	28	Birmingham, AL
L	9/21/2002	7	Alabama	20	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	10/11/2003	3	Alabama	17	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	10/16/2004	3	Alabama	27	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	9/10/2005	21	Alabama	30	Tuscaloosa, AL
L	9/2/2006	7	Florida	34	Gainesville, FL
L	9/8/2007	19	Tennessee	39	Knoxville, TN
L	9/6/2008	13	Auburn (AL)	27	Auburn, AL
L	9/2/2010	13	South Carolina	41	Columbia, SC

<tbody>
</tbody>

They beat Alabama in 2000. I live in the Hattiesburg area. Had to hear about it for months. Also, I look forward to when MSU comes to Hattiesburg. I would rather have it on a campus than in Jackson.

 

[OleYeller]

We should only play them in starkville period.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I'm pretty sure

nobody is against having one on the coast. The whole point, though, is to move a game from a USA/ULM/Troy type opponent's home to a neutral site where State would have more fans. It isn't to screw coast fans.

 

[esplanade91]

I asked my friend from USM's athletic department and he said it was considered but it's not a possibility. They expect the USM/Nebraska game to be in NOLA or Kansas City and for it to be a huge pay out. They're apparently only $850k in the hole. Some on here made it sound like more. It'll be in Hattiesburg.

 

[was21]

Damn I didn't realize those jokes are 1-18 against the SEC (not MS). Thats horrid. And I think Troy, USA, and LA Monroe will be better programs in a few years than they are. UAB and Troy already are. Heck, I think Southern is on the mid-lower end of CUSA. I wouldnt mind just playing them for about 6 years in a row and beating their tails in. Then stop playing them forever and tell them they are "scared" to play us.

It seems like USM has played more games than that against SEC teams other than State and OM but there winning percentage is still probably around 15%..maybe a little more.

 

[Todd4State]

What you are not getting is

When you put it that way, yes. I said before, I think we should buy those out or pay them to move to Starkville. I KNOW, that's evdentlyout but that doesn't mean it isn't what I think should be done. As for USM we sould nevr give them the satisfaction of playing them down there. UM is doing this right by refusing to do it.

That by "refusing" to play Sun Belt schools on the road you would be costing our athletic dept. at least 200K if not more per game. These Sun Belt schools have realized that they can get 1 million plus for a one game deal from us and other schools like us because the other option is to play someone like Texas, Georgia Tech, etc home and home and make our lives a lot tougher as far as going to the postseason, and by not going to the postseason, it also again, costs us money.

What Greg and Scott have been doing is saving us money while keeping our schedule manageable by doing two for one deals with schools like Troy.

What WE need to do as fans is what Coach34 is trying to do and try to get those games that are road games for us moved somewhere like Jackson so that they don't become road games anymore- which helps MSU and our football program.

Think about it- there's a reason why Scott is for this, because believe me, if he wasn't he would shoot it down immediately and have a pretty good reason for doing so. And I bet if you asked Dan, he would be for it as well.