Schools Considering - or Actually - Cancelling Spring Games

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
I don't recall ever hearing this discussed before but it seems to be getting some legs in several places:

Pittsburgh cancels 2014 spring game

Boston College Football: Should We Have A Spring Game?

247Sports ‏@247Sports 5m

Video: Kevin Sumlin says no need for #Aggies to have a spring game (free) http://bit.ly/1gPrsqC @Perroni247

Note: A&M's game is cancelled because of renovation to their field

Basically, the argument is it's mostly for show so why waste one of your 15 practices? What say you?

 
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i like what bo does with it and have it be a bit of a game, but also incorporate some bits of practice. i think most fans would be just as happy watching the guys get some reps in like they do in practice as they would watching a game.

 
Got no problem with losing the spring game if it's replaced with the most awesome fan appreciation style meet and greet day ever. Games. MMA matches with Imani. Real hands on fan interaction. Madden tourneys with the players. Corn hole tourney. Golf tourney with the players. Bo Pelini blood pressure raffle. Meet the coaches wives! I'm just spit ballin here but I agree that the spring game is unnecessary.

 
There would be riots if they canceled it here, after what it's become. We've averaged over 70k in attendance in Bo's tenure. It's not as much about the "game" as it is an excuse to get outside after a crap Nebraska winter.

I can see why Sumlin would say that about A&M - they have nice weather year around and don't revel in the return of Spring like we do here. Pittsburgh... who goes to their Spring Game anyway?

 
It's about $$$$$$$$$. It always was and always will be. It really doesn't mean much as far as practice goes for the players. You do it for the Cash!!

 
knapplc said:
There would be riots if they canceled it here, after what it's become. We've averaged over 70k in attendance in Bo's tenure. It's not as much about the "game" as it is an excuse to get outside after a crap Nebraska winter.
I can see why Sumlin would say that about A&M - they have nice weather year around and don't revel in the return of Spring like we do here. Pittsburgh... who goes to their Spring Game anyway?
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I can see why they'd rather have just another practice, but this is too good of a recruiting weekend for us.

 
Many do not charge for the spring game, other than concessions. So revenue verses clean up. Most do not have the numbers coming that Nebraska has and the city reaps the rewards of having all the outliers coming to the big city. Sorry on the big city part, but you get the idea.

I seriously doubt Bama or Ohio State cancel theirs. Not going to happen here either.

 
From the coaching side, I totally understand why they wouldn't want one. It locks you into a date to where if weather doesn't cooperate, you essentially lose a good practice and it's structured differently than a regular practice. From the fan side, its popularity is spotty even in some football crazy places. The spring game being a big event has only been around here for just under a decade. I can't remember where I read it, but I'd love if there was a Legends draft where they bring in some NU legends to pick teams and square off or if they could round up enough legends to do a 7-on-7 flag game before or after the actual Spring Game, that'd be real.

 
huskeraddict said:
The spring game being a big event has only been around here for just under a decade.
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I used to find it pretty weird that I could walk up to the stadium on the day of the Spring Game, put a can of food in a bin, and sit anywhere I wanted in West Stadium and watch Tommie Frasier and the other 1990s superstars scrimmage. In fact, I think the first few times I went I didn't have to donate anything, just walked in and sat anywhere. Nobody went back then - maybe 5,000 people - and I always thought that was strange in a football-mad state like Nebraska.

Now we have people standing in line for hours waiting to buy tickets the first Wednesday of February.

 
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knapplc said:
huskeraddict said:
The spring game being a big event has only been around here for just under a decade.
Click to expand...
I used to find it pretty weird that I could walk up to the stadium on the day of the Spring Game, put a can of food in a bin, and sit anywhere I wanted in West Stadium and watch Tommie Frasier and the other 1990s superstars scrimmage. In fact, I think the first few times I went I didn't have to donate anything, just walked in and sat anywhere. Nobody went back then - maybe 5,000 people - and I always thought that was strange in a football-mad state like Nebraska.

Now we have people standing in line for hours waiting to buy tickets the first Wednesday of February.
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Dare I say it... this is one thing that we should thank the Pedersen/Callahan era for - they saw the benefit of hyping this up to be a looked-forward to event and did a pretty damn good job getting it there.

However, I'm proud of the fanbase for taking over the reigns of keeping it going without much incentive. Imagine the numbers if we start finding the success we're hungry for? Alabama has sold theirs out or got close to it the last few years, but they dont' charge admission and they are winning on a 13 game per year clip.

 
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The spring game is a weird deal for me. It's kind of like preseason NFL ball, but with a longer wait between that game and real games that count. I do appreciate the thought of getting out of the house and enjoying the spring weather and shooting the crap with other Husker fans. But, by half, I am shot and ready to head for the door. I would actually rather go over to Haymarket for a good baseball game that day.

Baseball usually plays on that day, or has in the past. And the thought has occurred to me to go by the stadium for the vibe and then skip the game and go to the baseball thing.

 
I enjoy getting down there to see the stadium and watch the Huskers. I do not have the luxury of attending a game down there since I am coaching high school ball...it is hard to get down there after grading film and beginning the scouting of the next opponent. I can bring my wife and daughter down for a somewhat cheap Husker experience. I enjoy how they incorporate some of the practice drills and have the kids come onto the field.

 
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