I get the rationale for a preselected neutral site but I've also seen the black-eye given the conference by lightly attended and passionless neutral site Pac 12 Basketball championships. The luxury box revenue and venue/date certainty are compelling but they will be there for the league in the future as well.
What this event needs NOW is time. Time to get recognized as an event that crowns deserving champions, time to establish packed venues and must-see status for the TV viewing audience and time for tradition (and perhaps a few classic games) to build fan acceptance beyond the participating teams' diehards.Â
What it doesn't need is two non-Bay Area teams meeting at 5:00 amidst rush hour traffic and in front of a sparsely filled stadium and apathetic audience. Imagine the hit the game would take if UW were to play UofA next November. Now imagine the same game played in the kind of driving rain we had on game day two years ago. (Although thankfully it had mostly cleared by kick-off.)
Well, I wish the game good luck but I'm nervous as I do so. Very nervous.
What this event needs NOW is time. Time to get recognized as an event that crowns deserving champions, time to establish packed venues and must-see status for the TV viewing audience and time for tradition (and perhaps a few classic games) to build fan acceptance beyond the participating teams' diehards.Â
What it doesn't need is two non-Bay Area teams meeting at 5:00 amidst rush hour traffic and in front of a sparsely filled stadium and apathetic audience. Imagine the hit the game would take if UW were to play UofA next November. Now imagine the same game played in the kind of driving rain we had on game day two years ago. (Although thankfully it had mostly cleared by kick-off.)
Well, I wish the game good luck but I'm nervous as I do so. Very nervous.
In 1938 Neville Chamberlain declared "Peace in our time", Superman first appeared in Action Comics, Seabiscuit beat War Admiral ....... and C.a.l last won the Rose Bowl.