2009 Season Opener: Virginia Tech In Georgia Dome?
by outsidethesidelines
on Jul 16, 2008 7:04 PM CDT
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The rumors are apparently true... click here for the story from the official Virginia Tech website. We are apparently in very serious talks, and it sounds like it things should be worked out to open with the Hokies in 2009 in the Georgia Dome.
I would imagine this would all wrap up pretty fast like our discussions a few months back with Clemson. With Tech already officially pushing back their previously planned 2009 opener against Cincinnati, you have to think that this deal is all but done as we speak.
You have to give Saban credit for putting together quality schedules. And personally I love the Georgia Dome bit. Saban has long since wanted to tap into the Atlanta area talent pool, and this is a great way of doing it. It's already giving us benefits in the 2009 recruiting class, and it looks like a pipeline that will only be further established in the coming years.
UPDATE by Todd
Hold it folks, it's not as done of a deal as initially thought:
Virginia Tech reached a deal today to be one team in the made-for-TV Chick-Fil-A College Football Kickoff game in Atlanta. The hope of Atlanta Sports Council President Gary Stokan was for the Crimson Tide to be the other.
He acknowledges UA and his organization are not "anywhere close" to an agreement. The Alabama source indicated as much, citing the fact that coach Nick Saban's team is already under contract to open with Florida International, then play Tulane in Week 2 of 2009.
Wouldn't want to let those plucky Golden Panthers down, now would we?
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In the immortal words of Flavor Flav...
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH
BOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYEEEEEEE
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Nico2.0 on
Jul 16, 2008 12:51 PM CDT
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3 in a row?
There’s also a possibility that the Bama-Duke game in 2010 will be in Atlanta.
by Nico2.0 on
Jul 16, 2008 12:55 PM CDT
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Unless...
Unless we buy our way out of that game, then it probably will be. What is for certain is that hell will freeze over before we play them in Durham, so unless they want to get a game set up in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium - home of the Carolina Panthers - then it will be in the Georgia Dome.
Either way, regardless of whether or not it is in the Georgia Dome or in North Carolina, the point remains that we are using the game as a way to get into the greater Atlanta area recruiting base, and also to get into the general tri-state area of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. There is a ton of talent to be found there, and we are going hard after it.
by outsidethesidelines on
Jul 16, 2008 12:58 PM CDT
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Georgia Talent
Last year Georgia had the 4th most Division 1 players, and the most per capita out of any state.
by Kenny483 on
Jul 16, 2008 1:29 PM CDT
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maybe I need a late pass, but...
why wouldn’t Bama play in Durham? I’m stationed in Ft. Bragg which is a little over an hour away and that game would be great to see…I was bummed when Bama played East Carolina and I wasn’t in town…
RBR's KING of HIP-HOP...
by SpockJenkins on
Jul 16, 2008 7:34 PM CDT
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The reason...
The reason is simply because Wallace Wade Stadium is entirely too small. It only holds like 32,000 people, and honestly it is basically a glorified high school stadium. For a school that can get 92,000+ to watch a practice, we need much more than that.
It’d be economically beneficial to us if we just bought the game up, and moved it back to Tuscaloosa or played in the Georgia Dome. The extra money we’d make would far outweigh the costs of the buyout, and that’s to speak nothing of the increased publicity.
by outsidethesidelines on
Jul 16, 2008 7:42 PM CDT
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I hope this goes through...
...the Hokies are due some revenging. At the same time, though, let’s hope those preseason bowl predictions don’t come true. I’d love playing in the Peach Bowl, but it would kinda suck to play VT to close out this season and then open right back up with them next year.
by Todd on
Jul 16, 2008 1:27 PM CDT
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Atlanta Sports Council
I was listening to an interview with Gary Stokan from the Atlanta Sports Coucil yesterday. He was saying how impressed he was with the response the Clemson/Alabama game has generated. He stated that it is going to be the goal to get some college football opening matchup every year at the Georgia Dome. He had hinted that Alabama has been involved in future discussions, but I am surprised it would be next year too. I think they want to start off the season with some sort of matchup like the Peach Bowl (ACC vs. SEC) every year.
I think it an awesome think for the Alabama and the Atlanta. Atlanta has easily for CFB fans than any other city in the nation.
by Kenny483 on
Jul 16, 2008 1:38 PM CDT
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Well...
...just because they have one such game doesn’t mean they can’t have two. Sure, Duke would have to go through the Atlanta Sports Council to arrange it, but it would not be a similar scenario to the FSU, Clemson, and VaTech games. This would be a Duke home game that they’re electing to play elsewhere in an attempt to make some serious money.
by Nico2.0 on
Jul 16, 2008 2:17 PM CDT
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The Georgia Dome...
will become our 2nd home stadium after BDS-the first game of the season and then the SEC Championship game. I’m wearing my Crimson glasses right now and the future is very clear.
"I hate everything orange"
It's all about Crimson - ROLL TIDE!!!
by bamavicki on
Jul 16, 2008 1:41 PM CDT
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Very excited...
I’m pretty impressed with how fast we’ve been talking and scheduling good games since CNS got hired. First Clemson and now Virginia Tech? Let’s get an ND or USC game in the near future!
by CaliforniaTide on
Jul 16, 2008 2:06 PM CDT
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YES!!!
(Remix)
RBR's KING of HIP-HOP...
by SpockJenkins on
Jul 16, 2008 7:36 PM CDT
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Good point
The upgrade in Alabama’s out-of-conference scheduling since the hiring of Nick Saban is an interesting observation.
If only someone had written a brilliant explication of how Coach Saban’s scheduling philosophy hearkens back to the tough slates put together by Bear Bryant during the Tide’s heyday and made it readily available to ‘Bama fans. . . .
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on
Jul 16, 2008 9:25 PM CDT
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hell yeah
this is great news! by 09 we should be ready for all comers and opening w/ big win on national tv over VT will help vault us into the top 5.
And i second calitide’s remarks. hopefully we can add ND or so cal college down the line. I love the home and home with penn st as well. if this keeps up bama’s real schedule will match the ones i make for them on NCAA 08.
by tempebamafan on
Jul 16, 2008 2:31 PM CDT
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