Tonight's Independence-Butler playoff game is big. But it's not big enough to play at Bank of America Stadium. If the game were held there, it would get lost.
How many fans would show up? Dreamers will invent a number. But if you've been to a Game of the Year at Memorial Stadium, you know how many fans are willing to buy tickets.
Let's say the game attracts 20,000. One of the stories we'd write, and one of the images fans would take away, is the empty seats.
I like the idea of holding it at Providence High. Fans will show up early. Tickets will be at a premium. There will be more interest than there is room. All of those factors enhance the atmosphere and make a game feel big.
Bank of America Stadium is so vast the game would feel small.
Agreed BofA is WAAAYY too big, but if we think 10K might show, Providence leaves about 4K out in the cold.
That should never happen in a HS football game. Meck Park & Rec shoulda never allowed Memorial to fall apart. I'm starting to think it'll never be put together the same.
Posted by: JAT | December 04, 2009 at 09:57 AM
Sorry Tom, you got it all wrong. NO one will care how many seats are empty when all they care about is seeing the game. The whole point of BoA stadium being used was so that there could be enough seats for those that want to see it. So if you do have 20k people show up, then thats 20k happy people who actually were able to watch the game, instead of 20k people fighting for 6k tickets and 14k going home pissed bc they did not get the chance.
Posted by: Eric | December 04, 2009 at 10:06 AM
DUHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!
Tell us something we dont know ...
They do need to hold the NC and SC high school state championship games there though.
You know like Florida Texas California and all other states who have NFL teams have for yrs.
Posted by: Yada Yada Yada | December 04, 2009 at 12:07 PM
It is a privately owned stadium (thank goodness) and it costs money to turn on the lights, do field prep, etc. It would be a nice gesture by Big Jer but it just doesn't make $ense. Especially not with the Cats at home.
Posted by: Scottyrock | December 04, 2009 at 12:19 PM
The high school state championships are held in college stadiums. Plenty of seats, and, there's no rent for the state owned stadiums. Why rent a private stadium for that size crowd? Stooooopid.
Posted by: Ben | December 04, 2009 at 08:54 PM
The US Army HS All American Game has been played at the Alamo dome in San Antonio for years. The place is huge, all they do is block off seats. People are there to watch the kids play, not worry about the size of crowd
Posted by: TexasT | December 05, 2009 at 06:32 AM
A replacement of Memorial stadium should have been thought about years ago. I graduated HS in the late '60's and it was old then. It is hard to keep repairing something that gets old. lol, Im old I know
Posted by: TexasT | December 05, 2009 at 06:35 AM
Most NCHSAA state finals are played in the daytime and dont need lights. BOA lights cost 500 bucks per game. Big deal.
Check out Georgias 4 division finals in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Florida holds their 8 division finals in Miami. Texas holds their 5 division finals in Dallas. The list goes on.
Screw the college stadiums. Go to the top. Use the only NFL stadium with a 75k seat bigtime feel better than watching the Panthers. Televise.
ps dummies who still cant fig it out the idea is also too steal a lil thunder from tobacco road but keep it a secret.
Posted by: dummies only | December 05, 2009 at 07:45 AM