[NU Sports] Wrigley Stupidity

[cherron604 at aol.com]

The Athletic Department needs to prove just what this game would create.  

Income.  It might create some extra money for the Athletic Department if we sold out Wrigley Field, vs a typical crowd at Dyche.   But a proof would also require us assuming a sellout at Wrigley is 'likely', while assuming that the same 'sellout' candidates would not drive a few miles north to Dyche.  The 2006 Illinois game drew 22,242 fans.  The 2008 game drew 32,166.  Dyche's capacity is officially 47,130.  Wrigley's capacity is officially 41,160 for baseball, though the 63 NFL championship game had 45,801 in attendance.  Even if they anticipate 45,000 fans, how much would be made after paying rent to the Cubs.  How much would be lost in parking and concesions at Dyche ?  

'Buzz'.  This is already impossible to quantify.  Do any of us remember, besides the Hawks and the Bruins, who played in the last two NHL games at baseball stadiums ?  If SMU played a game at Jerry Jones stadium, would any of us notice or care ?  Is a casual fan from Wheaton or Naperville going to say 'This game at Wrigley Field is so unusual and buzz-worthy, that I and my family are going to start paying $40 per seat per week to watch this team every game !'  when that fan can sit at home and see the games better on BTN ?  Will ESPN cover this game with more attention than to any NU-Illinois game ?  Will the local stations devote any more time to it than they do now, or will their broadcasts still be mostly Bears talk ?  Won't Jay Cutler/Mike Martz/Lovie/Urlacher talk still dominate the Trib and Sun-Times ?  If Nov 21 is a Packers or Vikings game, will our little contest get any coverage at all in Chicago ?

Recruiting.  Potential recruits seem to be more interested in winning, and going to warm-weather bowl games, than they are with cool sites.  Has there been any prrof yet that Notre Dame's game at the AlamoDome in 2009 helped recruiting or brought ND better buzz ?  Couldn't a ticket fiasco potentially hurt buzz and recruiting ?  Will the game even be on ESPN, or will they be down in SEC country that week with gameday.  If a half empty Wrigley game shows on the BTN, does that help/hurt recruiting, marketing or buzz ?

Finally, have the 2 outdoor NFL games made us any bigger fans of the NFL ?  

Chuck Herron   Tech '85






-----Original Message-----
From: Weinbaum, Willie <Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com>
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 3, 2010 12:10 pm
Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Wrigley Stupidity


Not sure if this is still correct, but Benz & Flatley were the answers to a 
reat trivia qn:  Name the only school to produce the NFL rookies of the year on 
ffense and defense in the same season.  Yes, folks, NU. :)
As for the Wrigley debate - - it's tough to bash NU for having such low 
ttendance at Dyche, I mean Ryan, and then also bash Phillips for doing 
omething that would create immeasurable "buzz" for the program locally and 
ationally by putting a home game at Wrigley.  It's not the same as giving away 
 home game.  I am not belittling the many understandable concerns and 
nconveniences of ticketholders (I'm not a local person or ticketholder, just a 
eligious follower on TV/diehard fan), but think this is an opportunity with 
otential carryover benefits in sales and recruiting.
If the game at Wrigley becomes a fait accompli, it's definitely worth raising 
he issues noted below and in other posts so the loyal NU fans don't suffer as a 
esult of a move to broaden the base.

----Original Message-----
rom: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf 
f cherron604 at aol.com
ent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 12:53 PM
o: hakirsch at aol.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
ubject: Re: [NU Sports] Wrigley Stupidity

nteresting idea - but
- Probably couldn't afford Ditka's appearance fee
- We'd be outnumbered 2-0
Illini - JC Caroline, Ed O Bradovich
U - none
Chuck Herron   Tech '85
There were 9 Illini in the NFL in 63, 6 NU guys (Larry Benz, Andy Cvercko, Fate 
chols, Irv Cross, Paul Flatley and Elbert Kimbrough.)  For comparison, Notre 
ame had 21, Ohio State 16


----Original Message-----
rom: hakirsch at aol.com
o: MHRJGScott at aol.com; nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
ent: Wed, Mar 3, 2010 11:19 am
ubject: Re: [NU Sports] Wrigley Stupidity

f we do have a game at wrigley I suppose we should try to drag out as many of 
e 1963 Bears championship team for the pre game.  As many of you may know they 
at the NYG 14-10 at wrigley (a few weeks after JFK 's assassination)to win the 
L title Harry -----Original Message------
om: MHRJGScott at aol.com
nder: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
: nwu-sports at tssi.com
bject: Re: [NU Sports] Wrigley Stupidity
nt: Mar 3, 2010 8:02 AM
ee Chuck, you think it is a bad idea ;) n another note, Kafka has been writing 
 blog in the Sun Times on his ombine experience which seems to be going well.  
 hope he gets to start  for n NFL team but even if he just gets drafted and 
ashes only one paycheck rom an NFL team during training camp, he will be a 
ifetime member of the FL  Alumni which has some nice perks.
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