ISU is kicking NIU's ass in every other aspect, might as well take IHSA football from them as well ...
Best location to host the IHSA State Football Title Games
- Thread starter EdgyTim
- Start date
ISU is kicking NIU's ass in every other aspect, might as well take IHSA football from them as well ...
Good point, Edgy, I am blending several years' memories on this one. You are correct the new facility helped relieve a lot of the issues I saw in previous seasons.
The population center for Illinois is near the intersection of US 47 and IL 113 in Grundy County - and the nearest town is Morris - and their largest stadium would be the Grundy County Motor Speedway. Give a few of those guys down there a few days and they'll have that infield looking like Augusta National. Think of it: it would be like Football-palooza.
Location, location, location applies to high school football, as well as retailing.
Keep the games accessible (NIU) and get some professional marketing support. Promotion of the championships is amateurish, at best.
I wouldn't drive to Bloomington or Champaign regardless of the attraction. Heck, driving to DeKalb is a pain, but I'd do it for my boys.
Keep the games accessible (NIU) and get some professional marketing support. Promotion of the championships is amateurish, at best.
I wouldn't drive to Bloomington or Champaign regardless of the attraction. Heck, driving to DeKalb is a pain, but I'd do it for my boys.
Living where I do, it really doesn't matter whether it's Champaign, ISU or NIU. They are all pretty close. But, if I had to pick one of those three, I'd pick ISU.
A few RVs, some BBQ, the bands, and we could make the ESPN College Game Day Experience look like a puppet show.
90%, or so, of the state's population lives much, much closer to DeKalb than the other state schools. Parking at North Central is very challenging, even for high school soccer finals.
Why the controversy?
Why the controversy?
For 90% of the population yes but it’s further then ISU for probably more then 50% of the teams that play.
WRIGLEY FIELD
They renovated the place to host football games. The travel might be a hassle for many teams but the kids would love playing there because of it's history. I also think the playoffs would get the most media attention and even draw the biggest crowds there.. There might be a problem scheduling around an Ill-- NU game but if this became the place I think they could get around that.
They renovated the place to host football games. The travel might be a hassle for many teams but the kids would love playing there because of it's history. I also think the playoffs would get the most media attention and even draw the biggest crowds there.. There might be a problem scheduling around an Ill-- NU game but if this became the place I think they could get around that.
no question hands down siu.
siu has the most updated field around this state.
their facilities are top notch and a great experience for each of the kids playing.
and the weather is ALWAYS nice.
I don't understand how people cry about a 5hr drive.
if you have to play a southern team, then you are driving it regardless during the playoffs.
they should alternate niu and siu north and south.
or get one of these professionals to build a nice dome stadium for semis and championships.
I love this idea. Parents won’t mind the drive with all the places to eat and drink around the stadium. I agree this place would set records in attendance.
You do realize there is not a 6A-8A school within 100 miles of Carbondale. Why would it make any sense for the large schools to play there?
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Why the Cubs seem to be able to fill the stadium and people are able to find parking. I have never had a problem finding parking but you will have to pony up some cash.
As an SIU alum, I can certainly attest that the weather is not always nice in Carbondale. If they got any snow Thanksgiving weekend it could be a total disaster, since their winter storm equipment is limited...
But the location question begs a question...SIU in the early 90's when I was a student had a serious discussion of potentially replacing SIU Arena and McAndrew Stadium with a domed stadium for football and basketball (like Northern Iowa had with the UNI Dome). So, would a 10,000+ seat domed football stadium jump a location to the top of the heap for the football finals, even if it was SIU or WIU?
I think any domed stadium would definitely get very serious consideration. Kind of like Superbowl locations.
The cash part is the issue. I love going to a Cubs game, but it's a hassle. Not sure everyone would enjoy that despite being able to play at Wrigley.
But a majority of the schools are probably closer to ISU, and that is the key element to look at
but Belleville, Edwardsville, and estl would disagree with you.
to go see the world.. some of these kids never get a chance to get out of their towns. experience, seeing actual new cultures, city kids have absolutely no idea how people down south live. but until they experience different cultures before they go away to schools all across the country, all they are is sheltered and ignorant towards others upbringings.
and vice versa, south to north. but they have been travelling to the north for how long now.
going to estl was a great time, when the dogz went to play there in 2013, and it was nice to see other cities along the way. we stopped in many towns all the way back. I mean we get to hear these towns, cities when watching the championships. stopped in arcola one of the coolest little towns they had their entire main street designed up with the jersey numbers of the players on every light pole.
stopped an ate in Rockford, stopped an ate in rock island prolly one of the best towns to watch a football game, their stadium, their people, the experience was awesome.
So we have 3 teams out of the top 3 classes that are 100 miles from Carbondale. Not a big enough representation to move the games to SIU. I am all for traveling and love when JC has played down state. However, if you are looking for convenience for the masses and the best crowds, ISU is the best venue.
ya but isu's stadium is like playing a high school stadium. I would rather sit at north central colleges stadium. better town to be in also more things to do around the stadium.
altho the visitors side is a little like brother rices.hahah.
Hancock Stadium's capacity is 13,391
Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium's capacity is 5,500
I have a feeling you really don't know what you are talking about.
For Belleville, its inly an extra hour for them to go to ISU compared to SIU... so make everyone else drive an extra 4 hours???
look at the stadiums. barrington has a better looking stadium than isu. rock island has 100times better stadium than isu. I do not care how many people it holds. you NEVER FILL it up anyway. in the last 10 years how many championships have you attended? the weather at siu is much better always like 20degrees different than anywhere up here. you can have much better games.
the only people that it matters too, are the ones playing those days.
it is their experience not yours. and honestly they do not give a shit where they play as long as they are playing on that fri or sat.
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worry about yourself driving, your one ticket sale is not going to crush them.
in the last 10years how many championships have you attended???
the parents do not care about the drive. it is the experience their sons get by a bigger stage to play on. for 90% of these kids it is their last experience.
you and 66 get all emotional over stupidity, the question was what is the best venue?
the best venue in Illinois ARE siu and niu. sorry to shatter your dreams about playing at isu.
the ultimate venue in Illinois would be Toyota park. but they will not play there because of the grass. and how much the cost of repair would be.
I have been to 7 of the last 10, with my team not playing..
And it is not my dream for them to play at ISU, it will be reality, I will be shocked if that is not what the IHSA chooses.
SIU has absolutely zero chance of being selected, too far away, nobody wants to spend a weekend in Carbondale, nobody wants to drive there and the school is dying a painful death.
Once again you show your ignorance on this topic as Hancock has been sold out many times since the renovation.
oh really??? by how many high school teams...
you still show your ignorance of simple comprehension.
estl stadium is by far a better stadium to play at.
I played in a state championship game at ISU and thought it was a great venue. It was better than any high school stadium I played in.
Played two finals at ISU ... smack dab in the middle of the state. Nice venue - perfect, in my opinion.
like I said, I am not saying the experience is not great. it has to be great for all that participate in it.
just like any other stadium they play in currently. but, are some of the high school stadiums now better than the ones you played in. I know memorial stadium is better than most high school stadiums and pretty much on par with isu. they are just judging on drive time for northern based schools. then try to take a shot at Carbondale the city, as that means anything.
simply talking facilities, atmosphere, and weather. siu by far better than isu no matter how long the drive time. I am sure your parents never had a second thought as to where they would be driving to watch you play in that game. and did not give a rats a55 how many outsiders made the trip.
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Dude, give it up, the IHSA is not going to put the games way down there, it makes no sense to make everyone drive so far.
ISU is the perfect location, renovated stadium, great metro area with restaurants, bars and hotels and easy drive down I-55.. If not, Champaign works fine
The closest school to SIU to play in the state finals last year was Maroa, which is about 200 miles from Carbondale.. When is the last time a school within 2 hours of SIU has played in the state finals? its just stupid to even talk about it.
How about the Astrodome?
And the Zebra crew is half white and half black.
And tiebreakers are decided by a coin toss at an undiclosed truck stop somewhere along 57.
And the Zebra crew is half white and half black.
And tiebreakers are decided by a coin toss at an undiclosed truck stop somewhere along 57.
In the last 10 years, the closest school to SIU to play in the title game is Althoff, which is 1:51 drive from Carbondale according to the fine people at Google Maps. Good idea that lots of companies do, move the product away from the consumers..
SIU-C is on the way back:
- has eliminated out-of-state tuition surcharge
- offers 2 tiers of merit-based (not tied to financial need) academic scholarships of $4K and $6K annually for attainable combinations of GPA and SAT/ACT score
- has eliminated surcharge for living in a dorm room without a roommate.
dude, give it up. your spokesmen skills are terrible.
i55 is the most terrible drive you can be on. the road is shit and always congested. you cannot even set the cruise. every college town has bars, hotels, and restaurants nearby.. bhwahahahaha.
either way dude, my favorite spot is on my couch, cold beers sitting next to me, and left over sandwiches in the fridge. but, I am 100% sure the ihsa is listening and reading your every word. just so they know you promote isu and it is ok with you to go there. they should be trying to sign a deal with argo high school nice stadium, great restaurants, lots of bars and 90% of the large schools can drive 1hr or less and not worry about hotels.
The nearest town to 47 & 113 would actually be Mazon, but there is no stadium in Mazon (the former Mazon Verona Kinsman high school is now MVK junior high, with the high school kids going to Seneca). The nearest stadium is likely Coal City H.S., with Morris H.S. very close as well. The proposed expansion of the west side bleachers at Coal City may be in hopes of landing the state championships...lol
And here is the crazy future answer for a best location...What if the often questionable SIU board of trustees decides that the SIUC athletic facilities are too much superior to the facilities at SIUE, and to balance the field inexplicably decides to start football at SIUE and build the 10,000 seat domed football/basketball stadium in Edwardsville....Geographic nightmare for a state final, but...
But undergrad enrollment is down to about 9K? There is no way I would send my kids to any of the directions, its either UofI, UIC or ISU or out of state if I want a public school
