ACC Football Title Game in Charlotte in 2007

Cmon, its going to happen. I think the league has seen what can happen in the future with game attendance down in Jacksonville when one of the Florida teams isn't in it. I think if city bigwigs can get Jerry Richardson & Co. to cut a deal on the rent on BoA Stadium, the ACC Football Title game will be in Charlotte for 2 years starting next year. Folks in JAX care more about SEC football and the Gators/Dawgs game vs. ACC Football. CLT is the better geographic fit in the long run plus anyhow, we're owned something since the league has pretty much given Greensboro the ACC Hoops tournement from now until the Second Coming. Based on Tom Sorenson's column today in the Observer, it sounds like there should be a decision made in about 2-3 months. That's enough time for the QUeen City to make another bid and seal the deal, right? Discuss . . . .

PS: Yeah, yeah I realize Tech-Wake probably wouldn't sell out here either today. But I think more casual football fans would be interested in buying tickets here vs. Jax.

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IN MY OPINION

Title game should be in ACC country
TOM SORENSEN

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The ACC football championship should be played in ACC territory.

Jacksonville is not ACC territory. Jacksonville is what occurs when north Florida, North Wilkesboro, south Georgia and South Boulevard meet.

Jacksonville is the annual Georgia-Florida game.

Jacksonville is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who share a division with such ACC NFL favorites as Indianapolis, Houston and Tennessee.

The most popular college team in Jacksonville is Florida. Several of the local businessmen that, being good citizens, bought tickets to today's ACC championship between Wake Forest and Georgia Tech undoubtedly will slink off to Atlanta to watch their beloved Gators play Arkansas for the championship of the SEC.

Alltel Stadium accommodates more than 77,000 fans. Jacksonville would be thrilled if 65,000 show today.

Florida State and Virginia Tech drew 72,749 when they played here last season in the first ACC football championship. The contract between the conference and the city expires after today's game, although the ACC can extend it for up to two years.

Will you?

"Well, it's too early to say," ACC Commissioner John Swofford says Friday when we talk in a hotel banquet room.

If not Jacksonville, where?

"There's no question that Charlotte would be in the mix," he says.

So would Tampa.

Swofford says Charlotte "has an awful lot to offer in terms of a central geographic location, a terrific stadium and a city that has a lot of energy."

He also says that the more successful the Dec. 30 Meineke Car Care Bowl is, the stronger Charlotte's case is.

When will you decide?

"I don't know yet," says Swofford, the former North Carolina athletics director. "We're going to try to evaluate it and make a decision on at least the immediate future over, I'd say, the next couple months."

What does Charlotte have to do to get the game?

"The main thing is enough votes from the athletics directors," Swofford says with a laugh.

Money will decide. The ACC undoubtedly would prefer to hold the game in ACC territory, which is to say Charlotte. But to have even a chance to match Jacksonville's offer, corporate Charlotte would really have to kick in.

Jacksonville has a publicly owned stadium.

Bank of America Stadium is privately owned. But if the Carolina Panthers gave the ACC a huge break on rent, the team would reap tremendous goodwill and assure itself of hosting a playoff game.

Hold on. If the Panthers gave the ACC a break, would they also have to make the same offer to Meineke?

They would not.

The ACC championship could be so significant.

Can you imagine the streets of Charlotte if N.C. State or North Carolina made the game?

Can you imagine our streets, sidewalks and alleys if Virginia Tech were to advance, and if Virginia Tech's opponent were Clemson?

Virginia Tech-Clemson would be to Charlotte what Florida-Georgia is to Jacksonville.

Jacksonville already has its game. Let's claim ours.

 

All the talk I've heard regarding it revolves around Orlando or Tampa. The idea is to place it where people would want to go, which isn't Charlotte.

 

the problem is that jacksonville can't even sell out NFL games. Combine that with the game being played between wake and GT, then you have a low attendance game.

When they expanded and made the ACCCG, The ACC counted on and probably built the divisions so that the highest possibility matchup was FSU/Miami.

 

The first idea is to place it where it makes the most money and the secondary concern, possibly even lower, is what location draws the most fans. Tickets sold and financial viability, while related, aren't directly proportional for a Championship game or even a Bowl if the ancillary factors are in place.

The stadium deal is the key point in the $ formula. Charlotte wasn't competitve in that regard and unless the Richardsons get a sudden case of civic pride, Charlotte will have a very difficult time landing the game.

Another point is corporate $ and Charlotte failed on that on the original bid. Charlotte's handling of the first attempt at landing the game bordered on comedic. Let's hope the uptown crew gets their ducks in a row for this one.

 

you say it like they are completely independent of each other

 

Yeah, I don't think it's gonna make more TV money if it's in Orlando.

 

No, the next sentence reads: Tickets sold and financial viability, while related, aren't directly proportional for a Championship game or even a Bowl if the ancillary factors are in place.

A good stadium deal, corporate sponsorship, television revenue, rebates from hotels, city/county/government funding or discounts, guaranteed ticket sales for participating schools and other aspects, such as % of ticket sales going to the conference or NCAA may make attendence a minor factor in financial viability. A bad deal in any of these areas or combination of areas can make attendance the key factor, but rarely is attendance "THE KEY" factor. Again, while not independent of each other, attendence and finacial viability aren't necessarily directly proportional.

 

If they're basing it on this years Car Care Bowl attendence it not coming to Charlotte. Who in the hell would pay money to go watch Boston College vs. Navy???