Yeah...Schiano invented the concept of starting your season with weaker opponents.
I don't know why others haven't done the same.
we're #1!
- Thread starter MrsScrew
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I don't know why others haven't done the same.
Is the revenue gain from playing a good team worth the chance of a defeat that costs us a chance to go to a bowl?
I want to go to a bowl game. If that means playing cup cakes, so be it. And fireworks keeps my family entertained
Oh you mean by blatantly lying about there being video of her telling someone not to get pregnant? Oh ok I see your point smh
Unless you book a team that will likely beat Rutgers (and probably easily) all playing Met Life would do is increase the number of empty seats
I don't know. Is a 6 win team that goes to a Dec. 26th bowl helping?
We need to do a deep dive while Schiano is still here and not repeat mistakes when he's not gonna be (whenever that is). We should be experimental with the schedule a bit. I'm not sure what destroying Howard does other than get us a win and watch us lose revenue because they pad the attendance figures with comps and giveaways.
There are teams out there that play 3 P4 opponents OOS? I think we're pretty mainstream.
Agreed. I'm just spitballing ideas. However whats clear is that since we're not going to ever have the NIL whale or some massive budget increase, we need to be creative in how we run our programs. Nobody in my lifetime has ever shown that knack or understanding in the Rutgers athletic department. We can't afford to be mainstream. We need to be cutting edge. Until that time, the mediocrity will remain.
Isn't the payout to us from going to a December 26 bowl more substantial than the revenue from, say, selling an extra 10,000 seats for a more attractive opponent? And doesn't it look better to potential recruits that we've at least made it to a December 26 bowl game? I don't know the answers -- just asking.
When you consider the additional expenses associated with a bowl I'm not sure it's better than selling 10,000 tickets. From a recruiting perspective a bowl is probably better.
Can I say the quiet part out loud?
We are entering year 7 and the thought "lets upgrade OOC schedule to increase attendance and we'll also win the game" seems to be an afterthought.
The discussion of marginally upgrading the OOC shouldn't be so controversial in year 7.
We are entering year 7 and the thought "lets upgrade OOC schedule to increase attendance and we'll also win the game" seems to be an afterthought.
The discussion of marginally upgrading the OOC shouldn't be so controversial in year 7.
Notice, though, that even the highest-ranked schools rarely schedule an OOC game that they might lose. Yes, we would probably win the OOC game, but is it worth taking the chance?
Rutgers football, like most programs, loses money when it goes to bowls. These games are not financial windfalls. This helps explain why the College Football Playoff expanded and will keep expanding. This format allows the best teams to play additional home games and pocket the ticket sales revenue.
Schools report bowl revenues and expenses in their NCAA MRFS financial reports. Rutgers lost $1,126,854 at the 2021 Gator, lost $997,867 at the 2023 Pinstripe, and lost $2,945,915 at the 2024 Rate.
Let's say Rutgers scheduled Notre Dame or another top out of conference team instead of a MAAC team. Conservatively, Rutgers would sell 20,000 additional tickets at $50 per ticket, totaling $1,000,000 in added ticket sales revenue. In addition, Rutgers would avoid a pay-to-slay contract costing $1.1 million, based on last years contracts with MAAC foes Ohio University and Miami of Ohio. That is a $2.1 million change, not counting other game day revenue including concessions and parking.
While I cannot speak for every Rutgers fan, I'd rather Rutgers go 5-7 with a home loss against Notre Dame than beat a MAAC team at home, finish 6-6, and qualify for a bowl game few fans care about.
Notre Dame would not play at SHI. They'd insist on Met Life and an outsized portion of the gate.
Fair point. Do Miami, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, or Texas then. Will be a tough ask for the Rutgers AD but it should be done.
Maybe they would. That is why I described it as a big ask.
Here are away games on future schedules.
Florida - Colorado, Florida State, Notre Dame
Miami - Auburn, Notre Dame
Georgia - Ohio State, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
Alabama - Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Notre Dame
Texas - Notre Dame
I didn't see BC on Alabama's future schedule, at least through '29. And if the game happens, I'd bet the house it's played at Foxboro. And are you comparing Ohio St. etc. stadiums and clout to RU and SHI? Va Tech being the exception.
Alabama to BC's Alumni Stadium in 2031. Rutgers stadium is what it is. If Alabama is willing to play at BC, Rutgers should be able to attract Alabama or a comparable high profile team to SHI.
BC Announces Future Series with Alabama - Boston College Athletics
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Pat Kraft announced on Wednesday that Boston College and Alabama will meet for a two-game se...
Alabama to BC's Alumni Stadium in 2031. Rutgers stadium is what it is. If Alabama is willing to play at BC, Rutgers should be able to attract Alabama or a comparable high profile team to SHI.
BC Announces Future Series with Alabama - Boston College Athletics
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Pat Kraft announced on Wednesday that Boston College and Alabama will meet for a two-game se...bceagles.com
I still think it will go to Foxboro. We have 5 years to see.
Oh hell no! I thought we put this all to bed with that debacle we were supposed to have played at Yankee Stadium.
The problem is that there is no honor in beating us -- we aren't that good -- and so there is no reason to take a chance on losing. That's very different than for the opponents that you list for other schools.
Bowl games are the best money spent on advertising for the University that we have available. The entire football program is the best money spent on advertising for the University that Rutgers has available. They are only "losing money" if you fail to view it as advertising costs for the school.
Out of the six teams I mentioned -- Notre Dame, Florida, Miami, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas -- Rutgers has won once in 23 tries.
I was at the big win, the momentous Pinstripe Bowl victory against a Miami. Glad I went because Timmy Ward's scoop and score after Trevor Yeboah-Kodie's punt block was one of best special teams plays I've ever seen.
The truth is these six teams are not worried about the outcome of a Rutgers game. Rutgers' ranked opponents are 15-0 against Greg 2.0 who hasn't beat a ranked team since #23 USF in 2009.
A win against Rutgers would show better than a win against a MAC or FCS team, no matter who is on the CFP selection committee or what the selection criteria are this week.
Rutgers needs to get a compelling out of conference game on campus asap.
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The Rutgers marketing people must be livid at Greg! Oh my gosh, we didn't do the Birmingham Bowl! The university will go down the tubes without the Birmingham Bowl!
Let's be serious, the best Rutgers marketing is the chart I created here.
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I don't know. Ask him.
While I agree it is high on the list, there is no way that the advertising return on the investment for the money spent to increase our US News & World Report ranking is better than the money we spend on the football program. Wait until you find out how much Rutgers loses on its spending on professor salaries!
I would rather see fireworks than a likely 63-0 beating that will be over in the first quarter. You might need the lure of fireworks to keep people from filing out when it's 28-0 after 20 minutes.
Just brainstorming. At least Metlife is a real football stadium and not a ballpark!
Given the record you cite, do you think the CFP selection committee would give much more credit for a win over Rutgers than over a MAC or FCS team? If not, why take the chance on an upset? I understand your point that Rutgers would gain revenue from a game on-campus against a good team, but I am not convinced that it is on Rutgers' overall interest or in the interest of one of those teams you mention as possible opponents. Maybe we could get Cal back, but I don't think that is the calibre of opponent you're looking for.
Strength of schedule is the CFP's top criteria for distinguishing comparable teams, so beating Rutgers should count for more than beating a team outside the power conferences.
If Rutgers top priority far above anything else was playing in a bowl, then make the weakest schedule possible. The team was invited to a bowl last season and decline so play, so recent decisions show playing in a bowl isn't the top priority of the program.
We don't make the weakest schedule possible, but only the BC game this year is going to be a competitive OOC game (unless wer'e truly terrible!). You have to admit that scheduling Wagner as something of an embarrassment. As you know, every P4 school pays patsies to play it. I *hate* this because it debases college football, but if everybody else does it, we have to as well.
To put it differently, everyone else seems to have decided that it's more important to play patsies than to have an excellent strength of schedule. I think we're stuck with doing the same thing.
One has nothing to do with the other . As if having fireworks is preventing RU form scheduling the likes of Texas, etc . WTF are you even talking about ?!!!
the fireworks, etc is a drop in the bucket, it absolutely helps the game experience and absolutely puts a few butts in seats . I can tell you for a fact that a few family members have gone back to games since it was….. a fun experience for them (despite the L)
with that said - by far the most important thing RU needs to is WIN!! Obviously No amount of fireworks will put butts in seats more than wins
lastly I think youre wrong about having a harder OCC schedule . The Big10 is hard enough - we don’t need more automatic Ls on the schedule … what POSSIBLE good would that do at this point ?!!!
we just need to win more with the (often brutal) schedules we have now in the Big10
the fireworks, drones, etc are a drop in the bucket and help improve the game experience while we remain mediocre. Hopefully we will get good enough and the fireworks gimmicks won’t be necessary.
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Are we really having a 3 page thread about 191k fireworks?