Illinois vs Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland (Aug. 28th, 2021)

#51      
Giving up a home game to play in Ireland???? Color me less than impressed. We need as many games as possible at home given the state of our program. Dumb move by Whitman....
 
#52      

texillwek

🔶🔹🔸🔷
@IlliniAthletics said:
"Get ready for an unforgettable experience in Dublin, Illini Nation!"
Irish whiskey says you're wrong 🥴

On a serious note - such a cool stadium!
 
#54      

cuillini

San Bernardino, Ca.
Giving up a home game to play in Ireland???? Color me less than impressed. We need as many games as possible at home given the state of our program. Dumb move by Whitman....
This is a once in a lifetime chance for the players. It's not like giving up a game to play in Soldier Field. It's a trip to freaking Ireland. This is a great move, if for no other reason than the players.
 
#55      
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Looks like there are differing expectations for the two fan bases.
 
#56      
View attachment 4915

Looks like there are differing expectations for the two fan bases.

Look at this thread and our average attendance and it’s no secret why!

I wish our fans were crazy and dumb and irrationally passionate and would just go because it’s cool ... but most fan bases like that have won a FEW more games than we have over the last couple of decades.:cry:
 
#57      
I love how concerned everyone is with giving up a home game. Who cares? We suck anyway and now you have an excuse to take a vacation
Lol, I'm sure that's what will happen. Nobody wants to spend the time and money to go to Champaign for Illinois football, but lots of people will fly over to Ireland to do it. And as for who cares, season ticket holders (and fans in general that actually attend the games) care about losing home games. I get to watch Illinois win 2 games a year, 3 if I'm lucky. You know what actually no one cares about? Illinois playing in Ireland. If DIA offered $1,000 to actually show up and sit through the game, I still doubt I'd go.
 
#58      
This is a once in a lifetime chance for the players. It's not like giving up a game to play in Soldier Field. It's a trip to freaking Ireland. This is a great move, if for no other reason than the players.
It's also giving up a chance to win a home conference game, which is also a once in a lifetime thing for Illinois football players.
 
#64      

Deleted member 649710

D
Guest
Dublin is awesome. I was just there in July. But no way would I travel all the way there to spend a day watching the Illini get pounded. I'd 5x rather go see a hurling match while there.

And I don't see any recruiting advantage to this. How many of our kids from say, St. Louis, Texas or Florida, are dying for a trip to Ireland? You know what would help our recruiting in those regions? Schedule a game in St. Louis, Texas or Florida, so all of the kids' local friends and family could attend. Or start qualifying for Bowl games.

This is just dumb. I hope the ticket sales are so bad that it gets cancelled.
 
#67      
Free trip to Ireland for the “important” people in the DIA. (n) Dumb if you ask me.
Yup, there will be athletic officials, administrative folks and all manner of hangers-on who will be on that plane. Whitman has already said that his family will be there.
 
#68      
In this thread: People complaining about losing a home game they weren't gonna go to anyway.

Your average Illinois fan sees this on Instagram or Facebook and thinks, “Wow, that’s awesome.” (Before anyone critiques me with screen shots or something, the average fan also isn’t the Get Off My Lawn Crew that frequents our social media posts, either!)

I have already had two Iowa friends and a Wisconsin friend text me how cool this is. There are good arguments against it, I concede that; however, this isn’t as *dumb* as people here are making it out to be.
 
#69      
I won't be going, but I think it will be a good experience for the players and hopefully a well deserved reward for everyone who decided to stick around through all the turmoil. There's plenty of bigger issues to be upset about.
 
#71      

breadman

Herndon, VA
Will the Marching Illini be going?
If so, will the Alumni Marching Illini be going? If so, I am in!
 
#72      
If anything this could convince a few current players not to transfer and some recruits not to decommit after Lovie is let go. Gotta look on the bright side somehow.
 
#73      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
New coach comes in and takes advantage of next year's easy schedule, gets us to a bowl, we are feeling good. Week 0 of year two vs Nebraska, who still have somewhat of a name nationally. This is a great opportunity for IL to get national exposure. Let's hope it's good exposure!
If the new coach rekindles my hope, I'm going
 
#75      
And I don't see any recruiting advantage to this. How many of our kids from say, St. Louis, Texas or Florida, are dying for a trip to Ireland? You know what would help our recruiting in those regions? Schedule a game in St. Louis, Texas or Florida, so all of the kids' local friends and family could attend. Or start qualifying for Bowl games.
Yeah because when I was 19, I would have much rather gone to StL, TX, or FL over a free trip to Ireland where I would have legally been able to drink. 🙄 For most of these players, this will be their first trip out of the country and it’s going to be a trip of a lifetime for them that they’ll get to talk about for years. We’ve played games in all of those states, I don’t remember seeing local boosts after them. However, if webecome one of a handful of teams that plays overseas regularly, I do think that gives a small pitch to help in recruiting.
This is just dumb. I hope the ticket sales are so bad that it gets cancelled.
Great job supporting the university here. If this game actually gets canceled, it just becomes another negative recruiting tool, and you’ll be back on this board talking about embarrassing we are as a fan base. If you don’t support it, no one is making you go or watch this game.
 
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