Future Schedules

[Fighter of the Nightman]

For football, I think the default should be on campus games. A Mizzou game in St. Louis every so often is OK, but it’s just a different situation than basketball. I also don’t like the idea of giving up a home game.

Unless the money is just way too good to pass up, I don’t ever want to see us in one of those first week made for TV neutral site games. The idea of playing someone like Alabama in Atlanta just doesn’t hold a lot of appeal for me. I realize others will disagree.

I just want to be clear that as a relatively "pro-neutral site" fan, I mostly agree with you and I thus draw a HUGE distinction between these types of games. I'll use two examples from last year:

(A) USC vs. LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. This was a straight-up TV cash grab, and (while I am sure the fans had a fun trip to Vegas) I think it would have been so much cooler on-campus. Watching USC come into Death Valley or LSU come into the Coliseum is what we need more of in college football. JMO, but these are the types of "neutral site games" that give the entire concept a bad name.

(B) Texas vs. Oklahoma in Dallas at the Texas State Fair with a 50/50 split crowd. This is just NOT the same, and to call both "neutral site games" is only technically true. This is an annual tradition that creates a special and unique environment/event that not only creates something BETTER than moving the game to a home/away format ... it's actually more traditional at this point! To oppose Texas/Oklahoma in Dallas (or Florida/Georgia in Jacksonville, Illinois/Missouri BASKETBALL in St. Louis, etc.) simply because it's at a neutral site is to cut off one's nose to spite his face. (I'm obviously not saying you are doing that, as you clearly drew a distinction! I'm just painting this picture for others.)

I would argue that on the football side, Illini/Mizzou falls somewhere in between those but closer to (B). For basketball, Braggin' Rights in St. Louis is incredibly special, and the bozo who ever authorizes moving it will leave an awful legacy. However, football is slightly different for two main reasons, IMO. First, the tradition is not as clear-cut. Sure, we played them there several times in the 2000s, but there were gaps between the games and there was an equally strong history of playing them on the campuses before that. Compare that to Braggin' Rights, which has now been an annual pre-Christmas event in St. Louis for over four decades, and it's just not the same. Also, the venue in St. Louis presents a problem. While I personally don't get too worked up about football games at baseball stadiums and think Busch would be awesome for this, I understand people's complaints. And as far as the dome, I just hate playing football indoors but ESPECIALLY when it is still so wonderful out in September. So, it would be a bit of a miss to go back to that setup, IMO.

TL;DR

Some neutral site matchups are incredibly natural, make sense and help to create an "annual event" that the on-campus games cannot match. However, these are rare ... we have it on the basketball side with Mizzou, but it's less clear if football in St. Louis would be a good idea.

 

[Illini2010-11]

For football, I think the default should be on campus games. A Mizzou game in St. Louis every so often is OK, but it’s just a different situation than basketball. I also don’t like the idea of giving up a home game.

Unless the money is just way too good to pass up, I don’t ever want to see us in one of those first week made for TV neutral site games. The idea of playing someone like Alabama in Atlanta just doesn’t hold a lot of appeal for me. I realize others will disagree.

I agree that we should always strive to have the home games.

Regarding the bolded, however, It would mean that Illinois is perceived to be a marquis program if they were invited to play in one of those games vs a top tier SEC program. It should be the goal for the program to get to the point where they are in demand for these high-end early season games. So in that respect, there is major appeal in a game like that.

 

[redwingillini11]

I think three year blocks of Champaign, Columbia, and St. Louis is a fantastic setup. We get a game on campus and 2/3 years Illinois fans should have an easy opportunity to attend the game. If we are going to play them at all, I think that is pretty ideal.

 

[Dkayak]

in Dallas (or Florida/Georgia in Jacksonville,
Some neutral site matchups are incredibly natural, make sense and help to create an "annual event" that the on-campus games cannot match. However, these are rare ... we have it on the basketball side with Mizzou, but it's less clear if football in St. Louis would be a good idea.

If a neutral site game results in a reduction in number of home games, season ticket prices should be reduced proportionately. Otherwise it’s a distinctly negative idea.

 

[Frank the Tank]

If a neutral site game results in a reduction in number of home games, season ticket prices should be reduced proportionately. Otherwise it’s a distinctly negative idea.

At least for 2027, the neutral site location is replacing what would have been a road game for Illinois and we will still have 7 home games. It would be the same for 2033 as long as the current rotation of us having 5 Big Ten home games in odd-numbered years is still in place.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

If a neutral site game results in a reduction in number of home games, season ticket prices should be reduced proportionately. Otherwise it’s a distinctly negative idea.

I assume you are talking about only new ideas? I don't know an Illini fan alive who would want to abandon Braggin' Rights in St. Louis, and I would wager zero Texas/OU fans want that event moved from the Texas State Fair.

(I'm also pretty sure season ticket holders get those included...? Maybe I am wrong.)

 

[Dkayak]

I assume you are talking about only new ideas? I don't know an Illini fan alive who would want to abandon Braggin' Rights in St. Louis, and I would wager zero Texas/OU fans want that event moved from the Texas State Fair.

(I'm also pretty sure season ticket holders get those included...? Maybe I am wrong.)

I’m thinking of the cost per game for a 77 Club lease with six home games instead of seven. And I’m only 90 minutes from Champaign, so home games really are home games, or at most an easy day trip. So count me as a no if it displaced a home game.

 

[ptgrd23]

Yahoo- Rose Bowl in 2026. Live in SoCal and went in 2008. I know its not Jan 1 but with CFP may be my last chance to see Illini in Pasadena.

I have confidence that Bret is developing strong depth with the great HS recruiting and he will either develop a QB or get one in the portal.

Bret, Brad, and Shauna do not rebuild they reload!

This year is an anamoly with so many returning starters.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

I’m thinking of the cost per game for a 77 Club lease with six home games instead of seven. And I’m only 90 minutes from Champaign, so home games really are home games, or at most an easy day trip. So count me as a no if it displaced a home game.

To be clear, I totally see where you’re coming from. I don’t buy the complaints on the basketball side about, say, having a home game at the United Center … but I get it in football. As others have said, the nice thing about the Mizzou series as it stands is that at least theoretically, neither team is giving up a home game since it’s two 3-year deals.

 

[Illiniguy74]

To be clear, I totally see where you’re coming from. I don’t buy the complaints on the basketball side about, say, having a home game at the United Center … but I get it in football. As others have said, the nice thing about the Mizzou series as it stands is that at least theoretically, neither team is giving up a home game since it’s two 3-year deals.

Football is my number 1 Illini sport. I want to see compelling games. Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern mean little to me. Mizzou with its close proximity and SEC connection is. I'd like to play them every year in St Louis.

 

[cookie86]

Football is my number 1 Illini sport. I want to see compelling games. Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern mean little to me. Mizzou with its close proximity and SEC connection is. I'd like to play them every year in St Louis.

Id rather consistently make bowl games and play 3 cupcake games a year- nick saban always tried to make the schedule as easy as possible

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Id rather consistently make bowl games and play 3 cupcake games a year- nick saban always tried to make the schedule as easy as possible

I feel like this more complicated than that. If we are going to the type of bowl that 6- and 7-win teams play in, why not play an exciting schedule? If potentially losing to Mizzou is the difference between 9 wins and the Citrus Bowl and 10 wins and the CFP, then yeah ... I see the argument that we stack our schedule with as many wins as possible. However, the CFP might expand again AND the committee might start to reward SOS more than they do now.

So, with a ton of unknown variables, I always just circle back to answering this question "in isolation." And all else equal? I want to play Mizzou because it is a natural rivalry.

P.S. There has been a lot of conversation on here about the attendance at Braggin' Rights in the past (especially by me, lol...), and I am curious to hear about the crowd at our previous "Arch Rivalry" football games in St. Louis from those who have attended. Illinois almost always fills up our side at Braggin' Rights, which is about 11k fans; Mizzou then has 11k tickets, but it seems like they often only sell between 80-90% of them unless both teams are good. When we played them in St. Louis, was the crowd pretty even? Or did it fluctuate a lot by the year?

As far as I can tell, capacity has been 66k for quite a while, which would be 33k fans from each side with a 50/50 crowd.

61,876 in 2002 (94% capacity)
63,576 in 2003 (96% capacity)
62,352 in 2007 (95% capacity)
66,441 in 2008 (101% sold out)
64,215 in 2009 (97% capacity)
58,060 in 2010 (88% capacity)

Other than the last year, this game drew better than I thought. I assume Mizzou always outdrew us on the football side, but was it at least close to 50/50 some years? I would be so curious to see what the Illini contingent would have looked like in a year like this where we actually had hype!

 

[illiniE]

I think three year blocks of Champaign, Columbia, and St. Louis is a fantastic setup. We get a game on campus and 2/3 years Illinois fans should have an easy opportunity to attend the game. If we are going to play them at all, I think that is pretty ideal.

On a podcast I heard they believe games in Chicago and Kansas City are more likely than St. Louis.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

On a podcast I heard they believe games in Chicago and Kansas City are more likely than St. Louis.

Really?! That is ... pretty bizarre, IMO. The entire point of St. Louis working in theory is that both programs will bring large fan bases to the game and ensure a big crowd/good ticket sales. Chicago is going to be disproportionately reliant on Illini fans, and Kansas City would be almost entirely reliant on Mizzou fans. I actually think a good and healthy Illini program would draw quite well at Soldier Field. After all, it's worth pointing out that our 2013 team drew over 47k there, which is 77% of capacity and almost 10% higher than our average attendance that season. However, it's still a much more difficult task than getting 30k Illini fans to St. Louis to ensure a sellout.

FWIW, a Mizzou team that would go on to finish top 10 and beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl only drew 45k in St. Louis in 2023 when they hosted a home game there. I'm inclined to believe Mizzou would have an easier time getting a big crowd in St. Louis than they would in Kansas City, too, as KC seems a lot more pro-KU than St. Louis is pro-Illini.

So I guess I would say, if the neutral site games aren't in St. Louis ... why even have them?? Just move the Chicago one to Champaign and the Kansas City one to Columbia.

 

[Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958583952299487557

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

"Bielema on possibly playing overseas: “Last thing I’d want to do right now is take a home game out of (Memorial) Stadium.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958583952299487557

 

[fuddrules]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958583952299487557

I'd love it, but to feed my itch, I'll go watch other teams play overseas. So I guess everyone is happy. I'm going to be repping the block I and Illini orange (in a sea of purple) in Aviva stadium in a few days.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

i HATE the idea of playing overseas or any neutral site game , other than a bowl game

 

[Dkayak]

i HATE the idea of playing overseas or any neutral site game , other than a bowl game

Agreed! It’s one less game I’d be able to see live. They’d need to reduce season ticket prices by 1/7 too.

 

[Guest]

I'd love it, but to feed my itch, I'll go watch other teams play overseas. So I guess everyone is happy. I'm going to be repping the block I and Illini orange (in a sea of purple) in Aviva stadium in a few days.

Looks like a way cool stadium.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

i HATE the idea of playing overseas or any neutral site game , other than a bowl game

Eh, I actually like the idea in theory ... but giving up a home game when the difference between 9 and 10 wins could be a CFP spot is indeed risky, and I am sympathetic to the argument not to do it. I think it's TOTALLY different in basketball, where I say the more the merrier. Neutral court results are significantly better for our resume from a NET perspective, and you have way more games in the season and therefore moving one home game away is not as impactful as in football.

I also think it really does depend on the setup and teams involved. Games like Braggin' Rights in St. Louis, Florida/Georgia in Jacksonville and Texas/Oklahoma in Dallas would be WORSE on campus, as they have developed into unique traditions with true 50/50 crowd splits in markets that mean a lot to both teams involved. On the other hand, Syracuse and Tennessee randomly playing in Atlanta in Week One for literally no reason? I agree that this is dumb.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

Eh, I actually like the idea in theory ... but giving up a home game when the difference between 9 and 10 wins could be a CFP spot is indeed risky, and I am sympathetic to the argument not to do it. I think it's TOTALLY different in basketball, where I say the more the merrier. Neutral court results are significantly better for our resume from a NET perspective, and you have way more games in the season and therefore moving one home game away is not as impactful as in football.

I also think it really does depend on the setup and teams involved. Games like Braggin' Rights in St. Louis, Florida/Georgia in Jacksonville and Texas/Oklahoma in Dallas would be WORSE on campus, as they have developed into unique traditions with true 50/50 crowd splits in markets that mean a lot to both teams involved. On the other hand, Syracuse and Tennessee randomly playing in Atlanta in Week One for literally no reason? I agree that this is dumb.

yup

 

[mhuml32]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958583952299487557

(1) Assuming this means there's some level of appetite playing internationally as the road team? A la Nebraska @ Northwestern in Dublin?
(2) It's probably not realistic buuuut I wonder what's the threshold for a home game. Like, if Nebraska offers you a $15 million check to move a home game in Champaign to Europe? Is that enough money (NIL) to sway a decision? Just thinking about this is making me wonder if BYU or ND would have the means to move a "road" game to an international location to "spread the gospel".

 

[fuddrules]

Looks like a way cool stadium.

I think so too. I've only seen if from the outside. It's actually the smaller of the 2 stadiums in Dublin. Those other hosts a concert Saturday night so hotel prices and availability is not good.

Croke Stadium is the larger stadium and it hosts various events but also the Gaelic Athletic Association. When the Gaelic football (whatever that is ?) finals are held almost the entire country watches.

 

[Illini2010-11]

(1) Assuming this means there's some level of appetite playing internationally as the road team? A la Nebraska @ Northwestern in Dublin?
(2) It's probably not realistic buuuut I wonder what's the threshold for a home game. Like, if Nebraska offers you a $15 million check to move a home game in Champaign to Europe? Is that enough money (NIL) to sway a decision? Just thinking about this is making me wonder if BYU or ND would have the means to move a "road" game to an international location to "spread the gospel".

When the Illini initially scheduled the Dublin game (October 2019 for a 2021 game), the Illini were already struggling substantially to fill seats at Memorial Stadium and the win/loss record was pathetic. I think moving the game to Dublin was an effort to infuse some interest in the program, as well as try to avoid a situation where the stands at Memorial Stadium being near complete red.

As long as the team is winning and seats are being filled at Memorial Stadium, it is hard to see any reason to give up a home game (particularly a conference one). For me, the only way that I like the idea of playing overseas is if another team gives up their home game, or it is a non-conference game where we can still have 7 home games. A team that has visions of competing for the CFP simply should never give up a home game willingly. I guess there is a $ figure that could be selected to give up the home game, but it would have to be extremely high to the point no team would even make the offer.