I don't see how this could really be an issue this late in the game. I mean, this isn't a new concept. Everybody is worried if Villanova is going to average 15k per game.....so I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves to say they need a 35k-40k stadium. PPL Park was designed to be expanded to 30k and for Nova that is probably about the right size.

They won't start BE play until 2014 so you would have some time to expand the park and you could try to see if you could outbid Temple for the Linc in 2017 if it is really that important to play in a BIG stadium. Or they could build a "slightly off" campus stadium somewhere closer but that is probably a decade away.

(03-07-2011 12:10 PM)Wanker Wrote:  

(03-07-2011 11:42 AM)TimbotheKnight Wrote:  http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com...east-move/

Seems a little late in the game to me for this to come out.

Who cares what Pitt thinks? If they had their way they wouldn't be in the Big East. They have a complex about being Penn State's little brother.

Do you really think that Pitt is the only one that thinks this?

(03-07-2011 12:34 PM)BigOwensboroCard Wrote:  I don't understand WHY the BE did not make stipulations for Nova like one they MUST play in a stadium that seats no less than 35K. I don't like the fact that every non-BCS school in the country knows that if they don't have a stadium that seats a certain number then they don't have a snow ball chance in hell getting admittance to a BCS conference, but the Big East is going to over look this for Nova which I disagree with. I think they should be allowed into the conference as a member, but if they can not play in a stadium that meets requirements then maybe they should play as an Independent until they can provide a suitable stadium that does meet requirements. I don't like one bit, and I don't blame Pittsburgh displeasure into this matter.

If Villanova makes the move, they certainly will look to expand the capacity of PPL park or find a bigger arena. PPL Park was designed with expansion in mind so it would be a manageable task. It could easily be expanded to approximately 30,000 seats.

It will still be on the small side but this isn't the SEC or the Big 10 we are talking about. You don't have enough hillbilly drones around here to fill a 60,000 seat stadium.

(03-07-2011 12:44 PM)curtis0620 Wrote:  

(03-07-2011 12:10 PM)Wanker Wrote:  

(03-07-2011 11:42 AM)TimbotheKnight Wrote:  http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com...east-move/

Seems a little late in the game to me for this to come out.

Who cares what Pitt thinks? If they had their way they wouldn't be in the Big East. They have a complex about being Penn State's little brother.

Do you really think that Pitt is the only one that thinks this?

other than USF, I can't see many Football playing members excited

This is not surprising at all. In my estimation, Pitt, WVU and Rutgers, from the beginning figured there was no way Villanova would say YES, so they kept fairly quiet about their opposition to the move (which arises for all sorts of reasons beyond the stadium - i.e., another mouth to feed, potentially bad team, another BE team recruiting PA-NJ-DE-MD). Then all of sudden word is coming that Villanova will say YES and they went to Plan B - what hurdles can we throw up to scare them into a No vote?

Also there is likely some buyer's remorse among all BE teams - at first Villanova made sense to get to 9 and even the FB schedule without messing up the BB side. Then TCU fell into BE's lap and the Texas TV deal made many think the B12N-4 may become available, so there was (i) no need for Villanova to be added to balance the schedule; and (ii) regret that Villanova would take a spot they would need for IA ST or KS ST to get the B12N-4.

I still think Villanova say YES and BE teams will grudgingly deal with it. Behind the scenes, BE will tell Villanova it has to be in a min. 35,000 capacity venue by 2017. Playing at the small PP&L for tansitition FBS years in 2012 and 2013 and initial BE years 2014-2016 makes sense to get the program off the ground and at least one late NOV game during those years can go to CBP.

Finally, the timing of the release of this opposition from Pitt makes perfect sense as it distract folks from Pitt's own problems like making sure its players make their parole officer appointments, complete their work release programs, and attend court-mandated anger management training.

Villanova was a compromise that allowed The BEast football schools to get enough people on board to allow expansion to occur. Without that compromise, TCU would never have been invited...

It's kind of like taking a laxative. It's tastes terrible and goes down horribly. But it's effective at getting some movement happening...

(03-07-2011 01:00 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Villanova was a compromise that allowed The BEast football schools to get enough people on board to allow expansion to occur. Without that compromise, TCU would never have been invited...

It's kind of like taking a laxative. It's tastes terrible and goes down horribly. But it's effective at getting some movement happening...

Even if the end result is messy and unpleasant?

Whether it's unpleasant or not depends on how constipated you are...

(03-07-2011 12:34 PM)BigOwensboroCard Wrote:  I don't understand WHY the BE did not make stipulations for Nova like one they MUST play in a stadium that seats no less than 35K.

As I recall, neither Cincy nor UConn had 35K stadiums at the time that they were invited, so why should there be a higher standard for 'Nova if for other reasons, The Big East finds them to be a desirable addition? They can upgrade as they progress.

(03-07-2011 01:28 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Whether it's unpleasant or not depends on how constipated you are...

Well..... The BE needed to get expansion passed, so I guess they were pretty constipated. :moon2:

Venue size does not matter, its the motion on the field. Hahaha. Anyway, St. Joe's hoops was excellent that one year in their tiny building. Dook seems to do alright too.

What difference does stadium size really mean in terms of Villanova. Let's be honest here, they could not get 7,000 people to their semi final 1-aa playoff game two years ago. They don't average more than 5,000 real fans a game, does it really matter if they have 10,000 or 40,000 empty seats?

I say their 18,500 seat stadium is perfect for them, it will look much better than the alternative. The Big East has no one to blame but themselves, it was the Big East that should have done their homework if they truly are upset at this point. You are talking about a student enrollment of 6,000 students is a pro sports town.

(03-07-2011 02:00 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  As I recall, neither Cincy nor UConn had 35K stadiums at the time that they were invited, so why should there be a higher standard for 'Nova if for other reasons, The Big East finds them to be a desirable addition? They can upgrade as they progress.

UC has had 35K seats for the past 20 years, minus a couple years during some remodeling on the north end of the stadium that took away several thousand seats temporarily.

My only problem is that there isn't any proof that Pitt is unhappy with the news. No direct quotes from Mark Nordenberg or Pederson. Not saying that Pitt is happy or unhappy with Nova coming up. To me this is a baseless article with no facts whatsoever other than Nova playing in an 18K stadium.

Agree animus everyone has been on board when it comes to expansion.

(03-07-2011 12:37 PM)The Brown Bull Wrote:  you could try to see if you could outbid Temple for the Linc in 2017 if it is really that important to play in a BIG stadium.

We really need a stickied topic telling users that this cannot happen because of city and state politics...

I could certainly understand why any member wouldn't be overly thrilled with Nova moving up, but this has been the most likely outcome for months now. Good news for ECU is that at least if we aren't getting in C-USA is remaining in tact for the time being.

(03-07-2011 02:18 PM)animus Wrote:  My only problem is that there isn't any proof that Pitt is unhappy with the news. No direct quotes from Mark Nordenberg or Pederson. Not saying that Pitt is happy or unhappy with Nova coming up. To me this is a baseless article with no facts whatsoever other than Nova playing in an 18K stadium.

On NBCSports? There is obviously something there...it actually makes sense that Pitt would be the school to call them out...well, maybe not.

On second thought, Pitt used to play in a 20,000 on campus stadium that couldnt be expanded because of no room....sounds kind of familiar. So they share a facility with the Steelers, who control their market...sounds familiar.

Looks like Nova may have a Temple problem now. The State of PA isnt going to help.

(03-07-2011 02:49 PM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  

(03-07-2011 02:18 PM)animus Wrote:  My only problem is that there isn't any proof that Pitt is unhappy with the news. No direct quotes from Mark Nordenberg or Pederson. Not saying that Pitt is happy or unhappy with Nova coming up. To me this is a baseless article with no facts whatsoever other than Nova playing in an 18K stadium.

On NBCSports? There is obviously something there...it actually makes sense that Pitt would be the school to call them out...well, maybe not.

On second thought, Pitt used to play in a 20,000 on campus stadium that couldnt be expanded because of no room....sounds kind of familiar. So they share a facility with the Steelers, who control their market...sounds familiar.

Looks like Nova may have a Temple problem now. The State of PA isnt going to help.

Don't remember Pitt ever playing in a 20K seat stadium.

(03-07-2011 02:49 PM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  

(03-07-2011 02:18 PM)animus Wrote:  My only problem is that there isn't any proof that Pitt is unhappy with the news. No direct quotes from Mark Nordenberg or Pederson. Not saying that Pitt is happy or unhappy with Nova coming up. To me this is a baseless article with no facts whatsoever other than Nova playing in an 18K stadium.

On NBCSports? There is obviously something there...it actually makes sense that Pitt would be the school to call them out...well, maybe not.

On second thought, Pitt used to play in a 20,000 on campus stadium that couldnt be expanded because of no room....sounds kind of familiar. So they share a facility with the Steelers, who control their market...sounds familiar.

Looks like Nova may have a Temple problem now. The State of PA isnt going to help.

I didn't say that Pitt didn't say anything. I said that there isn't any evidence that Pitt isn't happy with Nova making the move. Pitt didn't answer the emails. Its a baseless rumor coming from Villanova "Sources".

When did Pitt play in a 20k stadium? Must've been well before I was born.