2023 Colorado Football Schedule & Future Schedules

[Buffnik]

Theoretical Devil’s Avocacy: What’s in it for ASU to give up a home game in the PHX area? Why do we assume that the attendance would be any bigger in LV than in Tempe? Why do we assume that a big TV deal for this theoretical game will materialize? I get that Coach Prime plays the media like a true master, but some of this stuff seems like a stretch….Carry on.

1. More money for ASU from a neutral game. Compounded if ASU is having trouble selling 8 home games.

2. Attendance would not have to be bigger, but it's a decent bet. Nobody does event promotion better than Vegas.

3. There's so little Week 0 game content and these are programs from big media markets with new coaches and Coach Prime's debut. It is very marketable and, for comparison, the Week 0 morning game from Dublin between Nubs-Northwestern drew 5 million viewers. The logical assumption is that there's significant broadcast value to this (probably 3-5x what a mid season matchup of CU-ASU will be worth).

I think this is a no-brainer and about the farthest thing from a stretch.

 

[PAHIBuff]

1. More money for ASU from a neutral game. Compounded if ASU is having trouble selling 8 home games.

2. Attendance would not have to be bigger, but it's a decent bet. Nobody does event promotion better than Vegas.

3. There's so little Week 0 game content and these are programs from big media markets with new coaches and Coach Prime's debut. It is very marketable and, for comparison, the Week 0 morning game from Dublin between Nubs-Northwestern drew 5 million viewers. The logical assumption is that there's significant broadcast value to this (probably 3-5x what a mid season matchup of CU-ASU will be worth).

I think this is a no-brainer and about the farthest thing from a stretch.

You could be right, I don’t know. And I do know that I don’t have a Marketing bone in my body.

 

[hokiehead]

1. More money for ASU from a neutral game. Compounded if ASU is having trouble selling 8 home games.

2. Attendance would not have to be bigger, but it's a decent bet. Nobody does event promotion better than Vegas.

3. There's so little Week 0 game content and these are programs from big media markets with new coaches and Coach Prime's debut. It is very marketable and, for comparison, the Week 0 morning game from Dublin between Nubs-Northwestern drew 5 million viewers. The logical assumption is that there's significant broadcast value to this (probably 3-5x what a mid season matchup of CU-ASU will be worth).

I think this is a no-brainer and about the farthest thing from a stretch.

Why do you believe it's more money for ASU? I thought for a neutral site game the ticket revenue gets split even with CU, media money goes to the PAC and is split 12 ways, no idea what happens to concession sales but i doubt it's tilted in favor of ASU vs a home game.

 

[Buffnik]

Why do you believe it's more money for ASU? I thought for a neutral site game the ticket revenue gets split even with CU, media money goes to the PAC and is split 12 ways, no idea what happens to concession sales but i doubt it's tilted in favor of ASU vs a home game.

Revenue guarantees with no costs.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

Why do you believe it's more money for ASU? I thought for a neutral site game the ticket revenue gets split even with CU, media money goes to the PAC and is split 12 ways, no idea what happens to concession sales but i doubt it's tilted in favor of ASU vs a home game.

They don't sell tickets to Sun Devil Stadium, especially not in August. Ticket revenue at Allegiant Stadium would likely be greater for ASU. Especially because you are going to attract fans that wouldn't normally carr to watch either team, just because it's Vegas.

 

[NWD Buff]

If this game ends up in Vegas, I look forward to seeing a bunch of you a-holes there. Damn, that sounds like some serious fun.

 

[hokiehead]

Revenue guarantees with no costs.

I need a little more detail to appreciate what you're seeing. At the high level I'm currently viewing, it seems revenue will be far lower and costs only marginally lower.

They don't sell tickets to Sun Devil Stadium, especially not in August. Ticket revenue at Allegiant Stadium would likely be greater for ASU. Especially because you are going to attract fans that wouldn't normally carr to watch either team, just because it's Vegas.

They averaged almost the same home attendance as we did in 2022. I'm questioning but not outright disagreeing with your assertion that they'll draw heavier in Vegas. you lose most all the students and local fans. Unless they draw way more (and I'm currently believing they draw less), the home ticket revenue split is no longer 80/20 for ASU, it's 50/50 (someone correct me if I'm wrong on those ratios).

someone have ready access to attendance data on neutral site regular season games from 2022? I'm curious about the idea that neutral site games draw more for teams that have lackluster home attendance.

 

[Buffnik]

I need a little more detail to appreciate what you're seeing. At the high level I'm currently viewing, it seems revenue will be far lower and costs only marginally lower.

They averaged almost the same home attendance as we did in 2022. I'm questioning but not outright disagreeing with your assertion that they'll draw heavier in Vegas. you lose most all the students and local fans. Unless they draw way more (and I'm currently believing they draw less), the home ticket revenue split is no longer 80/20 for ASU, it's 50/50 (someone correct me if I'm wrong on those ratios).

someone have ready access to attendance data on neutral site regular season games from 2022? I'm curious about the idea that neutral site games draw more for teams that have lackluster home attendance.

I'm not researching it. You can if you want. But ask yourself why teams choose to play neutral site games at all if you're correct. CU & CSU gave up revenue by moving the RMS onto campus, Fwiw.

 

[LesGrossman]

Count me and a flock of assholes in

Week 0 in Vegas for Prime’s first game sounds super fun. Burning Man starts the day after, so that’ll be a perfect pit stop on the ride out to the desert from CO

 

[hokiehead]

... ask yourself why teams choose to play neutral site games at all if you're correct. CU & CSU gave up revenue by moving the RMS onto campus, Fwiw.

1. Selling "game at NFL stadiums" to recruit (e.g. RMS)
2. SoS / SoV metrics (e.g. Oregon/ Georgia)
3. Novelty of a different nearby location to boost sales (Wisconsin/ Notre Dame at Lambeau)

I think there's a reason it rarely happens for in-confrerence games.

 

[Buffnik]

1. Selling "game at NFL stadiums" to recruit (e.g. RMS)
2. SoS / SoV metrics (e.g. Oregon/ Georgia)
3. Novelty of a different nearby location to boost sales (Wisconsin/ Notre Dame at Lambeau)

I think there's a reason it rarely happens for in-confrerence games.

When you're not sure, always assume that a decision was about the money. If this game moves to a neutral, it was about money.

 

[Big Iron Buff]

None of that hype around the TCU game is compromised as long as we win. It would actually be enhanced.

Especially if Shedeur and/or Travis Hunter have a big game week 0.

 

[hokiehead]

When you're not sure, always assume that a decision was about the money. If this game moves to a neutral, it was about money.

Definitely

 

[Highlander]

If this game ends up in Vegas, I look forward to seeing a bunch of you a-holes there. Damn, that sounds like some serious fun.

Count me and a flock of assholes in

Week 0 in Vegas for Prime’s first game sounds super fun. Burning Man starts the day after, so that’ll be a perfect pit stop on the ride out to the desert from CO

I'm 100% there if this happens in Vegas. And I'd bet our group would be at least 8 folks, maybe 10 plus.

 

[4BienemyTDs]

USC to Face LSU in Historic 2024 Vegas Kickoff Classic - ESPN Events

espnevents.com

 

[GoBuffs08]

The entire point of a week 0 game is to maximize eyes watching. Average high temp in Tempe in August is 103. No way are they having the game at ASU unless they are going to kickoff 7 or 8pm local time. Doing that eliminates all the viewers east, and the point of having the week 0 game.

Option 1-keep the game in AZ move to Glendale.
Option 2- Vegas. That would be a fun roadie.

Either option allows for a afternoon start to maximize TV. both stadiums can hold about 10k more people than ASU and I'm sure would sell out.

 

[Daaah]

I don't get the appeal of travelling to vegas to watch a college football game. Even though Tucson kinda stinks, I'd much rather watch the buffs there than in vegas.

 

[BuffBronco]

USC to Face LSU in Historic 2024 Vegas Kickoff Classic - ESPN Events

espnevents.com

Well that sort of kills the CU-ASU in Vegas rumor

edit - oh wait 2024

 

[CUwhit21]

I don't get the appeal of travelling to vegas to watch a college football game. Even though Tucson kinda stinks, I'd much rather watch the buffs there than in vegas.

How do you feel about Tempe?

 

[Daaah]

How do you feel about Tempe?

Haha. Oops. Tempe is worse than Tuscon.

 

[leftybuff]

Why not Denver as the neutral site?

It's not 15 gajillion degrees. Newer stadium and gives us an edge.

 

[Liver]

if they do vegas for asu, i will probably pop in. unlikely to buy a ticket to the game, however. #iainthardtofind

tempe, we've done it a few times. ****ing boring. that whole state is about as interesting as being trapped next to flounder on a 5 hour flight.

 

[hokiehead]

data below on 2022 neutral games. quick takeaways:

• the one's that aren't traditional rivalries don't seem to draw well
• one data point in Las Vegas (BYU v ND) and it didn't sell out
• in most cases, the neutral site games drew less than the capacity of both schools' home stadiums. the big outlier being Army / Navy
• It would be interesting, but I didn't dig into which team gave up a home game to make the neutral happen, nor did I dig into the backstories on why any given game was neutral vs on-campus
• 3/10 were conference games which surprised me (two are traditionally played at neutral sites). I didn't perceive neutral site conf regular season games to occur that much

2022 Neutral site regular season game attendance (FBS vs FBS games only)

team a	team b	location	attendance	note
Nebraska	Northwestern	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	42699​	probably not a good data point being in Europe
Oregon	Georgia	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	76490​	basically a home game for UGA, sold out, but noteworthy that Sanford Stadium holds 16k more
FSU	LSU	Caesars Superdome, New Orleans	68388​	basically a home game for LSU, not sold out, note Tiger Stadium holds 34k more
Clemson	GT	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	45000​	maybe the most "neutral site" games on this list; not close to sold out, both home stadiums hold more and consistently draw more than this game did
BYU	ND	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas	62742​	not sold out, BYU's home is about the same size, ND's holds 15k more
Texas	Oklahoma	Cotton Bowl, Dallas	92100​	sold out, traditional location for the Red River Rivalry, Texas home holds 8k more, OU home holds 12k less
Florida	Georgia	TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville	75868​	not sold out, traditional location for this series, both schools' home stadiums hold more
Army	Navy	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia	69117​	not sold out, drew about 2x the capacity of either school's home
Texas A&M	Arkansas	AT&T Stadium, Arlington	63580​	not sold out, drew less than the capacity of either school's home
Air Force	Army	Globe Life Field, Arlington	33912​	not sold out, drew approximately the capacity of Army and 2/3 of AFA's home

 

[leftybuff]

data below on 2022 neutral games. quick takeaways:

• the one's that aren't traditional rivalries don't seem to draw well
• one data point in Las Vegas (BYU v ND) and it didn't sell out
• in most cases, the neutral site games drew less than the capacity of both schools' home stadiums. the big outlier being Army / Navy
• It would be interesting, but I didn't dig into which team gave up a home game to make the neutral happen, nor did I dig into the backstories on why any given game was neutral vs on-campus
• 3/10 were conference games which surprised me (two are traditionally played at neutral sites). I didn't perceive neutral site conf regular season games to occur that much

2022 Neutral site regular season game attendance (FBS vs FBS games only)

team a	team b	location	attendance	note
Nebraska	Northwestern	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	42699​	probably not a good data point being in Europe
Oregon	Georgia	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	76490​	basically a home game for UGA, sold out, but noteworthy that Sanford Stadium holds 16k more
FSU	LSU	Caesars Superdome, New Orleans	68388​	basically a home game for LSU, not sold out, note Tiger Stadium holds 34k more
Clemson	GT	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	45000​	maybe the most "neutral site" games on this list; not close to sold out, both home stadiums hold more and consistently draw more than this game did
BYU	ND	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas	62742​	not sold out, BYU's home is about the same size, ND's holds 15k more
Texas	Oklahoma	Cotton Bowl, Dallas	92100​	sold out, traditional location for the Red River Rivalry, Texas home holds 8k more, OU home holds 12k less
Florida	Georgia	TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville	75868​	not sold out, traditional location for this series, both schools' home stadiums hold more
Army	Navy	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia	69117​	not sold out, drew about 2x the capacity of either school's home
Texas A&M	Arkansas	AT&T Stadium, Arlington	63580​	not sold out, drew less than the capacity of either school's home
Air Force	Army	Globe Life Field, Arlington	33912​	not sold out, drew approximately the capacity of Army and 2/3 of AFA's home

Awesome. Now do neutral site basketball, women's.

 

[hokiehead]

Awesome. Now do neutral site basketball, women's.

 

[Buffnik]

data below on 2022 neutral games. quick takeaways:

• the one's that aren't traditional rivalries don't seem to draw well
• one data point in Las Vegas (BYU v ND) and it didn't sell out
• in most cases, the neutral site games drew less than the capacity of both schools' home stadiums. the big outlier being Army / Navy
• It would be interesting, but I didn't dig into which team gave up a home game to make the neutral happen, nor did I dig into the backstories on why any given game was neutral vs on-campus
• 3/10 were conference games which surprised me (two are traditionally played at neutral sites). I didn't perceive neutral site conf regular season games to occur that much

2022 Neutral site regular season game attendance (FBS vs FBS games only)

team a	team b	location	attendance	note
Nebraska	Northwestern	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	42699​	probably not a good data point being in Europe
Oregon	Georgia	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	76490​	basically a home game for UGA, sold out, but noteworthy that Sanford Stadium holds 16k more
FSU	LSU	Caesars Superdome, New Orleans	68388​	basically a home game for LSU, not sold out, note Tiger Stadium holds 34k more
Clemson	GT	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	45000​	maybe the most "neutral site" games on this list; not close to sold out, both home stadiums hold more and consistently draw more than this game did
BYU	ND	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas	62742​	not sold out, BYU's home is about the same size, ND's holds 15k more
Texas	Oklahoma	Cotton Bowl, Dallas	92100​	sold out, traditional location for the Red River Rivalry, Texas home holds 8k more, OU home holds 12k less
Florida	Georgia	TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville	75868​	not sold out, traditional location for this series, both schools' home stadiums hold more
Army	Navy	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia	69117​	not sold out, drew about 2x the capacity of either school's home
Texas A&M	Arkansas	AT&T Stadium, Arlington	63580​	not sold out, drew less than the capacity of either school's home
Air Force	Army	Globe Life Field, Arlington	33912​	not sold out, drew approximately the capacity of Army and 2/3 of AFA's home

I don't think attendance is the driver. In fact, I'm sure it's not.

 

[Big Jim]

Why not Denver as the neutral site?

It's not 15 gajillion degrees. Newer stadium and gives us an edge.

The Glendale stadium is domed, newer than Denver's stadium and more in line with being a home game for ASU. Why would they agree to play in Denver?

 

[ahoelsken]

I'm not researching it. You can if you want. But ask yourself why teams choose to play neutral site games at all if you're correct. CU & CSU gave up revenue by moving the RMS onto campus, Fwiw.

CSU gives up revenue every time they play a football game, Nik. That's not anything new.

 

[ahoelsken]

The Glendale stadium is domed, newer than Denver's stadium and more in line with being a home game for ASU. Why would they agree to play in Denver?

That's where this game will be IMO. You don't want to have Prime's Power 5 debut starting at 8-9pm. State Farm would solve that issue while still making it feel like an ASU home game.

 

[hokiehead]

I don't think attendance is the driver. In fact, I'm sure it's not.

ok, I'm trying to understand your assertion that there's more money in a neutral site game for ASU than keeping it at home. the media revenue isn't it as that's split evenly between conference members. we agree it's not attendance. Haven't dug in, but I'm not believing it's merchandise and concessions.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but help me out -- where do you see the additional money coming from for ASU if they give up their home game with us?