Annual Game with CSU - wanted to get updated opinions

[Liver]

kill the series for at least 10 years. in about 10 years, after the sheep have realized their position in this world, maybe consider a 2 for 1, one-time, to throw them a bone.

CU didn't play the sheep for a 20 year period, ending well into the 80s and i can assure you, no one noticed. well, the sheep noticed. but, no one else. CU validating the sheep by playing them every year on neutral field has done more damage to the CU brand than all the losing has done. it creates a false equivalency and competition for mountain state recruits that we simply shouldn't condone.

kill it. kill it. kill it. let them crawl back after they see themselves for what they truly are.

 

[BlackNGold]

According to sources, Bohn and Plati have been of the opinion that the CU fan base would not support 7 home games with a pro rata increase to season ticket prices.

I disagree with that and say that it absolutely depends on the product being provided.

Regardless, it's silly to say we won't support 7 in Folsom but then to believe that we will support 6 in Folsom plus march right along with it when told we are obligated to purchase a 7th in Denver where our parking and seating won't be honored without paying for an additional upgrade.

Give me 7 at Folsom every year.

Heck, do an NFL model and give me 7 at Folsom with a $20 Spring Game kicker that gets me a ticket to some sort of event inside the IPF for season ticket holders every year. Give me an option to increase my donation with my tickets to get a ticket for every football luncheon, awards banquet and the post-signing day event... with me having to RSVP if I choose to attend any of them.

Also, sell me a Football Club Card that allows me to purchase concessions and CU gear while earning priority points and/or a small discount for each transaction. If the Denver Zoo can figure that out, CU should be able to.

Monetize this thing, dammit!

I don't know who your sources are but it would have little impact on the season ticket prices because we were (are) paying for 7 home games anyway since the CSU game is part of the season ticket package. In fact the opposite was true in 2011 because the Suite holders and club seats buyers were given only 5 home games in Folsom and were promised a minimum of 6. Plus Plati does not get involved in that sort of stuff. Something does not smell right with the sources.

 

[BlackNGold]

The "7 home games" spin was in relation to the money grab at Ohio State, iirc. Couldn't make any money by adding a game at Folsom because CU fans wouldn't pay for 7 home games in a season. Bull**** and part of a deeper issue within that culture.

You can put that all on Bohn. He made excuses that he could not get a decent one and done on the schedule so he became a one and done the other way. We scheduled Hawaii and were allowed an extra game - Bohn used the extra game to play OSU for $1.4 Million. The reason posted by ESPN - had nothing to do with a 7th game and the fans.

Colorado has been strapped for cash and could be facing a multimillion-dollar exit fee if it wants to move from the Big 12 to the Pac-10 next season.

 

[PAHIBuff]

I still don't get all the vitriol about playing the sheep. Most of the complaints seem to be from a segment of internet CU fans, and concern fringy issues. None of my 3-dimensional real life CU buddies are vocally against playing CSU. BTW, many Denver people who would go to any home Bronco game in a heartbeat don't have a problem going to Invesco because they have the drill down. Park downtown and take the light rail. Easy.

I'm not attached to the game one way or another, but it takes one scheduling event off the table every year and therefore makes the AD's job easier. Maybe we are hearing from a Boulder/Longmont/Louisville based Buff fan used to Folsom Field and the attendant nostalgia. Or maybe some folks just want to substitute another FCS game. Anyway, another season will be here soon and we'll have lots of great stuff to watch and discuss. Go Buffs!

 

[MtnBuff]

I still don't get all the vitriol about playing the sheep. Most of the complaints seem to be from a segment of internet CU fans, and concern fringy issues. None of my 3-dimensional real life CU buddies are vocally against playing CSU. BTW, many Denver people who would go to any home Bronco game in a heartbeat don't have a problem going to Invesco because they have the drill down. Park downtown and take the light rail. Easy.

I'm not attached to the game one way or another, but it takes one scheduling event off the table every year and therefore makes the AD's job easier. Maybe we are hearing from a Boulder/Longmont/Louisville based Buff fan used to Folsom Field and the attendant nostalgia. Or maybe some folks just want to substitute another FCS game. Anyway, another season will be here soon and we'll have lots of great stuff to watch and discuss. Go Buffs!

CU - CSU game is like the bar fight between the drunk little guy and the big guy who has a different agenda. The game is CSUs super bowl, their entire season is based on playing the Buffs. Their players focus more heavily on the CU game than any other as well.

If CU wins it is just another win against a mid-major that usually isn't very good, doesn't help in any way nationally. On those occasions when CSU wins the sheep fans run their mouths like they are the the greatest thing since sliced bread. Either way the sheep fans are insufferable whining about how unfair it is that CU gets all the attention and get to be on TV, etc. etc.

CU would be much better served either playing a team that gives them some national attention and respect or playing a different mid-major that doesn't treat the game like their validation of being.

When the game first came back and both team were good playing in Denver made financial sense for both teams drawing 60-70k and a quality TV broadcast with a good payout. Now it is still a big payday for CSU but CU in most years would be better off playing in Boulder against someone else.

 

[Buffnik]

I still don't get all the vitriol about playing the sheep. Most of the complaints seem to be from a segment of internet CU fans, and concern fringy issues. None of my 3-dimensional real life CU buddies are vocally against playing CSU. BTW, many Denver people who would go to any home Bronco game in a heartbeat don't have a problem going to Invesco because they have the drill down. Park downtown and take the light rail. Easy.

I'm not attached to the game one way or another, but it takes one scheduling event off the table every year and therefore makes the AD's job easier. Maybe we are hearing from a Boulder/Longmont/Louisville based Buff fan used to Folsom Field and the attendant nostalgia. Or maybe some folks just want to substitute another FCS game. Anyway, another season will be here soon and we'll have lots of great stuff to watch and discuss. Go Buffs!

The Denver area fans you describe are the ones with whom this series was designed to more strongly connect with for both programs. It has not worked. They are not showing up. CU brings fewer fans to that game than it gets to show up for games in Folsom.

If I was AD, one of the things I would have tried to work into the deal would have been to offer discounted seats to students, faculty and employees of the CU-D and CU Medical Center campuses. Make it an event to connect those folks with Buffs football.

 

[BuffWarHog]

Just FYI - we beat CSU last year and they ended up winning a bowl game (v Pac-12)


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[MtnBuff]

Just FYI - we beat CSU last year and they ended up winning a bowl game (v Pac-12)


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Only speculation of course but If we could have traded schedules with them for last year what is their record, what is ours.

The bowl game they had lost and Wazzou managed to prove once again the meaning of Couging it. Classic choke job.

CSU probably would have beaten the FCS teams we did but I doubt they beat Cal. On the other hand give us New Mexico and Wyoming and the rest of the teams they played and it's us with 6 wins or more and the bowl.

The had a nice season for them, won as many games as they had in the prior two years combined but that doesn't mean they were any good.

 

[hokiehead]

.... faculty and employees of the CU-D and CU Medical Center campuses. Make it an event to connect those folks with Buffs football.

do CU-D and/or CU-CS alums generally root for the Buffs (the ones who care about college sports at all)? There's a lot of Colorado native college grads who don't go to either CU or CSU, I don't know, but would suspect, that in the early 1990's plenty of them called themselves Buff fans. It would make sense to me for the Buffs to use the game at Mile High to attempt to build a connection with CU-D, DU or even Regis students, make the best out of the off campus game, give them a BCS team they can adopt.

 

[BuffWarHog]

Only speculation of course but If we could have traded schedules with them for last year what is their record, what is ours.

The bowl game they had lost and Wazzou managed to prove once again the meaning of Couging it. Classic choke job.

CSU probably would have beaten the FCS teams we did but I doubt they beat Cal. On the other hand give us New Mexico and Wyoming and the rest of the teams they played and it's us with 6 wins or more and the bowl.

The had a nice season for them, won as many games as they had in the prior two years combined but that doesn't mean they were any good.

This was my point...

Without some magic from RG, the best way out of this is to just pound the sand out of CSU year in and year out. We all know CSU, with a loss to CU falls off the map for the year.

...not really true.


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[CsquaredCC]

CU - CSU game is like the bar fight between the drunk little guy and the big guy who has a different agenda. The game is CSUs super bowl, their entire season is based on playing the Buffs. Their players focus more heavily on the CU game than any other as well.

If CU wins it is just another win against a mid-major that usually isn't very good, doesn't help in any way nationally. On those occasions when CSU wins the sheep fans run their mouths like they are the the greatest thing since sliced bread. Either way the sheep fans are insufferable whining about how unfair it is that CU gets all the attention and get to be on TV, etc. etc.

CU would be much better served either playing a team that gives them some national attention and respect or playing a different mid-major that doesn't treat the game like their validation of being.

When the game first came back and both team were good playing in Denver made financial sense for both teams drawing 60-70k and a quality TV broadcast with a good payout. Now it is still a big payday for CSU but CU in most years would be better off playing in Boulder against someone else.

As always. Mtn Buff right on cue. This stuff actually gets pretty comical to read after a while.

 

[Uncle Ken]

As always. Mtn Buff right on cue.

You edited the word "utter nonsense" from you post, but that was obviously your intent. So lets examine Mtn's points and I'll permit you to agree or disagree.

1. CSU has more to gain in this game and CU has more to lose. Agree or disagree?

2. You focused on the issue of "disrespect" in a previous post. And I tend to agree that CU fans are somewhat dismissive of CSU as a football program. But CSU fans are really prone to disproportionately abusive behavior toward CU fans and are more prone to ****-talk at games and on boards. Agree or disagree?

3. CSU fans weight this game more heavily than CU fans. Agree or Disagree?

I'm just trying to narrow down where, in your opinion, the post was utter nonsense. I know I have my CU bias, but to my way of thinking it was pretty accurate. I want to leverage your perspective to find the gap in our understanding of the situation.

 

[MtnBuff]

You edited the word "utter nonsense" from you post, but that was obviously your intent. So lets examine Mtn's points and I'll permit you to agree or disagree.

1. CSU has more to gain in this game and CU has more to lose. Agree or disagree?

2. You focused on the issue of "disrespect" in a previous post. And I tend to agree that CU fans are somewhat dismissive of CSU as a football program. But CSU fans are really prone to disproportionately abusive behavior toward CU fans and are more prone to ****-talk at games and on boards. Agree or disagree?

3. CSU fans weight this game more heavily than CU fans. Agree or Disagree?

I'm just trying to narrow down where, in your opinion, the post was utter nonsense. I know I have my CU bias, but to my way of thinking it was pretty accurate. I want to leverage your perspective to find the gap in our understanding of the situation.

CSquared mistook this site for the sheepnation circle jerk where everyone agrees that CSU is a big time program on the same plane as CU and only bad fortune has kept them out of a major conference so far. Once they build the on campus palace the Big XII is going to come running in an effort to beat the PAC and the Big X for their membership.

Suddenly their below 20k home attendance is going to jump to over 40k and recruits are going to line up to wear the green and gold.

Sorry CSquared but CU does not exist to provide a welfare handout to CSU. CSU could not replace this game with one that is as lucrative and important to their program. CU based on attendance and revenues from recent years can make a pretty good argument that it would be better off playing somebody else.

CU fans do disrespect CSU. The fact that CU has shut out CSU more times than CSU has beaten CU might have something to do with it. The fact that even in the worst era of football in decades for CU the Buffs have still won most of the games may have something to do with it. The fact that CU plays schools like USC, UCLA, UW, the Zona's, etc instead of UNLV, UNM, and the like may have something to do with it.

CSquared, I get it. You love the Rams and think they don't get the attention and respect they deserve. Your friends on Ramnation agree with you. This is the wrong place to bring some argument of program equality or even similarity without a lot more facts to back it up. So far you haven't produced.

 

[CsquaredCC]

You edited the word "utter nonsense" from you post, but that was obviously your intent. So lets examine Mtn's points and I'll permit you to agree or disagree.

1. CSU has more to gain in this game and CU has more to lose. Agree or disagree?

2. You focused on the issue of "disrespect" in a previous post. And I tend to agree that CU fans are somewhat dismissive of CSU as a football program. But CSU fans are really prone to disproportionately abusive behavior toward CU fans and are more prone to ****-talk at games and on boards. Agree or disagree?

3. CSU fans weight this game more heavily than CU fans. Agree or Disagree?

I'm just trying to narrow down where, in your opinion, the post was utter nonsense. I know I have my CU bias, but to my way of thinking it was pretty accurate. I want to leverage your perspective to find the gap in our understanding of the situation.

1. When two programs have been as down as CSU and CU, yes, I find if laughable to think that one program thinks it has "more to lose" by playing a game against a certain team. CSU actually came in favored in last seasons game and, outside of Tulsa, the CU loss was the worst one on the schedule last season. CSU, arguably, was CU's best win of the year (maybe even the last two-years) given how the season played out.

2. I can't speak to what you may have experienced as it relates to CSU fans. I have seen bad and abusive behavior on both sides. I can control what I can control and generally I am very respectful of CU and most posters on this board even in the face of the constant bashing and belittling of the CSU program and university. Seriously, do you even read some of the stuff that is said about CSU on this and other boards? Look no further than Mtn Buff's posts. That guy is a like a scorned ex-girlfriend in his obsession to badmouth CSU at every opportunity.

3. Don't take my word for how CU views this game. Take it from your own coach and players. They are the ones who have said that the CSU game is very big game for them and that it is the "hugest" game of the year for those on campus: http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_24605836/cu-buffs-maintain-that-csu-rams-are-chief I think there is a very large disconnect in the CU fan base between "older" fans who attended in the 80's and 90's and those that currently attend and their overall views on the CSU game.

 

[Darian3Hagan]

3. Don't take my word for how CU views this game. Take it from your own coach and players. They were the ones who have said that the CSU game is very big game for them and that it is the "hugest" game of the year for those on campus: http://http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_24605836/cu-buffs-maintain-that-csu-rams-are-chief. I think there is a very large disconnect in the CU fan base between "older" fans who attended in the 80's and 90's and those that currently attend and their overall views on the CSU game.

I blame tini for this.

 

[hokiehead]

1. When two programs have been as down as CSU and CU, yes I find if laughable to think that one program thinks it has "more to lose" by playing a game against a certain team. CSU actually came in favored in last seasons game I believe and outside of Tulsa the CU loss was the worst one on the schedule last season. CSU, arguably, was CU's best win of the year (maybe even the last two-years) given how the season played out.

2. I can't speak to what you may have experienced as it relates to CSU fans. I have seen bad and abusive behavior on both sides. I can control what I can control and generally I am very respectful of CU and most posters on this board even in the face of the constant bashing and belittling of the CSU program and university.

3. Don't take my word for how CU views this game. Take it from your own coach and players. They were the ones who have said that the CSU game is very big game for them and that it is the "hugest" game of the year for those on campus: http://http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_24605836/cu-buffs-maintain-that-csu-rams-are-chief. I think there is a very large disconnect in the CU fan base between "older" fans who attended in the 80's and 90's and those that currently attend and their overall views on the CSU game.

serious questions for the most open Ram fan here: can you expand on how CSU fans feel about the CU/CSU game? Based on the several the CSU graduates that I've met (my son is one), CSU alums care even less about college sports than CU alums. I suspect that CSU sees the game as a big payday (I'm guessing it's the dollar earner except maybe in years that CSU hosts Boise?). Would CSU fans prefer the game be on the campuses? How do you respond to 'Niks post #17 about this series being a driver of bitterness between CSU and CU alumni living in the state?

 

[Uncle Ken]

1. When two programs have been as down as CSU and CU, yes, I find if laughable to think that one program thinks it has "more to lose" by playing a game against a certain team. CSU actually came in favored in last seasons game and, outside of Tulsa, the CU loss was the worst one on the schedule last season. CSU, arguably, was CU's best win of the year (maybe even the last two-years) given how the season played out.

Despite CU's misfortunes over the last decade, the expectation is for the higher resourced team from a BCS conference to beat the non-BCS AQ team. It's noteworthy when it doesn't happen. So while CU's performance has been "laughable" the notion that they're expected to win that game is not. CU has more to lose, I'm not sure how parochial one has to be to even consider that debatable.

2. I can't speak to what you may have experienced as it relates to CSU fans. I have seen bad and abusive behavior on both sides. I can control what I can control and generally I am very respectful of CU and most posters on this board even in the face of the constant bashing and belittling of the CSU program and university. Seriously, do you even read some of the stuff that is said about CSU on this and other boards? Look no further than Mtn Buff's posts. That guy is a like a scorned ex-girlfriend in his obsession to badmouth CSU at every opportunity.

You are absolutely respectful, and its appreciated. Similarly, you'll also find a lot of CU fans here who tend to root for CSU, despite CSU fans' best efforts. I've read Mtn.'s posts on this board. Have you read Ramnation? How would you compare the tone of the average poster on Ramnation and Mtn.?

I've witnessed CSU fans stomping on our logo at midfield. I unfortunately exited the wrong gate after CU's loss at Sports Authority in 2012 and was subject to abuse from hundreds (literally) of CSU fans. Screaming obscenities in my face, waving their hands in my face. This was after a CSU victory. I've never seen a CU fan respond that way to a victory over CSU.

Look, I was as bad as those CSU fans back in the 90s when we were playing nebraska. But at least I maintained the awareness to acknowledge that our fanbase was far more obnoxious. I think there's sufficient evidence for CSU fans to admit the same about themselves if they're willing to indulge sufficient introspection.

3. Don't take my word for how CU views this game. Take it from your own coach and players. They are the ones who have said that the CSU game is very big game for them and that it is the "hugest" game of the year for those on campus: http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_24605836/cu-buffs-maintain-that-csu-rams-are-chief I think there is a very large disconnect in the CU fan base between "older" fans who attended in the 80's and 90's and those that currently attend and their overall views on the CSU game.

I couldn't get your DP link to open. However, I remember MM's remarks as being somewhat heavily qualified. Basically he admitted (as I remember) that we didn't really have a real conference rival which elevated the significance of an in-state game for which state pride and the hearts of recruits on the line. Mostly I felt he was pandering to the state leadership without really understanding the sentiment of the fan base.

I concur that there is a divide between how older fans view the game and the those opinions of younger fans. But I think you might be overstating it--I don't think it's a particularly wide gap.

 

[BuffHerd]

Most ABers wouldn't piss on this game if it was on fire !!!

 

[Buffnik]

Bottom line for CSU fans is that they look at some schools like Iowa State, Kansas State, Washington State, Oregon State and others. They compare the universities to CSU on enrollment, state populations, etc. They come to the conclusion that the state of Colorado didn't give them the political support these "peers" received and that they're still suffering from a screw job that's decades old. History could have (and probably should have) been different with CU and CSU members of the Big 8 together the same way that KU and KSU were.

But that didn't happen back then and now the criteria for major conference inclusion has changed. Travel distance and regional rivalries aren't the drivers for team selection in a conference as they once were. Heck, the Big 12 is doing a fly-over all the way to West Virginia.

So I get the frustration and emotion of CSU fans on this topic. They got screwed in the past and continue to get screwed.

As a CU fan, though, my empathy for their situation doesn't cause me to want CU to throw them a bone with bad-for-CU business and scheduling deals.

 

[MtnBuff]

Hokie,

A little information on the state of CSU football.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/12/10/5183088/colorado-state-attendance-hits-42-year-low

You mentioned Boise, they don't draw big crowds for that game. Historically their best attended games in the Fort have been with Wyoming, partly because of a very long standing rivalry with the Cowboys and partly because the schools are close enough together that they also manage to sell a lot of seats to Wyo fans. Recently even that game hasn't drawn well.

As mentioned in the article student attendance isn't strong. The proposed on-campus stadium will make a significant difference in that area but college football isn't a big part of student culture at CSU so I wouldn't expect miracles. Even if they had a full 50% increase in attendance (a number which hasn't occurred anywhere else on a sustained basis with a new stadium) they would still be well below the standards for all but the lowest major conference programs in terms of attendance.

I went to CSU for a master program. I work with a lot of CSU grads. For many of them the football season begins and ends with the CU game. Win and despite everything else that may happen it was a successful year for most, lose and they don't say much until the next years game comes around.

CSU including CSquared would like to see themselves as a peer to CU in football. That the evidence clearly shows otherwise doesn't seem to change their minds.

 

[aik]

It's been a cripple fight for so many years that I don't see why either fanbase would want it to continue every year. There were plenty of good stretches like the late 90s and 2003-05 when names like Klatt, Vickers, Lubick, and Moses Moreno made it a compelling game between two competitive teams but now I think it's more important both sides find OOC opponents to fill an open date at their home stadium to kick off the year or venture out of state to increase the visibility of their brand to another area's spectators and recruits. As long as neither school is doing away with their football program there will be plenty of years down the road to renew with a 2-for-1 or a simple one-off in Boulder to revive the local duel. Since a microscopic few outside cities with "Rocky Mountain" as a common business name would attend or ever watch this game intently, the matchup has gone stale. It is simply time to try finding other opponents rather than continue this abusive relationship which has fallen into a large rut.

 

[Liver]

this series is going to end, sooner rather than later.

the dozen or so sheep "fans" will fade into the woodwork and no one will care about this so-called rivalry other than a tiny group of embittered goat ****ers pining away for the glory days of punklee van mullet.

CU is pac 12 team, pulling down 20+mm a year in conference revenue. the sheep are in the left-behind club. we shouldn't be validating their program by playing a so-called rivalry game, any more than we should entertain an annual game with du (if they had a football team) or the colorado school of mines.

whatever we say, the Colorado leadership appears to agree with me. this series is going onto the dungheap of history.

i can't wait.

 

[dio]

Most ABers wouldn't piss on this game if it was on fire !!!

I'm a CU fan, I would piss on anything

 

[CsquaredCC]

serious questions for the most open Ram fan here: can you expand on how CSU fans feel about the CU/CSU game? Based on the several the CSU graduates that I've met (my son is one), CSU alums care even less about college sports than CU alums. I suspect that CSU sees the game as a big payday (I'm guessing it's the dollar earner except maybe in years that CSU hosts Boise?). Would CSU fans prefer the game be on the campuses? How do you respond to 'Niks post #17 about this series being a driver of bitterness between CSU and CU alumni living in the state?

Your asking me to speak on behalf of all CSU fans - which of course I can't do. Even so, I think generally speaking CSU fans view the CU game as very important to their season. I also openly admit there is a certain segment of the fan base that views this game as the "only" game they really care about. However, there is also a very large section of the fan base that also understands that the CU game is not the end all nor is it anyone's "Super Bowl". In fact, the best thing, in my view, that CSU can do to raise its profile nationally has nothing to do with CU or the RMS. Given how realignment has shaken out, CSU has a unique opportunity to try and create a rivalry with Boise State right now. If CSU can get to a point where that game becomes an annual match up with conference championship and top 25 implications, CSU will be back on the radar. That to me needs to be the focus and I believe the staff very much understands that.

As for the financial piece there is no question the administration looks at the RMS as a revenue generator. However that is the case for both programs to some extent. There are many statements on here that CSU is somehow the only program benefiting from the game in Denver. That is simply not true. CU's assistant athletic director just last year confirmed that CU has the potential to make approximately $1 million more in revenue than if the game were played in front of a sell-out crowd in Boulder. http://archive.coloradoan.com/artic...-not-money-maker-once-Colorado-State-Colorado That would be true of any opponent CU brought into Folsom. Is the money from the RMS more important to CSU's athletic department? Absolutely given that it does not have the benefit of large television dollars flowing into the coffers each year. Is that potential additional revenue from the RMS inconsequential to CU or its program? Absolutely not.

With respect to Nik's post, I don't see the game as a driver of bitterness. Its a game played by kids for crying out loud. There are fanatics on all sides and many populate message boards like this and Ramnation. For me personally, I know and am friends with many CU fans. Many are my neighbors. I don't harbor any sort of animosity towards someone because of their college affiliation. Frankly, it never even crosses my mind. I think if someone is personally identifying and defining themselves and their relationships by their support for a college team - they have way more issues than cancelling some football series is going to resolve.

 

[Darian3Hagan]

That reminds me, my lamb buddy owes me a bottle of whiskey from last year. He has bought me a lot of whiskey over the years.

 

[Buffnik]

I'm a CU fan, I would piss on anything

It's what we do. :lol:

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

It's what we do. :lol:

Those balloons don't fill themselves...

 

[Buffnik]

Your asking me to speak on behalf of all CSU fans - which of course I can't do. Even so, I think generally speaking CSU fans view the CU game as very important to their season. I also openly admit there is a certain segment of the fan base that views this game as the "only" game they really care about. However, there is also a very large section of the fan base that also understands that the CU game is not the end all nor is it anyone's "Super Bowl". In fact, the best thing, in my view, that CSU can do to raise its profile nationally has nothing to do with CU or the RMS. Given how realignment has shaken out, CSU has a unique opportunity to try and create a rivalry with Boise State right now. If CSU can get to a point where that game becomes an annual match up with conference championship and top 25 implications, CSU will be back on the radar. That to me needs to be the focus and I believe the staff very much understands that.

As for the financial piece there is no question the administration looks at the RMS as a revenue generator. However that is the case for both programs to some extent. There are many statements on here that CSU is somehow the only program benefiting from the game in Denver. That is simply not true. CU's assistant athletic director just last year confirmed that CU has the potential to make approximately $1 million more in revenue than if the game were played in front of a sell-out crowd in Boulder. http://archive.coloradoan.com/artic...-not-money-maker-once-Colorado-State-Colorado That would be true of any opponent CU brought into Folsom. Is the money from the RMS more important to CSU's athletic department? Absolutely given that it does not have the benefit of large television dollars flowing into the coffers each year. Is that potential additional revenue from the RMS inconsequential to CU or its program? Absolutely not.

With respect to Nik's post, I don't see the game as a driver of bitterness. Its a game played by kids for crying out loud. There are fanatics on all sides and many populate message boards like this and Ramnation. For me personally, I know and am friends with many CU fans. Many are my neighbors. I don't harbor any sort of animosity towards someone because of their college affiliation. Frankly, it never even crosses my mind. I think if someone is personally identifying and defining themselves and their relationships by their support for a college team - they have way more issues than cancelling some football series is going to resolve.

A couple quick comments:

The revenue "blue sky" for CU is close to $1 million better in Denver. But that blue sky scenario includes certain sponsorships and a sell-out, neither of which have materialized. We know that we could get an opponent that drew at least 48k of 54k capacity if at Folsom and that CSU (keeping apples to apples) would result in a sell-out or near sell-out. That's why the numbers are bad for CU. Potential has not agreed with reality.

Regarding the bitterness over the game that is engendered within the state, among those fans who are passionate it's a problem. Especially with the current students. I think it goes back to Sonny. He created a culture of "hate" toward CU similar to what McCartney did with CU players and fans toward NU. Borrowed a page out of that playbook and it helped elevate his program for a nice run. McElwain and Graham like to fuel it, too. They need to. For the most part, though, you are right. Most fans of both teams are free of "hate" and feel little to no emotion about the other school unless it's game week. But there is a loud undercurrent to this series that is decidedly unfriendly and unhealthy. That undercurrent helps CSU and undermines CU, just as Sonny intended. Just as Mac intended in regard to CU and NU.

 

[ramU]

CU - CSU game is like the bar fight between the drunk little guy and the big guy who has a different agenda. The game is CSUs super bowl, their entire season is based on playing the Buffs. Their players focus more heavily on the CU game than any other as well.

If CU wins it is just another win against a mid-major that usually isn't very good, doesn't help in any way nationally. On those occasions when CSU wins the sheep fans run their mouths like they are the the greatest thing since sliced bread. Either way the sheep fans are insufferable whining about how unfair it is that CU gets all the attention and get to be on TV, etc. etc.

CU would be much better served either playing a team that gives them some national attention and respect or playing a different mid-major that doesn't treat the game like their validation of being.

When the game first came back and both team were good playing in Denver made financial sense for both teams drawing 60-70k and a quality TV broadcast with a good payout. Now it is still a big payday for CSU but CU in most years would be better off playing in Boulder against someone else.

CU hasn't beaten a "mid-major" team that isn't CSU since 2010. So picking and choosing your Ws isn't really a luxury for you.

And how do you know the CU game means more to CSU players than any other game? Right now CSU is focused on Boise St and Utah State as two must win games in order to make the MW Championship Game as Mountain Division Champs. CU is important as well but mainly bc it's the first game of the season and it's a big game for in state recruiting.

 

[prime teets]

CU hasn't beaten a "mid-major" team that isn't CSU since 2010. So picking and choosing your Ws isn't really a luxury for you.

And how do you know the CU game means more to CSU players than any other game? Right now CSU is focused on Boise St and Utah State as two must win games in order to make the MW Championship Game as Mountain Division Champs. CU is important as well but mainly bc it's the first game of the season and it's a big game for in state recruiting.

hey we beat hawaii