Dave Brandon: Possible Future Miami Neutral Site Game
Naplesnews.com is reporting that Dave Brandon announced at a U-M Alumni Club of Southwest Florida event in Naples, FL that Michigan is exploring the future scheduling of a neutral site game to be played at Miami's Sun Life Stadium.
Over 140 University of Michigan faithful gathered at the Audubon Country Club in North Naples on Monday night to hear the school’s athletic director, Dave Brandon, speak as part the annual “Maize and Blue in Paradise” event.
Brandon said he and the university are working hard to schedule more athletic events in the area, similar to the Michigan-Florida Gulf Coast University baseball game that was played in March. He said the school has also had initial talks with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, a Michigan alum, about playing a neutral site game football at Sun Life Stadium in the future.
“We’ve had some preliminary discussions with Stephen Ross about whether or not it would be possible to come down here and play a game,” Brandon said. “We don’t have anything scheduled, but that’s something we’d consider because this is an important recruiting area for us as well.”
When asked about another topic of great interest here, Brandon had this to say:
Brandon said at this time, the school has no plans to put the banners from the 1992 and 1993 Final Four appearances back up. “The banners were taken down because of the fact that we had to forfeit [Ed: these games were vacated, not forfeited] all the games. If you didn’t legitimately win games it’s pretty hard to fly the banners,” Brandon said. “… It was a memorable, fascinating and exciting time for Michigan basketball but it also led to huge disappointment and significant amount of shame as far as things that were happening during that time, and we paid the price for it, and we’re still paying the price for it.”
Cue the hand wringing and outrage.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
It'd be a home game for them...
April 12th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
He doesn't say that we might be playing Miami, just in Miami. I think I'd rather play Florida, and maybe FSU more than Miami.
Or we could play some non-Florida team, like playing Alabama in Texas.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
I like the way you said it more..
April 12th, 2011 at 11:05 AM ^
I'm trying to put together a list of teams for 2014ish.
Honestly I think Texas/Oklahoma might be at the top. Other than a MNC game there isn't any B1G/BXII action, at least between heavyweights (Iowa and ISU don't count). After that I would probably go with Florida or FSU for a neutral site game. If we're talking home and home I would want Stanford or Cal, but that's probably just a vacation excuse.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
Texas is available, Oklahoma isn't, Florida and FSU are.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
April 12th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
I think either of the BXII heavyweights would be great. If we go to the Rose Bowl, we play the Pac, if we don't we basically play the SEC, but M v. Texas/Oklahoma isn't coming around very often.
FSU and Miami are the other two good options if you look at it that way.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
I'm sure there are plenty of up-and-comers in the Florida HS football scene who would love to watch us play in their home state.
Which would be awesome if we still recruited Florida.
I think you mean Big 10 for OU/ Texas...oh man now I'm confused on what to call it
April 12th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
I would love to play Miami in Joe Robbie Stadium. We may equal them in fans in that stadium. I want to destroy Al "I love Michigan recruits" Golden. In all seriousness, great exposure to play down there.
I guess we know who has the biggest sway over the AD.
You want to come to Florida in September to play Miami in what could be a noon kick-off with temperatures approaching 98% with a heat index of 120? Even a night game is likely to draw temperatures in the 90s with humidity in the 90% range. If it rains in the early evening, the steam coming off the ground could be stiffling.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
Not good with the GMAT's rapidly approaching...
that ... we don't even know about.
/oldschool
April 12th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
Did they say it's against Miami..? I don't think they necessarily said that..
April 12th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
I don't think a neutral site game involves us playing Miami
April 12th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
Don't think he means we'd play against Miami, unless it were NTM.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
I would hope not. Even though Miami has sucked the last several years, playing them here would be no different than playing USC in the Rose Bowl. Our opponent just has to drive a couple miles down the road to play at the "neutral" site.
What's with Brandon's sudden interest in neutral site games?
April 12th, 2011 at 10:58 AM ^
As I said above, I think we would have plenty of fans there. The atmosphere is not like the old Orange Bowl. I would not want to play there, there was some kind of Force in that place.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
That wouldn't even be neutral. That's where the Hurricanes play their home games these days.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
I really wouldnt mind if it was Miami. There would be a decent chance there would be more Michigan fans anyways. Its still hard to fathom that they cant fill a stadium up for home games. I mean it's the U. They arent anywhere near what they used to be, but still. So glad Im a Wolverines fan. 110, 000 at each game. Cant beat that.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
There is way more to do in Miami on a Saturday in the fall than in Ann Arbor. It's the same reason USC and UCLA don't fill their venues if they aren't good. No one wants to waste a Saturday watching a bad product when they can be at the beach.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
What's with Brandon's sudden interest in neutral site games?
Recruiting, recruiting, and more recruiting would be my guess.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:28 AM ^
I say money. This one would feel to me like a "thank you" gesture to Ross.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
The money would have to be substantial to offset the lost revenue from losing out on a home game at Michigan Stadium. Apparently the Dallas deal involved Jerry Jones having to guarantee a pay day equal to what each school would make if they played at home.
Exposure and revenue from guys like Jones and Ross.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
Boo neutral sites. I want a home and home series.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
your $85 contribution via ticket purchase carries little voting weight.
Sad but true.
April 12th, 2011 at 12:10 PM ^
Unless, of course, you're one of those playas rocking an $85,000 suite. Those guys must have a little more pull than schmoes like me sitting in Section 39.
Well I agree. Now it's $170. So is that getting closer?
April 12th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
I don't disagree but isn't there a big revenue difference (Big10 sharing vs. not?) for neutral as compared to home and home? I thought that was a driving force behind the 2012 "JerryBowl" with Alabama. If so, it's understandable (somewhat) why DB is going this route.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
Recruiting. Texas and Florida are huge recruiting hot-spots and, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it wouldn't necessarily count as an official visit for a recruit to see Mich play at a neutral site.
I assume that's the thinking behind it.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
From what I understand it's not the revenue sharing, we don't share ticket sales. It has to do with replacing those 116,000+ people in the stands. Jerry wrote a fat enough check to cover that plus travel, so we're there in 2012.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:20 AM ^
I know, I know, money makes the world go round. Just the fan in me talking.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
Home and home games please!
April 12th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
Maybe Llyod can come back and be the honorary HC for the dolphins and we could have a Manball vs Carr deathmatch?
April 12th, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
Too bad Frits Chrysler wouldn't be around to witness it
April 12th, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
The Nobel Prize in Physics 1953
Frits Zernike
Fritz Crisler - Football Genius
April 12th, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
...Miami (YTM) is not a neutral site game. The opponent could be any team from across the country and it's likely it would not be against another Florida team. My guess is an SEC or ACC team from a neighboring state. That proximity helps ensure a full stadium without creating too great a disadvantage for Michigan.
- MSU (NTMSU) Gator Bowl revenge game
- Clemson vs RichRod?
- Georgia Bulldogs (I think we've heard this before)
Someone else can survey the upcoming years' schedules and rank potential candidates based on open dates.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
This isn't in depth or anything but Georgia signed a home and home with OSU in 2020-2021.
I don't know if they're up for getting M and OSU in a couple year timeframe.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
Off the top of their head, does anybody know if YTM has ever played NNTM?
April 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
They played 3 times (1945, 1946, 1987).
University of Miami beat Miami University all 3 times.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
that last such meeting occuring on Nov 7, 1989. YTM 54, NTM 3
April 12th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
Or a Big East team from the Northeast with substantial alums in south florida like a Syracuse.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:14 AM ^
Oregon rematch? Otherwise I think Oklahoma/USC/Texas would be a solid choice for a neutral site game. Seems like a Florida team vs. UofM in Miami would be a little too close to home to call it neutral site.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^
Playing 'bama in texas barely qualifies IMO since the distance from Tuscaloosa to Dallas is about 1/3 of the distance from AA to Dallas.
No arguement there. They are basically the home team. OTOH at least it's not in their home state.
April 12th, 2011 at 11:28 AM ^
I know this doesn't mean a game against Miami YTM, but that would be pretty fun to see Denard (or Devin.. or Zeke?) vs. Tate..
EDIT: OK, I realize how down the road this would be.. no Tate.. Never mind! Let's just beat Al Golden!
April 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
With the new first year QB as a starter rule we are sworn to it could be anyone. Sorry, I've just been hearing things that lead me to believe Gardner may be starting in the fall. Five different starters in five years. Man do I miss Carr.