OT: Recruiting question
Can schools host recruits or official visits at neutral location games?
Recently Texas A&M and Missouri announced they'd forgo their scheduled meetings at Cowboy Stadium and play a home-home series instead once they enter the SEC next season. One of the reasons they gave was the inability to bring recruits to the games. Since Michigan will be playing Alabama at Cowboy Stadium next year I wondered if this was true for us and we couldn't invite recruits to such a big venue too. Also frequently mentioned in the new B1G-Pac12 agreement was the idea of games being played at area Pro stadiums instead of at either teams home stadium. While teams might be reluctant to schedule a 1 for 1 series it would seem to be a huge drawback to not be able to recruit at those marquee events. Can recruits attend the Red River Rivalry? What's the rule?
December 28th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
1-recruits can not visit as a guest of the school at these games.
2-recruits obviously can attend any game on their own, but would not be considered a guest or on a recruiting trip
December 28th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^
The next question probably has a much more vague answer.
Can the coaches talk with the recruits at these venues? Can the players too? I know commits can and do, but would it be a rule violation for the kids to be in contact with the staff at one of those games? Would it dip into the scheduled quota of acceptable contact?
December 28th, 2011 at 2:17 PM ^
but im pretty sure that the coaches and players arent supposed to have any contact with the recruits at all.
i would imagine the recruits can call the coaches on their own like they do anyway, but i do not think coaches acan reach out. and im pretty sure that at the actual venue there is no contact allowed. i could be wrong about this
December 28th, 2011 at 2:12 PM ^
guaranteed big pay days by these elite schools while that rule exists. UM-Alabama is a showcase that both schools would like to use for recruiting, as will the B1G and PAC-12 in their new scheduling deal.
December 28th, 2011 at 2:14 PM ^
According to TomVH, the designated home team at a neutral site game is allowed to provide tickets to prospects, however cannot have any official visitors. The away team cannot have any official or unofficial visitors.
December 28th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
So the home team has an additional advantage in recruiting.
December 28th, 2011 at 2:27 PM ^
If they can only provide tickets, but not an official visit, then the advantage is slight. Recruits would have to travel to the venue on their own. (I believe,) if a kid from the midwest wanted to see the Michigan-Alabama game next year then his parents would have to buy a plane ticket or 2 to Dallas, rent a car, and maybe get a hotel, but admission to the game would be free. If they're willing to do all that anyways the ticket price isn't much incentive, really.
December 28th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^
If the game were held elsewhere, I would agree with you, but this is a great opportunity to open recruiting connections in Texas- local kids will go to the game.
December 28th, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^
You don't schedule Alabama in Dallas to help recruiting in the Midwest. You do it to raise your national profile and to help recruit in Texas.
December 28th, 2011 at 3:08 PM ^
Naw I got that. It'll be interesting to hear the write up on who went and some interesting tweets after the fact. Michigan will obvs be offering more than the 2 kids we have from the area between now and then. Maybe we'll get some extra official visits out of the game. Give tickets to area prospects, then they come visit the campus after. Getting them on campus makes a big difference.
December 28th, 2011 at 3:19 PM ^
If the ticket thing is true who is considered the home team when we play in Dallas?
Also do you think it is possible to have Michigan wear Blue and Bama wear Red?
December 28th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
Coin flip or its probably already been determined in the schools "offical" contract which team is which.
December 28th, 2011 at 6:21 PM ^
I know USC and UCLA do this for their game between each other, but I highly doubt this will happen for Michigan and Alabama. I don't know of anyone else who really does this.
It'd definitely be something cool to do, and it is possible. The NCAA allows both teams to wear home jerseys as long as they are completely contrasting colors, which blue and crimson obviously are.
As long as DB and Adidas don't try and go crazy again and make some new uniform design. If we ever wear white pants again......
December 28th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
is the huge national TV primetime game exposure that both schools get. So in this light, the inability to host recruits at the game isn't a big deal. I also agree with Mr. Miggle that the highest regional impact for both Alabama and Michigan will be exposure to kids in Texas where the game is being held. And that'll be really good given the amount of talent down there.
December 28th, 2011 at 5:16 PM ^
By the way, yall are the most interesting posters on the blog.
December 28th, 2011 at 6:55 PM ^
Michigan will be the home team in Dallas.