OT - Texas AD Looking to Play Football Game Outside USA

Submitted by winterblue75 on

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10710069/texas-longhorns…

 

This just seems like everythng that is wrong with college athletics today

1. Dismiss even trying to hook up with a longtime, bitter rival

2. Play a neutral site game, not even in the USA, to expand " The Brand " (please don't be looking at this DB)

3. I thought these kids were student-athletes? Just seems going and playing a game in Dubai during the regular season would take away quite a bit of time from school. Moreso than just a trip to say Lawrence, KS for these guys.

Don

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^

at the Vatican on St. Peter's Square. The obelisk in the middle of the square would be an interesting field obstacle.

GoBLUinTX

April 2nd, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^

in football in Dublin, Ireland in 2012.  Whereas Dublin has an old regional sized airport and facilities, Dubai has modern facilities to match its world class airport.  I think any city that can handle an annual F1 race can handily answer the logistical needs for a couple of football teams.

MFanWM

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^

Per the NCAA mantra, they are "student"-athletes. These types of games make that argument even more flimsy.

Starting to wonder if 5 yrs from now you will just have AD departments at major schools that are simply run like minor league programs and no NCAA organization or over site and they no longer have to worry about anything but sports.

LordGrantham

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^

"He sees Texas as being in a unique position to grow its international brand and said it's essential to use athletics as a platform to tell the university's story."

WTF? Are we still talking about college football?  

jtmc33

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^

You have to make a splash if you want that 2-star DT from Belarus or that under the radar LB out of The Netherlands.  And just think of the OL you could land if Japan's youth sumo team gets their hands on tix!

Recruiting is getting tougher and tougher...

UMxWolverines

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^

It already pissed me off that Brandon decided we should play Florida in Jerrah World instead of a home and home. If he scheudled a game outside of the country instead of a home and home I would blow a gasket. 

MGoBlueFan90

April 2nd, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^

It already pissed me off that Brandon decided we should play Florida in Jerrah World instead of a home and home. If he scheudled a game outside of the country instead of a home and home I would blow a gasket.
What's wrong with those games? Or is this just another opportunity to base Brandon on here?

jtmc33

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^

Great idea.  Now let's tweak it a little bit.  

How about the same weekend that you were going to schedule overseas, we just do it in Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio and you play Texas A&M?

Sincerely,

Every college football fan (including every person in the State of Texas)

maize-blue

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:45 PM ^

I had NFL Fever 2004 with my old Xbox and you could play on an aircraft carrier. That would be cool.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^

I don't agree with the characterization of football players as employees.  But it's really hard to take the NCAA seriously in calling their mission educational when their constituents won't do anything unless it "makes business sense."  You can't call what you're doing educational if your actions are all about business sense.  One can see why anyone would think they're full of shit.

Prick.  I was hoping the departure of DeLoss Dodds would make the UT administration that much less douchey, but apparently not.

Naked Bootlegger

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^

If I were to insist on an international venue, I would want it to open up new recruiting pipelines.   The only consistent international place that produces football talent is...SAMOA!   I, therefore, would play a game in Samoa. 

I realize now, though, that this would not be considered a true international venue if played in American Samoa.  So I'll go back to my regular daytime routine and quick wasting everyone's time.

SF Wolverine

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^

I fail to see how this sells the brand, school, etc.  Seems to me to be a "lookit me" move by the AD.  Can't be a moneymaker vis-a-vis another home or JerryDome game, what with the travel, etc. 

Don

April 2nd, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^

I've come across a crapton of utterly disingenuous bullshit in my years of paying attention to college athletics, but this ranks right up there at the very top.

College football games in foreign locations are 100 PERCENT JUNKETEERING.

Steve Patterson is somebody who'd piss on your leg and then market it as a nice Spring Rain®

Erik_in_Dayton

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^

Why not pay Jay Z and Lady Gaga to wear Texas gear during a concert in London?  That would improve the brand in ways some pathetic football game could never do.  Think of the cross-marketing!  Think of the new demographics!  Think of the synergy! 

LSAClassOf2000

April 2nd, 2014 at 1:12 PM ^

If only they would let Brent Musburger do this game for kicks if it did end up in Dubai somehow, because I am pretty sure that, "You are looking live at the Burj Khalifa..." is something none of us ever thought that he would be able to say. Who says that sports doesn't open up some interesting opportunities, right?

MgoblueAF

April 2nd, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^

Steve Patterson came to give a talk to our MBA marketing class a few weeks ago. A couple points:
1) A&M was UT's rival like MSU is ours. However, UT is trying to compete and be grouped academically w/ the public ivied, rather than A&M. For football, students here care a lot more about the OU rivalry.
2) UT has a fairly homogenous white student body, and they see Mexico City as a way to further grow the Hispanic population at the school. Their country also has a growing interest in US football, so it's a chance to virtually monopolize the memorabilia market.
3) UT relies heavily on Houston for oil jobs, so it makes sense to try to recruit UAE students from the oil epicenter of the world.
4) They have enough football prospects in-state their expanding their recruiting base is not a big deal like it has to be for UM.
5) He has a relationship w/ Dave Brandon and learned from UM's mistakes in the coaching change era.

BioIsh

April 2nd, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^

They're whiffing on most of their targets. They're the fourth best team in Texas right now behind A&M, Baylor, and Texas Tech. Recruiting wise, they need all the exposure they can get.

bjk

April 2nd, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^

also has a growing interest in US football, so it's a chance to virtually monopolize the memorabilia market.
I think they are 40 years behind the Oakland Raiders, if Vera Cruz is any indication.