FrankMurphy

October 9th, 2013 at 11:09 PM ^

This strikes me as a gimmick that would only fly in the South. Tennessee is the heart of NASCAR country. Michigan, not so much. Also, the only major racing venue in Michigan is MIS, and it actually seats fewer people than Michigan Stadium. 

FreddieMercuryHayes

October 9th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^

Well it's only like 1.5 hours from Knoxville, is in the middle of a huge UT stronghold, and it's not just UT. It's VT as well which is also huge in SW Virginia and travels very well. I live very close to Bristol actually. Have driven my car on the speedway track. I would go except that I have no interest in helping bastardized records be formed.

Zone Left

October 9th, 2013 at 6:16 PM ^

Yeah, but it's also two more hours away from the population centers. It's a hike to Blacksburg from coastal Virginia and even further to Bristol. I can't imagine selling 150K tickets at $80 per ticket to that game. Bristol is a long way from the population centers that hold those fan bases and you can't really fly into there. It's also not a place you vacation.

beevo

October 9th, 2013 at 7:01 PM ^

Bristol is 1.5 hours from Knoxville and about the same from Blacksburg. Each year the two Bristol races sell 100K plus easily. It is the regions Super Bowl. Trust me, they will sell all those tickets. It is a great idea and look for it to become a semi-regular event.

beevo

October 9th, 2013 at 6:57 PM ^

Where are you at? We moved from Detroit when I was five and settled in the area. I camped at VT my senior year (90) and ended up playing ball at Emory & Henry. I live in Tampa now, however, we purchased 18 acres between Abingdon and Damascus right off the Creeper Trail. Are you close to there? Personally I think the game would great and would definitely draw over 120K.

Blazefire

October 9th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^

Lose the attendance record because a game is played in a place that's not even a sports arena? Fine, whatever.

Secondly, this is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. You won't even be able to see any of the players!

03 Blue 07

October 9th, 2013 at 7:08 PM ^

Guys, we never had the attendance record; Notre Dame played USC in front of 123,000 people in 1929 at Soldier Field (link:  http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/soldier-field-history/historical-timeline.html) There were only 90k people at the Cowboy Classic (link: http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/090212aad.html), and Michigan Stadium doesn't hold 120,000 people...what am I missing here?

03 Blue 07

October 9th, 2013 at 7:27 PM ^

Very interesting. . . but without being too obvious here, isn't EVERY stadium used for something other than football at times? Michigan Stadium sure as heck is- weddings, graduations, ceremony honoring Bo Schembechler, spring (football, yes) game. .. IMO, that's an incredibly specious argument that the fact that the most people, ever, in one place to watch college football at one time "doesn't count." Frankly, I think any non-Michigan fan would roll their eyes if you tried to make that distinction; I know I don't see it as valid. 

Wolverine Devotee

October 9th, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^

It's sad it has come to this. But there is only one thing left. Win the whole, fuckin' thing.

 

 

Indy (capacity 257,325)

LSAClassOf2000

October 9th, 2013 at 5:51 PM ^

I think this has been floated around for a long time, but I believe that the track owner - at some point in the recent past - offered each team something like $15-$20 million EACH to play this game there. It might have even gone as far as a fairly organized plan to remove the garages and basically level the infield temporarily in order to accommodate the field. 

Look Up_See Blue

October 9th, 2013 at 6:07 PM ^

The reason this doesn't bother me is the fact that these two teams will have to play at a venue that has nothing to do with college football. Our records are made in our own stadium. That means a lot more to me as a fan, than sending the team to a NASCAR venue of all places, just to break a record.

gwkrlghl

October 9th, 2013 at 6:11 PM ^

Seriously, they can hoot and holler about "We got dat attendance record ya'll!" but will anyone be able to tell you what happened in the game? Nyet

markusr2007

October 9th, 2013 at 6:14 PM ^

Some one will make that happen.

Given the shear number of beer coolers that litter the stands at such events, this whole thing could break Ohio's "cooler pooper" record at the same time.

GotBlueOnMyMind

October 9th, 2013 at 6:15 PM ^

I don't understand how some of you are calling this a bastardized record, when we brag about The Big Chill setting the record for a hockey game despite rhe fact that I'm pretty sure The Big House isn't a hockey venue. we should respect the record for what it is (unless of course there are like 30,000 empty seats, in which case that would be kind of pathetic)