Suggest a Sporting Event for the Big House
Back in my day, the only non-Michigan-football sporting event I can remember at the Big House was the first Slippery Rock game in 1979 or so. Aside from that, it was only used for graduation and Michigan games.
Things are a bit better now, what with the Big Chill and Winter Classic hockey games, soccer matches and lacrosse games being played there, along with the occasional 5K run, etc.
We have the coolest venue in the state, though, so it's time we gave Hackett some more suggestions for the Big House - not just to monetize it, but to give us some cool sporting events to attend while we wait for football.
So, what sporting event would YOU bring to the Big House?
My suggestion is an NBA Alumni doubleheader. In the marquee game, we have Michigan's NBA alumi taking on Duke's NBA alumni. In the first game, we have Michigan State's alumni playing Kentucky's alumni. Each winning team gets a million dollars in scholarship money for their school.
Beilein coaches the Michigan alums and Coach K coaches the Duke alums. "Trey Burke dishes to Jamal Crawford for the inside jam!"
What's YOUR big idea?
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
America.
THE HUNGER GAMES.
We get it. You want people to see your post right away.
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Somebody I know who has been in the Athletic Dept for years told me something interesting about the Big House in terms of why they don't do concerts or some events there.
The biggest reason they don't do concerts and anything that requires a large stage is because there are only two ways into the stadium. (1) whatever it is has to fit through the tunnel and those of you who have seen it know it isn't very tall or wide. (2) You'd have to install a pretty darn large crane and bring the equipment over the top of the stadium. Under the hated prior Athletic Director they actually explored the concert idea but they couldn't easily find a way to get a stage and rigging in that didn't involve spending an arm and a leg on a crane.
Why can't they fly it over with a helicopter?
I would love to see Wrestlemania 33 at the Big House. They can break the all time WM attendance record held by the Silverdome (would be fitting for the 30th anniversary).
I suppose Wrestlemania might make SLIGHTLY better sense because they would put the stage in the middle of the field the way they did the ice arena so the ring would be smaller than a stage needed for a concert. A concert is a little different because they would have to put it up against some part of the existing stands and the stage is a LOT bigger.
Perhaps if they moved WrestleMania to a warmer time of the year, then sure, that would be awesome.
A US Men's National Team soccer game. Even a friendly would do. No idea why those don't come around here.
I would definitely pay to see a USMNT game in the Big House.
Width is the issue. It's not wide enough to accommodate a regulation size field + sideline for the bench. Barely wide enough for the players to have room to throw in.
Cage Match. Mark Dantonio, Urban Meyer, and a live wolverine.
Im assuming that live wolverine=HARBAUGH?
Doubt it. At least with a live wolverine, Dantonio and Meyer would have a fighting chance. Cage match against actual HARBAUGH....game over man....game over.
An NFL game would be sweet, or a flag football game for us average joes and Michigan Football Alums. Have a draft and teams coached by Michigan coaching staff. How sweet would it be to play with some Michigan greats and passionate fans!
Lions-Packers on Thanksgiving!
Could host the X-games. Red Bull has been having their way in the abandoned Silverdome.
No, *I* am Spartacus! :-)
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Duke would probably beat us by 30
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It'd be pretty cool if Michigan Stadium hosted the President's Cup. Both very presigious, international entities. It's really a perfect match.
What is the President's Cup?? What sport?
Golf.
But it's not THAT big.
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U2 concert
Eminem concert?
They used to do it at Soldier Field
THAT would be freaking awesome.
Winning idea so far.
I sure would hate to be the "agony of defeat" guy from the Wide World of Sports on something like that.
'
This year when Michigan plays at Penn State it will be the MHSAA football semi final weekend. That weekend the games are played on neutral fields. The MHSAA because of the weather tries to place games at venues that are not grass in order to get best possible field conditions. CMU has hosted games in the past so they will place games at college stadium.
You know, I've always thought that Michigan Stadium was just big enough that we could have scaled re-enactments of famous naval battles. Perhaps something where they start with, say, Salamis and move through Actium, do one or two from the Middle Ages, the defeat of the Armada in 1588 and so on through the centuries up to modern-day carrier based action or something like that.
A Michigan football game. How about that?
DON'T DISCUSS.