Michigan - ND to play at Soldier Field?

Submitted by Blueinsconsin on

I have a buddy who works for the NCAA and he said he was hearing that Michigand and Notre Dame are looking at moving the game to Soldier Field in Chicago.  Nothing offical, but wondering if anyone else has heard this?  

ElBictors

May 29th, 2018 at 10:30 AM ^

lol, there is no way it's true and to hell with noter dame.

 

I'm (5-1) since Freshman year in games I've attended vs nd - all in A2 - including both UTL wins and Desmond stretching out in the Fall of '91

Kevin13

May 29th, 2018 at 1:59 PM ^

odd ND would want to move the game to Chicago. They would have to rent the stadium and it would cost them just to get the team and equipment up there. My guess is they would also only get a percentage of concession and parking sales.

I would think they would make more money holding the game at home. Be fine with me though if it moved to a neutral site.

Alton

May 29th, 2018 at 9:49 AM ^

What in the world does working for the NCAA have to do with knowing where this game will be played?  The NCAA doesn't know or care where the game takes place, and The NCAA would be just about the last organization to know about it.

 

HHW

May 29th, 2018 at 10:15 AM ^

There is a myriad of compliance issues to deal wit concerning neutral site games for visiting recruits and I bet that is a huge visit weekend for ND. Plus, alcohol sales, licensing agreements, NBC contract (does NBC retain the rights), etc. There is a ton of discussion with the NCAA on this. Someone hearing about this while working in compliance makes perfect sense.

Alton

May 29th, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^

Yes, there is a myriad of compliance issues for everything.  The teams are responsible for compliance, not the NCAA.  Compliance just doesn't do things like approve venues.  

Licensing agreements etc are under the purview of the contract between the teams (or the conference, if it were a conference game).  The NCAA takes no recognition at all of television contracts--they are not even allowed to take recognition of television contracts since 1984 or so.

 

1VaBlue1

May 29th, 2018 at 10:29 AM ^

Are you acting intentionally stoopid, or do you come about it naturally?  I'll guess its natural, because you're trying really hard to sound intelligent about this, but you're coming off as obtuse.  Of course the NCAA would know about a possible game move from ND to Chicago!  You think either school would make such a huge change without alerting the NCAA's various departments?  Stop being obtuse.

stephenrjking

May 29th, 2018 at 11:21 AM ^

Wow. There are few people on this site more informed than Alton, and in particular few people who are better versed in rules and procedure. He has been around the block for a long time, is thorough in his background research, and is careful about what he speaks of.

It is, of course, possible for him to be wrong. But I've interacted with him on sports comment sites for 17 years and it would be the first time I've seen it.

Alton

May 29th, 2018 at 10:40 AM ^

"I'll bet you a dollar there is some approval process for playing a game at a neutral site."

I still say there is no such approval process, but I am willing to hear a rule citation to the contrary.  UMBig11 posted several rules relating to home & neutral site games, but none of them indicate an "approval process" in which the NCAA takes part.

umbig11

May 29th, 2018 at 10:28 AM ^

The NCAA Competition Committee enforces the rules when it comes to neutral site games. The NCAA approves neutral site games upon request. Too many neutral site games can be considered a recruiting advantage. Satellite camps were revised for that very reason. Here's a few of the rules that apply.

A contest shall be considered a home contest if it is played in the stadium in which an institution conducts at least 50 percent of its home contests. [Bylaw 20.9.9.2]

An institution may use one home contest against a Football Bowl Subdivision member conducted at a neutral site to satisfy the home-game requirement. [Bylaw 20.9.9.2]

Only one team (but not both teams) may count a contest at a neutral site as a home contest [Official Interpretation reference: 10/21/03, Item No. 14-d-(3)].

Alton

May 29th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^

The teams are responsible for complying with the rules of the NCAA.  There are a lot of rules.  Nothing in the rules of the NCAA requires notification of the NCAA (or approval by them) of the venue of a game.  

I think people think of "The NCAA" the same way they think of "The NFL" or whatever.  That's not how college sports are run, though--it's not a top down model.  The President of the NCAA (or the compliance department) has no right of refusal, has no rule-setting powers.  

bronxblue

May 29th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^

Didn't the NCAA D1 council just pass a resolution that, upon final approval by the head of the NCAA, allow alcohol sales at all sporting events? I get your point that the NCAA does have overwhelming authority, but it feels a decent amount like most leagues, where the teams have some general autonomy but decisions that may adversely affect the league overall (such as too many neutral site games leading to recruiting advantages) fall to the overall league or conference to police.

Well...Well...Well

May 29th, 2018 at 9:55 AM ^

Not sure what world this makes sense in...Soldier Field capacity is barely over 60k. Unless they were to move both games (unless this is a yet to be scheduled game) - can't see either school agreeing to it.

Christicks

May 29th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^

If that happens, I'll be irate because I (and I'm assuming many others) booked non-refundable hotel rooms in South Bend.I can't imagine this is a possibility.