Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer
The last time the University of Alabama welcomed a non-SEC Power 5 conference school inside Bryant-Denny Stadium came in 2010 when Penn State traveled south for the first game of a home-and-home series.
Nick Saban is 5-1 in neutral-site games during his tenure at Alabama.
A decade might have passed before it happens again.
Thanks to handsome paydays, heightened exposure and the preference of the head coach to continue the practice, Alabama is quite happy with neutral-site games, and that fact likely won't change in the foreseeable future.
UA will pocket $4 million for its season-opening kickoff clash with Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last year it cashed a $3.2 million check for a game against West Virginia at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The program is scheduled to meet powerhouse Southern California next year in Arlington and is in negotiations with venues and teams to fill neutral-site dates in 2017 and 2018. Multiple outlets have reported that Alabama is in negotiation to face Florida State in 2017 in Atlanta.
In an interview with The Tuscaloosa News, Alabama Director of Athletics Bill Battle said the philosophy to prefer neutral-site games will continue until they no longer make good sense for the program.
"We're talking to a few venues who have teams that they've identified that we're comfortable with (for 2017 and 2018)," Battle said. "You know, the home-and-home (series) is a great thing except at this stage and with Coach (Nick) Saban, who has been very not only willing but desirous of playing in those kinds of games against really good people early. A lot of coaches don't want to do that."
Saban, who is heading into his ninth season at the Crimson Tide's head coach, has been a vocal proponent of the practice. He's also 5-1 in neutral-site games, including a five-game winning streak.
One key reason for eschewing the home-and-home series is money. Rather than making a profit for just one game, scheduling a neutral-site contest every year means a significant payout each year.
"The difference in home-and-home games and two neutral-site games is significantly neutral-sites are higher financially, and you also are getting national exposure and you're in places where you recruit," Battle said. "So there are a lot of advantages. There's been more advantages than disadvantages to that.
"At some point in time we're looking at home-and-home series in the future, but the way things are going right now it wouldn't be very prudent. If you need (home-and-home games) to fill your stadium that's one thing. That hasn't been one of our needs at this point. It will again. That will necessitate the need to do more home-and-home games."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775529#sthash.r1HAgeVt.dpuf
TideSports.com Senior Writer
The last time the University of Alabama welcomed a non-SEC Power 5 conference school inside Bryant-Denny Stadium came in 2010 when Penn State traveled south for the first game of a home-and-home series.
Nick Saban is 5-1 in neutral-site games during his tenure at Alabama.
A decade might have passed before it happens again.
Thanks to handsome paydays, heightened exposure and the preference of the head coach to continue the practice, Alabama is quite happy with neutral-site games, and that fact likely won't change in the foreseeable future.
UA will pocket $4 million for its season-opening kickoff clash with Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last year it cashed a $3.2 million check for a game against West Virginia at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The program is scheduled to meet powerhouse Southern California next year in Arlington and is in negotiations with venues and teams to fill neutral-site dates in 2017 and 2018. Multiple outlets have reported that Alabama is in negotiation to face Florida State in 2017 in Atlanta.
In an interview with The Tuscaloosa News, Alabama Director of Athletics Bill Battle said the philosophy to prefer neutral-site games will continue until they no longer make good sense for the program.
"We're talking to a few venues who have teams that they've identified that we're comfortable with (for 2017 and 2018)," Battle said. "You know, the home-and-home (series) is a great thing except at this stage and with Coach (Nick) Saban, who has been very not only willing but desirous of playing in those kinds of games against really good people early. A lot of coaches don't want to do that."
Saban, who is heading into his ninth season at the Crimson Tide's head coach, has been a vocal proponent of the practice. He's also 5-1 in neutral-site games, including a five-game winning streak.
One key reason for eschewing the home-and-home series is money. Rather than making a profit for just one game, scheduling a neutral-site contest every year means a significant payout each year.
"The difference in home-and-home games and two neutral-site games is significantly neutral-sites are higher financially, and you also are getting national exposure and you're in places where you recruit," Battle said. "So there are a lot of advantages. There's been more advantages than disadvantages to that.
"At some point in time we're looking at home-and-home series in the future, but the way things are going right now it wouldn't be very prudent. If you need (home-and-home games) to fill your stadium that's one thing. That hasn't been one of our needs at this point. It will again. That will necessitate the need to do more home-and-home games."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775529#sthash.r1HAgeVt.dpuf
