🏈 Duke game

[252BAMA]

Bama needs to buy out of the Duke game. If they don't, then the ut game wil be their 7 straight game against a BCS opponent with 4 of those 7 on the road. Again this season, the ut game will be Bama's fifth consecutive SEC game, with 3 of those on the road. Meanwhile, as usual, ut will have had the week off. We all know how that worked out this past season. Bama was running on empty when they played Ole Miss. They were out of gas when they played ut.

If no other opponent can be found to fill this spot, so what? Pay Duke to come to Tuscaloosa. They also will be unable to find another opponent.

 

[TerryP]

For a defense to be "running on empty," they sure did a hell of a job against Ole Miss.

 

[252BAMA]

For a defense to be "running on empty," they sure did a hell of a job against Ole Miss.

To be "out of gas" , they did a hell of a job against ut. A lesser team would not have won that game.

By the way, my position on this subject has changed because of the SEC bye weeks. When Durham was announced as the site of the game, I was one of the few who was of the opinion that Bama had signed a "home and away" series with Duke and that, within reason, Duke could play this game anywhere they wanted. If I had known at the time that the SEC was going to give 6 of Bama's conference opponents an open date before their game with Bama and that all 6 of them were going to take that week off, I would have been on the side of those who said Bama should not play this game in Durham.

 

[ExiledTidefan]

I hadn't really thought of buying out the game, but it sounds like perhaps a good idea. What would be do for our 12th game?

If the SEC office won't play fair with our scheduling, we will have to take it into our own hands. The fact that this game is being played at Durham, at Wallace Wade stadium no less, is also a point. That stadium isn't as big as Vandy's is it? I just don't see the financial point of scheduling someone like Alabama to play at your stadium when you could possibly move the game to a bigger venue and make more money in ticket sales. Move the game to Charlotte or someplace else.

 

[252BAMA]

Saban

I hadn't really thought of buying out the game, but it sounds like perhaps a good idea. What would be do for our 12th game?

If the SEC office won't play fair with our scheduling, we will have to take it into our own hands. The fact that this game is being played at Durham, at Wallace Wade stadium no less, is also a point. That stadium isn't as big as Vandy's is it? I just don't see the financial point of scheduling someone like Alabama to play at your stadium when you could possibly move the game to a bigger venue and make more money in ticket sales. Move the game to Charlotte or someplace else.

I would presume that Bama would have someone lined up before approaching Duke. If there is no one then they make Duke an offer they can't refuse. Pay them more than the regular buyout for not playing in Durham. And then pay them more than the regular payout to come to Tuscaloosa. Cost is not the issue here.

As far as playing in Durham is concerned, when originally scheduled, this game was expected to be an off site home game for Duke, played either in Atlanta or Charlotte. For whatever reason, Cutcliffe decided to play it in Durham. Atlanta had to be removed as an option because of the advent of the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic. Have no idea what happened with Charlotte.

 

[psychojoe]

I'm sure Cutcliff wants the game in Durham for recruiting purposes. He would be very limited as far as recruiting if we played them in Charlotte. I would be surprised if $ is a factor.

 

[252BAMA]

I'm sure Cutcliff wants the game in Durham for recruiting purposes. He would be very limited as far as recruiting if we played them in Charlotte. I would be surprised if $ is a factor.

Was Bama limited in recruiting when they played home games in Birmingham? And with enough $$$$$$, $ can always be made a factor.

 

[alagator]

Was Bama limited in recruiting when they played home games in Birmingham? And with enough $$$$$$, $ can always be made a factor.

Sometime in the late 90s or the early part of the 00s, all teams were denied the opportunity to host recruits at any off-campus game. Thus, we could no longer host recruits for Tennessee or Auburn (or any other opponent) at Legion Field.

In my opinion, this was the primary reason we at long last decided to abandon that facility and move all games to Tuscaloosa.

 

[252BAMA]

Sometime in the late 90s or the early part of the 00s, all teams were denied the opportunity to host recruits at any off-campus game. Thus, we could no longer host recruits for Tennessee or Auburn (or any other opponent) at Legion Field.

In my opinion, this was the primary reason we at long last decided to abandon that facility and move all games to Tuscaloosa.

Thanks! Should not have taken that to get the heck out of there.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Once the idea of having it in Atlanta began to fade, I understand they wanted it at Wallace Wade to boost interest in season ticket packages.

Duke tickets go on sale February 1. End zone tickets are general admission. Last year, you could buy blocks of twenty for $10 each to nonconference games and $15 each for ACC games. That may not be an option for the Alabama game this year, but it might still be a good opportunity to pick up single seats at a cheap price. If the Bama demand to watch a game at Wallace Wade is what I think it will be, the crowd should end up with a neutral to Bama bias.

RTR,

Tim

 

[ExiledTidefan]

I know it didn't stop Bama fans from going to pasadena, but distance might be a problem with that game in Durham. Really.

I know most people tend to think that Alabama travels so well that any game played away will be a big seller. But most of our true road games over the past 10 years have been played no further than Gainesville or Fayetteville. We did play at Lexington. But from Birmingham, Durham is about 9 hours away, not including losing an hour going there. Plus, we have the game at South Carolina too, and Columbia's a decent haul, and a conference game.

I think Bama fan attendance will be much lower than expected at Durham. And I'm considering that after considering that we might be undefeated and #1 when we get there. It's just a dang long drive. Again, Pasadena was no obstacle, but it was the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. At Duke isn't.

 

[psychojoe]

Back in the Shula years a pretty good crowd went to Norman to play the sooners. Of course, unless you're retired if you plan to drive to Durham, you'd make it a part of a longer trip to North Carolina.

 

[ElephantStomp]

I think if Duke was smart they'd play that game someplace other than Durham. Duke fans aren't going to want to watch their team get smashed and I can't see Bama fans making that long of a trek just to watch Bama hammer Duke. If they move it a touch closer then they might have a decent crowd at least from Bama's perspective.

Cory

 

[252BAMA]

I think if Duke was smart they'd play that game someplace other than Durham. Duke fans aren't going to want to watch their team get smashed and I can't see Bama fans making that long of a trek just to watch Bama hammer Duke. If they move it a touch closer then they might have a decent crowd at least from Bama's perspective.

Cory

That decision has already been made. If the game remains on the schedules and is played in NC, it will be played in Durham.

 

[LBS]

Did we determine that Charlotte was no long an opthion at this point? Serioulsy, what difference would it make to have half of Duke's stadium Crimson and BAMA with a mad on ready to stomp the snot out of you?

 

[252BAMA]

I just don't think on the road at Duke is the place for this team to be the week after a very BIG game with PSU, and the week before they start a 5 week, 5 consecutive SEC game stretch ON THE ROAD at Arkansas.

 

[BamaDelta]

Hmmm, I'm thinking Duke might be a road game I can actually get tickets to.