STrib: Gophers basketball game at U.S. Bank Stadium now expected for December 2018

Donate To GopherHole
GopherPlaya said:
The Gophers played in a similar double header when they beat Louisville in '08 at Phoenix stadium. Arizona State played a top 25 team in a double header as a test run for a final 4 in AZ. I definitely would love to see the Gophers vs a blueblood and one of our neighboring schools vs a blue blood or each other

Imagine Marquette vs Iowa, Wisconsin vs Iowa State and Gophers vs Kansas as the Finale
Click to expand...

Did ASU invite Arizona to that event? UCLA? USC?
 

I agree that this event should be as big as possible. I think the gophers playing in a larger national event prepping a venue for a future Final 4 helps them more than having a rival also play there hurts them. The gophers and the Twin Cities area get far more exposure to national recruits if the best teams possible play. No need to discuss the Dakota schools, DII or DIII schools, etc.

Bring in the best teams you can and it becomes just as big if not a bigger selling point for gophers' recruiting than competition.

If you can't get teams bigger than Iowa, Iowa St, Marquette, etc. have them play but don't make this a Gophers vs somebody and then 2 games of local DII talent leading up to it.
 


MadtownGopher said:
Did ASU invite Arizona to that event? UCLA? USC?
Click to expand...

Wisconsin has played in the Final Four in 2 of the past 4 seasons. This 1 time event wont give them anymore of an advantage than they already have. Plus our instate recruits get to play a game in their home state every year regardless. So we shouldn't play Kansas because they recruit our best instate talent pretty hard.
 

GopherPlaya said:
The Gophers played in a similar double header when they beat Louisville in '08 at Phoenix stadium. Arizona State played a top 25 team in a double header as a test run for a final 4 in AZ. I definitely would love to see the Gophers vs a blueblood and one of our neighboring schools vs a blue blood or each other

Imagine Marquette vs Iowa, Wisconsin vs Iowa State and Gophers vs Kansas as the Finale
Click to expand...

I made that trip. That was Al Nolen's coming out party. Tubby just isolated him late in the game, and Al got to the basket whenever he wanted.
 


SelectionSunday said:
I made that trip. That was Al Nolen's coming out party. Tubby just isolated him late in the game, and Al got to the basket whenever he wanted.
Click to expand...

Yup he shot like 12+ free throws. That was def one of the biggest wins during Tubby's tenure
 

I'm done trying to convince you guys that we don't need to gift our biggest rival a cool opportunity like this. I will never understand why you would want to go out of your way to help a rival. There are a ton of really, really good teams (and more fun to watch than Wisconsin) that don't fall on our schedule and don't recruit Minnesota. I don't get the fixation on inviting Wisconsin. Agree to disagree on this I guess.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I'm done trying to convince you guys that we don't need to gift our biggest rival a cool opportunity like this. I will never understand why you would want to go out of your way to help a rival. There are a ton of really, really good teams (and more fun to watch than Wisconsin) that don't fall on our schedule and don't recruit Minnesota. I don't get the fixation on inviting Wisconsin. Agree to disagree on this I guess.
Click to expand...

The answer to your question is $$$. 70,000 fans at US Bank could increase the Gophers recruiting budget to the point he does not have worry about filling up the tank on a rental car.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I'm done trying to convince you guys that we don't need to gift our biggest rival a cool opportunity like this. I will never understand why you would want to go out of your way to help a rival. There are a ton of really, really good teams (and more fun to watch than Wisconsin) that don't fall on our schedule and don't recruit Minnesota. I don't get the fixation on inviting Wisconsin. Agree to disagree on this I guess.
Click to expand...

Okay I'm convinced it doesn't have to be Wisconsin. I would just love to see a double or triple header and I think people are probably using rival schools because they are more likely to bring a nice crowd for games in Minnesota in December. I just can't picture a school like UCLA or Arizona bringing a nice crowd to Minnesota for a December game
 



GopherPlaya said:
Okay I'm convinced it doesn't have to be Wisconsin. I would just love to see a double or triple header and I think people are probably using rival schools because they are more likely to bring a nice crowd for games in Minnesota in December. I just can't picture a school like UCLA or Arizona bringing a nice crowd to Minnesota for a December game
Click to expand...

Having Kansas play Missouri on a neutral site that is a reasonable drive could put some fannies in the seats. Not sure if they have played since the Tigers bolted for the SEC.
 

Ope3 said:
Having Kansas play Missouri on a neutral site that is a reasonable drive could put some fannies in the seats. Not sure if they have played since the Tigers bolted for the SEC.
Click to expand...

That would be a good one and Missouri should improve with Martin as the coach.
 

Kansas v. Missouri would be solid.

And then I'd like to see Minnesota v. Gonzaga.
 

Ope3 said:
The answer to your question is $$$. 70,000 fans at US Bank could increase the Gophers recruiting budget to the point he does not have worry about filling up the tank on a rental car.
Click to expand...

Could just invite Kentucky and have them play in the other game, Cat nation will travel no matter who the opponent is. Kentucky can play some random high major and big blue will bring 20K+ to this thing.
 



GopherPlaya said:
That would be a good one and Missouri should improve with Martin as the coach.
Click to expand...

Maybe we should check first to see if Cuonzo has any recruiting trips planned in Dakota County first. Also to answer my previous question, the schools have not played since 2012.
 

Ope3 said:
Having Kansas play Missouri on a neutral site that is a reasonable drive could put some fannies in the seats. Not sure if they have played since the Tigers bolted for the SEC.
Click to expand...

They haven't played, but there is a reason for that as both schools are refusing to play each other. Zero % chance at this matchup taking place; just far too much residual bad blood.

Equivalent to Texas v A&M in football.
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
They haven't played, but there is a reason for that as both schools are refusing to play each other. Zero % chance at this matchup taking place; just far too much residual bad blood.

Equivalent to Texas v A&M in football.
Click to expand...

From scanning the google, I think you are right. Maybe not zero percent, but pretty slim. KU boosters did not take the Mizzu move to the SEC very well.
 

This needs to be a big cash grab as possible!! If u could get 40,000-50,000 would huge!

Needs to be 2 games here!
 

Mizzou and Kansas won't play again until Bill Self retires or leaves or they get matched up in the NCAA tournament.

And I agree with MadtownGopher. It'd be silly to invite any other B1G team to an event like this.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I'm done trying to convince you guys that we don't need to gift our biggest rival a cool opportunity like this. I will never understand why you would want to go out of your way to help a rival. There are a ton of really, really good teams (and more fun to watch than Wisconsin) that don't fall on our schedule and don't recruit Minnesota. I don't get the fixation on inviting Wisconsin. Agree to disagree on this I guess.
Click to expand...

I could care less if Wisconsin is in it or not. But you've yet to give one recruiting advantage Wisconsin would receive over the Gophers if they played in one of these games. Playing in Minnesota isn't one, that happens nearly every year.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I could care less if Wisconsin is in it or not. But you've yet to give one recruiting advantage Wisconsin would receive over the Gophers if they played in one of these games. Playing in Minnesota isn't one, that happens nearly every year.
Click to expand...

If your opinion is that a game at the US Bank stadium, in prime time, against a national program is the same as a mid February conference match up at the Barn, I don't know what to tell you. There is a reason Marcus tweeted this is a recruiting tool for the Gophers. Why invite Wisconsin (or any other B1G team) to use the same recruiting tool? That's all I am saying. Ok now I'm done.
 

MadtownGopher said:
If your opinion is that a game at the US Bank stadium, in prime time, against a national program is the same as a mid February conference match up at the Barn, I don't know what to tell you. There is a reason Marcus tweeted this is a recruiting tool for the Gophers. Why invite Wisconsin (or any other B1G team) to use the same recruiting tool? That's all I am saying. Ok now I'm done.
Click to expand...

If they don't play in that game, they'll likely play in some other nationally televised neutral court game or tournament like they did in the Maui Invitational this season.

If you don't want them to play in the game because you hate Wisconsin, I get it. To say it gives them some sort of recruiting advantage over the Gophers is completely overblown.
 

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/847474198662361088/photo/1

I can almost guarantee that the goal for this is not to sellout the entire stadium but to be used as a test run for using the stadium for basketball. I would guess that the court will be located near one of the endzones or sidelines and not centered like it will be for the final 4. The build out for the final 4 is going to require 6000+ platforms and tons of under-structure to convert the stadium to the final 4 basketball configuration (see picture from this year above). They might build out one end and a portion of the side for the trial run but definitely too big of an effort to test run the entire stadium. Also not sure what the 'basketball standards are for the final 4' are but guessing it might be to test out certain sight lines, egress, etc.
Would definitely be fun to have it be more than 1 game but not sure how high i would get my hopes for a double or multi-header.
 

Ope3 said:
The answer to your question is $$$. 70,000 fans at US Bank could increase the Gophers recruiting budget to the point he does not have worry about filling up the tank on a rental car.
Click to expand...

You aren't getting 70k in there for a December college basketball game. Even for a doubleheader with some blue bloods playing in the other game. If we got 40-45k in there it would be a huge accomplishment.
 

bizzle22 said:
You aren't getting 70k in there for a December college basketball game. Even for a doubleheader with some blue bloods playing in the other game. If we got 40-45k in there it would be a huge accomplishment.
Click to expand...

Anyone remember what we got at the Dome 20 some years ago? I remember going and watching Dickie V. shoot free throws between games...
 

Sparlimb said:
Anyone remember what we got at the Dome 20 some years ago? I remember going and watching Dickie V. shoot free throws between games...
Click to expand...

I can't find any info on that. Maybe someone else will have better luck. Michigan State and UNC played at Ford Field in December 2008 as a precursor to Ford Field hosting the 2009 Final Four. Attendance was like 25k for that game.
 

Sparlimb said:
Anyone remember what we got at the Dome 20 some years ago? I remember going and watching Dickie V. shoot free throws between games...
Click to expand...

Gophers played Cal at the Dome in 1995-96 season, but I can't recall if it was a doubleheader.

1996-97 (Gophers vs. West Virginia) and 1997-98 (vs. Villanova) seasons both had doubleheaders at Target Center, I think.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Gophers played Cal at the Dome in 1995-96 season, but I can't recall if it was a doubleheader.

1996-97 (Gophers vs. West Virginia) and 1997-98 (vs. Villanova) seasons both had doubleheaders at Target Center, I think.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure those games never happened!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom