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**HOB TOPIC OF THE DAY, Wed., June 15: Neutral opener**

  • Howdy, folks. In talking with people, I've heard very mixed reactions to Kentucky opening its football season at a neutral site for the second time in three years. This year, as you well know, the Cats play Western Kentucky at Nashville's LP Field (home of the Titans) on Thursday, Sept, 1 at 9:15 p.m. eastern. Kentucky wanted the game on Saturday, but the field was booked so it was forced to be played on Thursday. Once it was booked for Thursday, ESPNU is the party responsible for moving the game to a late kickoff.

    Do you like the idea of opening at a neutral site? The game in Nashville was part of UK's contract with WKU but it was not in the contract for the game to be a season-opener.

    Personally, I think it kills any sort of momentum that builds up over the summer. Especially because I don't think attendance at LP Field on a Thursday night is going to be particularly good. Attendance was not strong at Paul Brown Stadium when UK opened its season against Miami (Ohio), and that stadium was closer for both schools, and the game was played on a Saturday afternoon.

    What say you? Will you be even more excited for Game Two? Or will it fizzle a bit? Which do you prefer?

    http://www.twitter.com/pennington_jl pennington.jl@gmail.com

    JamesPennington

  • I have no issue with it.

    Most teams open with a dud anyway, so does it matter if its at home verse CMU or at a neutral site verse WKU?

    I've got season tickets so going to CWS watch CMU is not overly exciting to me. Going somewhere different, all though I've been to LP Field is adds a little more to it. I enjoyed going to Cincy to watch the Miami, OH game.

    I'm not sure I understand the, "kills any momentum that builds up over the summer." I think there is alot of excitment with each new season so as long as the season has started.....it doesn't matter to where it starts at.

    bigbluemist

  • I'm presuming we have no options but to do this.

    I'd prefer just to have 8 home games every other year and increase our revenue. We can't host recruits at these neutral site games and our impact in the area recruiting playing Miami(OH) and WKU is probably going to be minimum.

    But, it's getting increasingly tougher to schedule home-only games. We are losing money but not as much as we would if we had to go to Duke or Indiana or somewhere else to play.

    In an ideal world we would play 8 home games though in years we play UofL at home.

    At least we were wise enough to schedule the neutral site game in the year we have UofL at home. Too bad we weren't able to secure a Saturday game or earlier kickoff time.

    This post was edited by blue mold on 6/15/2011 at 4:01 PM

    blue mold

  • Don't really mind it. It gives me an opportunity to catch a UK game, closer to home.

    Keep Calm & Stoops On..

    _Mike_

  • I am not a season ticket holder or I would probably want 8 home games every year. I would rather see them schedule another BCS school home and home than play WKU in Nashville. We have nothing to gain and much to lose in this game. Plus it would be more interesting to watch as a fan.

    blueboy

  • I understand the reasons behind this schedule. It is getting tougher to schedule OOC games and this allows our staff to recruit the Nashville area. I am not looking forward to the drive on a Thursday, but, I' go to the ends of the earth to cheer on the cats. Guess I'm whats called a fanatic.

    First game I'm pumped up for is the September 17th game against rival Cards. Lets make it five in a row and win by a big, big margin.

    wildcatharry

  • It sucks for those of us in the LEX area and in Eastern KY but for those in Southern KY and Western KY it's a good trip for them.

    I wish we had not agreed to a neutral game with WKU but I understand that as tough as it is for us to schedule home only opponents that it was a necessary evil. WKU should've just been happy that we agreed to play them in a series that is close to home and that they can make a lot of money in without having the normal away game cost.

    signature image

    Stoopified!

    cobbycobb

  • As long as we win, I don't care if the game is played on the moon.

    ... but dagnabbit, it better be televised!!! biggrin

    This post was edited by JawJacker on 6/15/2011 at 11:29 PM

    signature image signature image

    JawJacker

  • I don't mind it being in Nashville, but I wish it wasn't on a Thursday, as it makes my wife and I use vacation days to go.

    JDHoss

  • blueboy said...

    I am not a season ticket holder or I would probably want 8 home games every year. I would rather see them schedule another BCS school home and home than play WKU in Nashville. We have nothing to gain and much to lose in this game. Plus it would be more interesting to watch as a fan.

    good for the fans, bad for the program. You are giving up revenue and you are making things more difficult for your team and adding more physical punishment to the players.

    blue mold

  • These sorts of games are apparently becoming necessary with the rigors of scheduling today. The non-BCS teams are asking for more $$$ for traveling to play the guarantee games against BCS squads. I'm ok with the Nashville and Cincinnati games.

    Certainly would prefer for the game to be on Saturday, and I am worried that attendance will suffer. On the flip side, with only a couple of other games scheduled for that night and it being when CFB fans are craving for game action, more people will be watching on TV than a normal nonconference game.

    Lastly, for those of us in the southern or western part of the state, it's nice to have an easier drive to watch UK play.

    Jeremy Grey

  • I'm fine with it, as I understand it saves UK the cost of paying a team for home game and that is getting quite expensive. As far as season ticket holders go (of which I am one) I understand they would rather have a home game because most live around Lexington but for those of us that have a long drive (4+ hours one way to and from Lex for myself) Nashville is actually closer for some of us. I'm sure the fans in Northern KY appreciated the game in Cincy as well.

    I don't think it "kills momentum" built over the summer either, that seems pretty silly honestly. Everyone is chomping at the bit by the time the season starts and I just don't see playing in a pro stadium as a deterrent to that excitement. In fact I would say the opposite occurs, people are excited for the first game of the season and then they are excited for the home opener the next week.

    signature image

    "Kentucky Football needs to be and will be a championship contender in the SEC."~Mitch Barnhart 11/4/12

    rgunslinger

  • I don't understand all the griping and complaining about playing Western at a NFL stadium that is being televised on ESPNU. The positives far outweigh the negatives and the only negaitive I see is the 9:15 start on a Thursday night, but who wouldn't take that to have the game in 40 million homes across the country?

    ajp40505

  • Have no problem with the game in Nashville. It gives us one more opportunity to get into a fertile recruiting area (Nashvile/Middle/West Tn/N Ala). Our players get charged up by being in a pro stadium and ESPNU on a night that has few games and many football fans watching nationally. I don't think it kills momentum...I am a seson ticket holder and enjoy the opportunity to travel. Lastly, It would not bother me to divest ourselves of the UL game. We gain nothing with a win and a loss is not good. I would much rather schedule someone in another conference like a Virginia or NC State where we tend to recruit...Baylor...well you get the picture. The only pressure to continue the UL game is from UL itself. It is a bigger loss for them to not have this game than anything we would ever hope to gain. The PR barrage from the Louisville media would quickly blow over and we reap rewards in other ways.

    bigsam2

  • I didn't order tix to this game, but will likely drive up (much closer to Nashville from Atlanta than it is to Lex). On the positive, with the late start I don't have to take off Thursday, and with the holiday, one vacation day (Friday) equals four days off. Also, it will be good to watch UK play in that stadium one time without all my apendages being numb and experiencing a severe case of frostbite...

    UK fans will bitch about anything, no way to make them happy about the football schedule.

    DACats86

  • ajp40505 said...

    I don't understand all the griping and complaining about playing Western at a NFL stadium that is being televised on ESPNU. The positives far outweigh the negatives and the only negaitive I see is the 9:15 start on a Thursday night, but who wouldn't take that to have the game in 40 million homes across the country?

    I agree. With the landscape of college football being what it is I think its the best we can do. Paying 600 K and up for a team to come take their beating is expensive. I thought I heard UT payed someone near 1 mil to come to Knoxville last year.

    However, I wold drop WKU after the contracts up. Don't do for them what we did and still do for UL. If it were up to me I'd rather go play a Colorado, a UCLA, a Purdue, a Virginia, etc and drop UL. Now, we don't drop UL for another patsy but I would love to drop them for another good home and away game. That would bring some pizzaz to the schedule.

    flknopp

  • I have no issue at all. ESPN game, not a very long drive, can see family & stay all night and catch up. It's a win - win for me.

    Whitaker568

  • I live in Nashville and I love it.
    Also that is Labor Day weekend so people could make a long weekend of it in Nashville or catch the game on the way to the beach.

    justinbarker2

  • Nashville is a great city and LP Field is the perfect venue for UK's fans in western KY. I love when the 'Cats play in NFL stadiums.

    signature image signature image signature image

    "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." ~ Emerson

    alphacat93

  • I love the stadium & could not be more excited to watch the CATS no matter who or where they play. I'm ready for some football! Go CATS!

    KyBlueMan_80

  • By the way, I retired last week & every day is Saturday for me! Unless my wife has something to say about it!

    KyBlueMan_80

  • It sucks from the eastern Ky area, I know me and my 11 season ticket folks will not make that trip.

    What I don't understand is why have the game in Nashville the same year as the Vandy game? Gotta think very few folks will make the trip to Nashville twice in the same year.

    CatsSkratchFever

  • Come on guys--it's a Bowl Game except in nice weather and with a sure win.

    Nashville is a great city to spend a weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

    djkycat54906

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