WSU vs. Oregon at Qwest in 2010?
by Brian Floyd on Sep 17, 2009 5:31 PM PDT
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PrintAs many of you have seen, or some haven't, the Times came out with a report today stating we are looking seriously into reupping the Qwest Game next year with Oregon as an opponent. For your background read if you haven't, go here
I looked up some figures about what we make at Martin and at Qwest. Heres what I see:
When the Apple Cup debate came up, the numbers given by the Seattle Times were that each team takes home about $280,000 in revenue for games in Pullman.
This year, cougfan came out with an article while Hawaii tickets were on sale and said that the Qwest games generate $150,000 for our athletic department per 5,000 fans.
So, in order to hit our Pullman numbers, we need to only sell 10,000 tickets. No problem, but that's not what we're aiming for here.
On to the bigger question, how much is worth it? Say we sell out all 67,000 seats in Qwest. Now were looking at $2,010,000 which puts us at about 7 times higher an amount than made in Pullman. Honestly, I don't have any doubt that a WSU-Oregon game at Qwest would sell out no matter how bad we are. Oregon is 3+ hours away and travels well. That place would be full. Additionally, these numbers reflect the current ticket prices for a non-conference game against a (usually) subpar opponent at Qwest. The feeling I have is that prices would be higher and the revenue generated would be higher as well. So, for arguments sake, I'm going to put $2 million on the low end.
Finally, is it worth it? Playing in Qwest, in a game that is almost equidistant from WSU and Oregon would make it more of a neutral site than it would a home game. It still counts as a home game, leaving us only 4 true home games against conference opponents per year. Additionally, this is a one sided decision, meaning that only our home year next year would be at Qwest. It's not like the Apple Cup proposal where every year is at Qwest. We know how badly our AD needs money at this point and a game that could give us 10x the amount a Pullman game would could really make sense next year. It's not something I'd want to see long term, but I'm almost open to seeing it next year.
The question I also have is if they do it and it is a success, who do they put at Qwest in 2011 as far as a Pac-10 opponent?
What do you all think about it all?
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This is the only logical step if they want to continue with games at Qwest.
When the team is this bad, Cougar fans are not going to spend their hard earned money for a non-conference team that they don’t even care about. This year’s game against Hawaii was the lowest attended Qwest game yet. That can change if they play a big team from a big west coast conference that the average fan hears about daily and watches on TV occasionally. Playing Oregon, where their fans can see the game in a 3 hour drive can only boost sales more. As much as it pains me to lose a “meaningful” home game, being an incoming freshman next year, this generates some much needed money that can go towards phase III at Martin. Until this team gets better, this needs to happen
I also like the idea of the game.
Best case scenario would to have it in Seattle every year, not alternate years.
by Craig Powers on Sep 17, 2009 7:16 PM PDT up reply actions
How do you think our fanbase reacts
If there is a threat of it becoming regular? The stuff I’ve seen in the comments on WSUFB is overwhelmingly negative.
by Craig Powers on Sep 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't have an issue with playing a Pac-10 game there each year
I don’t think I’d want to play Oregon there every year, but if playing a Pac-10 game there each year is what we have to do, then that’s what we should.
Agreed.
Playing a team like USC at Qwest would be a pretty cool event.
by Craig Powers on Sep 18, 2009 5:20 AM PDT up reply actions
It would be very cool,
but I think the regional angle works better because we can take a game (like Oregon or OR st.) that would not have sold out in Pullman and sell 67,000 tickets at Qwest. Then you keep USC in Pullman where it should sell out. The total revenue would be higher overall.
Formerly Peaty411s
by spencer peaty on Sep 18, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Beats Spokane
When the Cougs played the “big” games in Joe Albi and teams would not travel to Pullman. I have no issue with playing Oregon or any other Pac X team at Qwest once a year until we get Phase III done to Martin Stadium (so maybe two or three games?)
Go Cougs! Beat the ’Stangs!
I think it could also work to our advantage in scheduling big nonconference games at Qwest
If we can show that we can fill the place and make everyone a bunch of money, it becomes more attractive. Yeah, we’d like teams to come to Pullman, but because of the way scheduling is set up — where nonconference opponents don’t have to travel anywhere they don’t want to — it’s looking more and more convincing them that Seattle is viable is the way to go.
And with Ohio State backing out this year
It would help in many ways to show “big name” programs that we can sell out Qwest and make it an event. Then we could bring in some big name games, maybe Big 10 opponents, or SEC, or even Notre Dame. Anything that would make the Qwest game more exciting, and hopefully by then we’ll be competitve in it.
quick correction
Pac ten mandates we pay opponents 25k. The exception is rivalry games where a deal is usually worked to split money equally. So for a typical game in pullman that is sold out we pull in about 500k
At this point I think its necessary financially to play a pc opponent at qwest. The revenue is too good to pass up and the benefit to the program outweighs losing a pullman game
Finally I agree with Nuss that having big opponents would be huge. USC would sell big. What does our home sched look like in 2011. Who’s an option
by Brian Floyd on Sep 18, 2009 11:20 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Teams that we play at home in 09 would be here in 11 as well.
So Stanford, OSU, ASU, and UCLA.
by Craig Powers on Sep 18, 2009 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Not necessarily
Unless they changed it. Remember when we played Oregon in Pullman like four out of five years? Did they fix that?
by Jeff Nusser on Sep 18, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions
They fixed it when they expanded the conference schedule to nine games.
Very odd scheduling quirk.
by Craig Powers on Sep 18, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
our schedule alternates every 2 years
Dancing Football said who they are above. We also have UNLV at home for that year. I think the best bet would be OR st. if they do decide to go the conference opponent route because if would sell more seats than the other games. Of course, you probably get 15,000 or so OSU fans that make it less of a home game for us.
Formerly Peaty411s
by spencer peaty on Sep 18, 2009 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
agree with OSU
But I also think ucla would draw more. The thinking is that we need to rely on opposing fans go help sell. Too bad usc isn’t an option. U of o one year and usc the next would rake in money
by Brian Floyd on Sep 18, 2009 11:45 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Great line from WSU football blog
“I guess the question to Husky fans, if Oregon and WSU played in Seattle? Who do you root for, Saddam or Osama?”
Formerly Peaty411s
I enjoyed that line as well.
But most Husky fans would probably root for us. A lot of Huskies root for the Cougs when they aren’t playing them.
by Craig Powers on Sep 18, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I only wish it was Nyquil
It’s actually sleep deprivation. A 2 1/2 month old baby will do that to you.
Ah, those are fun even with the sleep deprivation.
Congrats on another baby Cougar in the Nusser house!
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