Frisco contract expires?

[Grisly Fan]

Out of curiosity, I compared, from Portland, a Frisco trip vs. a Vegas trip if I booked it today. There was a Vegas deal for $227 that included the flight and a room for two nights. Cheapest Frisco trip (on Expedia) was $839.

 

[mthoopsfan]

Why does anyone care if the city wants to host the game or not? Fans go to see the game not visit the visitor center or the welcome wagon. From what I saw pricing hotels,, the prices went way up as the dates got closer to the game. I’m sure they are “quite pleased” to host. As for Las Vegas, yes the game would probably be held in “hard to get to” Sam Boyd Stadium 6.4 miles from the Las Vegas Airport while the conversely “easy to get to” Frisco Stadium is 25 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. And you can pretty much guarantee that nobody in Vegas is going to jack local prices due to the game. There is no logical reason not to try to have Vegas host the game.

Because for me, much of the excitement from a trip to the championship comes from 20,000 fans (10k of them GRIZ) congregated into a smaller community. In Chattanooga, it was freakin' fantastic to walk into, say, Sticky Fingers and see a sea of Maroon, and have all of the waitstaff welcome you with "Go GRIZ", and not care a bit if the entire restaurant breaks into a raucous "MONTANA...GRIZZLIES" cheer. I think much of that will be lost in Frisco, and I KNOW it would in vegas.

I love Vegas, but I'd rather be the center of attention rather than just another convention.

I agree. Loved Chattanooga for the game.

 

[Grisly Fan]

If the goal is an awesome atmosphere that mainly wealthy people can enjoy then yep, put it wherever. If the goal is to have as many (in this case Griz) fans be able to attend then Chattanooga or Frisco aren’t it unless both schools playing happen to be geographically located nearby — and when was the last time that happened?

 

[bigtyme]

Frankly, the whole thing is being ran pretty poorly, despite them hosting for several years now. It seems like quite a few people who would have traveled did not due to the cost and the difficulty in getting a ticket. But, let's just say you're QB club or GSA and were able to get tickets. That's great, but you don't get to pick where you're sitting and you get to wait wondering if you're sideline, endzone, etc. But don't worry, some person, at some point, will allocate the seats and let you know where you'll be.

Ultimately, the venue is just too small, which contributes (albeit not the sole reason) to the prices being so bad. Additionally, the location is not convenient for any of the northern teams (you know, the ones who actually make the championship?). Vegas is at least a cheap flight, good transportation in the city, and good venue. It makes so much more sense.

I'm going, and I know it will be a fun time, but it's all a little absurd.

I truly don't think it's too small of a venue. Especially when a team not named SDSU, NDSU, MSU or UM make it. Then it's plenty big. I still maintain that anyone who wants a ticket to this game will get a ticket to this game. And regardless of what seats you're in, or SRO, you'll have a fudge blast. I'm jealous.

Fudge blast doesn’t sound fun. Is the food that bad?

 

[GrizGeneral]

Frankly, the whole thing is being ran pretty poorly, despite them hosting for several years now. It seems like quite a few people who would have traveled did not due to the cost and the difficulty in getting a ticket. But, let's just say you're QB club or GSA and were able to get tickets. That's great, but you don't get to pick where you're sitting and you get to wait wondering if you're sideline, endzone, etc. But don't worry, some person, at some point, will allocate the seats and let you know where you'll be.

Ultimately, the venue is just too small, which contributes (albeit not the sole reason) to the prices being so bad. Additionally, the location is not convenient for any of the northern teams (you know, the ones who actually make the championship). Vegas is at least a cheap flight, good transportation in the city, and good venue. It makes so much more sense.

I'm going, and I know it will be a fun time, but it's all a little absurd.

I couldn’t agree less with this take. You will see when you get there. The venue and location is perfect and it’s a perfect size for the schools that make it. When the dakotas or Montanas make the game the venue is packed and it’s a great atmosphere. Any other teams and the stadium would be half full. The stadium is perfect for this event.

Frisco is a great host. From everything I’ve heard the city does a great job with the logistics and I’m not surprised. I’ve worked closely with many of the city leaders in Frisco and their EDC. They are world class. There is a reason all of the HQs and PGA and universal studios is moving to Frisco. They do a great job.

The location of DFW north Texas would be hard to beat. It’s centrally located in the country and it’s one of the easiest cities to fly into from where ever you are at in the country. There are direct flights from Missoula Bozeman Billings Bismarck into DFW. Do you think Chattanooga or somewhere like that would be easier to fly to?

The weather is typically good or decent. Usually in the mid 50s-60s. People mention Vegas but the truth is the FCS championship is too small of an event for Vegas to even care about. Frisco cares and they do an amazing job of hosting the teams and fans. Everyone will see that when they get down to Texas and see how easy everything flows and how much stuff there is to do in the area.

The city doesn’t have anything to do with the ticket sales or cost of flights being raised.

Also QB club members were told that our seats would be somewhere in between sections 101-109 so those at least shouldn’t be in the end zones. Yet to see if that’s true or not.

Badlands, I stand corrected. It was a lot of fun and the venue was great. My buddies and I ended up in 112 (the dedicated standing rail section) and it was a blast. Trips to get beer were very quick and let you get back to the game (way faster than at UM, for the record). The local area definitely cared about the game and Grizfest was a blast at the Rough Riders stadium the night before. The tailgating on the day of was fun and they had tons of out houses (UM take note). They also did a good job at moving that massive line through quickly (although for the life of me I couldn't figure out what their system was, but it definitely was working as I saw them pull booze off several people on the way in).

Only cons I saw were some real money gouges around the town (i.e., transportation, some of the bars, etc.). I do think that game would really be crummy if it rained like it did on Monday, but fortunately it was perfect weather for kickoff. I really hope we get to go back next year!

 

[kemajic]

Only cons I saw were some real money gouges around the town (i.e., transportation, some of the bars, etc.).

As if that's not the case in Missoula on game weekends for us out-of-towners.

 

[mthoopsfan]

Frankly, the whole thing is being ran pretty poorly, despite them hosting for several years now. It seems like quite a few people who would have traveled did not due to the cost and the difficulty in getting a ticket. But, let's just say you're QB club or GSA and were able to get tickets. That's great, but you don't get to pick where you're sitting and you get to wait wondering if you're sideline, endzone, etc. But don't worry, some person, at some point, will allocate the seats and let you know where you'll be.

Ultimately, the venue is just too small, which contributes (albeit not the sole reason) to the prices being so bad. Additionally, the location is not convenient for any of the northern teams (you know, the ones who actually make the championship). Vegas is at least a cheap flight, good transportation in the city, and good venue. It makes so much more sense.

I'm going, and I know it will be a fun time, but it's all a little absurd.

I couldn’t agree less with this take. You will see when you get there. The venue and location is perfect and it’s a perfect size for the schools that make it. When the dakotas or Montanas make the game the venue is packed and it’s a great atmosphere. Any other teams and the stadium would be half full. The stadium is perfect for this event.

Frisco is a great host. From everything I’ve heard the city does a great job with the logistics and I’m not surprised. I’ve worked closely with many of the city leaders in Frisco and their EDC. They are world class. There is a reason all of the HQs and PGA and universal studios is moving to Frisco. They do a great job.

The location of DFW north Texas would be hard to beat. It’s centrally located in the country and it’s one of the easiest cities to fly into from where ever you are at in the country. There are direct flights from Missoula Bozeman Billings Bismarck into DFW. Do you think Chattanooga or somewhere like that would be easier to fly to?

The weather is typically good or decent. Usually in the mid 50s-60s. People mention Vegas but the truth is the FCS championship is too small of an event for Vegas to even care about. Frisco cares and they do an amazing job of hosting the teams and fans. Everyone will see that when they get down to Texas and see how easy everything flows and how much stuff there is to do in the area.

The city doesn’t have anything to do with the ticket sales or cost of flights being raised.

Also QB club members were told that our seats would be somewhere in between sections 101-109 so those at least shouldn’t be in the end zones. Yet to see if that’s true or not.

I disagree with you. The vast area took away the biggest benefit of Chattanooga, and that is easily finding and mingling with friends. Also walking most everywhere was taken away. No central area for fans. Constant driving and Uber. Main hotels not in walking distance of stadium. I started going to Chattanooga in 2001. Much better set up there.

Stadium fine and good with concessions. A few rude ushers and security people. Endzones didn’t allow Griz players. Team hotel in middle of Cowboys HQ was fun. Airport confusing but close.

 

[GrizGeneral]

Endzones didn’t allow Griz players.

Now that's funny.

 

[kemajic]

Only cons I saw were some real money gouges around the town (i.e., transportation, some of the bars, etc.).

As if that's not the case in Missoula on game weekends for us out-of-towners.

 

[mthoopsfan]

Las Vegas wouldn’t solve my main issues, but would better. A city like Boise would be great, but not in winter or for air access.

 

[kemajic]

Las Vegas wouldn’t solve my main issues, but would better. A city like Boise would be great, but not in winter or for air access.

A pretty "western centric" position.

 

[GrizTexas]

Las Vegas wouldn’t solve my main issues, but would better. A city like Boise would be great, but not in winter or for air access.

Yeah, like Boise is easy to get to?!

 

[mthoopsfan]

Las Vegas wouldn’t solve my main issues, but would better. A city like Boise would be great, but not in winter or for air access.

Yeah, like Boise is easy to get to?!

I'd rather go to San Antonio for the game, than Frisco. Get your city's act together. Let's go there.

 

[argh!]

I believe that if the venue was in Vegas, many more fans could attend because of the airline, hotel ticket prices being less? There are bunches of people wanting to go to this game from Montana but can't see paying the ridiculous Air fare. If all of them could afford airfare, then Frisco would be way too small. I know we could argue this forever but, I think this holds true for many teams fans.

If the event was in Vegas the airlines would do the exact same thing they’re doing to people now. The only thing that would be cheaper potentially is the Hotel options. But those also aren’t cheap. You don’t think you’re going to spend $500+ a night staying at the MGM in Vegas?

i'm not so sure airlines prices would be raised a ton, for a relatively small event in vegas. there are frequent conventions and even concerts there that bring in way more people. maybe they would raise them for flights from certain airports, but i was under the impression that people went to the game from multiple locations, not just missoula and brookings. i could be totally wrong here, that's not unhear of...

 

[GrizTexas]

Yeah, like Boise is easy to get to?!

I'd rather go to San Antonio for the game, than Frisco. Get your city's act together. Let's go there.

I think you may have something here...

 

[mthoopsfan]

If the event was in Vegas the airlines would do the exact same thing they’re doing to people now. The only thing that would be cheaper potentially is the Hotel options. But those also aren’t cheap. You don’t think you’re going to spend $500+ a night staying at the MGM in Vegas?

i'm not so sure airlines prices would be raised a ton, for a relatively small event in vegas. there are frequent conventions and even concerts there that bring in way more people. maybe they would raise them for flights from certain airports, but i was under the impression that people went to the game from multiple locations, not just missoula and brookings. i could be totally wrong here, that's not unhear of...

Las Vegas airline prices wouldn't be impacted at all by the FCS champ game, except to the extent that prices would get impacted by lots of people filling seats out of Missoula or Brookings going anywhere.

 

[Wolf777]

Let me ask this question. If we had a 30,000 seat stadium on Sunday, would it have sold out?

 

[Pounder]

Vegas… um, the Raiders?

As someone who went to Frisco the first year of that stadium’s existence, obviously, I didn’t see the nearby community built out like it probably is now. I’m pretty sure being in the West End the night before the Cotton Bowl is more interesting.

You might be onto something with San Antonio… somewhat easy walk from the Riverwalk to the dome. Even then, it’s a big stadium and I haven’t heard of the amenities being improved much from when I visited in the 90s.

But the biggest point… the NCAA is guaranteed to protect their ticket price. You’re lying to yourself to believe otherwise.

 

[reinell30]

Let me ask this question. If we had a 30,000 seat stadium on Sunday, would it have sold out?

Not in Frisco. Way too expensive for a lot of people. That is why I suggest Vegas. It is much lower costs to go to Vegas for everyone in the USA.

 

[Iowagriz]

Many of you need to go back to school and study Supply and Demand. It doesn't matter where you have the game, if a few thousand want to fly from any of the Montana cities, the prices will increase dramatically. Simple Demand for the seats. If the airlines add flights for that set of dates, those are also pricey, as those resources have to come from someplace. They weren't sitting idle on a tarmac waiting for the Demand.

Would prices to Vegas be cheaper for anyone outside of Montana? Probably. But you are wrong if you think flights to Vegas would be cheaper from Missoula just because that flight is $100 on any other day of the year.