Quote:
Originally Posted by HailToMichigan
Now you've done it. I gotta stick up for my own school now 
Scott Stadium holds 61,500 officially - in reality, anything above 60,000 is essentially a sellout, as the stands themselves only hold about 56 or 57,000 (everyone else crams themselves onto the grass hill.) Lowest-attended game this year was 57,681, and all but two games hit the 60,000 mark. Not to mention, all fans except students have to travel to the game, because Charlottesville is not a big place.
All the North Carolina schools are not really football schools - their mantra is "just you wait til basketball season." So you're right when it comes to them (and that's 1/3 of the ACC). Miami inexplicably timed its descent into suckitude to coincide with joining the ACC, I just don't get them.
But aside from Clemson, I think you'd find that Maryland, UVA, GT, and VT are extremely tough places to win a football game. Also I don't think UNC/Duke/etc. (the football dregs of the conference) are any different from, say, Iowa State/Baylor/every year at Kansas but this one.
Sorry. Waayyyy off topic. Not my fault, it's billmac's, he made me do it.
By the way, billmac - in the case of FSU, I don't know if this is really the case, but the impression a lot of people have of FSU is that these days they expect nothing less than the best bowls, so they won't travel to the other ones. I don't know how true that is, but it's at least plausible given how psycho FSU boosters have been over things like Jeff Bowden at OC. |
I've never been to Scott so I can't speak to their tailgaiting, tradition, and fan support per se. I do know from the other ACC venues I've been to while attending FSU, they rarely stacked up to or even came close to a SEC/Big 10 atmosphere.
ACC sites I've been to include: N.C. State, North Carolina, Miami, and B.C.. I visited Clemson as a college choice and was very impressed with the school spirit I saw. I just think when you compare the ACC to other conferences passion, it doesn't match up. Even visiting ACC message boards on scout/rivals is like visiting a ghost town.
I've also been to Ben Hill and tailgated at a Bama game plus took part in the world's largest cocktail party(UGA/UF in Jacksonville). The SEC definately knows how to get down.
In regards to FSU fans/boosters I just don't buy it. Penn St. was another bowl game we got completely outnumbered in and the game was in Florida and it was a BCS game. It's just shocking how little passion there is IMO. I don't want it to sound like theres no support at all, but when comparing it to
OSU, Michigan, 'Bama, LSU, etc., theres just very little comparison. If I bring this coversation up with someone from FSU, they think I'm crazy, but I'd suggest they've never experienced a "big-time" atmosphere before.
I don't think it's coincidental the ACC will be moving their ACC Championship venue because the lack of attendance has been embarrassing.
But in regards to a college playoff, my contention has always been to give the higher seeded team a home game to the fans don't have to travel for the first game.
Otherwise filling seats would most likely become an issue until the championship game.