TNS: Revisiting Tech's schedule changes for 2016

[Dawg06]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/spo...2016/88001994/

This article is laughable.

It makes no mention of McClelland moving the Arkansas game from a semi-away site in Little Rock to a true road game in Fayetteville. How many thousands of fans in the stands did Tech lose with this deal, and how many thousands more Hog fans were put in the stands with this move? Arkansas was gifted a big advantage with this deal. Was Tech paid for the move, or did McClelland let Arkansas move the game for free?

It's intellectually dishonest about the Texas Tech for Texas A&M deal. "Tech dropped Texas A&M, picked up Texas Tech for $800,000." The article fails to mention the $500K buyout we had to pay for the Texas A&M game and the $200K return trip game guarantee Tech forfeited. That's $700K that Tech gave up for the switch so the truth is Tech only nets $100K between the contracts, and in real dollars it's significantly less than $100K when you factor in increased travel costs, significantly fewer Tech ticket sales, much less exposure, etc.

I don't see how somebody could write an article about the 2016 schedule changes and ignore those major details.

[PawDawg]

Isabella will not ask our AD why he moved the Arkansas game. His reported info on the game being moved is all hearsay. He will not request a copy of the original contract signed by BVDV. Like Goff's baseball contract he believes what he is told and will not ask questions the AD tells him not to ask.

[Dawg06]

Isabella will not ask our AD why he moved the Arkansas game. His reported info on the game being moved is all hearsay. He will not request a copy of the original contract signed by BVDV. Like Goff's baseball contract he believes what he is told and will not ask questions the AD tells him not to ask.

Speaking of BVDV and contracts, what happened to the Louisiana Tech vs. BYU football home-and-home that was "delayed," and how are the "talks about future dates with BYU" going?

This was the last we ever heard. Feb. 18, 2011: http://www.latechsports.com/sports/m...021811aaa.html

[inudesu]

I don't see the Little Rock to Fayetteville move as that big of a deal on our end. I absolutely agree that it would have been better for us in Little Rock, but I assume Arkansas always schedules this way. I seem to remember that they typically announce their OOC opponents way ahead of time and then which games will be in War Memorial much later. I doubt this was ever up to us once the contract was signed (and making it essential to the contract probably just leaves Arkansas walking away).

A&M for Tech doesn't bother me too much, either. It sounds like A&M wanted out, and we came out ahead (a little bit).

This article makes it sound like UMASS was the only one-for-one option on the table when we looked. That seems shocking, but I guess it's possible.

Money game, Money game, @1st part of one-for-one with G5, FCS isn't ever going to be a good schedule. The money games we have are about as good as we can get (and you could argue that trading a return game with A&M for an actual money game, even one at a reduced rate is a step up). But the @1st part of one-for-one with G5 is arguably as bad as it gets (I know some of you would always have ULM as our last choice - they aren't my first choice, but not last either). And the FCS game is always sort of going to be in the same ballpark with a few local exceptions that we probably can't count on playing every year. Not so sure about the financial part of it though.

Not a good schedule, however it came about.

[Tech52]

Yes, that would probably be right. Arkansas is actively trying to get out of Little Rock. What better way than to have the only game there played against one of your weakest opponents (Alcorn State this year), drawing much smaller crowds, "proving" disinterest in the game being held there? And saving the better games for their real home crowd.

[TrueBulldog1962]

One thing I'll say is this: we can call it bad reporting or whatever, Isabella can certainly be a douche towards Tech at times but at least we get the coverage. Working for the News Star, I hope is not his dream job. Therefore, why push your limits with Tommy and Skip whoever else to get info? Report on what they are willing to say and do your job with the information they give. He developed an outstanding relationship with Mike White and was allowed tons and tons of access with him. What should he care what our fans think of his reporting? You obviously read the article so that's a win for him. I am a huge critic of Isabella at times, which is the norm for a journalist I feel sure, but he does a pretty solid job for the most part.

Also, FWIW, Skip said that he believes Tommy did as good of a job as he could with this schedule. We can say all we want that the AD schedules the games, but I'd be willing to bet that Skip has a large say in it as well.

[Dawgpix]

Sean is fine. Glad, he's around. I'm just disappointed we lost a samurai beat writer/voice from Shreveport out of the latest Gannett shuffle/cutbacks. First The Journal died. Then The Times put us on the back burner. Buddy Davis, thankfully, is still writing a Sunday column. A healthy program has several voices supporting it in the media, not fewer.

[theprofessor]

Speaking of BVDV and contracts, what happened to the Louisiana Tech vs. BYU football home-and-home that was "delayed," and how are the "talks about future dates with BYU" going?

This was the last we ever heard. Feb. 18, 2011: http://www.latechsports.com/sports/m...021811aaa.html

My BYU friend who is pretty much on the money when it comes to BYU athletics told me there was no "delay." The deal was dead as soon as we pushed it back. He spent a great deal of time in Ruston during his childhood and was looking forward to the trip back to town to watch his alma mater, so he was a bit bummed.

[inudesu]

My BYU friend who is pretty much on the money when it comes to BYU athletics told me there was no "delay." The deal was dead as soon as we pushed it back. He spent a great deal of time in Ruston during his childhood and was looking forward to the trip back to town to watch his alma mater, so he was a bit bummed.

I think this is what we all assumed with such a nebulous "delay."

At least with MSU from 106 to 2017 or the recent Bowling Green change there were firm dates (or at least years) announced at the same time.

[Houston Techsan]

I still say opening with an away money game kills the first home game attendance. It is even worse when the first home game is someone like SC State. If we lose to Arkansas, which is certainly more than a possibiltiy we'll be lucky to have 15000 for the SC State game. If we win, of course it would be a very nice crowd but not a sell out by any means. I think we have a better chance to beat Arkansas than Texas Tech so there goes another home attendance killer. Who, besides die hard fans wants to see a two loss team in their second home game. It could also be a morale killer for the team going into playing WKU or not. We beat 17th ranked Fresno after losing to Miami and Tennessee.

[maverick]

Perhaps the article was updated from the initial post, because it now does, to some degree, address the move from Little Rock to Fayetteville.

Per the amended game contract signed in November 2014, Tech received no additional financial gain from the original $925,000. So a reasonable drive from north Louisiana turned into a long drive, and Tech did it for free. Not ideal, regardless of if it was a take-it-or-leave it proposal from Arkansas, which has made efforts to move games back to campus.

[qng001]

Perhaps the article was updated from the initial post, because it now does, to some degree, address the move from Little Rock to Fayetteville.

Per the amended game contract signed in November 2014, Tech received no additional financial gain from the original $925,000. So a reasonable drive from north Louisiana turned into a long drive, and Tech did it for free. Not ideal, regardless of if it was a take-it-or-leave it proposal from Arkansas, which has made efforts to move games back to campus.

Yup, it wasn't there this morning. Isabella must of updated.

[Tech52]

I still say opening with an away money game kills the first home game attendance. It is even worse when the first home game is someone like SC State. If we lose to Arkansas, which is certainly more than a possibiltiy we'll be lucky to have 15000 for the SC State game. If we win, of course it would be a very nice crowd but not a sell out by any means. I think we have a better chance to beat Arkansas than Texas Tech so there goes another home attendance killer. Who, besides die hard fans wants to see a two loss team in their second home game. It could also be a morale killer for the team going into playing WKU or not. We beat 17th ranked Fresno after losing to Miami and Tennessee.

Disagree. We will have 20K for the opener, win or lose. Its the first game, itll have fireworks. Fun for everyone.
We have been a 2-loss team by the second home game for the past two years. Its nothing new. First 4 games of '14 were Away, Away, Away, and Home. First 4 last year were Home, Away, Away, and Home. This schedule has Away, Home, Away, and Away. I find it more favorable than '14 schedule because we are not having to wait so long to get the first game. Winning at Arkansas will give us a bump, but losing shouldnt hurt much at all.

[PawDawg]

Perhaps the article was updated from the initial post, because it now does, to some degree, address the move from Little Rock to Fayetteville.

Per the amended game contract signed in November 2014, Tech received no additional financial gain from the original $925,000. So a reasonable drive from north Louisiana turned into a long drive, and Tech did it for free. Not ideal, regardless of if it was a take-it-or-leave it proposal from Arkansas, which has made efforts to move games back to campus.

Isabella's source is spoon feeding him like they did on Goffs "contract" and so many others things. Notice he did not quote the boy wonder

[Houston Techsan]

Disagree. We will have 20K for the opener, win or lose. Its the first game, itll have fireworks. Fun for everyone.
We have been a 2-loss team by the second home game for the past two years. Its nothing new. First 4 games of '14 were Away, Away, Away, and Home. First 4 last year were Home, Away, Away, and Home. This schedule has Away, Home, Away, and Away. I find it more favorable than '14 schedule because we are not having to wait so long to get the first game. Winning at Arkansas will give us a bump, but losing shouldnt hurt much at all.

Hope we don't have to find out. If we win at Arkansas there will really be a buzz and probably 25000 to 26000 fans. If we lose, less than 20000. They may announce more, but that will be it. Of course if it rains .....