Football Franklin on potentially renewing the Pittsburgh series
- Thread starter Richie O
- Start date
Franklin describes just another way that us playing the pitters is just like us playing a team like Bloomsburg or Lehigh. Our fans would overwhelm the Bloomsburg or Lafayette stadiums while their fans would be a pittance at Beaver Stadium since they really don't have many football fans. That is exactly what happened the last time we had a series with the pitters. Of course, they had to inject the requirement that for Penn State fans to attend the game at Heinz Field, the Penn State fans had to buy a pitt season ticket. The cost for their season tickets are like those for high school games so it wasn't really that big of a deal but it was done just to irritate.
Just another example of how pitt football is second rate. I don't think we should ever play them again unless we play two games at our place for every game in Pittsburgh. We should treat them like they are Bloomsburg or Lafayette becasue that is exactly what they are.
Just another example of how pitt football is second rate. I don't think we should ever play them again unless we play two games at our place for every game in Pittsburgh. We should treat them like they are Bloomsburg or Lafayette becasue that is exactly what they are.
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He's right.
- Pitt (and WVU) are in no-persons land. they are not good enough to improve our resume yet can still be difficult games.
- They will only accept a series that has a game in SC and a game at Pitt. That means we lose 40,000 seats in two games (their stadium only holds 68,000). Why would we not be better off bringing a series of MAC teams into town with 100k+ attending to the benefit of the school and city?
- As CJF states, open slots are going to get rarer as the West Coast teams join in so it is less likely.
- With that one open slot for a competitive team outside of the B1G, we are much better off scheduling an SEC or ACC team. Tennessee would be great. Even VT, South Carolina, NC State, Ole Miss, etc.
- why add value to Pitt or WVu's programs? They are direct, regional recruiting competitors.
Glad he mentioned them exploiting our fans for ticket sales. Pitt agreeing to sell single game tickets to our fans is an assurance I'd insist on before even considering to schedule them in the future. Even if I did, it would be on a rotational basis and not every season, maybe 2 games every 8 or 10 years, so that we can keep some home and home slots open for other opponents. But I really don't care if we play them anymore.
I think Franklin gets too far into the details there and sounds like he's making excuses. Bottom line is we need all the home games (7/8 whatever). If we play Pitt 1:1, we either lose money on an extra home game or we ONLY play Pitt as our 1:1 until the series ends. Neither make sense to Penn State. Aside from that, the 2,000 extra fans and ticket screw job at Pitt really don't matter. If schedules weren't dependant on economics, we would play them every year.
PSU should schedule Pitt then pull the season ticket BS on the couple Pitt fans. Or make them sign up for the Football Club or whatever it's called.
Bottom line, there is virtually zero benefit to PSU to play this game.
Much like the WVU game really didn't provide much for PSU, other than beating a P5 opponent. But PSU does get the benefit of making Pitt mad.
Bottom line, there is virtually zero benefit to PSU to play this game.
Much like the WVU game really didn't provide much for PSU, other than beating a P5 opponent. But PSU does get the benefit of making Pitt mad.
I don’t think the game makes sense for either school moving forward. Pitt doesn’t satisfy Penn State’s scheduling preferences, especially with a tenth Big Ten conference game on the way.
Meanwhile, there’s mutual interest in permanently renewing the Backyard Brawl; this would become Pitt’s annual P5 game as the ACC moves to nine conference games with the additions of Cal, SMU, and Stanford. WVU and PSU provide us the same benefit, so we wouldn’t need to schedule both.
At this point, any comments from Narduzzi or Franklin about a future series are just pandering to each other’s fanbases.
Meanwhile, there’s mutual interest in permanently renewing the Backyard Brawl; this would become Pitt’s annual P5 game as the ACC moves to nine conference games with the additions of Cal, SMU, and Stanford. WVU and PSU provide us the same benefit, so we wouldn’t need to schedule both.
At this point, any comments from Narduzzi or Franklin about a future series are just pandering to each other’s fanbases.
Hey, as a Lehigh grad school alum and retired staff member, I object to the comparison with Pitt. You should edit and use Lafayette. Thank you.
That's not really what happened. Pitt won't sell single game tickets to PSU or ND games. You have to buy a package or season tickets to get them. Remember at most of their games their fans dress up as yellow seats. Pitt still sold the normal allotment to PSU. It was the seats not sold Franklin was talking about. PSU can't do that as there aren't alot of seats left after season ticket allotments.
PSU and Pitt have played a grand total of 4 times since the 2001 season. Therefore, why has this issue all of a sudden become such a focus?
Like I've said before, I used to believe that PSU and Pitt should play every season. However, I now hope that PSU never plays Pitt as long as their current blowhard coach still is there.
Because individual game ticket prices in most places vary due to the opponent even that wouldn’t work. Pitt could just price that individual ticket equal to or greater than a season ticket. That still achieves their goal of feeding off us.
Attendance records at Pitt are I’m convinced done in a bizarro fashion. Yellow empty seats are the only thing counted for reporting attendance figures in their other games.
I apologize. I understand that comparing your school to pitt is like comparing a fine lobster dinner to vomit. I edited my post per your suggestion.
That's exactly the same attitude Joe had in the past. His argument was the days of PS playing 8 out of 10 at Pitt or Syracuse were over!
I would never play Pitt. The rivalry is no longer about football. It's about Pitt fans being disgusting, nasty trash bags.
Please rethink your post. If you’re trying to explain why we shouldn’t play them, you shouldn’t be bringing up their finest qualities as a reason.
We just need to return the favor. Pitt fans wanting a ticket at Beaver Stadium get a "free" ticket to some FCS game like PSU vs. Delaware included, and the ticket price is doubled. Then our sales for shitty games goes up too.
However, the last thing I want to subject my family to is some drunken, gas passing, ignorant nut suckers from PiT.
So Penn State *does* want to play in Pittsburgh every year again! Why didn’t you just say so?
Pitt ruined our chances at having a premier eastern conference. It’s only been 35 or 40 years. I’m not over it.
The Steelers? Probably a fairer fight..So Penn State *does* want to play in Pittsburgh every year again! Why didn’t you just say so?
At least WVU won’t make PSU fans buy a season ticket to go to the game next year.
Are there any pics of the stands during the Pitt/Wofford game? Pitt reported a crowd of over 45,000.
Impossible for a super cupcake like Wofford, especially on Labor Day weekend.
Impossible for a super cupcake like Wofford, especially on Labor Day weekend.
45,000 is the lowest Pitt will report no matter what.
Since I’m over here, I might as well… the problem with the broadcasts is that the cameras only show the visitors side, which always has significantly less fans. Here is from the home side:
It was the same situation when @bono47 was showing the Duke pictures from last season. It never looks like 45,000 because you only see the visitors’ sideline. Oh well, that’s what we get for renting a stadium.
Thanks. Looks like about full at best. End zone in pic…. lower level not full, top empty.
Probably between 30-35,000.
Probably between 30-35,000.
My man, I love your enthusiasm and ability to absorb pain. No matter what you just keep coming back for more. The only way 45,000 becomes a real number is by counting fans in the seats, plus cars in the lots and the total number of cups on hand for the thirsty masochists who stayed till the end.
Did you remember to include fans watching from the top of Mt. Washington as well? That’s a little-known secret that gives us a nice 1,000 fan boost.
Add in the Gulf building, the USSteel tower, AGH, and television hill and you have yet another sellout!Did you remember to include fans watching from the top of Mt. Washington as well? That’s a little-known secret that gives us a nice 1,000 fan boost.
In all seriousness, I need someone to take a picture atop the Hillman Tower and recreate this picture
Pitt’s stadium has home and visitor sides? Are they a high school team?
The wife and I were thinking of going to the game today since were down here for the weekend. How do we get parking?Did you remember to include fans watching from the top of Mt. Washington as well? That’s a little-known secret that gives us a nice 1,000 fan boost.
Well kickoff is in 90 minutes. Just go there and pray. As it’s Delaware I wouldn’t expect big problems.
Parking might be tough on the North Shore if you’re a drive-up (there’s parking garages at the Casino and next to the stadium), so you might look into parking downtown and then taking the T over to the game free of charge.
Is the Gateway Clipper still doing shuttles to the stadium? A very cool way to get there…..take a boat to the game.
Oh yeah, although they don’t start until an hour or two before the game. Terry’s son played at Pitt so they’re always active on game days.
