13 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

The Maryland Terrapins have stated that they want more of their games to be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. The Terps have been trying to expand their fan-base and recruiting-base into the Baltimore area for years. Firstly, would any of you Baltimore-area fans be more likely to attend a Terps game if it was at M&T? And secondly, do you think this is a good idea for the Terps?

 

Personally, I wouldn't be more likely to attend a game at M&T, but can understand the appeal. I'd rather get the full college experience and see a game at Byrd Stadium. It's worth the trip for me. 

 

I also think it's a good thing that the program is trying to expand the fan-base. Maryland is a very small state, so it's not like they have to travel far to expand it. The Maryland name is already growing, and more games at M&T coupled with a Big Ten Conference move could really help push the Maryland brand north into Baltimore.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Frankly, I'd rather watch the game at home vs. M&T or Byrd... but if I were going to go to a game... M&T would be more likely. I think playing at Byrd is better for having a true home environment however. Playing at M&T makes sense financially though, and that is the bottom-line.

 

Maybe it will also help with keeping Baltimore's best talent home.

[Oriole85]

The Maryland Terrapins have stated that they want more of their games to be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. The Terps have been trying to expand their fan-base and recruiting-base into the Baltimore area for years. Firstly, would any of you Baltimore-area fans be more likely to attend a Terps game if it was at M&T? And secondly, do you think this is a good idea for the Terps?

 

Personally, I wouldn't be more likely to attend a game at M&T, but can understand the appeal. I'd rather get the full college experience and see a game at Byrd Stadium. It's worth the trip for me. 

 

I also think it's a good thing that the program is trying to expand the fan-base. Maryland is a very small state, so it's not like they have to travel far to expand it. The Maryland name is already growing, and more games at M&T coupled with a Big Ten Conference move could really help push the Maryland brand north into Baltimore.

From a completely non-financial perspective, I don't like this at all. I get it against marquee non-conference opponents like Notre Dame, Bama, etc, it's a necessary evil to playing them as they wouldn't likely agree to go to Byrd. As part of their home-and-home with Texas, they are playing at FedEx after all.

 

It be interesting to do a study of how many Baltimore fans wouldn't attend the same marquee games (WVU/PSU) in CP? If anything, I think an out-of-conference game "cupcake" game people would be less likely to travel too.

 

Speaking of traveling, were not talking about a day trip. As you mentioned Maryland geographically is a small state. As I've used this example already, this isn't Wazzu where you need to get to Seattle. CP and Baltimore aren't that far apart.

 

I'd rather them hold spring practices, maybe even the Spring Game in Baltimore, than move games off-campus. If they ever want to be taken seriously in football, they'll need to play virtually their whole home schedule at home.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CP isn't far, but people in Baltimore are far more likely to go to M&T I believe.

 

While I said I understand the financial benefit, one other aspect is season tickets. If you buy season tickets for games at Byrd, do you get the game at M&T?

[Oriole85]

CP isn't far, but people in Baltimore are far more likely to go to M&T I believe.

 

While I said I understand the financial benefit, one other aspect is season tickets. If you buy season tickets for games at Byrd, do you get the game at M&T?

I think moving it to M&T if anything will increase the turnout for the opposing teams.

 

My guess is they'll include in the season tickets. That's what they did at Colorado with the CSU game in Denver (many CU fans hate this btw). If it's a Maryland home game, I think they'll want to keep their "base" at the games, knowing how many opposing fans will be there.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I think moving it to M&T if anything will increase the turnout for the opposing teams.

 

My guess is they'll include in the season tickets. That's what they did at Colorado with the CSU game in Denver (many CU fans hate this btw). If it's a Maryland home game, I think they'll want to keep their "base" at the games, knowing how many opposing fans will be there.

 

I agree about the opposing team turnout. That's what I was alluding to in my initial post. If I were going to a game, I'd rather it be at M&T personally, but the better home environment would be at Byrd.

 

When Penn State comes to Baltimore, the stadium is going to be at-least 40% PS fans. They would have fans at Byrd, but I don't think as much.

If they include the games at M&T as part of the season tickets, then I understand the decision as a whole I guess. It's a financial win, and you potentially get more people in Baltimore interested in the program.

[You Play to Win the Game]

So much for the move to the B1G helping sell those infamous Byrd suites... not if you're going to move the premiere games out of CP, which I feared all along. It seems the financial benefit of playing at M&T outweighs that though, I guess. Still, outside of the financial upside, I'm not a fan of this at all. (Other than 1-game a year, 2 at the most).

[BSLChrisStoner]

So much for the move to the B1G helping sell those infamous Byrd suites... not if you're going to move the premiere games out of CP, which I feared all along. It seems the financial benefit of playing at M&T outweighs that though, I guess. Still, outside of the financial upside, I'm not a fan of this at all. (Other than 1-game a year, 2 at the most).

 

Yep, you would think helping selling the suites would be incentive to keep the games at CP.... I read this as them throwing in the towel on that.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Yep, you would think helping selling the suites would be incentive to keep the games at CP.... I read this as them throwing in the towel on that.

 

Same here. I guess it is what it is in that regard, but I was hoping that'd be enough reason to try and have more premiere games at CP. 

[BSLMikeLowe]

CP isn't far, but people in Baltimore are far more likely to go to M&T I believe.

 

While I said I understand the financial benefit, one other aspect is season tickets. If you buy season tickets for games at Byrd, do you get the game at M&T?

IIRC, the 2005 game vs Navy was optional with the season ticket purchase, although that was a bit different since the opponent was Navy and therefore it was more of a neutral site game than a home-away-from-home game. I'm sure if you go to UM's website and check season tix you'll get a better answer, with the WVU game at M&T this year.

 

I mentioned it before, but I can see where some Baltimore area fans would be more inclined to attend a game at M&T than in College Park. While I never considered it a long drive on a Saturday, some people simply have a different perspective. I did really enjoy going to that Navy game though. Other than the novelty of finally getting to play the only other in-state FBS team, it was nice to only have to drive 5 minutes (I lived in Canton) get an earlier start tailgating, and stay later waiting for the parking lot to clear knowing you only had a few minutes drive to get home.

 

The conundrum with the M&T games though is that for it to work (i.e. for everyone involved to make money) it has to be an attractive opponent. And if you take away an attractive opponent from of Byrd, you have more difficulty selling all of those recently built suites and premium seats that UM is paying for that, last I heard, are 33% unsold. But I guess UM has run the numbers on it, and if they truly desire to play in Baltimore more frequently then there must be an inherent advantage there.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I think moving it to M&T if anything will increase the turnout for the opposing teams.

 

My guess is they'll include in the season tickets. That's what they did at Colorado with the CSU game in Denver (many CU fans hate this btw). If it's a Maryland home game, I think they'll want to keep their "base" at the games, knowing how many opposing fans will be there.

And the opponents they have been scheduling there is not a coincidence. WVU and VA Tech have always had fans in very large numbers at Byrd. With even more tickets available there's no reason to expect that won't be the case at M&T. And I would expect a huge amount of Penn St fans at the 2015 game (think Yankees games at OPACY, circa early 2000's).

[Oriole85]

I agree about the opposing team turnout. That's what I was alluding to in my initial post. If I were going to a game, I'd rather it be at M&T personally, but the better home environment would be at Byrd.

 

When Penn State comes to Baltimore, the stadium is going to be at-least 40% PS fans. They would have fans at Byrd, but I don't think as much.

If they include the games at M&T as part of the season tickets, then I understand the decision as a whole I guess. It's a financial win, and you potentially get more people in Baltimore interested in the program.

They had a good season, don't get me wrong, but I'll be interested to see how they do this year and next. If things aren't looking good for them, with them still being on probation, I could see many of their fans skipping out. In a pre-scandal environment, I think it would've been atleast 60%, assuming MD STH are the same then as they are now.

[Oriole85]

IIRC, the 2005 game vs Navy was optional with the season ticket purchase, although that was a bit different since the opponent was Navy and therefore it was more of a neutral site game than a home-away-from-home game. I'm sure if you go to UM's website and check season tix you'll get a better answer, with the WVU game at M&T this year.

 

I mentioned it before, but I can see where some Baltimore area fans would be more inclined to attend a game at M&T than in College Park. While I never considered it a long drive on a Saturday, some people simply have a different perspective. I did really enjoy going to that Navy game though. Other than the novelty of finally getting to play the only other in-state FBS team, it was nice to only have to drive 5 minutes (I lived in Canton) get an earlier start tailgating, and stay later waiting for the parking lot to clear knowing you only had a few minutes drive to get home.

 

The conundrum with the M&T games though is that for it to work (i.e. for everyone involved to make money) it has to be an attractive opponent. And if you take away an attractive opponent from of Byrd, you have more difficulty selling all of those recently built suites and premium seats that UM is paying for that, last I heard, are 33% unsold. But I guess UM has run the numbers on it, and if they truly desire to play in Baltimore more frequently then there must be an inherent advantage there.

The Notre Dame game in 2011 was also optional for STH since it was a ND home game.

 

My dad didn't renew our tickets this year because we were going to be missing the WVU game (same date as my cousin's wedding) among others. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the WVU game is part of the season ticket plan.

[Oriole85]

So much for the move to the B1G helping sell those infamous Byrd suites... not if you're going to move the premiere games out of CP, which I feared all along. It seems the financial benefit of playing at M&T outweighs that though, I guess. Still, outside of the financial upside, I'm not a fan of this at all. (Other than 1-game a year, 2 at the most).

I doubt they are going to do more than two a year, I don't even think they are going to do more than one a year. They could've added Michigan (or Wisconsin) if they wanted to. Like I said the only reason I'm in favor of such a move is if it's to draw a marquee opponent who otherwise wouldn't come here.

 

Do STH pay for suites on the amount of games at Byrd per year or is it the game regardless if it's 5, 6, 7, or 8? I assume suiteholders have the second option to purchase the ones at M&T, the Ravens suiteholders probably have first priority actually. Do the Terps suiteholders get at a discount from the normal rate?