Here’s something that will shock Badger fans worldwide — the SEC is scared of playing at Camp Randall. OK, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it also may not be far off after comments made by Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez during Big Ten media days.
Speaking to Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal, Alvarez made it very clear that both future SEC opponents — LSU and Alabama — wanted no part of a home-and-home series.
“They weren’t interested,” he told Baggot.
As for the motivation behind the lack of interest? Alvarez wasn’t tipping his hand.
“They wouldn’t tell you why. They just weren’t interested.”
However, one has to think it’s all about one thing and one thing only — cash money baby.
Alvarez didn’t have to say it, but head coach Gary Andersen hinted at it.
“Coach Alvarez did a great job of starting the whole conversation to getting this game and, as it went forward, it was very obvious that if we were going to play these games, they were going to get played on a neutral field,” Andersen said.
“But you would love to play it in Camp Randall. Going down to Death Valley would be a great experience, a very difficult place to play.”
Sure sounds like money was all that mattered in this deal, and the Alabama deal too.
Don’t believe me?
Just take a look at the haul LSU and Wisconsin will get for their games at NRG Stadium this year and at Lambeau Field in 2016. Wisconsin gets a $2 million guarantee for the 2014 contest, while LSU is getting $2.1 million in 2016 — both as the the “away” teams.
The great unknown is if the Badgers would come out ahead without the neutral site series against LSU. Typical visitors to Camp Randall earn nowhere near the $2 million both teams are expected to get as the “visiting” teams in these two games.
What could’ve been the difference maker in making up the gap in revenue? Control over game day revenues in the stadium, and that’s because both the Packers (who control Lambeau Field) and Texans (NRG Stadium) have control over the game day revenue in these two games.
Alvarez would’ve likely needed to come up with $1 to $1.5 million in game day revenue to make up the difference. That’s because, according to a report by the Wisconsin State Journal earlier this year, Wisconsin earns between $3 million and $3.5 million for a typical home game.
That doesn’t include giving its opponent between $750,000 and $1 million for non-conference games on a typical basis.
Economically, its hard to see how the neutral site games don’t make sense for both sides, given the variables that would have to work exactly right to make up the difference. However, there are other concerns the schools should have in these events.
What about fans who will be forced to travel to Texas to open the season for two years in a row? For most Wisconsin fans, its an either-or proposition — either they head to Texas to see the season opener or save up for potential Big Ten championship games and bowl games.
It’s not as easy of a sell as the powers that be were thinking when those deals were put together.
Then there’s the potential economic boon to having LSU or Alabama coming to town instead of Austin Peay and UMass. We all know SEC fans travel and those two programs are among the best at it. Pretty sure the Madison-area would’ve loved the boost in tourism and all that comes with a high-profile opponent coming to town.
On the flip side, what exactly is the incentive to the SEC schools coming up to Camp Randall? Wisconsin is one of the most consistent teams at home and overall. It has had nine wins or more in eight of the last 10 years heading in to this season, and it’s combined 49-19 record is 12th-best in the country over the last five years.
Add in the fact that Wisconsin’s home record is 25-3 over the last four years and the incentive to head towards Camp Randall isn’t exactly there. Drop the game on the field and it could ruin a chance at a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Off the field, why would you pass up a chance at an extra $1 to $2 million in revenue and run the risk of getting behind the rest of the conference?
The fact is, schools like LSU and Alabama could’ve gone anywhere and to virtually anyone they wanted to to play these games. Such is the power the SEC holds over the rest of the college football world.
Question is, will the SEC ever be a willing dance partner on a home-and-home? Maybe the money from the SEC Network changes things for those schools…either that or they just have become too comfortable with their rise to power in the college football world.
Yet, that appears not to be stopping Alvarez from trying hard to secure a home-and-home with someone from that conference down south.
“I’ve approached a lot of those (SEC) schools,” Alvarez told Baggot. “I have one that we’re talking to for a home-and-home, but we’re just in the infant stages of it.”
Just don’t expect it to be Arkansas, as Alvarez was quick to nix that deal.
However, if the SEC won’t be a willing partner, perhaps continuing to look out west to the Pac-12 would be a wise decision. There’s little question that the conference is on the rise, and getting in on Oregon, USC, UCLA or Stanford would be just as advantageous as anything the SEC could offer to the Badgers.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
