Just some food for thought.

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The University of Minnesota has an on campus enrollment of 51,000 (Top 10 by the way). It is located in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area, which has a metro population of 3.5 million people. There are no other P5 (or Division 1 if you will) schools playing football in Minnesota. UofM has a branch campus system of another 50,000 students.

The University of Pittsburgh has an on campus enrollment of around 30,000. Located in Pittsburgh with a metro population of 2.2 million. PSU is an in state P5 school.

At Minnesota, the two closest P5 schools are Wisconsin (275 miles) and Iowa (300 miles). Minnesota plays in the well established, lucrative Big 10, where even the 6th place team gets "taken care of" at bowl games.

At Pitt, within 300 miles, you have WVU (75 miles), PSU (135 miles), Ohio State (185 miles), Maryland (234 miles), Michigan (284 miles). Forgive me, a few of those schools have fan followings of some repute. This doesn't even consider the Catholic presence of Notre Dame.

Both schools a few years ago hitched on to their local NFL teams and their stadiums. Minnesota, decided it was best to go back on campus because at most, they only draw 50K fans. A school like Minnesota has all the demographics to having a larger fan base than Pitt, and they do, but not by much.

So think about this....this is what we are up against. Most schools just simply can't draw over 50K fans.

 

[PittPoker]

The University of Minnesota has an on campus enrollment of 51,000 (Top 10 by the way). It is located in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area, which has a metro population of 3.5 million people. There are no other P5 (or Division 1 if you will) schools playing football in Minnesota. UofM has a branch campus system of another 50,000 students.

The University of Pittsburgh has an on campus enrollment of around 30,000. Located in Pittsburgh with a metro population of 2.2 million. PSU is an in state P5 school.

At Minnesota, the two closest P5 schools are Wisconsin (275 miles) and Iowa (300 miles). Minnesota plays in the well established, lucrative Big 10, where even the 6th place team gets "taken care of" at bowl games.

At Pitt, within 300 miles, you have WVU (75 miles), PSU (135 miles), Ohio State (185 miles), Maryland (234 miles), Michigan (284 miles). Forgive me, a few of those schools have fan followings of some repute. This doesn't even consider the Catholic presence of Notre Dame.

Both schools a few years ago hitched on to their local NFL teams and their stadiums. Minnesota, decided it was best to go back on campus because at most, they only draw 50K fans. A school like Minnesota has all the demographics to having a larger fan base than Pitt, and they do, but not by much.

So think about this....this is what we are up against. Most schools just simply can't draw over 50K fans.

I thought you were gonna mention the coach. He seems like a good hire.

 

[Pittfan85]

The difference is that the logistics of building a stadium on minnesota's campus were much simpler than building one on Pitt's campus.

 

[Las Panteras]

The difference is that the logistics of building a stadium on minnesota's campus were much simpler than building one on Pitt's campus.

That is THE difference?? really??

You just read the original post outlining the challenges we face versus those of UM.....and you believe the logistics of building a stadium is all that stand between Pitt and a new crib......

 

[UPitt '89]

The University of Minnesota has an on campus enrollment of 51,000 (Top 10 by the way). It is located in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area, which has a metro population of 3.5 million people. There are no other P5 (or Division 1 if you will) schools playing football in Minnesota. UofM has a branch campus system of another 50,000 students.

The University of Pittsburgh has an on campus enrollment of around 30,000. Located in Pittsburgh with a metro population of 2.2 million. PSU is an in state P5 school.

At Minnesota, the two closest P5 schools are Wisconsin (275 miles) and Iowa (300 miles). Minnesota plays in the well established, lucrative Big 10, where even the 6th place team gets "taken care of" at bowl games.

At Pitt, within 300 miles, you have WVU (75 miles), PSU (135 miles), Ohio State (185 miles), Maryland (234 miles), Michigan (284 miles). Forgive me, a few of those schools have fan followings of some repute. This doesn't even consider the Catholic presence of Notre Dame.

Both schools a few years ago hitched on to their local NFL teams and their stadiums. Minnesota, decided it was best to go back on campus because at most, they only draw 50K fans. A school like Minnesota has all the demographics to having a larger fan base than Pitt, and they do, but not by much.

So think about this....this is what we are up against. Most schools just simply can't draw over 50K fans.

Which is a roundabout way, owtie, of saying that 40k for a Pitt game is not a bad crowd.

Tarp the upper decks and be done with it. There isnt going to be a new stadium, so let's right-size the nice one we've got.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Which is a roundabout way, owtie, of saying that 40k for a Pitt game is not a bad crowd.

Tarp the upper decks and be done with it. There isnt going to be a new stadium, so let's right-size the nice one we've got.

Especially with the years of mediocrity. I mean we excited the masses a bit when Heinz was knew and we were coming out of our Temple redux stage, but then when you started to get casual fans coming over to Pitt football, Whack. Pitt, Pitted. And the locals went home more disappointed than happy. And we are where we are.

 

[BFo8]

For me the excitement of Heinz began to wear off when Antonio Bryant got hurt on the punt return against South Florida. It dimmed further when we kept running the ball out of the spread for no gain play after play. By the time USF pulled away the bloom was definitely off the rose.

 

[Tony Zimmermans Dennys Adversary]

For me the excitement of Heinz began to wear off when Antonio Bryant got hurt on the punt return against South Florida. It dimmed further when we kept running the ball out of the spread for no gain play after play. By the time USF pulled away the bloom was definitely off the rose.

That game is right up there with the beating we took last saturday. Those are the 2 worst losses that Pitt has had @ Heinz IMO.

 

[Jakey_John]

I was at that game with my mom and dad. His friend was visiting for Atlanta. Not a fun day.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

That game is right up there with the beating we took last saturday. Those are the 2 worst losses that Pitt has had @ Heinz IMO.

Youngstown State says hello

 

[Tony Zimmermans Dennys Adversary]

Youngstown State says hello

I wasn't in the stands for that one, so it doesn't hurt as bad, personally.

 

[Jakey_John]

One of the more underrated games at Heinz was the same year later in the season after Pitt lost to USF. They played VT and absolutely ran them out of the stadium. That was a great day.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

There are so many possibilities that there isn't a wrong answer..

Owtahear

Are you going to find my phone number and call threats out to me too?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The University of Minnesota has an on campus enrollment of 51,000 (Top 10 by the way). It is located in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area, which has a metro population of 3.5 million people. There are no other P5 (or Division 1 if you will) schools playing football in Minnesota. UofM has a branch campus system of another 50,000 students.

The University of Pittsburgh has an on campus enrollment of around 30,000. Located in Pittsburgh with a metro population of 2.2 million. PSU is an in state P5 school.

At Minnesota, the two closest P5 schools are Wisconsin (275 miles) and Iowa (300 miles). Minnesota plays in the well established, lucrative Big 10, where even the 6th place team gets "taken care of" at bowl games.

At Pitt, within 300 miles, you have WVU (75 miles), PSU (135 miles), Ohio State (185 miles), Maryland (234 miles), Michigan (284 miles). Forgive me, a few of those schools have fan followings of some repute. This doesn't even consider the Catholic presence of Notre Dame.

Both schools a few years ago hitched on to their local NFL teams and their stadiums. Minnesota, decided it was best to go back on campus because at most, they only draw 50K fans. A school like Minnesota has all the demographics to having a larger fan base than Pitt, and they do, but not by much.

So think about this....this is what we are up against. Most schools just simply can't draw over 50K fans.

No fool believes Pitt can consistently draw 50K fans per game. As I've said, become Alabama or Ohio State, then you will see 50K or 60K for games vs Duke or UVa. If not, you cant draw that number consistently.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The University of Minnesota has an on campus enrollment of 51,000 (Top 10 by the way). It is located in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area, which has a metro population of 3.5 million people. There are no other P5 (or Division 1 if you will) schools playing football in Minnesota. UofM has a branch campus system of another 50,000 students.

The University of Pittsburgh has an on campus enrollment of around 30,000. Located in Pittsburgh with a metro population of 2.2 million. PSU is an in state P5 school.

At Minnesota, the two closest P5 schools are Wisconsin (275 miles) and Iowa (300 miles). Minnesota plays in the well established, lucrative Big 10, where even the 6th place team gets "taken care of" at bowl games.

At Pitt, within 300 miles, you have WVU (75 miles), PSU (135 miles), Ohio State (185 miles), Maryland (234 miles), Michigan (284 miles). Forgive me, a few of those schools have fan followings of some repute. This doesn't even consider the Catholic presence of Notre Dame.

Both schools a few years ago hitched on to their local NFL teams and their stadiums. Minnesota, decided it was best to go back on campus because at most, they only draw 50K fans. A school like Minnesota has all the demographics to having a larger fan base than Pitt, and they do, but not by much.

So think about this....this is what we are up against. Most schools just simply can't draw over 50K fans.

And it was only a 30 minute walk from the edge of Minnesota's campus to the MetroDome/US Bank Stadium.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

And it was only a 30 minute walk from the edge of Minnesota's campus to the MetroDome/US Bank Stadium.

Well my point is, Big School, Big Conference, Big City, no collegiate competition, but still just way down the locals radar in regards to college sports.