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Question re: Arkansas games at WMS
Posted on 12/3/13 at 12:13 pm
Posted on 12/3/13 at 12:13 pm
How divided is the state on this? I ask because I do a decent amount of political consulting/lobbying work with a group based in Little Rock who are all big Arkansas fans but seem to be pretty upset. Granted, I think they go to a few games in Fayetteville a year but they seem really mad about going down to one game at WMS. I told them I thought it was good for Arkansas as playing "home" games away from campus doesn't make much sense to me in this day and age. One of my associates sent this article, selecting the following passage, to me this morning saying that it reflected his feelings:
Arkansas lost something that can never be recaptured
I don't want to take anecdotal evidence based on a few people as gospel so I'm curious as to what the feeling seems to be in Little Rock and the surrounding area about the move.
quote:
Given the small population base and the low number of wealthy Arkansans, the University of Arkansas is and will continue to be a middle-of-the-pack program in football in the SEC with occasional good seasons. That’s not going to change regardless of where home games are played. There are certain economic realities that simply must be faced. To give Jeff Long his due, please understand that he’s forced to play with a short deck financially compared with most institutions in the conference. As a native Arkansan, I would love to see the Razorbacks be a consistent powerhouse in football. It would make each fall fun. Guess what? It’s not going to happen.
As you face the harsh reality that the state will never have a football program that contends for national championships year in and year out, what are you left with when you abandon the very traditions that once made you unique and drew national attention?
What are you left with when you jettison the tradition of splitting home games between two stadiums and just play them all at home like most everyone else?
What are you left with when you replace red helmets with gray helmets and red jerseys with gray jerseys at home because you’re told that “kids are different these days?”
Arkansas lost something that can never be recaptured
I don't want to take anecdotal evidence based on a few people as gospel so I'm curious as to what the feeling seems to be in Little Rock and the surrounding area about the move.
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Posted on 12/3/13 at 12:16 pm to Politiceaux
I'm in a LR suburb and I agree with this move. It's much, much easier to get to Fayetteville now than it used to be and we'll be adding Jerry World back in the rotation. Think if we had 2 in WMS and 1 in Jerry World....it kind of sucks for the season ticket holders who pay a lot of money.
We lost money playing at WMS and no matter what any of them say, that's the bottom line.
We lost money playing at WMS and no matter what any of them say, that's the bottom line.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 12:58 pm to Politiceaux
I've got some great memories at WMS but the place is a dump and it's time to move on.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 12:59 pm to Politiceaux
quote:Not true at all, but ok.
To give Jeff Long his due, please understand that he’s forced to play with a short deck financially compared with most institutions in the conference.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 1:11 pm to Politiceaux
Financially, our athletic department does fine. That article is stupid.
But there is a divide and it seems strongest this way:
Non-alum, Central and Southern Arkansas - Generally favor keeping two games in WMS
Alumni living in Central and Southern Arkansas - pretty even split between keeping WMS games and getting rid of them.
Northwestern Arkansas regardless of affiliation - Move all the games to Fayetteville for good.
But there is a divide and it seems strongest this way:
Non-alum, Central and Southern Arkansas - Generally favor keeping two games in WMS
Alumni living in Central and Southern Arkansas - pretty even split between keeping WMS games and getting rid of them.
Northwestern Arkansas regardless of affiliation - Move all the games to Fayetteville for good.
This post was edited on 12/3/13 at 1:14 pm
Posted on 12/3/13 at 1:24 pm to Politiceaux
quote:
There are certain economic realities that simply must be faced. To give Jeff Long his due, please understand that he’s forced to play with a short deck financially compared with most institutions in the conference.
This is so wrong that it's laughable.
See? I just lol'd.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 2:49 pm to Politiceaux
quote:
Arkansas lost something that can never be recaptured
I don't want to take anecdotal evidence based on a few people as gospel so I'm curious as to what the feeling seems to be in Little Rock and the surrounding area about the move.
People outside Arkansas don't realize this is a hack article by a hack author. The author's very premise is myopic and he's ingratiating himself with his Central Arkansas readership.
I have never understood how the fan bases at other school's can travel to their university but ours can't. Really? We're not the only poor southern state where some fans have to travel to get to the game.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 3:00 pm to Politiceaux
Outsider's opinion.
I find it a bit archaic that Arkansas still holds games at WMS. It seems pointless. Play your home games at home, where they belong. If people really want to see Arkansas football, they can and will travel to Fayetteville. That cool little creation called the interstate makes it easy.
We have moved past the days where War Memorial Stadiums and Legion Fields are needed.
I find it a bit archaic that Arkansas still holds games at WMS. It seems pointless. Play your home games at home, where they belong. If people really want to see Arkansas football, they can and will travel to Fayetteville. That cool little creation called the interstate makes it easy.
We have moved past the days where War Memorial Stadiums and Legion Fields are needed.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 3:12 pm to Politiceaux
It doesn't bother me in the least if all the games are in Fayetteville. I despise losing.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 3:15 pm to Politiceaux
I'd say the majority of fans from southern or eastern Arkansas are big supporters of games at WMS. That's all they've ever known and probably as far as they drive to go to a game. These are the people that bitch about moving games to campus. These are also the people that just buy a Hog shirt at Walmart.
Posted on 12/3/13 at 4:56 pm to Politiceaux
quote:
How divided is the state on this? I ask because I do a decent amount of political consulting/lobbying work with a group based in Little Rock who are all big Arkansas fans but seem to be pretty upset.
Honestly, it's a vocal minority who like to hear themselves talk.
It's not really that divided -- disconnected people just act like it is in order to gin up controversy and manufacture discord that isn't there.
Given that Little Rock has really crapped the bed the last few years (0-4, drew less than 48,000 to both games this year), it seems as if fewer and fewer people are as upset about this as they once were.
This post was edited on 12/3/13 at 5:01 pm
Posted on 12/3/13 at 6:14 pm to Politiceaux
quote:
How divided is the state on this?
Everybody except half of LR and a few south Arkansas fans support this move
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