The deal is near finalized for #UCLA football to play its home games in SoFi Stadium.

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For the students it’s not much difference, shuttle bus either way. UCLA may be trying to attract more season ticket holders with the nicer amenities of SoFi?
 

PMWinSTP said:
Experience would have been better, IMHO. If it were to be done now, I think it would be pretty successful with the ease of light rail to get students to and from campus. "Rebranding" it would be way easier with all the technology we have in these new NFL stadiums. Having said that, I would not trade HB Stadium for USB stadium, period. U did fantastic job with that facility.
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I went to a couple games at the dome back when I was a student in the 90's. It sucked and it was BECAUSE it wasn't on campus, not because the dome was old, at least to me. I just don't think a shiny new stadium would have mattered much. You've got to have the stadium on campus. Location, Location, Location! The feel is SOOO much better now. The two are not even comparable. The U lost a whole generation of fans to that move. Some of us are slowly trickling back. Another thing I hate now that I'm older is downtown Minneapolis and I don't think I'm alone. Having the stadium away from downtown is a huge plus for many of us.

UCLA will have to have a really good football team for a long time to make a location 12 miles from campus matter. I agree with Maxy that it's likely better, but still not good. What a mess they have on their hands.

Question: Is there an example of a stadium that is NOT on campus that is awesome? I've been to very few so may well not know what I'm talking about. If yes, is there an example of a stadium 12 MILES from campus?
 

SeaBee_Gopher said:
I went to a couple games at the dome back when I was a student in the 90's. It sucked and it was BECAUSE it wasn't on campus, not because the dome was old, at least to me. I just don't think a shiny new stadium would have mattered much. You've got to have the stadium on campus. Location, Location, Location! The feel is SOOO much better now. The two are not even comparable. The U lost a whole generation of fans to that move. Some of us are slowly trickling back.
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This "losing a generation" narrative because of the move to the Dome is really overblown, and quite frankly I think is false.

Looking at the last 10 years of Memorial Stadium, the average/game attendance was in general comparable and mostly lower than the years at the HHH Dome.

The leanest years 1989-1995, still was pretty comparable to the Brick House, 1971 - 1981.

Once Mason was hired tickets sold were generally pretty solid.

gophersports.com

All-Time Attendance Records - University of Minnesota Athletics

Memorial Stadium Attendance Capacity: 52,809 / 56,652 (1970-81) Year Att. Gm. Largest Crowd Avg. 1924 139,772 6 Illinois (35,341) 23,297 1925 193,707 7 Notre...
gophersports.com gophersports.com

No doubt moving back (in a right sized facility) was the proper move, but I really don't think the Dome "lost" a much of a percentage of the fan base (if any). The benefits are that the University now completely controls the revenue stream.

Per game attendance in the 2021 - 2024 is about the same or even less than some years in 2000 - 2008.
 


Obviously I'm a lay person, but it would seem like the law can force a team to play at a stadium if they don't want to. All it can do is force UCLA to pay dearly to the city.
 

caliGopher said:
Neither stadium is anywhere near the campus. SoFi is shiny and new and will be a better environment for UCLA.

That said, it completely lacks any draw or tie to college football. But yhen again, the Rose Bowl on January first is an amazing experience.

The Rose Bowl at any other time, is a dump.
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SoFi is 13 road miles away from UCLA, while the Rose Bowl is 26 miles away. According to Google maps.


This could be blasphemy, but wonder if the eventual goal is to move the Rose Bowl Game itself to SoFi?
 

GopherGrit said:
SoFi is 13 road miles away from UCLA, while the Rose Bowl is 26 miles away. According to Google maps.


This could be blasphemy, but wonder if the eventual goal is to move the Rose Bowl Game itself to SoFi?
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That would be done by the Rose Bowl folks though, not UCLA.
 

SeaBee_Gopher said:
I went to a couple games at the dome back when I was a student in the 90's. It sucked and it was BECAUSE it wasn't on campus, not because the dome was old, at least to me. I just don't think a shiny new stadium would have mattered much. You've got to have the stadium on campus. Location, Location, Location! The feel is SOOO much better now. The two are not even comparable. The U lost a whole generation of fans to that move. Some of us are slowly trickling back. Another thing I hate now that I'm older is downtown Minneapolis and I don't think I'm alone. Having the stadium away from downtown is a huge plus for many of us.

UCLA will have to have a really good football team for a long time to make a location 12 miles from campus matter. I agree with Maxy that it's likely better, but still not good. What a mess they have on their hands.

Question: Is there an example of a stadium that is NOT on campus that is awesome? I've been to very few so may well not know what I'm talking about. If yes, is there an example of a stadium 12 MILES from campus?
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For comparison, the Dome was only about a half mile further away from the superblock dorms than Camp Randall is from the lakefront dorms at UW (and the dorms located nearer the West Bank were even closer). Yes, it was off campus, but it wasn’t 10-15 miles away either. You could literally see the stadium from the bridges crossing Washington Ave in the heart of campus. My problem going there was that the atmosphere sucked because it was indoors and sterile, not that I couldn’t walk to the stadium (although I could have if I hadn’t done so much pregame drinking).
 



A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
That would be done by the Rose Bowl folks though, not UCLA.
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I should have more clearly said: I wonder if SoFi's goal is ...

And yes I agree, it's not their decision to make. But they can still have that ambition. And try to work the system & powers that be towards that eventual goal
 

GopherGrit said:
I should have more clearly said: I wonder if SoFi's goal is ...

And yes I agree, it's not their decision to make. But they can still have that ambition. And try to work the system & powers that be towards that eventual goal
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Like how the Cotton Bowl isn't played in the Cotton Bowl stadium anymore.
 

disco said:
Like how the Cotton Bowl isn't played in the Cotton Bowl stadium anymore.
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And the Orange Bowl isn't in the Orange Bowl anymore.

I do, however, think that the setting of the Rose Bowl in that stadium at that place on that day when a lot of the rest of the country is settling in for a few more months of winter is more important than any other game. The only other bowl game I can think of where the setting is even remotely as entwined with the game itself is the Sun Bowl.
 

GopherGrit said:
I should have more clearly said: I wonder if SoFi's goal is ...

And yes I agree, it's not their decision to make. But they can still have that ambition. And try to work the system & powers that be towards that eventual goal
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Why would UCLA push for it to be moved?
 




GopherGrit said:
SoFi is 13 road miles away from UCLA, while the Rose Bowl is 26 miles away. According to Google maps.


This could be blasphemy, but wonder if the eventual goal is to move the Rose Bowl Game itself to SoFi?
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Yes. Travel time on a game day to the Rose Bowl is between an hour and hour and a half. Travel time to SoFi would be somehere in the range of 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes.

Miles mean nothing to drives in Southern California. All drives are measured in time. The 405 South from UCLA to SoFi in Inglewood is about an hour most times you'd be heading there for a game, without game traffic.

It may have changed, but I was back in December of last year and from where I was staying to SoFi (went to a concert in the YouTube theatre that's attached to SoFi) the Distance 13 miles. Time - 1 hour 15 minutes. Way home was only 25 minutes, but that was after a stop for dinner before heading back (around midnight).
 
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2nd Degree Gopher said:
And the Orange Bowl isn't in the Orange Bowl anymore.

I do, however, think that the setting of the Rose Bowl in that stadium at that place on that day when a lot of the rest of the country is settling in for a few more months of winter is more important than any other game. The only other bowl game I can think of where the setting is even remotely as entwined with the game itself is the Sun Bowl.
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This.

The Rose Bowl is also a part of the Tournament of Roses and parade, all owned by the city of Pasadena so I think that makes it less likely, but if UCLA leaves, and the Rose Bowl can't attract other major events over the likes of SoFi or the Colussium, it's possible if the stadium falls into disrepair.
 


Ope3 said:
I disagree with your assessment of the Rose Bowl. For an afternoon game at any time of year, I think it's a fabulous setting with San Gabriel Mountains in the backdrop.

It is quite a hassle to exit from, but that's not unique.
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The view is great (great walk from our AirBnB) but the stadium is junk. And the sound quality is horrendous!
 

Ope3 said:
This "losing a generation" narrative because of the move to the Dome is really overblown, and quite frankly I think is false.

Looking at the last 10 years of Memorial Stadium, the average/game attendance was in general comparable and mostly lower than the years at the HHH Dome.

The leanest years 1989-1995, still was pretty comparable to the Brick House, 1971 - 1981.

Once Mason was hired tickets sold were generally pretty solid.

gophersports.com

All-Time Attendance Records - University of Minnesota Athletics

Memorial Stadium Attendance Capacity: 52,809 / 56,652 (1970-81) Year Att. Gm. Largest Crowd Avg. 1924 139,772 6 Illinois (35,341) 23,297 1925 193,707 7 Notre...
gophersports.com gophersports.com

No doubt moving back (in a right sized facility) was the proper move, but I really don't think the Dome "lost" a much of a percentage of the fan base (if any). The benefits are that the University now completely controls the revenue stream.

Per game attendance in the 2021 - 2024 is about the same or even less than some years in 2000 - 2008.
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I was raised on the Dome...went to the U and had tickets at the Dome. The Dome wasn't why attendance issues existed the team was.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
And the Orange Bowl isn't in the Orange Bowl anymore.

I do, however, think that the setting of the Rose Bowl in that stadium at that place on that day when a lot of the rest of the country is settling in for a few more months of winter is more important than any other game. The only other bowl game I can think of where the setting is even remotely as entwined with the game itself is the Sun Bowl.
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I went to the Orange Bowl once for a Miami vs. Va Tech game sat with the big money donors as I knew someone who worked with alumni. That place was weak...

I came home though and told everyone I knew that this kid Devin Hester needed to be drafted by the Vikes...
 

Dave H said:
I was raised on the Dome...went to the U and had tickets at the Dome. The Dome wasn't why attendance issues existed the team was.
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While I did attend a couple of games at Memorial Stadium, it was the brief Holtz era that ignited my passion for Gopher football as I was entering HS. Also helped that a few more games were being televised at that time with cable gaining traction.
 

Dave H said:
The view is great (great walk from our AirBnB) but the stadium is junk. And the sound quality is horrendous!
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The quality of the Rose Bowl isn't very different from many, many college stadiums. Not having a traditional indoor concourse really reduces the clogging that always happens in those. The tunnels into the seating area are really narrow, however, which would probably be problematic when the stadium is full.

I'm sure SoFi is a wonderful stadium. Watching an NFL game there would probably be fun. Honestly, would have no interest in watching a college game there. Much different vibe that doesn't do much for me.
 


disco said:
Well yes, but the Orange Bowl was torn down. The Cotton Bowl stadium is still there.
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Since the 1990s, Oklahoma has gone from the Big 8 to the Big 12 to the SEC. Texas has gone from the SWC to the Big 12 to the SEC.

They still play the Red River Rivalry though in the Cotton Bowl, probably to Jerry Jones dismay.
 

Ope3 said:
Since the 1990s, Oklahoma has gone from the Big 8 to the Big 12 to the SEC. Texas has gone from the SWC to the Big 12 to the SEC.

They still play the Red River Rivalry though in the Cotton Bowl, probably to Jerry Jones dismay.
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I can't believe Jerry is still alive.
 

They will be 3rd fiddle. Basically the Los Angeles Sparks in the Staples Center. So lame. (I’m from L.A.) UCLA ain’t even trying anymore. What a shame. They were solid in the 90’s
 

Dave H said:
I was raised on the Dome...went to the U and had tickets at the Dome. The Dome wasn't why attendance issues existed the team was.
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I was raised on the dome too and had student tickets there. It wasn't the only problem but was part of it.
 

forever a gopher said:
The quality of the Rose Bowl isn't very different from many, many college stadiums. Not having a traditional indoor concourse really reduces the clogging that always happens in those. The tunnels into the seating area are really narrow, however, which would probably be problematic when the stadium is full.

I'm sure SoFi is a wonderful stadium. Watching an NFL game there would probably be fun. Honestly, would have no interest in watching a college game there. Much different vibe that doesn't do much for me.
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Modern NFL stadiums like US Bank are football studios more than stadiums. That UCLA blue and gold has always looked best in the sun of SoCal. Pretty similar to how our colors look best outdoors in the fall.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
They will be 3rd fiddle. Basically the Los Angeles Sparks in the Staples Center. So lame. (I’m from L.A.) UCLA ain’t even trying anymore. What a shame. They were solid in the 90’s
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It's an additional guaranteed seven days of revenue.
 

PMWinSTP said:
OK, your response sounded like that, when you said "they" who did you mean?
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The post you are referring to, in the first sentence I was making a clarification to an earlier post by specifying SoFi.

That is the they I was then referring to in the latter part of the post.
 

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