Maturi: Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a box office draw

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Any guesses who? This is per Shama:

"Maturi said the contract hasn’t been signed but it’s likely the Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a local box office draw as part of next fall’s nonconference schedule. The Gophers nonconference home schedule is frequently criticized for not having marquee opponents."

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Any guesses who? This is per Shama:

"Maturi said the contract hasn’t been signed but it’s likely the Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a local box office draw as part of next fall’s nonconference schedule. The Gophers nonconference home schedule is frequently criticized for not having marquee opponents."

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
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I hope it is Marquette.
 

It is hard to imagine any non-conference opponent being a "local" box office draw. I'd like to see a national marquee matchup, like Kentucky or someone like that. As far as local, I'd guess Iowa State, but without Royce White, it isn't as much of a big deal.
 

My guess would be a team in the Battle 4 Atlantis. There are so many good teams in it that if all the teams want to play 31 games next year, some would have to play a "tough" road game with someone in the B4A.

This guess is just based on reasoning, not on anything I've heard.
 

North Dakota State University Bison. :banghead:
 


Kansas? If I remember correctly we were fairly close (or at least were attempting) to setting up a home and home a few years back.
 

balds said:
Kansas? If I remember correctly we were fairly close (or at least were attempting) to setting up a home and home a few years back.
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Yes, KU had agreed (it would have been Cole's junior/last season at KU and they would have played here) and we backed out before it became official for some reason. They would also be my number one hope for a home-and-home. A game at Allen Field House would be an easy and amazing road trip to make and it would be the first time I could walk into AFH and actually care who wins the game, despite having attended more than 75 men's/women's games in that place through the years.

I think GW is on to something with it being a team in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, though the only team I can see agreeing to come here without a return game would be Northern Iowa. This also makes sense with the line about it being a "local" draw, but certainly doesn't fit the "major conference" part of the equation.

It would be nice to get the home-and-home with Marquette up and going again. Really no reason why Marquette, Iowa State and Missouri can't be three regular solid regional games on the home and home schedule. All three are from different conferences now and all should provide good RPI boosts, against teams that we should have a decent shot against on a regular basis (I'm sure they'd put us in the same category - decent name/regional tie/solid shot at winning).

Go Gophers!!
 

I'm with you on KU. My in-laws live in Olathe and are huge Jayhawk fans. Would be fun to make a trip and host them.
 

I think everyone is reading too much in to the "local" part. I doubt Shama meant anything by it. I'm pretty excited to see who it is personally. He said that we typically don't have "marquee" opponents which implies this one is a marquee opponent. Iowa State would be the minimum I would define as marquee, so I'm thinking the opponent will be Iowa St or better.
 



BleedGopher said:
Any guesses who? This is per Shama:

"Maturi said the contract hasn’t been signed but it’s likely the Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a local box office draw as part of next fall’s nonconference schedule. The Gophers nonconference home schedule is frequently criticized for not having marquee opponents."

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Technically, he hasn't ruled out Big Ten opponents...
 


Gotta be either Marquette or Iowa State.

But wouldn't Duke, NC, Syracuse, etc. be local box office draws?? They would draw people locally.
 

brucekaupa said:
Gotta be either Marquette or Iowa State.

But wouldn't Duke, NC, Syracuse, etc. be local box office draws?? They would draw people locally.
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Yea they would but it would be like when the Twolves and Lakers play.
 



Or...ooooo.

Who's a popular local BB player that is playing somewhere else next year?

That would be a local draw...
 

brucekaupa said:
Or...ooooo.

Who's a popular local BB player that is playing somewhere else next year?

Or more likely than that (local players don't become big draws until they hit it somewhere else and are coaches are trashed for missing on them-that takes time) is a mid major with strong local alumni base that would make it attractive. Creighton? UNI? No matter who, we are due for a big game at the Barn that is not given to us by the conference.
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Globetrotters will be one of the exhibition games?
 






Lakeland Dental Academy has openings in their schedule next season. They did beat out Tubby for a couple of recruits.
 


I would agree that Marquette makes the most sense.

Is the Pac 12 still considered a "Major" conference??? Colorado, UW, Cal or Arizona would be good choices.

From the SEC, how about Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M or Arkansas?
 


Historically "major conference" by my definition has always been the Big 6 + the A-10, Conference USA, the Mountain West and (to a lesser extent) the WAC. Certrainly now there are other conferences like the Colonial, MVC & WCC that arguably are stronger than C-USA and the WAC, but I'm thinkin' the "name" opponent (if not from the Big 6) most likely would mean Temple, Xavier, Memphis or even Saint Louis (who should be really good in 2012-13). I'd take any of those 4, though Temple might take a bit of a dip next season.

Though as others have pointed out, someone along the likes of a Gonzaga, VCU, BYU, St. Mary's or Creighton would be fine, too.
 

Based on the "local" angle Maturi went with have to believe it will be St Louis.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Historically "major conference" by my definition has always been the Big 6 + the A-10, Conference USA, the Mountain West and (to a lesser extent) the WAC. Certrainly now there are other conferences like the Colonial, MVC & WCC that arguably are stronger than C-USA and the WAC, but I'm thinkin' the "name" opponent (if not from the Big 6) most likely would mean Temple, Xavier, Memphis or even Saint Louis (who should be really good in 2012-13). I'd take any of those 4, though Temple might take a bit of a dip next season.

Though as others have pointed out, someone along the likes of a Gonzaga, VCU, BYU, St. Mary's or Creighton would be fine, too.
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This is where expectation management needs to come into play. The die-hards recognize that a St. Mary's, Creighton, St. Louis is a very solid opponent, but I can't imagine it will create much buzz amongst the vast majority of season ticket holders and certainly not the casual fan. The walk up ticket sales or secondary market won't be too strong for one of those opponents.

If they are making an effort for a "box office draw" they gotta go big.

Go Gophers!!
 

Gonzaga is kinda a local draw with Dower. Plus from what I understand there are a lot of Gonzaga alums in the Cities.
 

BleedGopher said:
This is where expectation management needs to come into play. The die-hards recognize that a St. Mary's, Creighton, St. Louis is a very solid opponent, but I can't imagine it will create much buzz amongst the vast majority of season ticket holders and certainly not the casual fan. The walk up ticket sales or secondary market won't be too strong for one of those opponents.

If they are making an effort for a "box office draw" they gotta go big.


Go Gophers!!
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This. Unless you follow college basketball closely, there is no way you would be excited and buy tickets if Saint Louis was coming to town. The casual fan wouldn't be able to distinguish St.Louis from a Central Michigan. Needs to be a traditional big school team
 

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