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So, I woke up this morning and while trying to get my senses of what I was going to do today, a random thought popped in my head. The Missouri Valley Conference typically gets at least one ESPN or ESPN2 game during the year (outside of Bracket Busters). The last few years, the games have been SIU and Creighton (b/c they were the two teams from the Valley to make it to the tourney). I wonder, since UNI and SIU were the two teams to make it to the tourney last year, if UNI will get a shot at getting an ESPN game this year.
Two things to think about. One, how cool would it be to have an ESPN game in the Dome? I mean, seriously, think about how many people it could/would attract to the Dome. I think that student attendance will be way up next year, but for this game, even more people would come to it if the game were to be at home and on ESPN. UNI is the only conference team that could put 20,000+ in our home facility. If UNI were able to put on a good show, that would be so sweet, not only in terms of future recruiting, but a great national showing also. Most big time schools can't imagine the smaller schools bringing 15,000 to a game, and this would be the perfect time to show the nation what we are capable of here at UNI.
Two, the Missouri Valley games that are televised on ESPN are typically Saturday afternoon games. So, we should be able to bring in our alumni from around Iowa and the midwest. I think this would be a great marketing strategy if we were to have a game on ESPN and in the Dome. There could be a massive alumni and student weekend that could surround the game, which would make people want to come to the Dome to watch UNI play whomever (I imagine it would probably be SIU since they made the tourney, but you never know). Saturday afternoon games allow families to come to the game that normally couldn't b/c of bed times/weekday events.
Obviously, all of this would be nonexistent if UNI were not on ESPN and not playing at home. But, the trend over the past few years has shown that the two teams that make the tourney, also play on ESPN/ESPN2 during some part of the year. Another thing to think about is that UNI will be hosting a Bracket Busters III game this year, which has the opportunity of being on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN+. We could finally show what we can do as a university on a national stage. Very nice, in my opinion! What's everyone else think?
When was the last game ESPN televised in the Dome?
Two things to think about. One, how cool would it be to have an ESPN game in the Dome? I mean, seriously, think about how many people it could/would attract to the Dome. I think that student attendance will be way up next year, but for this game, even more people would come to it if the game were to be at home and on ESPN. UNI is the only conference team that could put 20,000+ in our home facility. If UNI were able to put on a good show, that would be so sweet, not only in terms of future recruiting, but a great national showing also. Most big time schools can't imagine the smaller schools bringing 15,000 to a game, and this would be the perfect time to show the nation what we are capable of here at UNI.
Two, the Missouri Valley games that are televised on ESPN are typically Saturday afternoon games. So, we should be able to bring in our alumni from around Iowa and the midwest. I think this would be a great marketing strategy if we were to have a game on ESPN and in the Dome. There could be a massive alumni and student weekend that could surround the game, which would make people want to come to the Dome to watch UNI play whomever (I imagine it would probably be SIU since they made the tourney, but you never know). Saturday afternoon games allow families to come to the game that normally couldn't b/c of bed times/weekday events.
Obviously, all of this would be nonexistent if UNI were not on ESPN and not playing at home. But, the trend over the past few years has shown that the two teams that make the tourney, also play on ESPN/ESPN2 during some part of the year. Another thing to think about is that UNI will be hosting a Bracket Busters III game this year, which has the opportunity of being on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN+. We could finally show what we can do as a university on a national stage. Very nice, in my opinion! What's everyone else think?
When was the last game ESPN televised in the Dome?
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