(01-17-2022 09:54 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(01-17-2022 07:58 PM)Outsider Wrote:  

(01-17-2022 05:42 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(01-16-2022 06:17 PM)Outsider Wrote:  

(01-16-2022 05:25 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  That’s a good looking soccer stadium. I’m sure it would transition to football.

Based on the idea of proposed, I assume they are looking at their options as we speak?

I think HEB Park is a better option than Sam's Memorial in Brownsville.

The main proposal floating around is just what you said: HEB Park for the Edinburg games and Sam's Memorial for the Brownsville games. And you're also right that people seem to agree that HEB is better. But the university sold the games-in-two-cities promise really hard, so I think there's no going back on that, unless we try it for several years and the attendance is several times larger in Edinburg (which could happen).

I think those two got picked mainly for capacity. If we're more realistic about attendance there are plenty of other options; Sam's is a HS stadium anyway so no harm in looking at others. I just don't see any new stadiums being built unless a billionaire has a whim. Elon Musk is buying property and driving up prices in B'Ville but shows no interest in sports, much less FCS startups.

The idea to split home games between two cities seems strange. There is no real homefield. The UTRGV fanbase may truly be that spread-out, but doesn't that keep the fanbase split and prevent them from coming together? The HS football stadium isn't necessarily the issue. ACU had to do it for decades before finally getting the donor base to build Wildcat Stadium back on campus. HEB is the nicer stadium in my opinion, but I would think that UTRGV would want to build a fanbase that is united, rather than split, either way. I am sure there will be some fans that go to both.

You're right but it's one of many issues caused by the "merger". It boils down to two facts: (a) the students and locals in Brownsville always suspect they are being treated as 2nd class, but their votes were needed for the referendum, and (b) the two cities are represented by different legislators and different county commissioners, and keeping them happy is necessary to even have money and approval for football, much less salaries, classrooms, etc.

I sympathize a little bit with the Brownsville guys. (Not enough to agree with this wacky plan, but a little.) They had their own sports teams, D2 but some of them were very good, especially volleyball. They lost all that in the merger when the state said UTRGV would inherit the UTPA D1 programs and conference membership.

I don't know the geography well enough, but is there a location close to halfway between the two cities, say on the county line where UTRGV could eventually build a stadium.

I think I can understand the situation between the school and the two cities. I hope that things will work out. An on-campus stadium really does help for that home game atmosphere, but if it isn't possible...it isn't possible. If the different crowds can eventually rally around the school & the team, then maybe a single stadium can come into development.

(11-23-2021 10:32 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(11-23-2021 12:29 AM)edinburger Wrote:  

(11-23-2021 12:05 AM)WACfan86 Wrote:  Also I call the Longhorns TU because I cannot stand their fans.

I graduated from UT Austin. But go ahead and call it TU, I never was much of a fan.

My impression is that valley HS football is more competitive at a state level than valley HS basketball. So maybe running the football team on partly local talent would not be completely unrealistic?

From what I read the Valley is way lacking in talent compared to most regions in the state. According to the current Dave Campbells magazine the RGV produced two FBS recruits last cycle.

It’s pretty much the same each year- the Valley and to a lesser extent west Texas don’t produce as many ‘blue chip’ athletes as other parts of the state. The wealth of football talent in the great state-of-Texas is concentrated along and east of the I35 corridor.

(01-17-2022 09:54 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(01-17-2022 07:58 PM)Outsider Wrote:  

(01-17-2022 05:42 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(01-16-2022 06:17 PM)Outsider Wrote:  

(01-16-2022 05:25 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  That’s a good looking soccer stadium. I’m sure it would transition to football.

Based on the idea of proposed, I assume they are looking at their options as we speak?

I think HEB Park is a better option than Sam's Memorial in Brownsville.

The main proposal floating around is just what you said: HEB Park for the Edinburg games and Sam's Memorial for the Brownsville games. And you're also right that people seem to agree that HEB is better. But the university sold the games-in-two-cities promise really hard, so I think there's no going back on that, unless we try it for several years and the attendance is several times larger in Edinburg (which could happen).

I think those two got picked mainly for capacity. If we're more realistic about attendance there are plenty of other options; Sam's is a HS stadium anyway so no harm in looking at others. I just don't see any new stadiums being built unless a billionaire has a whim. Elon Musk is buying property and driving up prices in B'Ville but shows no interest in sports, much less FCS startups.

The idea to split home games between two cities seems strange. There is no real homefield. The UTRGV fanbase may truly be that spread-out, but doesn't that keep the fanbase split and prevent them from coming together? The HS football stadium isn't necessarily the issue. ACU had to do it for decades before finally getting the donor base to build Wildcat Stadium back on campus. HEB is the nicer stadium in my opinion, but I would think that UTRGV would want to build a fanbase that is united, rather than split, either way. I am sure there will be some fans that go to both.

You're right but it's one of many issues caused by the "merger". It boils down to two facts: (a) the students and locals in Brownsville always suspect they are being treated as 2nd class, but their votes were needed for the referendum, and (b) the two cities are represented by different legislators, and keeping them happy is necessary to even have money and approval for football, much less salaries, classrooms, etc.

I sympathize a little bit with the Brownsville guys. (Not enough to agree with this wacky plan, but a little.) They had their own sports teams, D2 but some of them were very good, especially volleyball. They lost all that in the merger when the state said UTRGV would inherit the UTPA D1 programs and conference membership.

Good insight burger. I find this topic fascinating.

(01-17-2022 09:54 PM)edinburger Wrote:  You're right but it's one of many issues caused by the "merger". It boils down to two facts: (a) the students and locals in Brownsville always suspect they are being treated as 2nd class, but their votes were needed for the referendum, and (b) the two cities are represented by different legislators, and keeping them happy is necessary to even have money and approval for football, much less salaries, classrooms, etc.

I sympathize a little bit with the Brownsville guys. (Not enough to agree with this wacky plan, but a little.) They had their own sports teams, D2 but some of them were very good, especially volleyball. They lost all that in the merger when the state said UTRGV would inherit the UTPA D1 programs and conference membership.

TBH I feel for Brownsville too but I think this more on them than anything else... their facilities IMO were not good enough for NAIA. They were never D2 in anything. Not even when they were a JUCO school before becoming NAIA. The only thing that they inherit was a tremendous volleyball coach who was very successful in the NAIA level and has done wonders with the program since arriving. Back to football conversation the city of Brownsville has had multiple opportunities to build some thing similar to Payne Arena in Hidalgo but on a smaller scale to where if could host volleyball and basketball it really could. Plus the city of Brownsville has not done anything to fix the condemned part of Brownsville Sports Park which has a nice football stadium that resembles a bit like Houston Baptist for example. IMO it is a better option than Sams Stadium which has no access to parking. In essence Brownsville has always been its own problem either due to its own politics which refuses them to move forward.