Rice Football Scheduling

50's PONY · Post by **50's PONY** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:01 am

UT-Rice in 2010-11; A&M-Rice to follow?
When UT returns to play Rice in 2010, the game will likely be held at Reliant Stadium. That's where it was held the last time the Longhorns visited in 2003. And Mark Miller, the general manager for SMG-Reliant Park, is confident an agreement will eventually be reached with the Owls.

Chris Del Conte was a little less forthcoming on those talks, but he said they are considering everything. He did talk a little about his scheduling philosophy though. Obviously there will be one more game against UT in 2011 in Austin, but Del Conte said he continues focusing his efforts on scheduling more "like-minded schools."

"I think anytime you can have an opportunity to play the University of Texas, it's big for our alumni," Del Conte said. "The main thing we've done is try to schedule like-minded schools: Army, Navy, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, Wake Forest. Those are the schools we are really focusing on."

At the same time, Del Conte knows Texas remains appealing, especially because of the historical significance and the speech made by JFK at Rice Stadium on Sept. 12, 1962.

In the speech, JFK said: "There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?"

Del Conte said that's why everyone around Rice still likes to play Texas, and he said opened the possibility up for a possible Rice-Texas A&M matchup. The two teams met every season from 1920-95 with the Aggies winning the last 15 meetings. Texas A&M leads the series 50-27-2.

Del Conte didn't say anything was eminent, but he was the one who brought the Aggies up.

"I also look at the opportunity to someday play A&M as well," Del Conte said. "But mainly right now, it's getting ourselves in position to play like-minded schools. It's good for Rice, it's good for our community and that's where I'm focusing our attention now."

Do you want to see the Rice-UT series continue? And what do you think about putting A&M back into the mix down the road?

03Mustang · Post by **03Mustang** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:12 am

UT plays either Houston or Rice to get a game in Houston at least every other year - it wouldn't surprise me to see A&M do the same.

UT has no incentive to play either us or TCU in DFW since it's here every year anyway.

mr. pony · Post by **mr. pony** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:27 am

Schedule UT again. It should be a goal for the future.

I get tired of hearing the excuses: "We're in Dallas and that hurts us. Woe is us."

Rice has a set.

KnuckleStang · Post by **KnuckleStang** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:59 pm

Curious, why do they insist on Reliant Stadium for this game. I know Rice Stadium is a run-down dump, but isn't it enormous? Some history to boot

03Mustang · Post by **03Mustang** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:17 pm

mr. pony wrote:Schedule UT again. It should be a goal for the future.

I get tired of hearing the excuses: "We're in Dallas and that hurts us. Woe is us."

Rice has a set.

Rice has a stack of cash from playing them.

It wasn't an excuse, it's fact. I think it would be great to play some big boys, even if we did get thumped as a result...but don't kid yourself, the Rice-UT series has nothing to do with competition.

CalallenStang · Post by **CalallenStang** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:54 pm

KnuckleStang wrote:Curious, why do they insist on Reliant Stadium for this game. I know Rice Stadium is a run-down dump, but isn't it enormous? Some history to boot

Rice removed something like 25,000 seats from the stadium, and it seats less than 50,000 now - it wouldn't be practical to re-install all those seats for 1 game.

mr. pony · Post by **mr. pony** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:05 pm

03Mustang wrote:
mr. pony wrote:Schedule UT again. It should be a goal for the future.

I get tired of hearing the excuses: "We're in Dallas and that hurts us. Woe is us."

Rice has a set.

Rice has a stack of cash from playing them.

It wasn't an excuse, it's fact. I think it would be great to play some big boys, even if we did get thumped as a result...but don't kid yourself, the Rice-UT series has nothing to do with competition.

Rice has always played the big boys and I think it's helped improve their program over the last 20 years - financially and on the field.

Their teams are better and they've gone to bowls, I think, as a result of their scheduling.
And the problem with a stack of money is what, exactly?

MustangLaxer · Post by **MustangLaxer** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:03 pm

Seems like OU, UT, A&M, Arkansas all have their games set in Dallas already. Focus in on Ok State & Kansas, and if you really want an [deleted] beating then LSU

PonyTime · Post by **PonyTime** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:46 pm

I like the fact that Rice has a series going with Vandy. I would like to see Vandy or Ole Miss on the SMU schedule again! (You would think that Turner would be able to make that happen).

I am still miffed about the Mizzou series - whatever happened to that one? Did they back out or did we?

Stallion · Post by **Stallion** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:02 pm

It is UT that has zero interest in playing SMU in Dallas. They have their annual game in Dallas. Ford is too small-and does not make financial sense to play in dallas at Ford anyway. I'm sure they'd be willing for us to come to Austin but they will never ever play in Ford. Its simple economics.

CA Mustang · Post by **CA Mustang** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:25 pm

PonyTime wrote:I am still miffed about the Mizzou series - whatever happened to that one? Did they back out or did we?

From what I recall, they began the discussion because they wanted additional home games in future years. Based upon where the programs are currently, SMU didn't protest strongly.

WSU is the replacement for that series.

George S. Patton · Post by **George S. Patton** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:30 pm

CA Mustang wrote:
PonyTime wrote:I am still miffed about the Mizzou series - whatever happened to that one? Did they back out or did we?

From what I recall, they began the discussion because they wanted additional home games in future years. Based upon where the programs are currently, SMU didn't protest strongly.

WSU is the replacement for that series.

I think it was Missouri's game with Kansas that got moved to Kansas City's Arrowhead stadium that killed our series with them. The late Mr. Hunt wanted that game to carry the same weight like a Texas-OU game with a neutral setting.

The teams just renewed for the game to be continued at Arrowhead. In lieu of that, Missouri lost a home game and wanted to add one. We were choice to drop because I think the Tigers did not want to go home and home.

Missouri also plays a neutral game with Illinois every year in St. Louis so losing games to neutral fields loses the chance to schedule home games.

mr. pony · Post by **mr. pony** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:17 pm

Stallion wrote:It is UT that has zero interest in playing SMU in Dallas. They have their annual game in Dallas. Ford is too small-and does not make financial sense to play in dallas at Ford anyway. I'm sure they'd be willing for us to come to Austin but they will never ever play in Ford. Its simple economics.

We'd play UT at Jerry World, counselor.

Stallion · Post by **Stallion** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:37 pm

Again-UT has a presence in Dallas. Although a game at Jerry World is a greater possibility than a game in Ford (which will never happen) UT Officials have stated over the years several times that they don't intend to play 2 games in the Metroplex. That's two games away from 100,000 X a conservative estimate of $100 per ticketholder in seat options, ticket revenue, concessions, purchased goods and parking. That's 10 Million reasons why they won't play SMU in Dallas. I bet its actually higher than that in home game revenue. Why would they want to share that with SMU and Jerry Jones.

Stallion · Post by **Stallion** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:45 pm

My estimate of per game revenue was way too low based on the minimum/premium prices for Texas games based on ticket prices alone

2009 Ticket Prices
├âΓÇÜ├é┬╖ Season tickets: $375
├âΓÇÜ├é┬╖ North end zone club level season tickets: $525. North end and East side club level seats include a food surcharge. Please refer to the TheLonghornFoundation.com for more information on the food surcharge.

├âΓÇÜ├é┬╖ Individual game tickets
09/05 vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Austin): $65
09/19 vs. Texas Tech (Austin): $95
09/26 vs. UTEP (Austin): $70
10/10 vs. Colorado (Austin): $80
11/07 vs. Central Florida (Austin): $70
11/21 vs. Kansas (Austin): $80