Stanford vs. Notre Dame... in China?

[frosty06306]

Felt this was deserving of its own thread. Recent ESPN article stating where the Pac-12 Commissioner is eying a matchup between the two schools in Beijing in 2013 at earliest. http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7417643/larry-scott-sees-pac-12-team-playing-football-game-china . Thoughts on expansion into China for football?

[tohasbo]

I...don't think this would work all that well

[raysox]

Notre Dame and Navy are playing in Dublin next year, actually. But why the hell are they trying to globalize college football?

[Mingjai]

Felt this was deserving of its own thread. Recent ESPN article stating where the Pac-12 Commissioner is eying a matchup between the two schools in Beijing in 2013 at earliest. http://espn.go.com/c...ball-game-china . Thoughts on expansion into China for football?

Based on my experience with China, not many people are going to pay attention to an American football game much less an American football game between two colleges. Not only do Chinese not follow American football, but China doesn't have a big intercollegiate sports culture, so it would be hard for many to understand the passion college sports evokes in the US.

As much as China seems to have a sports culture, it still doesn't have a very bit spectator sports culture--attendance at even the popular sports like basketball and soccer isn't particularly high. I'm sure the Lakers or Man United draw well on their tours of China, but I'm not sure if Stanford or Notre Dame have the Chinese alumni base to pull many out to the game.

[Funky Bunky]

... and what would be the point of this?

Very bad idea.

[FiddySicks]

Felt this was deserving of its own thread. Recent ESPN article stating where the Pac-12 Commissioner is eying a matchup between the two schools in Beijing in 2013 at earliest. http://espn.go.com/c...ball-game-china . Thoughts on expansion into China for football?

Based on my experience with China, not many people are going to pay attention to an American football game much less an American football game between two colleges. Not only do Chinese not follow American football, but China doesn't have a big intercollegiate sports culture, so it would be hard for many to understand the passion college sports evokes in the US.

As much as China seems to have a sports culture, it still doesn't have a very bit spectator sports culture--attendance at even the popular sports like basketball and soccer isn't particularly high. I'm sure the Lakers or Man United draw well on their tours of China, but I'm not sure if Stanford or Notre Dame have the Chinese alumni base to pull many out to the game.

That's actually a good question. Stanford has always been known for having a pretty large Asian population, but I don't think that will translate very well to the native population.

[zpqmaowl]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2013 Wal-Mart Bowl!

[DEAD!]

Notre Dame and Navy are playing in Dublin next year, actually. But why the hell are they trying to globalize college football?

For the record Notre Dame has played in Dublin before, so at least there's precedent... but a Catholic school playing in a communist country? The only thing I can think of is this is nothing more than promoting the universities.

[DelayedPenalty]

Based on my experience with fancy ideas by a university, can you say tuition hike for all students to fund the trip?

[OnWis97]

My freshman year at Wisconsin, fall 1993, the Badgers played Michigan State in Japan. That was Alverez's 4th year, and first winning season and that game sent Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl. I am sure it was planned before anyone (even at UW) had an idea that the Badgers could be in that position.

It worked out nicely for students. The 10 PM local start made for a raucous time on State Street at 1:00 AM. That was a great night.

I could not find much on it:

LA Times, 1993

Random Blog Post

[Breakwood]

... and what would be the point of this?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[dfwabel]

Based on my experience with fancy ideas by a university, can you say tuition hike for all students to fund the trip?

Since they are both private, the public will never know how much of any tuition or fee increase goes to athletics. The Pac-12 has hired some former Nike executived who are familiar with the Chinese market to assist in developing the marketplace.

This game will be funded by the companies based in China which the Pac-12 conference and its member institutions want to be in business with for both marketing and research. Plus, the conference leadership has already stated that profitability is not their immediate focus. In stead of off-season tours to Europe, they will focus on the Pacific Rim.

ASU President Michael Crow: ?As the world shifts from a Eurocentric historical pattern to a more broad globalcentric pattern, the Pacific Basin and Pacific Rim are ever more important to who we are and where we?re going."

Arizona State drew more than 1,200 students from China and wanted to increase that to more than 2,500. The USC president, Max Nikias, has said his university had more international students than any other in the United States (more than 8,600 of U.S.C.?s more than 37,000). USC, he said, has more than 25,000 alumni in the Pacific Rim.

Stanford AD Bob Bowlsby: ?It?s an emerging market educationally as well as athletically. It seems to me that international strategy is good for Stanford and the Pac-12 universities in general. All of them, especially along the West Coast, are heavily engaged in the Pacific Rim.?

[RedSox44]

Remember back when the Patriots were supposed to play Seahawks before the start of the Beijing Olympics, and then it never happened?

I have a feeling this probably won't get done. Just a feeling I have, with absolutely no evidence to back it up.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Interesting that it's two private schools pursuing this. At the University of Washington, and presumably other public institutions, in-state and probably in-country, applicants are being rejected in favor of wealthy international applicants that can pay full tuition. It's terrible, of course, but it's happening.

Seems like some Pacific public schools would be a more obvious fit.

[texfischer]

waste of time and money.

[Mings]

Not at all, and for the reasons DG mentioned. It gets exposure, and something like this becomes a recruiting (both academic and athletic) event for both universities and American universities in general. Plus there are more than enough ex-pats living in Beijing who would want to watch a football game period. Maybe not a runaway success, but I see it working.

[Funky Bunky]

... and what would be the point of this?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That's the part I don't get. How does moving this to China make any more money than if the game was played in Palo Alto?

I can see how this might positively affect the recruiting, but it just seems like a waste of money other than that.

[oddball]

... and what would be the point of this?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That's the part I don't get. How does moving this to China make any more money than if the game was played in Palo Alto?

I can see how this might positively affect the recruiting, but it just seems like a waste of money other than that.

Simple, you get companies in China exposed to the universities and they invest money into programs and advertising. Will it be a pay-off right away? No. But what they are doing is great business sense. China is a major player in the world's economy, and the sooner you tap that market and get a foothold, the better you are going to be in the long run. I will also say that I hate taking games away from true fans and sending them anywhere for money, but financially I also understand.

[BigMac12]

Are they playing in Beijing's "Bird's Nest" stadium?

[dfwabel]

Are they playing in Beijing's "Bird's Nest" stadium?

Currently, there is no contract to play anything now, no. Since Larry Scott's timetable was within three to five years and that stadium currently has no tenant and is in debt, it may not be in condition good enough to host anything.