ACC football and the Ravens
One of the topics of discussion at the ACC meetings beginning Sunday at Amelia Island in Florida will be the future site of the ACC football championship, and Baltimore wants in.
"We absolutely have interest," Dennis Mannion, senior vice president of business ventures for the Ravens, told Sun reporter Jamison Hensley. "We definitely want to pursue this game again."
A little background:
Jacksonville, Fla., was the site for the past two seasons, and the league exercised its option to hold it there again this year. (The Ravens have pushed for M&T Bank Stadium to host this event since its debut in 2005, and tried to get it again in 2007). The ACC still has the option to return to Jacksonville again in 2008, but beyond that is undecided.
The question is, does Jacksonville become THE site, or does the ACC move it around?
More importantly, would Maryland fans even WANT it so close? What about when Maryland isn't playing in it?
Comments
Come on Heather - of course we want it that close! I really cannot see anything bad about it.
A trip to sunny Florida is great, but save it for the bowl game.
Posted by: Jordan | May 9, 2007 4:13 PM
Hell yeah I'd want it in Baltimore regularly as a Maryland fan. I'd probably attend 90% of the ACC championship games there even when Maryland wasn't playing. The only time I wouldn't attend would be in a year like last year when some loser team like Wake flukes their way into the game and into a win.
Of course I still feel it should be in Charlotte permanently, but if the ACC would rotate it between Jax, Charlotte and Baltimore I'd be very happy with that.
Posted by: Mike | May 9, 2007 4:34 PM
I agree with Mike, I would love to have it in Baltimore and I would attend even if the Terps didn't make it. The rotation of Jacksonville, Charlotte and Baltimore makes sense. The basketball tournament is moved around, why not the football championship?
Posted by: SCOTT | May 9, 2007 4:51 PM
It sounds like a great idea. I would be happy to work the mic. This message brought to you by Advance Auto Parts.
Posted by: Joel Dee | May 9, 2007 5:03 PM
Why would I care? I'll never be in it.
Posted by: NC State | May 9, 2007 5:13 PM
Maybe not this year, NC STATE, but with Tom O'Brien taking over it shouldn't take too long.
Posted by: Heather D | May 9, 2007 5:18 PM
who is Tom O'Brien, and why is NC State suddenly so modest, we aren't so modest...
Posted by: Virginia, Duke, Wake | May 9, 2007 6:11 PM
I'm a MD alumni, currently living in Jacksonville. I can tell you that you definately want this game. I've gone both years and its awesome even when MD isn't in it. Wait, I shouldn't be telling you, because I want it to stay here. In all honesty, the better event is the ACC baseball tourney, which is also down here. But its moving to Boston in 2009.
Posted by: Mike | May 9, 2007 11:04 PM
Why would they put it here in Baltimore? It is usually darn cold here in Baltimore in December and the weather is very unpredictable. On top of that - Baltimore is the murder capitol of the U.S. Not a good selling point. Championship games are supposed to be in a dome or in a warm climate.
Posted by: Jimmie | May 10, 2007 12:37 PM
JIMMIE, I thought Gary, Ind., was the murder capital of the world. Or is it D.C.? I can't keep it straight.
Posted by: Heather D | May 10, 2007 12:54 PM
The balmy climate of Jacksonville didn't yield a very good turnout last season, eh? Face it, the reason Jax got the game is because the ACC was gambling that either FSU or Miami would be in the game every year. When neither of them make it, none of the other teams save VT or Clemson would ever send enough fans. Baltimore isn't a great site, someplace more centrally located like Charlotte would be better, but Baltimore is as good as Jax.
Posted by: Hokies Rule | May 10, 2007 4:32 PM