Chuck Landon: WVU should revisit in-state football series with Marshall
Jan. 13, 2015 @ 01:34 AM
Isn't this the right time to reopen the discussion about renewing the Marshall-WVU football series?
I certainly believe so.
Particularly since WVU has hired West Virginia native Shane Lyons as its new athletic director.
The 49-year-old Lyons is a native of Parkersburg, where he starred as a 6-foot-6 basketball player at Parkersburg High School.
Then, Lyons graduated from WVU in 1987 with a sports management degree and in '88 with a master's.
The crux of the matter is he's a state native, born and bred.
Need I say more?
That means Lyons -- of all people -- should understand the significance a Marshall-WVU football series could mean to the state economically, socially and in every other way imaginable.
Obviously, that was one of former WVU athletic director Oliver Luck's more profound shortcomings. As Luck once said, "My responsibility is to my school and not necessarily to the state or the economic impact of the game. ... "
Lucks' narrow-minded perspective led to the seven-game series ending after the 2012 season.
But there's a new WVU president in E. Gordon Gee and new athletic director in Lyons now. So, let's hope for a new, more rational perspective as well.
I mean, what's not to like about this in-state series?
It would benefit the state, Marshall and, yes, even WVU. The Mountaineers have resisted that notion for years, but the facts are undeniable.
WVU isn't drawing as well -- only three of six home games were sellouts in 2014 -- and the Mountaineers have non-conference openings starting in 2017.
After playing Georgia Southern, Liberty and Maryland in 2015 and Youngstown State, Missouri and BYU in '16, WVU's non-conference scheduling is wide open.
As for attendance, WVU averaged 56,686 fans in 60,000-seat Mountaineer Field last season. By comparison, the five MU-WVU games in Morgantown averaged 59,108. In fact, three of those five contests were sellouts.
In 2006, a crowd of 61,077 watched WVU defeat Marshall, 42-10. In 2008, WVU beat MU, 27-3, in front of 60,154 fans.
When the 2009 matchup was moved from the usual September date to Oct. 17, it resulted in cold, windy, rainy conditions and a crowd of 54,432 to watch WVU's 24-7 win.
But in 2011, a crowd of 60,758 showed up despite a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on a Sunday to watch WVU's 34-13 win, which included a four-hour lightning delay.
The final game in 2012 was just short of a sellout at 59,120 to watch WVU wallop MU, 69-34. As for the two games in Huntington, Marshall averaged 40,883 fans in 38,227-seat Edwards Stadium.
That's five sellouts in seven years.
Meanwhile, WVU drew 56,414 fans for Towson; 52,164 for Kansas; and 47,683 for Kansas State during the 2014 season at Mountaineer Field.
So, yes, this series would be mutually beneficial.
And, surely, a state native such as Lyons should see that.
After all, he's joining WVU from Alabama's athletic department and the Crimson Tide plays an annual in-state battle against Auburn.
All the pieces and people are falling in place. Lyons, Gee, MU interim president Gary White, Herd athletic director Mike Hamrick and West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin can make this happen.
And they should.
The timing is right to renew this series.
Jan. 13, 2015 @ 01:34 AM
Isn't this the right time to reopen the discussion about renewing the Marshall-WVU football series?
I certainly believe so.
Particularly since WVU has hired West Virginia native Shane Lyons as its new athletic director.
The 49-year-old Lyons is a native of Parkersburg, where he starred as a 6-foot-6 basketball player at Parkersburg High School.
Then, Lyons graduated from WVU in 1987 with a sports management degree and in '88 with a master's.
The crux of the matter is he's a state native, born and bred.
Need I say more?
That means Lyons -- of all people -- should understand the significance a Marshall-WVU football series could mean to the state economically, socially and in every other way imaginable.
Obviously, that was one of former WVU athletic director Oliver Luck's more profound shortcomings. As Luck once said, "My responsibility is to my school and not necessarily to the state or the economic impact of the game. ... "
Lucks' narrow-minded perspective led to the seven-game series ending after the 2012 season.
But there's a new WVU president in E. Gordon Gee and new athletic director in Lyons now. So, let's hope for a new, more rational perspective as well.
I mean, what's not to like about this in-state series?
It would benefit the state, Marshall and, yes, even WVU. The Mountaineers have resisted that notion for years, but the facts are undeniable.
WVU isn't drawing as well -- only three of six home games were sellouts in 2014 -- and the Mountaineers have non-conference openings starting in 2017.
After playing Georgia Southern, Liberty and Maryland in 2015 and Youngstown State, Missouri and BYU in '16, WVU's non-conference scheduling is wide open.
As for attendance, WVU averaged 56,686 fans in 60,000-seat Mountaineer Field last season. By comparison, the five MU-WVU games in Morgantown averaged 59,108. In fact, three of those five contests were sellouts.
In 2006, a crowd of 61,077 watched WVU defeat Marshall, 42-10. In 2008, WVU beat MU, 27-3, in front of 60,154 fans.
When the 2009 matchup was moved from the usual September date to Oct. 17, it resulted in cold, windy, rainy conditions and a crowd of 54,432 to watch WVU's 24-7 win.
But in 2011, a crowd of 60,758 showed up despite a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on a Sunday to watch WVU's 34-13 win, which included a four-hour lightning delay.
The final game in 2012 was just short of a sellout at 59,120 to watch WVU wallop MU, 69-34. As for the two games in Huntington, Marshall averaged 40,883 fans in 38,227-seat Edwards Stadium.
That's five sellouts in seven years.
Meanwhile, WVU drew 56,414 fans for Towson; 52,164 for Kansas; and 47,683 for Kansas State during the 2014 season at Mountaineer Field.
So, yes, this series would be mutually beneficial.
And, surely, a state native such as Lyons should see that.
After all, he's joining WVU from Alabama's athletic department and the Crimson Tide plays an annual in-state battle against Auburn.
All the pieces and people are falling in place. Lyons, Gee, MU interim president Gary White, Herd athletic director Mike Hamrick and West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin can make this happen.
And they should.
The timing is right to renew this series.
