Oregon, Ohio State trying to work out series

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Looks like Oregon and Ohio State are still trying to hammer out how the propose home/home series will work now that the Buckeyes' trip to Eugene was postponed due to the pandemic. Ohio State wants to still bring Oregon to Columbus but finding a return date to Eugene is something that's harder to replace. The series could end up just being one neutral site game if they can't find a way to make it a true home/home series.

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[StevensTechU]

A neutral site would be f'ing lame.

I've gone to virtually all of Oregon's "big games" in recent years, and they never take me to Eugene outside of ones against the fuskies.

[UOducksTK1]

Agreed, if it's not home and home with fans in the stadiums, I'd rather not do it.

[Duck07]

I think they should play the game at Ohio State this season and work out a future game in Autzen even if its over a decade from now.

[EncinitasDuck]

Come on, this is a GameDay game no matter where it's played. And if you were ready to travel to Columbus then you're ready to travel wherever for a "big" game.

Find a stadium not in use that weekend. Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, Texas, doesn't matter. Fans from both sides will travel. The network that covers will be there and will cover any "prep" costs to get the field painted, etc.

You want to be the best then play the best. Play the game!!!

With both sides agreeing to schedule another home and home at a later date.

[mrpd21]

Come on, this is a GameDay game no matter where it's played. And if you were ready to travel to Columbus then you're ready to travel wherever for a "big" game.

Find a stadium not in use that weekend. Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, Texas, doesn't matter. Fans from both sides will travel. The network that covers will be there and will cover any "prep" costs to get the field painted, etc.

You want to be the best then play the best. Play the game!!!

With both sides agreeing to schedule another home and home at a later date.

Play it at the new Raiders stadium in Vegas, I'm down

[woundedknees]

Come on, this is a GameDay game no matter where it's played. And if you were ready to travel to Columbus then you're ready to travel wherever for a "big" game.

Find a stadium not in use that weekend. Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, Texas, doesn't matter. Fans from both sides will travel. The network that covers will be there and will cover any "prep" costs to get the field painted, etc.

You want to be the best then play the best. Play the game!!!

With both sides agreeing to schedule another home and home at a later date.

Play it at the new Raiders stadium in Vegas, I'm down

When they said "neutral site", that's the first venue I thought of.

Cheap to get to, and probably the most neutral site in the country!

[GoDucksTroll]

If Ohio State doesn’t have a return trip to Autzen until the kids of our current players are being recruited then just do it at a neutral site.

Those that rolled over your 2020 tix to 2021, anyone feeling a bit disappointed when you were expecting Ohio State, Washington, USC, Stanford, ASU, NDSU, and Hawaii but instead get Fresno, Stony Brook, Beavs, Arizona, Cal, and Wazzu? It goes from the best home schedule ever to the most boring one imaginable.

[StevensTechU]

I'm not saying that it should be home site or nothing, but I think (speaking as a fan/alum) having a big game at home every now and then should be something we're treated to. Neutral site stadiums away from campuses, frankly, don't have the same feel. If I wanted the game to feel even more corporatized, I'd be come an NFL fan. Running these teams out in Autzen vs. running them out at TIAA Bank Field is not the same experience.

[GoDucksTroll]

I'm not saying that it should be home site or nothing, but I think (speaking as a fan/alum) having a big game at home every now and then should be something we're treated to. Neutral site stadiums away from campuses, frankly, don't have the same feel. If I wanted the game to feel even more corporatized, I'd be come an NFL fan. Running these teams out in Autzen vs. running them out at TIAA Bank Field is not the same experience.

I agree, I dislike neutral site games when home-and-homes are so much better. But that’s reality for Oregon when the premier programs just won’t do home-and-homes with us anymore. We can get middle tier programs like Michigan State, Baylor, Texas Tech. I’m sure Rob Mullens and company would love to have Florida or Texas on the schedule to bundle season tickets with, but it’s just not happening.

Michigan 2003, Oklahoma 06, Tennessee 13, and Nebraska 17 will be the only big name home games from 2000-2030. Three of those series were scheduled before Oregon became nationally relevant. I’m not including 2000 Wisconsin because they weren’t the program they are now either. Georgia and A&M showed they won’t do it, canceled. Georgia will do a neutral site, in Atlanta - ha.

Now this has become a difficult situation. Do you take a huge competitive disadvantage and financial hit for the chance that Ohio State will return to Autzen in 2032 or something? I say play 2021 in Vegas, and get another home-and-home set up for the 2030s if the two ADs are being chummy. Ohio State and most Big Ten teams aren’t like the SEC and ACC, they aren’t afraid of travel. If they play this one in Columbus in return for a game a dozen years in the future or a TBD that is a weak move that Oregon should be better than.

[GrantDuck]

If I'm Mullens I threaten to pull out of this year's home game if they don't reciprocate with a game at Autzen.

[GoDucksTroll]

If I'm Mullens I threaten to pull out of this year's home game if they don't reciprocate with a game at Autzen.

I posted this over on Fishduck, but the gist is that Oregon’s hands are tied. They can’t cancel the game unless it’s mutual or there is something to trigger the force majeure clause again. Ohio State is not obligated to do a return trip or a neutral site game. Oregon will only be paid $300k for the appearance unless they re-negotiate. The payout is so small because the teams were in it for the home box/increased season ticket sales/bundles.

This is shaping up as a disaster and Rob Mullens is going to have to rely on diplomacy and a good faith effort from Ohio State.

[GrantDuck]

How are Oregon's hands tied? UGA and Texas A&M had no problem backing out of their deals with Oregon...

[GoDucksTroll]

How are Oregon's hands tied? UGA and Texas A&M had no problem backing out of their deals with Oregon...

Those were canceled years in advance, not 200 days. This contract specifically states that if one game is canceled for things like weather, government orders, natural disasters, etc that the other game will go on with no binding requirement to reschedule.

The Texas A&M contract had a provision allowing them to cancel if they had a change in conference status, and they joined the SEC. I think Georgia had one for if they switched athletic directors, and the new athletic director said he didn’t want to hurt the student-athletes academically by making them travel that far; he then promptly scheduled a home-and-home with UCLA.

Oregon canceled a game with Kansas State in order to play LSU in 2011, and they wanted to reschedule one leg of the series but K-State didn’t want that so they mutually agreed to cancel.

[DrBradBuss]

Just pull out.
Let em sue