Topic: What if WVU came calling???...

[HaveUherd]

My wife and I left at half time. We were fed up from getting beer spilled on us, intoxicated e'er fans falling on us, while State Police were filling paddy wagon with drunk WVU LOSERS. After the rains and lightening stopped the first time most of those causing problems left and we went back in and sat with our friends (e'er fans). Our seats to begin the game were in the Herd section, but Marshall returned many in that section and they were sold to WVU fans. Your perception of being treated respectfully lacks credibility. No one should have to endure those mongrels. Enjoy your next trips.

Well I'm sorry you had a different experience than me. I can only relate my personal experience. I was kind of worried to go up there from all the stories through the years I've heard.  Then I got to the Blue Lot everyone talks about and no one bothered me. Found some local guys I knew from school (eer fans) and drank a little with them. To be fair I did hear one F Marshall from some random fan. No biggie. The worst thing was running into a guy I've tailgated with numerous times in Huntington up there all decked out in eer stuff. Oh well, to each his own I guess.

No matter all that though, the game is a good thing for our struggling state and most definitely needs to be played. I think it will resume at some time in the future.

[Sam-I-am]

I'm by no means an expert and I certainly don't have any inside connections for information but from what I was led to believe from the last go round of talks like this in 1998, one of the sticking points was the payout was almost non-existant. Memory is failing me but I want to say the payout for the Morgantown games offered was less than $200K.  Compare that to possible "regional" games with local-ish teams like Ohio State and Tennessee where payouts are well over $500K.  I just don't know what value a series with WVU brings Marshall $$ wise.  Sure a win gets the monkey off our back but far as national exposure goes I feel a win over Ohio State or Tennessee would be better anyway.  Assuming the numbers I read were correct (and I have no way to verify they are, I'm strictly going by memory) in my estimation Marshall can't afford to give up $300K plus just to play WVU as an in state rival in Morgantown every year.

If it were up to me, I wouldn't play WVU in any sport unless it were home and home, no exceptions.  And yes I include basketball in that.  Charleston is not a neutral location! For Pete's sake, they played their home games in Charleston for a season not too long ago.  I find it very suspect that in 1998 when Marshall's football program was on the upswing all of the sudden they didn't have room on their schedule for us.  After going undefeated for several seasons in the 70's and 80's against WVU in basketball in Huntington all of the sudden it made more sense to play all of the games in Charleston and now as Marshall's football program is on the upswing again we are back to no room on the schedule for Marshall again.

I predicted in 1998 that the series with WVU would be renewed when our football team took a downward spiral for a while and would end when we turned it around.  It doesn't make me clairvoyant, it's just common sense.  Simply put WVU simply can't afford to lose a game to Marshall in football and will do everything they can to stack the deck and prevent it.  I say forget them and move on.  There are other local/regional teams with bigger payouts.  Some of these teams are even willing to occasionally play in Huntington without all the bitching.  

Just my two cents.

I remember an article in the HD where an MU official stated WVU was only wanting to pay us at the MAC rate back in '97-'98, which rate was significantly less than other conferences.  MU pretty said screw that, for we'd be a guaranteed sell out each year in Morgantown.