Michigan Football to possibly open new AS Roma Stadium in 3 years?

Submitted by garde on

My fandom for AS Roma is pretty damn close to Michigan. American owner James Pallotta claims that Michigan has already inquired about opening their new stadium in 3 years time when its ready.

https://www.football-italia.net/117906/pallotta-%E2%80%98stadium-key-ro…

Video of the stadium plans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfqiAkwC6IE

 

PeppersTheWorldEater

March 1st, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^

Honestly give it to Norte Dame and Boston College like the article says. They have the Catholic connection, and the farther away we can get Notre Dame fans from us, even if only a few actually go, the better. Also, having the Pope flip the coin would be pretty funny, and I can actually picture Francis doing that.

ThatTCGuy

March 1st, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^

I mean, if it were for a meaningless game against a low-tier group of five team or a spring game then i'd be cool with it. If it's an actual meaningful game then fuck that.

SAMgO

March 1st, 2018 at 11:20 AM ^

Would be an awesome trip and I'd most likely make it happen because Rome is such a cool city.

Still not a fan of the idea for the football program, though.

IAWOLVERINE

March 1st, 2018 at 11:21 AM ^

Only he would think a meaningful regular season college game overseas makes sense..global hrand, blah, blah, blah. CEO’s care about this, not AD’s of winning football college football programs

M-Dog

March 1st, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

If it is some team we are playing away that season giving up their home game to play it in Rome, I'm OK with it.

If we are giving up the home game . . . I thought we were done with this?

If the Pope wants to see Michigan football, come to Ann Arbor and buy a ticket like everyone else.

 

M-Dog

March 1st, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^

I'm OK with that, if Washington wants to give up their home game.

It will all look the same to me on TV.

Just don't give up an A2 game.  We've done enough of those. 

At the end of the day, what was the actual benefit to us playing those games at Jerry World? 

It wasn't for the benefit of regular fans.  The financials weren't better.

And it certainly didn't help recruiting.

 

Mr Miggle

March 1st, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^

Construction projects aren't likely to finish early, so I think we'd be looking at the 2021 schedule. Indiana already sold one home game to PSU. Maybe they'd be interested.

Otherwise, we're hosting Washington, going to Virginia Tech and have an open date. I can't see the open date used for it as we only have five home games scheduled. Hard to see Virginia Tech giving up a marquee home game either.

rc15

March 1st, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^

I don't like the idea, but it could be an extreme advantage for Michigan to do it compared to a normal neutral site game.

What other team would already have experience traveling to Europe to play football? Knowing how to get equipment through customs, keep track and control of the players. Plus, while the other team might be distracted by being in Rome, Michigan will literally have "been there, done that".

bluebyyou

March 1st, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^

Penn State did play UCF in Ireland in 2014, did they not?  It's not that big a deal moving large amounts of equipment overseas and back.  There are companies that specialize in international moving.

What is a big deal, imo, is that every game not played in Michigan Stadium that could have been played there would seem to represent a loss in revenue and a lost opportunity for many of us to attend a game in Ann Arbor.  I don't like neutral site games.  For a good team, I'd be be happy to play one here and one there where tailgating can be fun, you see a different university up close and not the hot streets of Dallas.

rc15

March 1st, 2018 at 11:49 AM ^

Agreed. I'd rather it not be a Michigan home game that is moved to Rome. But I'd have less of a problem with them scheduling a neutral site game there instead of Dallas again...

Although maybe you can use the fact the G5 teams like Houston and UCF desperately need to schedule non-conference games against teams like Michigan. Do a home-and-home against them, but their "home game" is in Rome.

NittanyFan

March 1st, 2018 at 6:55 PM ^

they did a 5 minute segment in the pre-game on the game's logistics - equipment moving was part of that segment.  It wasn't overly easy, but it wasn't that difficult either.  As you said, there are companies that specialize in this.

I went to that game in Dublin.  As a "we'll only do this once in my lifetime" thing, I didn't mind it.  I viewed it as Ireland being more interesting than Dallas, Houston or East Rutherford (other sites of neutral games).  I wouldn't want to do it more than once, though.  Wasn't a cheap trip.

stephenrjking

March 1st, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^

This is the first I've heard of a new stadium for Roma, but it seems to make sense. Stadio Olympico is massive and the sightlines are, shall we say, substandard. Juve's decision to defenestrate the Delle Alpi in favor of a newer, more intimate venue has resulted in yet another run of dominance in Italy, if not in the ECL.

But the Michigan thing is strange. This sounds like the quotes of an ambitious developer who wants to sell people on an expenditure by describing all of the fantastic things that will occur besides the core product. The quote in the article says that "Michigan has already inquired" about "opening" the stadium. 

Well, we are on the far end of a game of "rumor telephone" here. The article may not properly capture the sense of the original speaker's Italian quote; the speaker may have been saying something different than he meant to say; he may have understood what he was told incorrectly; Michigan may have said something idly without much serious interest; etc.

There are several steps of "interpretation" to go through here, in any of which a small error or change may substantially alter the meaning.

I highly, highly doubt Michigan would consider playing a regular season game in Europe. I think a spring game, however, could make some sense. I suppose there is a scenario where this works--if Michigan, like Stanford last year, were given the opportunity to open a week earlier than everyone else and have a bye after, allowing them to practice earlier AND adjust back home, moving a game that would not be played at home anyway--but I doubt it is a thing.

Strongly doubt.

EDIT: Can't wait for a new run of people using this highly unsubstantiated rumor as an excuse to attack Warde Manuel, even after the rumor is disproven. 

garde

March 1st, 2018 at 12:04 PM ^

A new Roma stadium has been in works since before Pallotta bought the team, albeit the plans have changed significantly since then. It was also his first order of business as owner. Not surprisingly, its also been a major fight with the highly politiicized and corrupt Roman government. However, after a three year batlle, the club now has city and regional approval to break ground. Supposedly it will start shortly. Having lived in Roma for three years and know how things operate, I can say I'll be shocked if the stadium is even ready in three years.

LSAClassOf2000

March 1st, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^

I am shocked that nobody has brought it up yet - 

"We can't open up the Stadio della Roma until we beat MSU and OSU"

That's on the record now in case anyone was wondering. 

GoBlueBill

March 1st, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^

Is that one of those Satirical news sites ?

 

BC [Boston College] and Notre Dame is what we talked about opening it up with, a Holy War and the Pope flips the coin. "

 

Has to be .

hailtothevictors08

March 1st, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^

I am for games in AA over anywhere else.....

That being said, Rome over Dallas or any other US neutral site for sure. Even better if we can get another team to give up their home game for it

 

Also, football game in Rome >>>>> BTT in MSG