Wednesday, August 31, 2005
$20-million offer intriguing
By Randy King
THE ROANOKE TIMES - Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer has attended several NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He may coach a football game there before he's done at Tech.
Reacting to track owner Bruton Smith's Thursday offer to give $20 million each to Tech and Tennessee to meet in a game that would be played on an artificial turf field located in the track's infield, Hokies athletic Jim Weaver said Tech would be very interested in participating in such a lucrative-paying matchup.
"I don't know the history of Mr. Smith. ... I have heard a little bit about him the last few days," Weaver said Saturday. "People tell me that money isn't an issue. If that's the case and they put that kind of money on the table, and I'm being serious, I think both institutions have to strongly consider it."
Weaver said he talked with Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton briefly Friday about Smith's offer.
"We both figured for that kind of money that we'd very strongly consider playing that game," Weaver said. "It's up to Hamilton now. He's going to be at [Saturday night's] race as a guest of Mr. Smith."
Weaver, who said Tech clears about $1.5 million for a game in Lane Stadium, noted a $20-million payday would cover the construction costs for a new indoor football fieldhouse and a new practice court for Tech's basketball programs.
Tech's football schedule currently is booked through 2011. Tennessee's next opening comes in 2009.
"Oh, we'll find a way [to get an opening]," Weaver said. When asked if that meant paying off a non-ACC school already booked on Tech's future schedule, a grinning Weaver responded: "We could probably pay off two people."
Smith said he would increase the track's seating capacity to 175,000 for the game.
Beamer said Saturday the idea "sounds pretty exciting" to play in front of what would be the largest crowd ever for a major college football game.
"I just don't know how it works," Beamer said. "I think where they'd make their money would be on binoculars."
THE ROANOKE TIMES - Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer has attended several NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He may coach a football game there before he's done at Tech.
Reacting to track owner Bruton Smith's Thursday offer to give $20 million each to Tech and Tennessee to meet in a game that would be played on an artificial turf field located in the track's infield, Hokies athletic Jim Weaver said Tech would be very interested in participating in such a lucrative-paying matchup.
"I don't know the history of Mr. Smith. ... I have heard a little bit about him the last few days," Weaver said Saturday. "People tell me that money isn't an issue. If that's the case and they put that kind of money on the table, and I'm being serious, I think both institutions have to strongly consider it."
Weaver said he talked with Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton briefly Friday about Smith's offer.
"We both figured for that kind of money that we'd very strongly consider playing that game," Weaver said. "It's up to Hamilton now. He's going to be at [Saturday night's] race as a guest of Mr. Smith."
Weaver, who said Tech clears about $1.5 million for a game in Lane Stadium, noted a $20-million payday would cover the construction costs for a new indoor football fieldhouse and a new practice court for Tech's basketball programs.
Tech's football schedule currently is booked through 2011. Tennessee's next opening comes in 2009.
"Oh, we'll find a way [to get an opening]," Weaver said. When asked if that meant paying off a non-ACC school already booked on Tech's future schedule, a grinning Weaver responded: "We could probably pay off two people."
Smith said he would increase the track's seating capacity to 175,000 for the game.
Beamer said Saturday the idea "sounds pretty exciting" to play in front of what would be the largest crowd ever for a major college football game.
"I just don't know how it works," Beamer said. "I think where they'd make their money would be on binoculars."
# posted by Smarta @ 9:36 AM 
