Liberty Bowl For State Championship Games

[VOLnWTN]

6 hours ago, The Drunken Sailor said:

Murfreesboro or Nashville should be it. Put it in the middle of the state.

But Murfreesboro and Nashville have to make the winning bids.

100% agree on Murfreesboro.  They have the hotel space and it is centrally located.  Nashville has it as well, but the hotel rates would be astronomical unless you stayed outside if the city.  
 

 

[jhawk23]

6 hours ago, The Drunken Sailor said:

Murfreesboro or Nashville should be it. Put it in the middle of the state.

But Murfreesboro and Nashville have to make the winning bids.

Agree with this, hopefully Nashville will make it happen when the new stadium is built.

[lakecounty1968]

I think Austin Peay in Clarksville would be perfect. I don't know about stadium or parking. Been years since I was last their.

[PurplePanther]

6 minutes ago, lakecounty1968 said:

I think Austin Peay in Clarksville would be perfect. I don't know about stadium or parking. Been years since I was last their.

Lots of upgrades to the campus and stadium.  Not a bad site and somewhat central. Give me Clarksville over Cookeville every time.  I am personally against the Memphis idea since I-40 is hit or miss going that direction.  There are ALWAYS accidents!  
 

I am in Nashville and love what they are doing in Chattanooga.  Beautiful drive and nice vibe in the area for the game.

[Rockytoptomcat]

1 hour ago, VOLnWTN said:

100% agree on Murfreesboro.  They have the hotel space and it is centrally located.  Nashville has it as well, but the hotel rates would be astronomical unless you stayed outside if the city.  
 

 

At least Nashville/Murfreesboro is centrally located. Most people in the state could drive to the game then turn around and drive back home. Hard to do that when the game is 5-6 hours away on the other side of the state

[Pantherpride45]

9 hours ago, ItsAlwaysSunnyInAtwood said:

Wasn't there a shooting in Finley stadium itself last yr?

Not for sure but you need to keep your head on a swivel for sure 

[TwoSix]

15 hours ago, YBsostupid said:

These games have been played in east Tennessee for how many years in a row now?  11, 12, 15?  It's past time for them to be held in the Liberty Bowl again.  That hasn't happened in more than 30 years now.  Having to travel and spend the night before the game in a hotel, with players this age, is a huge disadvantage.  Middle and east TN have not had to do that for decades.  Why can't the Liberty Bowl host them for a 10 year slot?

I've been to all the sites, Vandy, MTSU (alma mater), Tech, and UTC. UTC is by far the best experience. Parking was convenient, easy into stadium, restaurant right outside of stadium. 

[Rhea Co.]

10 hours ago, ItsAlwaysSunnyInAtwood said:

Wasn't there a shooting in Finley stadium itself last yr?

No, there was a large fight between a bunch of teens and a teen got tazed for fighting. No shooting. 

As far as crime there is crime pretty much any city. Memphis is bad, that’s national known, but yeah there is crime in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, even places like Clarksville. Pretty much anywhere that has a sizable population is going to have some crime, some worse than others. 

I’ve been going to events at Finley since it opened and I’ve never felt unsafe going down there especially if there is an event going on at finley or really any of the businesses around the stadium for that matter. 

[crow]

Bid or no bid it needs to be centrally located. The Nashville are is obvious. The bid process has the option of providing specific requirements of the bid you’re submitting. I’m sure T$$AA has specifications on stadium capacity, facilities, parking and so on. There could easily be a location requirement added such as within “x” hours drive from any varsity football participating school in the state. That doesn’t limit it to any specific location but would keep it in an area located roughly in the middle of the state. I love the fact it’s close for me but I do agree it should be more centrally located. 

[croz6110]

I know there's a bid process, but I think it would be fair and convenient to rotate sites. Knoxville a couple years, then Martin, then Chattanooga, then Memphis, then Nashville, etc. Just going back and forth covering all areas of the state.

When we went in 2012, it was very convenient being in Cookeville. However, I enjoyed going to Nooga as well.

Personally, I don't buy the long drive=disadvantage argument. Most every team's routine is shot no matter how close they are.

[Classless]

Murfreesboro makes all the sense in the world.  It is the geographic center of the state. The actual true geographic center is less than 2 miles from MTSU stadium.  

[ItsAlwaysSunnyInAtwood]

8 hours ago, Rhea Co. said:

No, there was a large fight between a bunch of teens and a teen got tazed for fighting. No shooting. 

As far as crime there is crime pretty much any city. Memphis is bad, that’s national known, but yeah there is crime in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, even places like Clarksville. Pretty much anywhere that has a sizable population is going to have some crime, some worse than others. 

I’ve been going to events at Finley since it opened and I’ve never felt unsafe going down there especially if there is an event going on at finley or really any of the businesses around the stadium for that matter. 

And that's fair. I've been to the liberty bowl more than a couple times and never felt unsafe in any way.