More on ND's "8th home game" in 2009

[Guest SirJohn]

From St. Petersburg Tims.

 

Below is an article floated many months ago by AD White, even Texas sites were proposed. Therm used was (Mini Bowls) and quickly so much news currently then about Coach Weis and his team this report sort of got lost in the suffle. As you can see it's still up on the burner. I'm in favor of it because of the resulting publicity for ND. Past neutral sights have been Giants stadium and Ireland itself which you know isn't quite "neutral."

 

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College football

Notre Dame looking at RJS for game

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Published October 7, 2005

 

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TAMPA - Raymond James Stadium is being considered as an option for Notre Dame to play off-site football games starting in 2009.

 

The Fighting Irish also are looking at Orlando and Jacksonville as options for playing an annual game that would count as an eighth home game. Notre Dame would likely rotate a Florida venue each year with games in the Northeast, including the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

 

Notre Dame senior associate athletic director John Heisler said Thursday that the Tampa Sports Authority had submitted basic information about Raymond James Stadium and why it could host a game. Heisler said the school is still creating business models for such a game, looking at existing off-campus games such as Florida-Georgia in Jacksonville.

 

"We're very interested in hosting those games and hope to talk more about it with Notre Dame," said Mickey Farrell, the TSA's director of operations.

 

Notre Dame also has committed to playing three games a year against Big East teams beginning in 2011, so the Irish could also be coming to Tampa as part of a home-and-home series with USF, which joined the Big East this year.

 

Notre Dame last played in Florida in January 2003, losing to North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville.