The Debate: Should FB teams stay in hotels before home games?

[pyrocyz]

Personally I think that this is a good idea. This way you can make sure that the players only have what you want on their minds.

If you let the players stay in their apartments or in their dorms they will have to deal with the distractions and noise present in those locations.

Don't professional teams stay in hotels before home games as well?

 

[wxman1]

I believe we are back at the gateway now.

 

[dualthreat]

do they stay in a hotel before thursday night games? wednesday isn't that much of a party night...

 

[HandSanitizer]

This is stupid. Spending 80K to keep people out of trouble, make sure they get a good night sleep and have some meetings to go over things. Seems like spare change when you think about how much football brings in.

 

[wxman1]

do they stay in a hotel before thursday night games? wednesday isn't that much of a party night...

Yes...it's all about routine.

 

[cyfreddy]

I believe we are back at the gateway now.

I believe last year on occasion they stayed at Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston.

 

[chadm]

I question the $80,000. That would be 13,000+ a game last year.

IF 130 people stayed out and double up rooms. That is still 100 a person for 2 meals and 1/2 a room. Must be the Ritz-Carlton.

 

[dualforce]

I would trust the players to not get drunk the night before a game, but I do not trust their roommates/neighbors to be quiet and let them sleep.

No chance. These are 18-22 year old college kids. At the very least their roommates and friends would influence them to go out and party. I am not saying every kid will go out and get drunk but I would not trust all of them to make the smart decision either.

Keeping the entire team together in one hotel and conducting team meetings promotes the objective of focusing all members on the task at hand. If Coach Rhoads and JP believe it is a necessary expense, then it is a necessary expense. I have not seen one instance where JP has not maximized use of athletic department money.

 

[besserheimerphat]

I question the $80,000. That would be 13,000+ a game last year.

IF 130 people stayed out and double up rooms. That is still 100 a person for 2 meals and 1/2 a room. Must be the Ritz-Carlton.

I assume that also includes the charge for renting multiple conference rooms for team meetings, and the cost of three charter busses to deliver the team to the stadium and then drive them back to pick up their vehicles. I also assume that they have team meals rather than everyone eating in their rooms, so that's another large conference room they have to reserve in addition to the cost of the actual meals.

 

[drlove]

I question the $80,000. That would be 13,000+ a game last year.

IF 130 people stayed out and double up rooms. That is still 100 a person for 2 meals and 1/2 a room. Must be the Ritz-Carlton.

There are other expenses you are missing such as reserving meeting rooms at the hotels.
The getting away from distractions of college life is only part of it. In my view, it is more a getting focused on the task at hand. Having traveled with another Big 12 team, I can tell you that they have a lot of team meetings and reserving meeting rooms is an expense.

I would bet that of the money that is being charged, a portion of that bill is being absorbed through the ISU giving the hotel tickets and advertising.

 

[kkise]

Kind of seems like a non-issue. $80,000 isn't that much.

 

[pulse]

I think its a slow news day if this is a story. Its small change in the budget, and helps the team. I'm sure the local hotel businesses appreciate the shot in the arm too. Win-win as far as I can see.

 

[ISUKyro]

Is there a dorm on campus that they could just take over for one night?

 

[Clone9]

I think its a slow news day if this is a story.

Exactly. Randy thought he'd drum up a little controversy about money during these lean times...especially within state budgets. Reality is, this is common practice, just about everyone does it, and its a drop in the bucket for these highly profitable football teams. Non-issue.

 

[IcSyU]

Is there a dorm on campus that they could just take over for one night?

Uh, no. The dorms have people in them. I think Wallace/Wilson have rooms open, but keeping them cleaned up just for the football team is stupid. Not to mention the lack of meeting rooms. Or the ease of showering.

 

[JonDMiller]

The schools pay for most, if not all, of the bill. Like Barta said, it's not like that money is going to go into the Chemistry department...its going to stay in athletics.

If they take away the hotel option, it won't be long before the schools that have the coin build football only dorm rooms...some probably already have that around the nation.

Football pays the freight for nearly every athletic program at Iowa and Iowa State. Leave it alone.

 

[ISUKyro]

Uh, no. The dorms have people in them. I think Wallace/Wilson have rooms open, but keeping them cleaned up just for the football team is stupid. Not to mention the lack of meeting rooms. Or the ease of showering.

I kinda figured - wasn't really familiar with the dorms that are still at ISU

 

[chadm]

IMO, the positives of staying out as a "team" out way the cost.

 

[SuperCYzd]

IMO, Iowa State Athletics, within reason, can spend budget line items however deemed necessary. Like Iowa, ISU will be without state funding so if the regents don't like it, too bad. The money spent on hotels is not coming from the university's general fund so it's inappropriate to say the money would be better spent on education/academics.

 

[uthaman]

No chance. These are 18-22 year old college kids. At the very least their roommates and friends would influence them to go out and party. I am not saying every kid will go out and get drunk but I would not trust all of them to make the smart decision either.

Back in 1997 I was in Iowa City the night before the game. About midnight in walked quite a few members of the hawkeye football team. I promptly did what any good Cyclone fan would do. I bought 5 pitchers of beer and a round of shots for all of them. Even sang the Iowa fight song with them. Then I called my bookie and put as much money as I could on Iowa State... The 15 year drought ended the next morning, and I like to think I did my part to help... LOL