sports in norfolk

[zeppelin14]

The final 2 weeks are cancelled:

UFL cancels final two weeks of regular season; Destroyers host title game Friday

VIRGINIA BEACH—

The United Football League announced on Monday morning that it was cancelling the final two weeks of the regular season and moving the league championship game up to Friday night in Virginia Beach.

The Virginia Destroyers and the Las Vegas Locomotives, both 3-1, will play at 8 p.m. Friday at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The league's other two teams, Omaha and Sacramento, will play for third place.

The championship game was originally scheduled for next month, but the UFL announced that it would scrap the final two weeks of the season, even as league officials talked optimistically about expanding from four teams to six in 2012.

“The Hampton Roads region will be the perfect venue for our season showpiece and has earned the right to host the game and we are certain football fans will pack the Virginia Beach Sportsplex,” said UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue in a press release. “The Virginia market has been a great success for the UFL in terms of attendance and social media interaction and of course having a winning team on the field, so we are rewarding Virginia with the right to host the game.

“Our two top teams are playing in the Championship Game next week and at 3-1 they are deadlocked with the best record, so are deserving finalists."

UFL founder and owner Bill Hambrecht said: "The focus on building a blueprint for the long-term success of the league begins immediately, with plans to expand to a minimum of six teams for the 2012 season."

Edited October 17, 2011 by zeppelin14

[BFG]

As someone who really wanted to see this team take off, I'm extremely disappointed, if not pissed at the way the UFL completely mismanaged this team. It was one thing after another, from personnel turnover (two or three owners, a few coaches, the GM), to being a brand new team to a restructured one from another city, now this. A lot of people talk about how George Shinn screwed the city of Charlotte and would've done the same thing had he brought a team to HR...what the UFL did (or didn't do) seems like child's play.

What truly annoys me is that the naysayers will point back to this debacle the next time HR is considered for a team (and I'm pretty sure there will be one, it only happens about every 5-7 years). But truth be told, the Sportsplex averaged more than 12,000 fans in its two home games, so the support and potential fanbase is there. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to attend a game, but them's the breaks.

I'm pretty sure it's time to stick a fork in the UFL.

[BFG]

Some dismal crowds at the regional basketball tournament at Scope. I don't know if it's because there was only one Southside team in the championship (Princess Anne girls vs. Woodside, then Hampton/Kecoughtan on the boys side), but the Scope looked empty when I saw the news. It was packed last year...

[mikeas]

Well in good news the Admirals have sold out Scope twice in the past month on Saturday nights. They are on a 9 game winning streak and are first place in their division and tied for first place in the entire American Hockey League.

http://theahl.com/ahl-weekly-release-p176308

Also next season the Admirals will be playing one home game at the Verizon Center in Washington DC.

[mikeas]

The Norfolk Admirals have broken the all time AHL winning streak with 18 consecutive wins.

http://theahl.com/broken-record-norfolk-wins-again-p176649

[BFG]

Make that 20 in a row!

[carolinaboy]

_{What's the feeling for ODU to CUSA?}

_{I'm an ECU Pirate and I would enjoy being able to see ECU vs. ODU in NOrfolk.}

_{You would have to get a bigger stadium because we'd probably bring 5,000 fans at a minimum.}

_Pros/Cons?

[zeppelin14]

It doesn't really matter because ODU did not join C-USA.

[vdogg]

It doesn't really matter because ODU did not join C-USA.

That's not entirely accurate, they haven't made a decision one way or the other. One of the issues that has arisen is the added cost of joining C-USA. As an Alum I sympathize with both sides of the issue. I would love to see my school move up and eventually make it to the big leagues, but tuition is just out of control. At the end of the day, they have to decide whether the added exposure that comes with joining C-USA is worth the additional cost to their students.

[zeppelin14]

Tuition at ODU is still cheaper than at most schools. It's worth it to go Division I.

[lil-bear]

Well, there it is!!! C-USA here comes ODU!

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/05/odu-leaving-caa-joining-conferenceusa-2013

[carolinaboy]

Can't wait for the trip up there in a few years. I hope ya'll are ready cause the Pirate faithful will be there. Any stadium expansion/upgrade plans yet. Didn't get to hear the presser and didn't know if facilities were discussed.

As an aside our football stadium seats 50,000 and are usually sell-outs. However our basketball arena is a dump, which the Ted makes look like a high school gym. We are building a new basketball practice facility wgich should help some, but we really need a new arena.

[BFG]

Admirals are in the Calder Cup!

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/05/admirals-complete-sweep-reach-calder-cup-finals

[BFG]

And the Admirals cap a record-breaking season with the Calder Cup championship. Congrats guys!

[burt]

Congratulations to the Admirals for bringing the Calder Cup to Norfolk. They had an incredible run of 28 wins between February 10 - April 20, and took it all in Toronto.

From Sports Illustrated:

http://sportsillustr...writethru.0455/

[brikkman]

wow,congrads admirals...

[varider]

ODU football plays at home in the Elite 8 round of the FCS playoffs live on ESPN at noon on Saturday. Huge opportunity for ODU and the HR region in general. ODU is moving up to the FBS level of play in 2014 and next year already has scheduled road games against FBS Maryland, North Carolina, East Carolina, and Idaho. Likely to be ODUs 28th consecutive sellout. 

[BFG]

If I'm not mistaken, to go FBS, your stadium has to be a minimum of about 30K capacity. Foreman Field is only 20K...I'm curious as to what they'll do with the "clamshell" bleachers, which I always thought was unique. I dunno where I read it, but Foreman was built as part of a Public Works project, so while I don't think it's an historic landmark, I thought I read it can't be touched either. And I'm okay with that; I love the clamshell design!

[7citiesVA]

The MEAC tournament has returned to Norfolk. Norfolk will host the tournament for the next three years.  This year's tournament will run from the 11th - 16th of March with preliminary events beginning the 9th (Aretha Franklin concert). 

 

Im curious to see how (the new) Norfolk embraces this event. I know the tournament was held here a while ago, but so much has changed in Norfolk, and the surrounding areas since then.  The CIAA tournament held in Charlotte draws an enormous crowd and has a positive impact on the city and its economy, but I think thats due in part to Charlotte truly embracing the tournament and going all out to welcome the people who attend. Im hoping the Meac tournament can do the same for Norfolk from now until 2015. 

 

Its also a bonus that NSU is smoking hot this season and is the tournament favorite looking to defend their title from last season. Theyre on a 14 game winning streak, are undefeated in the MEAC, have clinched the regular season title, and are looking to become the first team to go undefeated in the conference in 19 years and return to the NCAA tournament this year by winning the title again.

 

This is some exciting stuff (at least to me, lol) and its in our backyard.

[BFG]

It helps that downtown Norfolk has changed a lot since the last time MEAC was here (early 90s I wanna say), and that Granby is a much different place (even though it's not as popular as it was 5 years ago). It also helps that you have two schools in the region that both have March Madness upsets on their resume...

 

It's a shame that Waterside is in limbo right now, that could help the nightlife downtown. I saw that the tickets are selling well, so that's a plus...I think the Norva needs to have a few shows to offer something to students too. 

 

This doesn't have to be on the level of CIAA, but it's gotta do better than it has in recent years. I think if VB gets the arena, this could make a nice transition.

[zeppelin14]

I went to a MEAC meeting last week. They stated it will bring in 80,000 people to Norfolk.

[zeppelin14]

The MEAC tourney is starting today. I'm sure the restaurants in downtown are busy!

[7citiesVA]

The crowds will be light for the MEAC starting out the week but just wait until Thursday, Friday, and especially Saturday.  Granby street and the entire downtown will be swamped from 12 pm til 2 am.  There are a lot of day parties and after parties taking place at the local clubs/bars/restaurants/marriot hotel.

[BFG]

Yeah...I saw a pic posted from one of last night's games and it was very sparse. But it was a) 2 of the deep south teams (SC State and I think Savannah St.), and they were lower seeds, so the fans probably knew it wasn't worth flying or driving into town for a low-seeded game.

 

Once NSU and HU play, along with the closer teams like Howard or the NC schools, the attendance could and should pick up.

[VAGATOR]

Most conference tournaments are like this......scrub teams usually don't draw early,,,,I expect it to really pick up on Thursday

.The crowds will be light for the MEAC starting out the week but just wait until Thursday, Friday, and especially Saturday.  Granby street and the entire downtown will be swamped from 12 pm til 2 am.  There are a lot of day parties and after parties taking place at the local clubs/bars/restaurants/marriot hotel.