Iowa State / Lightening Opponent - ISU just got a new one.

[Hawkinole]

Do Nebraska's and Iowa State's Week 1 opponents, Akron, and S. Dakota State, get paid?

I searched and found an article that SDSU will be paid $425,000 as contracted though it only played a little in the 1st Qtr.

Iowa State is searching for an opponent to play in a bye week, or otherwise especially if they need a win to be bowl eligible.

The Omaha World-Herald reported the Neb. - Akron game contract called for a void of the deal if the game was cancelled because of "tropical storm, hurricane and flood." Lightning is not mentioned in the contract, according to the World-Herald.

Nebraska offered to play the game Sunday at 10:30 a.m. but Akron was checking out of its hotel and refused, but has offered to play on the Big Ten Championship game date in December.

https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2018/09/akron_and_nebraska_at_odds_of.html It is a great legal issue. Akron is looking for another opponent, as well, in case they need one to be bowl eligible but they can't play 2 FCS teams for bowl eligibility unless a waiver is granted.
Life is complicated.

[MarqHusker]

Force majeure.   I've been talking about this with some of my ilk this week.  As you well know Hawk,  the absence of the word 'Lightning' isn't dispositive as far as answering the question of whether the contract is void.   There was a lot of ink spent on this in NE papers (that's what they do in Nebraska, cover every football related matter to death).  Some interesting stories came out of it.   We'll see hope it plays out, as far as check writing goes.

Apparently, Nebraska had Akron set up at a Dorm, to which it is believed the Akron AD or Bowden said,  'would Nebraska stay at a dorm to play Michigan?'    No win situation for anybody.   On Saturday afternoon they couldn't have said,  hey, let's start this sucker now before the heavy stuff comes down.    I know they do this in golf,  bump up tee times, but that's a lot more manageable than trying to hedge a night time kickoff.    Fricking TV calls the shots.

[FearlessF]

UNL AD has said Akron will be paid travel expenses

at least

I would hope the Zips could come to Lincoln on December 1st

Huskers get their "W", Zips get their $1 million

[Brutus Buckeye]

It would be a dick move not to pay them, when they have already endured all of the travel costs. 

Akron played in the Mac Ccg last year, no guarantee that they won't make it back. 

[FearlessF]

just toll ya

they will be reimbursed for all travel expenses

no one's a dick here, Dude

[Brutus Buckeye]

Well good on them for doing that. 

It still sucks for Akron though, as these body bag games fund their entire athletic dept for the year. 

That said, refusing to stay in the dorms so that they could play the game the next day was a bitch move. 

Turning down a big pay day because you are too proud to accept free accommodations, however imperfect they may be, is just dumb. 

[FearlessF]

don't blame the Zips for not staying in a crap place

but, if they want the $$$, as I'm sure they do, they should schedule the game for Dec. 1st

can easily be cancelled if the Zips make their conf champ game

[Brutus Buckeye]

Should be able to use the Army-Navy weekend for make up dates. 

[MarqHusker]

I think Abel Hall was the dorm being offered.   I lived in Schramm for two years, but camped at Abel a couple times.  It's a decent place, beats an 'X Inn' by the interstate.   Heck the Bears used to stay at the Lake Forest College dorms for Tx camp not that long ago, and they didn't have A/C.

Like I said, not an easy situation for anybody here.   First postponement since WWII for Nebraska if I read correctly.

[Brutus Buckeye]

yeah, they'd have to be some pretty broke ass dorms to be unsuitable for College students. 

I think Akron may have dug their own grave here. 

I don't think Nebraska should reschedule it. They can't control the weather, and made a reasonable effort under the circumstances to get the game in. 

Plus I'd hate to see a situation where a team might decide that they want to throw a game in order to get a gigantic pay day, instead of competing for a Conference Title. 

Akron had their chance and they blew it, in my opinion. 

[FearlessF]

yeah, they'd have to be some pretty broke ass dorms to be unsuitable for College students.

well, UNL students aren't sleeping there
and I stayed at one of those "X" hotels by the Lincoln airport last season
I won't be doing that again
It wasn't horrible, but it's not what those pampered athletes are accustomed too

[OrangeAfroMan]

I get Akron's side of things, but it is ironic that their team, some/many of whom live in dorms, refused to stay in dorms in Nebraska.

It's just funny.

[FearlessF]

I'd bet if they could have contacted Husker fans staying in hotels in the downtown area via cell phone, there would have been 100 rooms vacated that evening

[Hawkinole]

1. Do fans get refunds if there is no replacement game?

2. There was an article today about Iowa State. They seem desperate to schedule a replacement after the loss to Iowa, and seem resigned to Big Twelve championship game day which would be canceled if the team they schedule, or if Iowa State, makes the championship game. They are looking for an FCS team.

Maybe Iowa State should look west 225 miles; maybe Nebraska should look east 225 miles. 

Try scheduling Iowa State - Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium Dec. 1, or Dec. 8. It would be a complicated negotiation, but could be a fruitful solution. 

Both teams are trying to become bowl eligible, but even if this game torpedoes one team from the bowl slate, playing on a Saturday in Kansas City in December would be akin to a bowl for both teams.

3. Nebraska could then pay Akron, a settlement of some kind, and in the future nonconference opponent contracts need to include agreements for game suspensions caused by lightening.