Graham Finally gets a place to call home

[CPF]

24 minutes ago, Fairlawncat said:

No dog in fight, but Bluefield VA/Graham seems to have been treated second fiddle for decades. Why are you holding on to Bluefield-Graham at Mitchell? It's like getting bit and eaten up by a wild animal for decades, yet you still want to feed it and pet it. Based on past treatment, I would do everything in my power to ensure the rivalry game is not played at Mitchell when I'm the home team. Why on earth would any Graham fan entertain the thought of the rivalry game played at Mitchell when you are the home team. From afar, that seems crazy and similar to an abusive relationship where the man or woman keeps coming back to the partner after years of abuse thinking "this time will be different." Hey Gmen fans, it won't be. Move on.

30,000 a year vs 24,000 every other year. 

[jeffro]

14 minutes ago, CPF said:

30,000 a year vs 24,000 every other year. 

Curious-does Beavers pay to play as well. If so how much?

[Liam McPoyle]

I'm just asking questions for my own curiosity. I know nothing about the governmental relationships of the parties involved. Would Bluefield still be willing to split the gate if Graham is no longer a tenant at Mitchell?  Wouldn't it be a wash for BHS whether they played at Mitchell annually (30k split gate) vs biennially (60k full gate)?  If so, would Bluefield/BHS be willing to host the game each season just to increase Graham's revenue? 

[Liam McPoyle]

Mitchell Stadium is a special place, but let's face it, it's a white elephant for Bluefield, WV.  Would the City keep it open without the revenue from Tazewell Co? 

[Real Sasquatch]

Mitchell will still have Bluefield High, Bluefield College and Bluefield State College playing there.  I'm sure they will up the rent for them ....Bluefield High may be the exception.  

 

 

[Real Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, jeffro said:

Curious-does Beavers pay to play as well. If so how much?

Yes, but not as much as Graham.  I don't know the current numbers.

[jeffro]

Mitchell is special. Hard to imagine not playing there anymore.   Beavers would need a place to play. Tickets may cost $20 a piece though LOL.   Or they could lease the Graham facility 

[Real Sasquatch]

5 minutes ago, jeffro said:

Mitchell is special. Hard to imagine not playing there anymore.   Beavers would need a place to play. Tickets may cost $20 a piece though LOL.   Or they could lease the Graham facility 

All of the city fees that Bluefield residents pay is enough to keep it open...

[CPF]

28 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

Mitchell Stadium is a special place, but let's face it, it's a white elephant for Bluefield, WV.  Would the City keep it open without the revenue from Tazewell Co? 

Interesting question. They tried to give the facility away to the mercer county school board who accepted then turned them down. Then the town of Bluefield offered to buy it outright from Bluefield WV who flat turned the offer down. I think the offer was 3 or 4 million dollars. 

[CPF]

51 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

I'm just asking questions for my own curiosity. I know nothing about the governmental relationships of the parties involved. Would Bluefield still be willing to split the gate if Graham is no longer a tenant at Mitchell?  Wouldn't it be a wash for BHS whether they played at Mitchell annually (30k split gate) vs biennially (60k full gate)?  If so, would Bluefield/BHS be willing to host the game each season just to increase Graham's revenue? 

If the alternative was not playing at all I'd say yes.

[Liam McPoyle]

1 hour ago, CPF said:

If the alternative was not playing at all I'd say yes.

The nuclear option 💣🦫

[vol_husky]

Wow. Good for Graham

[Fairlawncat]

4 hours ago, CPF said:

30,000 a year vs 24,000 every other year. 

Please explain. I'm not good at math but why would Bluefield be willing to split the gate when they are the home team and paying rent for their home game? Also, when Graham is the home team that year, why would you pay rent and split the gate with Bluefield? It's one thing when Graham is there for all home games and is a tenant, but for one game per year that would seem to change things. Just seems like a wash to me and if I were Graham and Tazewell County, I would try to get Bluefield to play every year at Graham and alternate sides each year and split that gate money. Seems like you still make the same amount of money and both of you can give the City of Bluefield, WV the bird at the same time. Also, when you are the away team and Bluefield is the home team, don't charge them rent just split the gate and have it under the agreement that as long and Graham vs Bluefield is played in Double Gates you don't charge them rent on the year they are the home team for the Graham game. Seems to me like both of you win and the City of Bluefield loses

[Real Sasquatch]

Graham's stadium will only hold 4000.  That game brings around 10000, occasionally more.  Even if you do a 60-40 split with Bluefield ,you make more money leaving it at Mitchell each year   Plus, if I understand correctly, Bluefield gets a sweetheart deal on rent.

Both teams would benefit by leaving it at Mitchell with perhaps a 60-40 split 

[CPF]

19 minutes ago, Fairlawncat said:

Please explain. I'm not good at math but why would Bluefield be willing to split the gate when they are the home team and paying rent for their home game? Also, when Graham is the home team that year, why would you pay rent and split the gate with Bluefield? It's one thing when Graham is there for all home games and is a tenant, but for one game per year that would seem to change things. Just seems like a wash to me and if I were Graham and Tazewell County, I would try to get Bluefield to play every year at Graham and alternate sides each year and split that gate money. Seems like you still make the same amount of money and both of you can give the City of Bluefield, WV the bird at the same time. Also, when you are the away team and Bluefield is the home team, don't charge them rent just split the gate and have it under the agreement that as long and Graham vs Bluefield is played in Double Gates you don't charge them rent on the year they are the home team for the Graham game. Seems to me like both of you win and the City of Bluefield loses

If you played every year at Mitchell and split the gate it's roughly 30k to each school. If you played at Graham one year and Bluefield the next and split the gate would be 24,000 split 2 ways at 12k. Could Bluefield say we're not splitting the gate at home? Sure. But Graham could also say fine were not playing you anymore and you get zero. So it's in both schools interest to keep things as is. There is no issue with Bluefield High School. The issue is being treated like a 4th class tenant in our own stadium.  The schools can work it out themselves.

[Fairlawncat]

Gotcha, so stadium size between Mitchell and New Stadium plays a part here. Makes sense

[cityofRaven]

Hopefully, someone steps in and flips the press box to the opposite side of the school so that those fine folks who have to work in the booth aren't staring into the sun more so than not. 

[Slap the Mat]

BBHoops_18   You are correct sir. Doug Marrs was Head Coach then after Coach Carlock passing away in early August 2005.  My memory is am little hazy after many years of Graham Bluefield games.  They all run together now.  I believe the two games were split.  Graham winning the first one, Bluefield the second one.  Correct me if I am wrong on that.  The game should follow the Home and Away schedule.  A big reason to build the stadium at GHS is to stop paying and playing at Mitchell.  Why should Graham have to play the big rivalry game at Mitchell every year just because of the seating capacity?  Maybe a 50-50 gate split if it has to be at Mitchell.  I also remember all the years that Graham was the Home Team but still had to stay on the Visitor's side.  That was ridiculous.  It was eventually changed to reflect who was home and who was away.  

[EH31]

 

10 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

Yes, but not as much as Graham.  I don't know the current numbers.

 

7 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

  Plus, if I understand correctly, Bluefield gets a sweetheart deal on rent.

Tazewell County’s agreement with the city of Bluefield to lease the stadium for Graham High School:

 

&

Mercer County’s agreement with the city of Bluefield to lease the stadium for Bluefield High School:

[EH31]

15 hours ago, CPF said:

. Graham is paying 77,500 this year alone for Mitchell Stadium use. That money is better used funding our own place. I think a new scoreboard has even been promised to be donated.

Why is Tazewell County paying $77,500 to use Mitchell Stadium this year when the approved contract said that we would only have to pay $60,000, with no additional fees for playoff games or concessions?

[Mountain Football]

1 hour ago, EH31 said:

Why is Tazewell County paying $77,500 to use Mitchell Stadium this year when the approved contract said that we would only have to pay $60,000, with no additional fees for playoff games or concessions?

I think the additional $17,500 is if you want the toilets to actually work.

[Bluefield researcher]

14 hours ago, Fairlawncat said:

No dog in fight, but Bluefield VA/Graham seems to have been treated second fiddle for decades. Why are you holding on to Bluefield-Graham at Mitchell? It's like getting bit and eaten up by a wild animal for decades, yet you still want to feed it and pet it. Based on past treatment, I would do everything in my power to ensure the rivalry game is not played at Mitchell when I'm the home team. Why on earth would any Graham fan entertain the thought of the rivalry game played at Mitchell when you are the home team. From afar, that seems crazy and similar to an abusive relationship where the man or woman keeps coming back to the partner after years of abuse thinking "this time will be different." Hey Gmen fans, it won't be. Move on.

You are hearing the Graham side of the story. 

[Real Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, EH31 said:

 

 

Tazewell County’s agreement with the city of Bluefield to lease the stadium for Graham High School:

 

&

Mercer County’s agreement with the city of Bluefield to lease the stadium for Bluefield High School:

Damn, I have to read something ....just say the numbers please 

[Bluefield researcher]

There was a time maybe 30 years ago when NEITHER Graham or Bluefield paid rent. Since the stadium was in Bluefield the Beavers always got priority for scheduling and Bluefield always sat on the home side. When Bluefield's population could no longer support "free" rent both schools were required to pay rent. When this happened Graham insisted (and properly so) that they sit on the home side when they were the home team. This was not an issue with Bluefield High's administration but quite a few Bluefield fans and community members did not like it at all. There were also many times that Bluefield, WV city board members insisted on using some of the press box for their own purposes when Graham was the home team. But that was years ago also. Since then both schools have been treated completely equally including alternating Thursday game when there is a scheduling conflict.

If the Bluefield, VA people think that they are going to save money on football you are sadly mistaken. It costs way more than 60k or even 80k to have a stadium. But if spending the extra money to satisfy their egos is worth it then that is their choice.

[Real Sasquatch]

37 minutes ago, Bluefield researcher said:

There was a time maybe 30 years ago when NEITHER Graham or Bluefield paid rent. Since the stadium was in Bluefield the Beavers always got priority for scheduling and Bluefield always sat on the home side. When Bluefield's population could no longer support "free" rent both schools were required to pay rent. When this happened Graham insisted (and properly so) that they sit on the home side when they were the home team. This was not an issue with Bluefield High's administration but quite a few Bluefield fans and community members did not like it at all. There were also many times that Bluefield, WV city board members insisted on using some of the press box for their own purposes when Graham was the home team. But that was years ago also. Since then both schools have been treated completely equally including alternating Thursday game when there is a scheduling conflict.

If the Bluefield, VA people think that they are going to save money on football you are sadly mistaken. It costs way more than 60k or even 80k to have a stadium. But if spending the extra money to satisfy their egos is worth it then that is their choice.

It's not to satisfy anybody's egos, it's to have a place to call home.  Every school needs their own facilities.