Why in the world would these two teams wanna go half way around the world to play a game in front a country that even cares about college football. 
Oregon invites Boise State to play 2009 game in China
BOISE, Idaho -- The University of Oregon is scheduled to travel to Boise State at the start of the 2009 season to play the Broncos on their blue turf, but the Ducks have suggested playing the game elsewhere -- in China.
Jeff Hawkins, Oregon's director of football operations, said that Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny made the invitation to Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier last spring.
Boise State is considering the invitation.
"It would be a great experience for our kids and for the program," Bleymaier said Tuesday. "That's why we are going to look into it and see if there's a way to make it happen."
As part of a two-year contract, Boise State travels to Eugene, Ore., to play the Ducks on Aug. 30, 2008, with the Ducks traveling to Boise State the following year. It's that game that would be played in China.
Bleymaier said he would ask the Ducks to travel to Boise State in another year so that the Broncos didn't lose a home contest, where they have won 51 of their last 53 games.
"We're not going to play a home game in China," Bleymaier said. "It's an idea right now. They're not sure, and we're not sure, if it's even feasible."
Hawkins said the suggestion to move the game to China was not an attempt to avoid playing on the blue turf.
"We go to Michigan in September to play in the Big House [Michigan Stadium]," said Hawkins. "We haven't offered them a trip to China."
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots were scheduled to play in China this month but that plan collapsed after the NFL decided the country didn't have a fan base for the game.
Hawkins said he brought up the trip to China with Oregon coach Mike Bellotti.
"He looked at me and wasn't sure what to make of it," Hawkins told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Oregon has permission to play a game in China in 2009 from the NCAA, as long as the game is held on Aug. 27, 28 or 29, Hawkins said.
He said that he, Oregon Vice Provost for International Affairs/Outreach Chunsheng Zhang, and Jim Warsaw, founder of the University's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, are traveling to China in November to try to set up the game.
He said Oregon is considering Beijing and Shanghai as possible sites.
"This is all preliminary," said Hawkins. "There is no date. There is no opponent. There is no permission [from China]. This is all very tentative at this point, but exciting."
Oregon invites Boise State to play 2009 game in China
BOISE, Idaho -- The University of Oregon is scheduled to travel to Boise State at the start of the 2009 season to play the Broncos on their blue turf, but the Ducks have suggested playing the game elsewhere -- in China.
Jeff Hawkins, Oregon's director of football operations, said that Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny made the invitation to Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier last spring.
Boise State is considering the invitation.
"It would be a great experience for our kids and for the program," Bleymaier said Tuesday. "That's why we are going to look into it and see if there's a way to make it happen."
As part of a two-year contract, Boise State travels to Eugene, Ore., to play the Ducks on Aug. 30, 2008, with the Ducks traveling to Boise State the following year. It's that game that would be played in China.
Bleymaier said he would ask the Ducks to travel to Boise State in another year so that the Broncos didn't lose a home contest, where they have won 51 of their last 53 games.
"We're not going to play a home game in China," Bleymaier said. "It's an idea right now. They're not sure, and we're not sure, if it's even feasible."
Hawkins said the suggestion to move the game to China was not an attempt to avoid playing on the blue turf.
"We go to Michigan in September to play in the Big House [Michigan Stadium]," said Hawkins. "We haven't offered them a trip to China."
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots were scheduled to play in China this month but that plan collapsed after the NFL decided the country didn't have a fan base for the game.
Hawkins said he brought up the trip to China with Oregon coach Mike Bellotti.
"He looked at me and wasn't sure what to make of it," Hawkins told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Oregon has permission to play a game in China in 2009 from the NCAA, as long as the game is held on Aug. 27, 28 or 29, Hawkins said.
He said that he, Oregon Vice Provost for International Affairs/Outreach Chunsheng Zhang, and Jim Warsaw, founder of the University's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, are traveling to China in November to try to set up the game.
He said Oregon is considering Beijing and Shanghai as possible sites.
"This is all preliminary," said Hawkins. "There is no date. There is no opponent. There is no permission [from China]. This is all very tentative at this point, but exciting."
