[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=none image=https://razorbackswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
First things first, you tell us.
[polldaddy poll=10996281]
Hopefully you, dear reader, selected the right answer. And, oh, yes, there is a right answer.
Little Rock had its run. It had its time. It’s a city the writer of this here little piece adores. Outside his home town, it’s his favorite city in the state. And, folks, that home town isn’t Fayetteville.
But the day has passed. Times change. The University of Arkansas is in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Fayetteville, Arkansas, has the population, means and money to support University of Arkansas athletics in perpetuity. And even if those big-monied Little Rock backers pull their funds, the Hogs are better off missing out, anyway.
Yes, the argument that the ‘rest of the state’ deserves to watch the Razorbacks up-close-and-personal is the most common one. It’s even a bit valid, if even only a bit. But what Arkansas fan wants to watch Arkansas lose?
The Hogs have played a single, solitary game in the capital city, or its sister city across the Arkansas River, each year (most years, anyway) for a while now. After Saturday’s loss to lowly Hofstra, Razorbacks basketball is 6-4 in their last 10 games at what’s now called Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. The opponents in those games were Alabama-Birmingham, Houston, Alabama A&M, South Alabama, Southeast Missouri State, Mercer, Sam Houston State, Troy, Texas-San Antonio, Valparaiso and Hofstra.
Not exactly the big dogs.
In February, Arkansas athletics announced it would extend its agreement to play at War Memorial Stadium through 2025. Such stalwarts as Western Carolina, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Arkansas State will visit. The Razorbacks are beat Pine Bluff in Little Rock this year, but before that lost to Missouri in 2019, Ole Miss in 2018, beat Florida A&M in 2017, Alcorn State in 2016 and lost to Toledo in 2015.
In other words, the only teams Arkansas football beats in Little Rock lately are teams in FCS.
Why? Because the school knows scheduling an important game there is a bad idea. Sure, it’s a home game, technically. But it still requires a flight, bad facilities and an unfamiliar environment.
And while it’s disappointing that many Arkansas fans won’t otherwise get an opportunity to watch their favorite program in-person, that’s simply the nature of the beast. Penn State is in the middle of nowhere. Oregon State and Oregon are on the same side of the state, just an hour apart. Nebraska doesn’t play games in Kearney. Oklahoma doesn’t play in Tulsa.
The fans, the rank-and-file, they won’t stop supporting the program. The recruits, they’re either going to Arkansas or they’re not. One game a year isn’t going to change their mind. It has no effect. They can’t go on a recruiting visit during that game, anyway. Besides, you know school-aged athletes. Half the time they root for teams outside their home state, regardless.
Simply put, it isn’t worth it. Not if the program(s) want to be considered among the best Division I.