Report: Rutgers and Maryland to square off at Yankee Stadium
In a time of year when activity at Yankee Stadium usually means playoff baseball, Rutgers football looks to take center stage.
The Scarlet Knights will move a home game for this upcoming season against Maryland to Yankee Stadium, according to Chick Hernandez of CSN Mid-Atlantic, citing a source.
Former Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann struck a deal with the New York Yankees before her dismissal last November. The proposed deal would see Rutgers play in the Bronx on Nov. 4, 2017.
Current Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs weighed in on the status of the game and what it would mean for the university, citing the connection between the city and alumni as a prominent factor.
"It's important for our relationship if we can be with an iconic organization like the Yankees," Hobbs stated Friday, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com. "They have a lot of the history that we would like to start building at Rutgers."
Hobbs and head football coach Chris Ash were in attendance at Yankee Stadium last Tuesday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Hobbs confirmed the Yankees interest in hosting Rutgers.
"I guess the Yankees see Rutgers is starting to move forward and is a good story so they want to be a part of it, too," Hobbs said.
The resounding effect of the proposed game at Yankee Stadium has not sat well with many fans. According to a recent NJ.com poll, 69.3 percent of over 2,904 respondents voted against the home game away from home. Hobbs is yet to sign the contract, but a source familiar with the situation believes that the existing agreement will be honored.
The relocation of any home game can be a cause for financial concern, but according to Keith Sargeant of NJ.com, the Scarlet Knights' first year in the Big Ten earned them just under $8.1 million in profit, a new record for the program. Rutgers will hold six true home games this coming season once the agreement becomes official.
Rutgers previously played three games at Yankee Stadium, a regular season game against Army in 2011, and both the 2011 and 2013 Pinstripe Bowl games against Iowa State and Notre Dame respectively.