THURSDAY UPDATES
7 p.m. Update -- Jimbo Fisher told reporters Thursday barring any changes, he's expecting Florida State at Miami to go on as scheduled. Fisher said if there are any changes, they would be made by The ACC or by the University of Miami's administration. Fisher said the team will plan on leaving Tallahassee around 10 a.m. Friday.
11 a.m. Update -- Also to clarify, in talking to a source at FSU this morning, the reason it won't be moved to Tallahassee isn't because of a lack of resources (in terms of TPD, etc.) ... It's UM's home game, and moving to Doak was considered the last possible alternative. Since Raymond James is an option, there was no real reason to even consider Doak. But for now, the plan is still Miami on Saturday night.
10:50 a.m. Update -- Gene is hearing from a source at FSU that the plan is still to try to play at Miami on Saturday. Sounds like they're gonna hope for the best that it can happen. If it can't happen there, it sounds like Raymond James is still a possibility as a backup plan.
10:10 a.m. Update -- UM athletics director Blake James told the Miami Herald this morning that they are discussing options but that he believes game still will be played at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. That was posted at 9:45 this morning.
12:25 a.m. Update -- The Tampa Bay Times is now reporting what we posted earlier -- that Raymond James is a potential alternative if the game can't be played in South Florida.
WEDNESDAY UPDATES
8:15 p.m. Update -- We've heard from three second-hand sources now that Tampa (Raymond James Stadium) is the potential site if Saturday's game has to be moved. Doak apparently isn't an option. So we've been told that Tampa authorities have been consulted, and it sounds as if Raymond James is possible.
Meetings will be held in the morning, and based on what the storm does overnight, they could stick with the game as is or possibly move to Tampa. But a decision is expected in the morning.
5 p.m. Update -- Florida State issued a statement this afternoon saying the 8 p.m. Saturday game against Miami is still scheduled to be played. Here's more from the release:
Florida State is in constant contact with the ACC and the University of Miami about this weekend’s game and the possible impact of Hurricane Matthew. At this point in time, the game will go on as scheduled in Miami but all three parties are discussing all possibilities in terms of the best way to play the game while putting the safety of the fans at the center of those plans.
3:55 p.m. Update -- Jeff Cameron of ESPN-Tallahassee radio just said they talked with people at ESPN, and ESPN's TV crew already has been sent to South Florida for the game ahead of the storm. And their plan is to be doing the game down there on Saturday. That's not surprising, but it is a reminder that TV is a significant stakeholder in this as well.
3:30 p.m. Update -- Just wanted to pass along what we're hearing about possible contingency plans if Hurricane Matthew makes it too dangerous for Saturday's game to be played at Miami ... whether that be because of damage sustained or the risk of having thousands of people traveling to the game.
Miami's A.D., Blake James, just made a statement at 3 p.m. saying no decision has been made on their end.
From what we have heard, FSU staff also has been meeting today to consider possible alternatives if the game can't be played down there.
With the Dolphins playing at home on Sunday against Tennessee, that is not an option.
We've heard that FSU has done some PRELIMINARY work to see if the game could be played at Doak, but that obviously would not be Miami's preference, and it would be challenging to pull off. I've heard TPD has been contacted (at least informally) to see if they could handle it, and I'm sure other agencies will be involved in that discussion.
I'm not 100 percent sure if this is something UM even has on the table or if it's something FSU is working on to even see if it's a possibility.
Some have suggested playing Monday at Miami, but that would be a tough, tough sell for the Canes because of their next two games (the following Saturday against UNC and then on the road that next Thursday at Virginia Tech). They'd be playing FSU, UNC and VT in like 10 days.
My guess is Miami is going to do everything it can to play Saturday at home. I can't imagine UM will see either of these other two options as something they can stomach. Another possibility would be another venue, but I haven't heard anything credible on that.
Will let you know when we hear more.
7 p.m. Update -- Jimbo Fisher told reporters Thursday barring any changes, he's expecting Florida State at Miami to go on as scheduled. Fisher said if there are any changes, they would be made by The ACC or by the University of Miami's administration. Fisher said the team will plan on leaving Tallahassee around 10 a.m. Friday.
11 a.m. Update -- Also to clarify, in talking to a source at FSU this morning, the reason it won't be moved to Tallahassee isn't because of a lack of resources (in terms of TPD, etc.) ... It's UM's home game, and moving to Doak was considered the last possible alternative. Since Raymond James is an option, there was no real reason to even consider Doak. But for now, the plan is still Miami on Saturday night.
10:50 a.m. Update -- Gene is hearing from a source at FSU that the plan is still to try to play at Miami on Saturday. Sounds like they're gonna hope for the best that it can happen. If it can't happen there, it sounds like Raymond James is still a possibility as a backup plan.
10:10 a.m. Update -- UM athletics director Blake James told the Miami Herald this morning that they are discussing options but that he believes game still will be played at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. That was posted at 9:45 this morning.
12:25 a.m. Update -- The Tampa Bay Times is now reporting what we posted earlier -- that Raymond James is a potential alternative if the game can't be played in South Florida.
WEDNESDAY UPDATES
8:15 p.m. Update -- We've heard from three second-hand sources now that Tampa (Raymond James Stadium) is the potential site if Saturday's game has to be moved. Doak apparently isn't an option. So we've been told that Tampa authorities have been consulted, and it sounds as if Raymond James is possible.
Meetings will be held in the morning, and based on what the storm does overnight, they could stick with the game as is or possibly move to Tampa. But a decision is expected in the morning.
5 p.m. Update -- Florida State issued a statement this afternoon saying the 8 p.m. Saturday game against Miami is still scheduled to be played. Here's more from the release:
Florida State is in constant contact with the ACC and the University of Miami about this weekend’s game and the possible impact of Hurricane Matthew. At this point in time, the game will go on as scheduled in Miami but all three parties are discussing all possibilities in terms of the best way to play the game while putting the safety of the fans at the center of those plans.
3:55 p.m. Update -- Jeff Cameron of ESPN-Tallahassee radio just said they talked with people at ESPN, and ESPN's TV crew already has been sent to South Florida for the game ahead of the storm. And their plan is to be doing the game down there on Saturday. That's not surprising, but it is a reminder that TV is a significant stakeholder in this as well.
3:30 p.m. Update -- Just wanted to pass along what we're hearing about possible contingency plans if Hurricane Matthew makes it too dangerous for Saturday's game to be played at Miami ... whether that be because of damage sustained or the risk of having thousands of people traveling to the game.
Miami's A.D., Blake James, just made a statement at 3 p.m. saying no decision has been made on their end.
From what we have heard, FSU staff also has been meeting today to consider possible alternatives if the game can't be played down there.
With the Dolphins playing at home on Sunday against Tennessee, that is not an option.
We've heard that FSU has done some PRELIMINARY work to see if the game could be played at Doak, but that obviously would not be Miami's preference, and it would be challenging to pull off. I've heard TPD has been contacted (at least informally) to see if they could handle it, and I'm sure other agencies will be involved in that discussion.
I'm not 100 percent sure if this is something UM even has on the table or if it's something FSU is working on to even see if it's a possibility.
Some have suggested playing Monday at Miami, but that would be a tough, tough sell for the Canes because of their next two games (the following Saturday against UNC and then on the road that next Thursday at Virginia Tech). They'd be playing FSU, UNC and VT in like 10 days.
My guess is Miami is going to do everything it can to play Saturday at home. I can't imagine UM will see either of these other two options as something they can stomach. Another possibility would be another venue, but I haven't heard anything credible on that.
Will let you know when we hear more.
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