Here is the key thing to remember; we are not Bowling Green. I'm talking about trying to play Black Friday in Canton against Kent State and advertise it all year long. Have it as a bonus game in season ticket packages. Could this game sell 20,000 with 15,000 in the stands? Fawcett Stadium seats 22,500. Think of it this way, would it be easier for Ohio fans in Athens to travel to Canton than Kent State? Yes because its 45 minutes closer. Can a Black Friday game sell 22,500 in Athens? That isn't going to happen. If the main economic benefit of an Ohio home football game is the out of town visitors and they aren't visiting the day after Thanksgiving why host a game in town?
Didn't we play in Kent a few times on Black Friday? How was our attendance? Those same NE Ohio alumni would be just as available to make a game at Kent as they would a game in Canton.
I was at the game last Black Friday. Our crowd was good, not great. Kent had a nice showing of non-students. Granted, they were ranked at the time.
Sure, all the same NE Ohio alumni would go to Canton, but I really don't think it would attract many more Athens-area fans than a game in Kent would. It's only about a half hour closer. I don't think Fawcett is anything special. I view it as Canton McKinley's home stadium, so for me it'd be like playing the game in a high school stadium.
Plus, it would probably cost us a home game at least every other year. I'd rather max out true home games than play one in Canton that would have just slightly more OHIO fans than a game in Kent.