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With College Football Already Dominated, Big 12 Looks To VC

from the nice-try dept

Wed, Jul 19th 2006 3:07pm — Mike Masnick

Over the years, we've heard of plenty of places trying to become the "Silicon Valley of Whereversville," without much success. Part of the problem is that you need to create the full ecosystem that makes Silicon Valley function (if you can call it functioning). Most people recognize that often involves both a local university and plenty of venture capital dollars. So, if you have the university, how would you go about attracting that VC money? It seems that the colleges of the Big 12 have decided the answer is with what they may be best known for: their college football teams. They're setting up a conference for venture capitalist timed to coincide with the Big 12 championship football game in Kansas City. Not exactly known as a hotbed of innovation (though, perhaps that's the point), it seems that these schools are recognizing that they need to bribe VCs to come to town in the middle of December -- and college football is the best of what they have to offer (perhaps if they throw in some local BBQ it would seal the deal). The plan has obviously been well-thought out: "Most people in business who make money like sports, so we're going to find out if this works." Now that sounds like confidence.

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13 Comments

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UhHuh, 19 Jul 2006 @ 3:32pm

In for the FIRST POST!
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Jul 2006 @ 3:47pm

Yeah,

What he ^ said!

Word up!
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Jul 2006 @ 4:08pm

Why can't I ever get the first post in?

Boogers.
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another coward, 19 Jul 2006 @ 4:17pm

Re:
cause you have a life
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anon, 19 Jul 2006 @ 5:31pm

do you guys have nothing better to do than get the first post? i mean comon
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nonuser, 19 Jul 2006 @ 8:21pm

big 12 college football
That's just what comes to mind when I think of champions of risky, imaginative, blue sky, out of the box type thinking.

Not.
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The Toe, 19 Jul 2006 @ 9:01pm

VC and The Big 12
I've been to a few Big 12 Championship games in Houston and KC. Doing something at the games to attract VC money is an innovative approach. Think about 12 major universities alumni with money to throw around. Why not do what you can to intice them to put it with someone they know. These schools my be on on the fringe of fly over country but they are on the leading edge of fund raising. Good for them.
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Andrew Strasser, 19 Jul 2006 @ 9:22pm

Notre Dame is a huge contributor.
Notre Dame has long been known for bringing money to this town. College football is like "THE" thing in our town. We have our other hotspots, like the College Football Hall of Fame, Studebaker Museums, and the fourth largest man made rapids in the world along our river. No matter what though everyone seems to know Notre Dame. It's like a Catholic Mecca around here, not sure how it's regarded elsewhere.
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Sanguine Dream, 20 Jul 2006 @ 6:46am

Thats really not a bad idea. It is true that lot's of big spenders are in to sports. Add that to rich alumni and the money made from just appearing in a bowl and you could do a town a lot of good. Let's just hope that the money goes to the right places.

This whole first post thing is getting out of hand. It wasn't til the 6th post before the discussion started. I started posting here to get away from elitist childishness at slashdot. Looks like it may be time to move on elsewhere. Isn't there a way to delete the "first posts"?
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Ben McNelly, 20 Jul 2006 @ 7:31am

Bad idea??? Bah...
Now, to get that VC look on, and go get me some free BBQ baby!! Gooood stuffff!
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jul 2006 @ 8:49am

Texas did this last year for Ohio v Texas. Texans don't want to go to Ohio in the fall.
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Unique Valentines Day Gifts, 22 Oct 2006 @ 7:13am

Big12 championship games
I have been to a few Big12 championship games in Houston city and KC, doing something at the games to attract VC money is an inovative approach. Think about 12 major university alumni with money to throw around. Why not do what you can to intice them to put it with someone they know.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 May 2007 @ 9:55am

fuck you bitches
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