Miami football spring game staying in Orlando despite Rolling Stones postponement
The Miami football team’s spring game is staying in Orlando despite the announcement that the Rolling Stones have put their US concert tour on hold.
Miami football head coach Manny Diaz said that the Hurricanes are keeping the game in Orlando to use it as a dress rehearsal for the 2019 season per the Sun Sentinel’s Christy Chirinos. Playing in Orlando can only help a Miami team that has a lot of new faces in 2019.
Eight transfers, six of which are playing in 2019 for the Miami football team, plus the Hurricanes incoming recruiting class are new to the roster for the upcoming season. Playing in Orlando will give the Hurricanes a chance to acclimate to the venue for their August 24 season opener against Florida.
It also gives the team a road trip about four months before they make the return trip to Central Florida for the Camping World Kickoff Classic. The meeting is the first for Miami and Florida since 2013. It will be only one of two FBS games played that day. The game is already creating a national buzz.
Rolling Stones publicist Fran Curtis sent out a release regarding the postponement of the band’s tour. Lead singer Mick Jagger was told by doctors not to tour because he needs unspecified medical treatment at the time the tour is scheduled. Jagger also posted his own statement to his 1.6 million Instagram followers.
Also, even with the news that the Rolling Stones are postponing their concert at Hard Rock, Diaz says plan is still to scrimmage in Orlando and treat that as a dress rehearsal for the season opener.
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) March 30, 2019
Curtis statement further discussed the tour’s delay. The tour was supposed to kick off at Hard Rock Stadium on April 20. That’s the same date that the Hurricanes spring game will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Jagger also is quoted following Curtis’ statement.
"“Mick Jagger has been advised by doctors that he cannot go on tour at this time as he needs medical treatment. The doctors have advised Mick that he is expected to make a complete recovery so that he can get back on stage as soon as possibleI hate letting our fans down and I’m hugely disappointed to have to postpone the tour but am looking forward to getting back on stage as soon as I can.”"
After three years of renovations, Hard Rock Stadium has had a busy offseason. It is currently hosting their inaugural Miami Open tennis tournament. The Hard Rock Stadium site has been a success and created more fan interest than the first 30 years of the tournament that was held on Key Biscayne.
Diaz spoke to the Miami Herald’s Susan Miller Degnan regarding the Hurricanes spring game.
"“We’re so far down the road going to Orlando…And to be quite honest, we really want to use that trip with the new staff as a dress rehearsal for the opener to really get a feel of what it’s going to be like getting up there, in the same locker room, and just really making that as close to a dress rehearsal as possible for Aug. 24."
After the game against the Gators in Orlando, Miami will have a week off. They travel to North Carolina on September 7 for their ACC Opener. Miami plays its first home game of the season on September 14 against Bethune-Cookman. They host Central Michigan a week later for their FBS home opener.
Next. MIami football and Florida one of most anticipated 2019 games. dark
Miami doesn’t play a home ACC game until October 5 against Virginia Tech. That’s much earlier than the teams have played the last few seasons. The winner between the Hurricanes and Hokies decided the ACC Coastal Division title in 2016 and ’17. It wouldn’t be surprising if that happened again in 2019.