SPECULATION - NBCSN to flip-flop 10/31 JMU/W&M and Maine/Villanova start times?

[CHIP72]

Earlier this afternoon (10/19), the American Athletic Conference and ESPN announced the Saturday 10/31 Notre Dame/Temple game will start at 8 PM ET and be televised on ABC. This announcement, featuring a matchup between the most prominent, football-playing, Catholic university in the U.S. and the Philadelphia area's only Division I-A/FBS program, creates a bit of a problem for the NBC Sports Network and Villanova, a Catholic university based in the Philadelphia area. Villanova is hosting Maine on 10/31, with the start time currently scheduled for 7:30 PM ET. With Notre Dame/Temple scheduled at the essentially the same time, Villanova may not have many people at their game if it is played at 7:30 PM. Mind you, Villanova doesn't draw great for most games and wouldn't draw particularly well for this game even if Notre Dame/Temple was earlier in the day, but at least some Villanova fans who also root for Notre Dame or Temple will likely attend or watch that game on TV rather than attend the Villanova game. That would not look good for Villanova or the NBC Sports Network; considering that NBC carries Notre Dame home games, the schedule conflict is particularly ironic.

However, there is a way this issue could be addressed. Looking at the NBC Sports Network schedule, on 10/31 the network is scheduled to televise an important James Madison/William & Mary game at 4 PM ET, immediately before the Maine/Villanova game. I'm unsure if NBCSN would be willing to do this, but they could flip-flop the start times for the two CAA games, televising Maine/Villanova at 4 PM and James Madison/William & Mary at 7:30 PM. Doing that would alleviate the Notre Dame/Temple and Maine/Villanova conflict. As a side benefit, it would also help build up the James Madison/William & Mary game a bit more by putting it at night, and also avoid any schedule conflicts between that game and either Virginia Tech's game (scheduled for 12:30 PM ET) or Virginia's game (scheduled for 3 PM ET).

It bears watching to see if the NBC Sports Network would consider making such a change in its football game broadcast schedule.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

In a sane world, with TV people paying close attention to their broadcasts, this is exactly what should happen. If I were running things, this is exactly what I would be pushing to happen.

The likelihood that it actually happens? IMO, pretty slim, unfortunately.

[Tribe4SF]

Making that switch so they can have an extra couple of hundred people in the stands at Nova is not going to happen.

[RootinFerDukes]

Making that switch so they can have an extra couple of hundred people in the stands at Nova is not going to happen.
yes, this. Who moves an FCS game time because it would hurt an already poorly attended Villanova game? It would make more sense to move the JMU/WM game to 7:30 primetime spot because it's bound to draw better ratings than a Maine/VU game. However, it's halloween and most people are spending time with their kids instead of watching an FCS football game.
This would be beyond stupid to change.

[Dignan]

I would be pretty annoyed with that proposed switch personally as I'm in Central Europe time and that would put the JMU game at 1:30am for me. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I probably don't speak for the majority here...

[CHIP72]

Moving the start times not only would benefit Villanova attendance-wise, but it would benefit William & Mary attendance-wise as well by avoiding a partial conflict with the Virginia football game.

The bigger benefit is with the TV viewing audience; James Madison and William & Mary fans who also follow Virginia will be flipping between channels or watch only part of the JMU/W&M game on TV, and Villanova fans who also follow Temple or Notre Dame can watch both Maine/Villanova and Notre Dame/Temple rather than being forced to flip channels or watch only one game or the other. Mind you, I'm sure the NBC Sports Network's ratings for CAA football aren't that high regardless what teams are involved or when they are played, but it's not like there wouldn't be benefits for at least 3 of the 4 impacted teams if the schedule was modified.

For those of you who are William & Mary fans - I read on another site William & Mary uses temporary or non-nighttime lighting at their late afternoon games and that a true night game could be problematic lighting-wise. Is this correct?

[ZableNoise]

Moving the start times not only would benefit Villanova attendance-wise, but it would benefit William & Mary attendance-wise as well by avoiding a partial conflict with the Virginia football game.

The bigger benefit is with the TV viewing audience; James Madison and William & Mary fans who also follow Virginia will be flipping between channels or watch only part of the JMU/W&M game on TV, and Villanova fans who also follow Temple or Notre Dame can watch both Maine/Villanova and Notre Dame/Temple rather than being forced to flip channels or watch only one game or the other. Mind you, I'm sure the NBC Sports Network's ratings for CAA football aren't that high regardless what teams are involved or when they are played, but it's not like there wouldn't be benefits for at least 3 of the 4 impacted teams if the schedule was modified.

For those of you who are William & Mary fans - I read on another site William & Mary uses temporary or non-nighttime lighting at their late afternoon games and that a true night game could be problematic lighting-wise. Is this correct?

That's incorrect. We have multiple night games each season. Also no W&M fan gives a **** about UVA, I can't speak for JMU fans but I imagine the same.

[CHIP72]

I figured the lighting "issue" wasn't an issue.

As for William & Mary and/or James Madison fans not caring about Virginia (or Virginia Tech) football, I'm sure some do. Not all or most by any means, but some.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

As for William & Mary and/or James Madison fans not caring about Virginia (or Virginia Tech) football, I'm sure some do. Not all or most by any means, but some.

I think this hits on a broader issue. Why don't FCS teams finally buckle to the reality that their football product might benefit from more flexible start times? This is hardly unique to Virignia. For example, wouldn't Jacksonville State benefit at least a little if they had the ability to schedule their games in a window where Alabama and/or Auburn isn't playing?

[Pinnum]

Temple is currently undefeated and Notre Dame is Catholic football. Villanova just has to concede this one...

On a related note... why don't Nova and Temple play anymore? Has Temple stopped scheduling FCS all together?

[RootinFerDukes]

Moving the start times not only would benefit Villanova attendance-wise, but it would benefit William & Mary attendance-wise as well by avoiding a partial conflict with the Virginia football game.

The bigger benefit is with the TV viewing audience; James Madison and William & Mary fans who also follow Virginia will be flipping between channels or watch only part of the JMU/W&M game on TV, and Villanova fans who also follow Temple or Notre Dame can watch both Maine/Villanova and Notre Dame/Temple rather than being forced to flip channels or watch only one game or the other. Mind you, I'm sure the NBC Sports Network's ratings for CAA football aren't that high regardless what teams are involved or when they are played, but it's not like there wouldn't be benefits for at least 3 of the 4 impacted teams if the schedule was modified.

For those of you who are William & Mary fans - I read on another site William & Mary uses temporary or non-nighttime lighting at their late afternoon games and that a true night game could be problematic lighting-wise. Is this correct?

It's halloween. That is going to hurt both physical attendance and tv viewership. Both would potentially be worse for the JMU/WM game by moving into the prime point of the evening. They actually probably put JMU/WM earlier for that exact reason, realizing that an earlier time slot that day has better viewership potential.

[Cocky]

I think this hits on a broader issue. Why don't FCS teams finally buckle to the reality that their football product might benefit from more flexible start times? This is hardly unique to Virignia. For example, wouldn't Jacksonville State benefit at least a little if they had the ability to schedule their games in a window where Alabama and/or Auburn isn't playing?

We play at 1pm no matter how damn hot it is.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Moving the start times not only would benefit Villanova attendance-wise, but it would benefit William & Mary attendance-wise as well by avoiding a partial conflict with the Virginia football game.

The bigger benefit is with the TV viewing audience; James Madison and William & Mary fans who also follow Virginia will be flipping between channels or watch only part of the JMU/W&M game on TV, and Villanova fans who also follow Temple or Notre Dame can watch both Maine/Villanova and Notre Dame/Temple rather than being forced to flip channels or watch only one game or the other. Mind you, I'm sure the NBC Sports Network's ratings for CAA football aren't that high regardless what teams are involved or when they are played, but it's not like there wouldn't be benefits for at least 3 of the 4 impacted teams if the schedule was modified.

For those of you who are William & Mary fans - I read on another site William & Mary uses temporary or non-nighttime lighting at their late afternoon games and that a true night game could be problematic lighting-wise. Is this correct?


........LET 'EM FLIP........IT'S WHAT WE ALL DO..........EVERAH SATURDAY.........ALL DAY SATURDAY.................WANTED WR'S/QB'S............................FIRE BRAWK!

[Tribal]

It's halloween. That is going to hurt both physical attendance and tv viewership. Both would potentially be worse for the JMU/WM game by moving into the prime point of the evening. They actually probably put JMU/WM earlier for that exact reason, realizing that an earlier time slot that day has better viewership potential.

Maybe for TV but they could play this game at 2:30am and the stadium would be packed to the gills.

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[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Is this really a thread topic? Who cares?

[Gangtackle11]

Temple is currently undefeated and Notre Dame is Catholic football. Villanova just has to concede this one...

On a related note... why don't Nova and Temple play anymore? Has Temple stopped scheduling FCS all together?

They are scheduled to play each other in 2017 & 2018.

[RootinFerDukes]

Maybe for TV but they could play this game at 2:30am and the stadium would be packed to the gills.

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Do JMU wm games at wm usually sell out? Our fans have been able to get tickets the day of the past few times. I went in 2011 and it wasn't full... Neither is bridgeforth of course.

[CHIP72]

Is this really a thread topic? Who cares?

You cared enough to post in the thread. ;)

[CHIP72]

Temple is currently undefeated and Notre Dame is Catholic football. Villanova just has to concede this one...

On a related note... why don't Nova and Temple play anymore? Has Temple stopped scheduling FCS all together?


They are scheduled to play each other in 2017 & 2018.

In addition to Gangtackle's comment, I'll add that Villanova scheduled some of their former Big East basketball foes for their Division I-A/FBS game from 2013-2016 (in order, Boston College, Syracuse, Connecticut, and Pitt) when there was a possibility Villanova might move up to Division I-A/FBS and join the Big East in football.

I should note that many Temple fans (though I'm not one of them) do NOT want the Owls to play Villanova in football because of the lack of upside to beating but significant downside to losing to the lower division in football Wildcats, especially considering Villanova under Andy Talley is the type of Division I-AA/FCS team that can knock off Division I-A/FBS teams every so often. For some of those fans, the (unstated) real reason why they don't want to play Villanova is continuing resentment over Villanova's perceived role in keeping Temple out of the Big East in all sports for many years (say early 1990s until 2011).

Temple will play Stony Brook in 2016 before the two game series with Villanova in 2017-2018.

[CHIP72]

I think this hits on a broader issue. Why don't FCS teams finally buckle to the reality that their football product might benefit from more flexible start times? This is hardly unique to Virignia. For example, wouldn't Jacksonville State benefit at least a little if they had the ability to schedule their games in a window where Alabama and/or Auburn isn't playing?

I know you feel much stronger about this than I do LFN (and think the impact is bigger than I think it is), but I think in big football states in particular, your idea has real merit. (One could argue that FBS G5 teams, like let's say Troy in Alabama, should consider doing the same thing.)

On the other hand, the fact many major college football games after the first three weeks of the season don't have a set start time until 12 days before the game (and in some cases 6 days before the game) is really, really a pain sometimes, especially for people who like to go to games but don't want to make it an all-day tailgating event (or in my case sometimes, want to go to another sports event the same day). If you extend that to Division I-AA/FCS games (or Division II, Division III, or NAIA games), to some degree you are screwing over the fans who like to make plans in advance and whose lives don't revolve around attending every State U or alma mater home football game. (Yes, for those of you who are James Madison or especially William & Mary fans, I realize part of my last sentence is very ironic considering I'm the one who started this thread.) I seriously think the fact teams - or more accurately, TV networks - don't announce the start times for college football games until less than two weeks before they occur negatively impacts attendance, especially for games against non-marquee opponents. For many years (at least until the mid-1980s) major college football had draconian TV rules, but now college football may have gone too far in the other direction.

Though I think the idea of more flexible FCS game start times has some merit, I generally don't support the idea in most cases because of the hassles associated with unknown start times.

[smilo]

Even I as a yuuugggeee Villanova fan will likely be staying home in the nice warm house to watch Temple make a major statement rather than go into that poor stadium for a cold, night game against a struggling Maine team. If we lose, it would be doubly terrible.

[hktribefan]

Do JMU wm games at wm usually sell out? Our fans have been able to get tickets the day of the past few times. I went in 2011 and it wasn't full... Neither is bridgeforth of course.

It will probably be close to a sellout by the time the game rolls around. Always very well attended, but sometimes there are tickets available day of. If you are planning to go, I'd get them sooner than later to be sure.

[Sitting Bull]

Do JMU wm games at wm usually sell out? Our fans have been able to get tickets the day of the past few times. I went in 2011 and it wasn't full... Neither is bridgeforth of course.

Six consecutive sellouts.

The JMU game at W&M has sold out the last six meetings at Zable, which includes the 2004 playoff game.The last match-up that did not sell out was 2003.

The last meeting in 2013 was HC, JMU returned some tickets for that game, they were quickly sold at W&M.

Time was there was even room for the JMU band though the increase in demand at W&M the last 3 to 4 meetings restricted JMU to only the 1,000 tix required by CAA rule and I think the demand at JMU then ruled out using 200 or more of the 1,000 tix for the non-paying band.

I would be shocked if this year wasn't seven straight.