Do Away with Friday Night College Football?

[ngineer]

Des Moines Register has article regarding proposal to reinstate prior rule prohibiting friday night college football. Various reasons, but primary is the over demand on students and more disruption of classroom time. Also has negative impact on high school football attendance as people stay home to watch games on ESPN. What you think?www.desmoinesregister.com/sports

[Fordham]

I agree overall, although if reducing classroom disruption for players is a concern, they should look at killing Thursday night, Wed. night and Tuesday night football first.

Although I'm not an old man yet, I feel like one since as much as I like all levels of football, I prefered when things were not completely oversaturated and you would really look forward with anticipation to your Friday night high school games, followed by a great day of college football and Sunday was all pros.

[putter]

I have to agree, ESPN has thrown a lot of money around and now we have football on everyday of the week. Look at this week, Bowling Green - Boise St., Utah - AirForce, and it is only Friday morning. The term Student/athlete has been lost.

[Hansel]

Read the article this morning (I live near Des Moines), The only reason I see for "abolishing" friday night games, is to help out high school attendance. The missing class time excuse is ludicrous, how many days of class do Football players miss as opposed to Basketball, Baseball/ Softball players etc etc etc etc, I'm guessing not many.

[GannonFan]

As my high school, when I attended, did not have lights, I was never part of the crowd that just fell in love with Friday night high school football. As such, I really have no problem with college football being played really whenever. The attending class argument is silly at best as they'll be missing time regardless of when they play, and besides, a lot of athletes (i.e. non-football) tend to take the minimum credits required in the season that they play so that they can have more time to train and miss less when the demands of the sports interfere. That's why they have winter session and summer sessions - you can always catch up then.

As for the high school football, I think it's a little scary on some level when we have governments getting involved to protect the sanctity of high school football. Although I love football as much as the next person, it is only a game and at the high school level these kids are as young as 14 years old (maybe 13). They are truly children still. What does this say about priorities when we are worried about whether Johnny gets to have the attention of the general public all to himself because he's the QB on the high school team and nothing should interfere with his games? I can understand college and pros being a lot more press-worthy as those that play at those levels are adults (maybe young adults, but adults nonetheless), but to elevate high school football as the bell-weather of civic pride (as a lot of schools do even outside of Texas - Berwick in PA has a 12k seat stadium) is a little off-kilter to me.

[Fordham]

As my high school, when I attended, did not have lights, I was never part of the crowd that just fell in love with Friday night high school football. As such, I really have no problem with college football being played really whenever. The attending class argument is silly at best as they'll be missing time regardless of when they play, and besides, a lot of athletes (i.e. non-football) tend to take the minimum credits required in the season that they play so that they can have more time to train and miss less when the demands of the sports interfere. That's why they have winter session and summer sessions - you can always catch up then.

As for the high school football, I think it's a little scary on some level when we have governments getting involved to protect the sanctity of high school football. Although I love football as much as the next person, it is only a game and at the high school level these kids are as young as 14 years old (maybe 13). They are truly children still. What does this say about priorities when we are worried about whether Johnny gets to have the attention of the general public all to himself because he's the QB on the high school team and nothing should interfere with his games? I can understand college and pros being a lot more press-worthy as those that play at those levels are adults (maybe young adults, but adults nonetheless), but to elevate high school football as the bell-weather of civic pride (as a lot of schools do even outside of Texas - Berwick in PA has a 12k seat stadium) is a little off-kilter to me. funny, i was wondering how long it would take a UD fan to come in here and tell us that classroom time isn't really that important anyway. ( ;) ) Kidding, but I think the argument is that you lose 1 - 2 days of classes, depending on what type of travel is involved v. 1 at most for a Saturday game ... and 2 - 3 days of classes (Wed - travel; Thurs - game; Frid - possible travel) for a Tuesday, Wed or Thursday game.

Also, my high school stadium seats around 10K, is sunken into the ground and has turf ... and also plays in the same conference as Berwick! It is absolutely crazy to me, though, that they'll be on ESPN coming up soon. What's next, ESTV (Elementary School TV), so we can see who the up and coming candidates are that might make it to the Elite 11 Camp?

[GannonFan]

funny, i was wondering how long it would take a UD fan to come in here and tell us that classroom time isn't really that important anyway. ( ;) ) Kidding, but I think the argument is that you lose 1 - 2 days of classes, depending on what type of travel is involved v. 1 at most for a Saturday game ... and 2 - 3 days of classes (Wed - travel; Thurs - game; Frid - possible travel) for a Tuesday, Wed or Thursday game.

Also, my high school stadium seats around 10K, is sunken into the ground and has turf ... and also plays in the same conference as Berwick! It is absolutely crazy to me, though, that they'll be on ESPN coming up soon. What's next, ESTV (Elementary School TV), so we can see who the up and coming candidates are that might make it to the Elite 11 Camp?

Being a ChemE major from UD, I can tell you that classroom time is basically for enrichment - they expect you to learn the actual course stuff on your own. Granted, I doubt there are many ChemE's on the football team but I'm sure the point's still valid.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Let's call the I-A Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday games what they are - point spreads and gambling revenue. Some of the people watching these games are diehard fans of the schools, but I guarantee you that more people are watching Bowling Green/Boise St. to win some money.

I think the NCAA should step in to stop this scheduling insanity quite simply because it's bad for the NCAA. If you make I-A games something diehard gamblers watch every day rather than competitive sport that even casual fans can get into, it's going to make your whole product much worse.

Wrapping this up in high school football, apple pie and the flag is the wrong argument to make here. Unless people are betting on I-A games instead of watching their sons play, I sincerely doubt that Friday games are keeping many fans at home on a regular basis.

[NoCoDanny]

I don't buy the idea that ESPN Friday football has any effect on high school attendance. I seriously doubt any high school fans in the country are going to glued to the TV tonight watching New Mexico State. Usually the Friday night games are pretty lame match ups.

[Ivytalk]

It's all about TV money, anyway. If a team plays on Friday, it won't have a game on Saturday, and study time can be made up, at least in theory. I don't see what all the hullabaloo is about. But that's just my :twocents:

[GannonFan]

Let's call the I-A Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday games what they are - point spreads and gambling revenue. Some of the people watching these games are diehard fans of the schools, but I guarantee you that more people are watching Bowling Green/Boise St. to win some money.

I think the NCAA should step in to stop this scheduling insanity quite simply because it's bad for the NCAA. If you make I-A games something diehard gamblers watch every day rather than competitive sport that even casual fans can get into, it's going to make your whole product much worse.

Wrapping this up in high school football, apple pie and the flag is the wrong argument to make here. Unless people are betting on I-A games instead of watching their sons play, I sincerely doubt that Friday games are keeping many fans at home on a regular basis.

To some I'm sure it's a gambling outlet, but these games are going to be played anyway - whether they happen on Saturday or not there are always lines on the games and they can be played whenever. I honestly have never placed a wager on a college game in my life and yet I still occassionally watch some of these games - I can't imagine I'm the only one. I think it has much less to do with gambling a lot more to do with schools willing to modify their schedules to get exposure. A Boise St isn't taking a game on Wednesday so that they can do a favor for Vegas and increase the bets - they're doing it because if they played on Saturday they would struggle to be on TV - they wouldn't get as much money, the school wouldn't get as much exposure, top players would be less likely to come to Boise, etc.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

A Boise St isn't taking a game on Wednesday so that they can do a favor for Vegas and increase the bets - they're doing it because if they played on Saturday they would struggle to be on TV - they wouldn't get as much money, the school wouldn't get as much exposure, top players would be less likely to come to Boise, etc.

TV wants the game since it wants the gamblers to watch, especially gamblers with no other show in town. Schools want the game because they want the money. If by "exposure" you mean more exposure to hardcore gamblers, then yes, also more exposure.

I doubt anyone went to Boise St. because somebody saw them play Bowling Green on a Wednesday. I do think people pay attention to 11-0 records, however and games on Saturday versus Georgia.

Boise St. can do what it wants -- but it's the NCAA which should be paying attention to this. Games every day of the week wrecks your TV product, while attracting few true fans.