I really think that the MAC office needs to be contacted about the November schedules. The MAC may blow you off, but if fans of this league can constantly touch base with them reminding the MAC office that they are losing their fan base, then maybe something good will happen? Of course maybe, this is wishful thinking?

I Love this post simply because half of the analogies used, I learned at the great Ohio University. Anyway this schedule sucks, I am not asking for no weeknight games, just 4 home Saturday games. I do make it to the weeknight games. It just doesn't make sense to pay for my premium tickets for 3 home Saturdays since you can sit anywhere you want at the weeknight games. I can't justify paying more just to support the program. If you can that's great.

Thanks for asking, I'd be happy to share my point of view on the 2018 schedule. First and foremost, I'll let you know that I typically attend four to six games a year in person, and by choice, OHIO football is a very important part of my leisure time. I have learned to love the program not only because of the people in the program that I have gotten to know who I find to be high quality individuals (Russ and Rob/Matt Morton/Lou/Pete Lalich/ICA staff), but also because of the friends I have met and tailgate with, many of whom are regulars on this board (Pete/Ted/McBin and Kat/DFC/Chuck Williams/Bob Wolfinger/ and the Lancaster crew/ytown/etc). I really enjoy the camaraderie that attending games has brought to my free time and am extremely thankful for it, and all that came from engaging in OHIO football since 2005.

Additionally, my post was speaking from the "I", I wasn't trying to say any other remote season ticket holders should view the schedule from my perspective, and I tend to be a glass half full kind of guy, so here is my take on the games I highlighted:

UVA- A no brainer for me to travel to. Great college town, beautiful region of the country, excellent tailgate scene and a state named institution like us that OHIO should aspire to academically, and a game that is very winnable.

UC- Also a no brainer for me because I have friends in the area, it's a short flight, some great craft beer in the area (usually a big draw for me in traveling to games), and another opportunity to do the Bourbon Trail. A game versus a state school in an step up G5 conference that is a very winnable, so what's not to like about traveling for that.

NIU- Easy, cheap flight from BOS to ORD/MDW makes this a very appealing in and out for a day trip for me, lots of friends/coworkers in the area, great craft brew scene and I went to the last NIU game in DeKalb and enjoyed the campus pregame scene despite temps in the teens. The ability to go back in fall weather, not winter, and a matchup with a perennial west power should make for a great game.

Homecoming/Balls- Games four business days apart means only four vacation days taken, excellent time of the year, and all in Athens. No brainer.

Western- One of the last MAC stadiums I haven't been in for a game, and a matchup with a perennial west power should make for a great game. Once again, excellent craft scene for beer and cider from GR to Kzoo, and they ususally draw very well (relative to other MAC teams) for midweek games. Easy in and out to DTW, I can't wait!

Crackron- Rematch against the team that took us out of the title chase last year (should I say we took ourselves out due to all the turnovers), my company gives its employees Black Friday off for vacation, get to see family for the holiday and see a game. No brainer.

So that's just me, but I am looking forward to it.

Sorry ... I misunderstood what you were implying when you said the schedule was "muy bueno if you are a season ticket holder and have to travel to see every game" because I am a season ticket holder who does have to travel for every game....even if it is from Columbus.

I agree ... the UVA game and UC games are solid fan-friendly road games this year.

And the MAC road schedule is pretty standard.

It's the home schedule that is truly awful.

Home game vs. FCS Howard on Labor Day Saturday.

Saturday home game vs. horrible UMass on 9/29

Then homecoming Saturday vs. BG on 10/20.

And that's it for Saturdays in Athens! It S-U-C-K-S!!! I'm sorry.

As much as I love traveling to road games .... and I have to Kansas, Tennessee, Maryland, Morgantown, Kentucky, Illinois, Minnesota, etc .... and all around the MAC ... I truly love fall Saturdays in Athens tailgating ... wandering Court St ... and taking in a football game.

And those opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer by the year in this damn league. It sucks. I'm sorry. You won't change my mind.

I know about millions of dollars in TV exposure and the ESPN contracts ... but at what point does selling out your core fanbase and students outweigh any of that???

Do you think a recruit thinks it's cool to visit Athens and Ohio U for a home game on a Wednesday and see a Peden Stadium with 6000 people in it? Can a HS recruit from outside a 2hr radius even visit for a game during a weeknight?!?!?!

Yes, you can walk into a living room and tell a recruit he'll most likely play on national TV half of the season. Great! But you'll be doing it in front of more than half-empty stadiums.

If anything, it's the total opposite in MAC basketball where you can tell recruits you can play your entire conference season on the internet ... and maybe get on TV 2 or 3 times a year once MAC play starts.

I have been on record (ad nauseam) how much I hate this deal they struck with ESPN. I understand the money is paramount ... but the logistics the league prostituted itself out for are starting to wear thin on the respective school core fanbases.

I've reached out to the MAC and voiced my displeasure and concern. (Psssst. They don't care! It's all about that almighty ESPN dollar ... they'll bend over any way ESPN wants them to for that paycheck ... and I think in the long run it will not benefit the league as much as people think.)

The irony in that was not lost on me either. If you're trying to "recruit" students ... showing them an empty stadium and saying "come enjoy the college experience of attending your school's game ... on a Wednesday night ... with 12 of your other classmates" probably doesn't help much.

I give back to my school when I feel engaged with my school. Making it difficult for me to come back to Athens and take part in what I enjoy most (Bobcat football and hoops) doesn't make me want to give back ... it actually distances me from Ohio University and makes me feel less connected.

There seems to be a congruence of events that will substantially alter the current situation over the next decade or so. Some of them:
1. Decline of youth participation in football
2. Concern over concussions
3. Lawsuits by players who want to be deemed as employees (the NCAA argues that they are not employees, but instead, they are like slaves or prisoners https://abovethelaw.com/2018/02/ncaa-doubles-down-on-comp... /
)
4. Aging fan base
5. Resistance by the general students to supporting sports with fees
6. Tighter budgets for Universities
7. Declining revenue from telecasts
8. Declining attendance

As attendance and TV revenues fall, sports will become larger drains on athletic departments, and as resistance to fees and rising tuition grows, Universities will have to make some tough decisions.

I'm pretty sure it was included in the official athletic dept media release to "remind" folks of why they ONLY HAVE THREE SATURDAY HOME GAMES .... because most normal people will look at that schedule and will notice the absurdity. Somewhat of a justification for fisting most of their paying in-person customers.

I don't think the problem is as simple as rising costs, and I think the problem goes beyond just football. Some of the items on my list pertain only to football, but other apply to other sports as well. I'll divide my list into several categories:
I. Declining participation
a. Parents not allowing children to play football
b. Young people less interested in playing sports, and more interested in playing video games

II. Increasing costs
a. Lawsuits by players who want to be deemed as employees
b. Escalation of facilities wars
c. Continuing increases in coaching salaries

III. Decrease in fanbase/promotional value
a. Concern over concussions
b. Aging fan base

IV. Declining Revenue
a. Resistance by the general students to supporting sports with fees
b. Tighter budgets for Universities
c. Declining revenue from telecasts
d. Declining attendance

The whole premise of Universities being involved in sports used to be the promotional value, and that is decreasing. Thus, you have the worst of all worlds, rising costs, falling revenues, and decreasing value.

I'm not a fan of this schedule either. Not only do I detest the fact we only have 3 home Saturday games but our midweek games in November are almost assuredly guaranteeing loses and injuries to players. On Nov. 1st we have a Thursday night away game at Western Michigan. The following week we have a Wednesday night away game at Miami. Aside from only 6 days in between game days
I can only imagine we'll lose at least 1 if not 2 or 3 days of practice due to travel and player recovery time. If the past few years are any indication we'll be dealing with some significant injuries by this point in the season and now we're going to compound that with an even shorter week of preparation time AND back-to-back away games. I won't be surprised if any hopes for a season ending title chase are all but gone prior to the final two home games against the Bulls and Zips.

I haven't even mentioned the possibility of rain or inclement weather on one of those Saturday games or (gasp!) a weeknight game. Remember last year's season opener and the rain? The tailgating atmosphere was nowhere to be found. The rains that were scheduled to be out of the area hung around until the second half when the game was already decided. The weather combined with a terrible opponent and it was no wonder the stands were empty and the gameday atmosphere was pathetic.

I'm guessing band day will have to be either the opening game of the year or on the same weekend as Parents Weekend. Again, not an ideal situation for either option.

I agree with others who have posted on here that several of the away games are attractive and relatively accessible and winnable. It's a shame that we can get more excited about our away schedule than we can our home games.

Nobody is comparing this to games in the "TV era." Go back to 2000 and all of our home games were on Saturday. That's what many are comparing this pathetic schedule to.

Not sure if anyone has brought up the local merchants' viewpoint. They can't be fans of this schedule.

Those are the people with the money to give to the university.

In 2008 you only had 5 home games ... and 4 were on Saturday. And that is because they chose to play 3 road games in out-of-conference. It was a much different era for Ohio football ... when they were willing to go play Ohio St, Northwestern and Wyoming on the road.

They are NOT willing to schedule like that anymore.

In 2018, they have 6 home games ... and only three on Saturday.

50% compared to 80% in 2008.

Not even a comparison.

2008: 5 home games, 4 Saturday ... three total midweek
2009: 6 home games, 5 Saturday ... two total midweek
2010: 6 home games, 5 Saturday ... three total midweek
2011: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... four total midweek
2012: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... four total midweek
2013: 7 home games, 5 Saturday ... four total midweek
2014: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... three total midweek
2015: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... four total midweek
2016: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... four total midweek
2017: 6 home games, 4 Saturday ... four total midweek
2018: 6 home games, 3 Saturday ... four total midweek

Things started going downhill in 2011 with the four midweek games.

But in 2013 ... they somehow found a way to have 7 home games ... 5 at home ... and still play four midweek games!

2018 is the opposite end of that spectrum.

This. Schedule. Sucks. Period.