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Topic: Thoughts on midweek games
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Pataskala
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Posted: 11/13/2014 8:46 PM
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It used to be that Thursday nights were strictly for Big Least (now AAC) and Fridays belonged to MWC. Now just about every conference -- with Big Tenfinity the notable exception -- has a sprinkling to a stream of games on Thursday and/or Friday. Tonight, for example, there's AAC, CUSA & Pac12. Last Thursday had an ACC game.

At the moment Tuesday and Wednesday in November belong to the MAC. In fact, most conferences wouldn't be caught dead playing on Tuesday or Wednesday. But I wonder how long it'll be before the need to get the most for those TV dollars causes some conferences -- even larger ones -- to encroach on midweek MACtion.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/14/2014 8:07 AM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
It used to be that Thursday nights were strictly for Big Least (now AAC) and Fridays belonged to MWC. Now just about every conference -- with Big Tenfinity the notable exception -- has a sprinkling to a stream of games on Thursday and/or Friday. Tonight, for example, there's AAC, CUSA & Pac12. Last Thursday had an ACC game.

At the moment Tuesday and Wednesday in November belong to the MAC. In fact, most conferences wouldn't be caught dead playing on Tuesday or Wednesday. But I wonder how long it'll be before the need to get the most for those TV dollars causes some conferences -- even larger ones -- to encroach on midweek MACtion.
If that puts the MAC back on Saturday afternoons, that's a good thing. I will say that the camera man did a great job last week not showing the punted ball or the empty stands.
catfan28
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Posted: 11/14/2014 9:08 AM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
If that puts the MAC back on Saturday afternoons, that's a good thing. I will say that the camera man did a great job last week not showing the punted ball or the empty stands.
I take it that means you watched from home? If so, you don't have much room to gripe about empty stands. Despite the weather, students came out last week (at least for a half). Season ticket holders, IMO, were nothing short of pathetic. Tower Club was about 1/10th it's usual Saturday crowd...including many no-shows that live in Athens. I can understand if you're in Columbus or farther, though.

Nevertheless, I'm in favor of the midweek games. It's the only way the MAC will get some semblance of TV. So we either make the choice to never get on TV or play on nights of the week when you know attendance will be rough. It's a trade off, a classic case of opportunity cost. But at the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to get some TV exposure than have nothing at all.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/14/2014 9:14 AM
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catfan28 wrote:expand_more
If that puts the MAC back on Saturday afternoons, that's a good thing. I will say that the camera man did a great job last week not showing the punted ball or the empty stands.
I take it that means you watched from home? If so, you don't have much room to gripe about empty stands. Despite the weather, students came out last week (at least for a half). Season ticket holders, IMO, were nothing short of pathetic. Tower Club was about 1/10th it's usual Saturday crowd...including many no-shows that live in Athens. I can understand if you're in Columbus or farther, though.

Nevertheless, I'm in favor of the midweek games. It's the only way the MAC will get some semblance of TV. So we either make the choice to never get on TV or play on nights of the week when you know attendance will be rough. It's a trade off, a classic case of opportunity cost. But at the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to get some TV exposure than have nothing at all.
No - I watched from Washington, DC.
Casper71
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Posted: 11/14/2014 9:32 AM
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They suck! I'd make any Sat game from Cincy and I was at the Buff game but getting home at 2pm is not fun when you work the next day. Obviously, students and fans both show their dislike for these games given Sat attendance vs weeknight game attendance. I guess there is the benefit of some free publicity but if you were a player being recruited would you want to play in a half empty (or more) stadium on a weeknight?
bobcat695
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Posted: 11/14/2014 10:02 AM
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I see both sides. Obviously Saturday games in October are what we all think makes a perfect college football setting. Attendance is high and the atmosphere is fun leading up to the game. It is also pure tradition.

The weekday games, however, appeal to me for a few reasons. This time of year I like having games on TV to watch during the week. I watched parts of all the midweek games this week. The stadiums are empty, but aren't all those MAC stadiums empty most games regardless of the day of the week? Also, I like having Saturdays free to do whatever I want. While I love watching OU play live, it is nice to be able to watch all the big, national games at the end of the season.
Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 11/14/2014 10:10 AM
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TV makes a program. Was it about 4 years ago that we were on midweek MACtion 4-5 times, playing really good ball? People noticed.

Agree with Aaron that MACtion frees up Saturdays.

The deniers don't get it but boring football does not attract. Casual fan intrigued by boring Ohio or dynamic Oregon? Your answer is in the empty stands and the fact that this site has all of about 25 regulars for football.



lestiforget,happyrobbiewalkerjetsweepfirstplayvsniueveryone
colobobcat66
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Posted: 11/14/2014 10:14 AM
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Casper71 wrote:expand_more
They suck! I'd make any Sat game from Cincy and I was at the Buff game but getting home at 2pm is not fun when you work the next day. Obviously, students and fans both show their dislike for these games given Sat attendance vs weeknight game attendance. I guess there is the benefit of some free publicity but if you were a player being recruited would you want to play in a half empty (or more) stadium on a weeknight?

I've got to agree with you on this although why in the world did it take you til 2pm to get home?
100%Cat
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Posted: 11/14/2014 11:05 AM
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I'm a season ticket holder, live in Athens, and didn't go. Call me whatever you like, fair weather fan, bandwagon jumper, I don't care. When you combine poor weather, work the next day, a difficult-to-watch product, and an ESPNU broadcast I can watch from the warmth and dry comfort of my home if I want, I did what apparently a lot of ticket holders did. I'll put it bluntly: if we had a better team (or at least an exciting one to watch), I'd have probably been there, regardless of the weather or week night. Winning puts butts in seats. Getting housed by BG, CMU, and WMU doesn't help your attendance.
Casper71
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Posted: 11/14/2014 11:06 AM
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Colo, you got me on that one...2AM is more like the time I really got home:)
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Posted: 11/14/2014 11:57 AM
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I know it was cold (isn't it going to be cold at night in November?), but the attendence at the NIU/Toledo game (between probably 2 of the best 3 teams in the league) drew 8,462! Now that is terrible. Football games on a weekday night is not good for the MAC or individual teams in terms of what's best for the fans. Isn't it just a way for ESPN to fill their schedules on their lesser channels with something live? Watching the games with all the empty stands just makes the MAC look like a joke.
Last Edited: 11/17/2014 11:58:03 AM by colobobcat66
Bcat2
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Posted: 11/14/2014 12:19 PM
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100%Cat wrote:expand_more
I'm a season ticket holder, live in Athens, and didn't go. Call me whatever you like, fair weather fan, bandwagon jumper, I don't care. When you combine poor weather, work the next day, a difficult-to-watch product, and an ESPNU broadcast I can watch from the warmth and dry comfort of my home if I want, I did what apparently a lot of ticket holders did. I'll put it bluntly: if we had a better team (or at least an exciting one to watch), I'd have probably been there, regardless of the weather or week night. Winning puts butts in seats. Getting housed by BG, CMU, and WMU doesn't help your attendance.
Ohio at home:

1969-2004; 47.4% 81-90-4
2005-2013; 71.2% 37-15, add 2014 71.9% 41-16
2010-2013; 80.0% 20-5, add 2014 80.0% 24-6

An earlier post established that Ohio is doing quite well getting fans to games, so hey, do what is right for yourself. Hard to be better than 100%Cat.
Last Edited: 11/14/2014 12:24:57 PM by Bcat2
C Money
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Posted: 11/14/2014 12:24 PM
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colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
I know it was cold (isn't it going to be cold at night in November?), but the attendence at the NIU/Toledo game (between probably 2 of the best 3 teams in the league) drew 8474. Now that is terrible. Football games on a weekend night is not good for the MAC or individual teams in terms of what's best for the fans. Isn't it just a way for ESPN to fill their schedules on their lesser channels with something live? Watching the games with all the empty stands just makes the MAC look like a joke.

And remember, NIU is about to expand their stadium to 40,000+ seats. Sideline conversations will ECHO....echo.......echo............echo.........


The first week of November in 2011 was the peak of mid-week MACtion. You had the 63-60 shootout between NIU and Toledo on Tuesday for the West, with us vs. Temple the next night for the East....both were great games and well attended.
catfan28
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Posted: 11/14/2014 12:35 PM
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C Money wrote:expand_more
The first week of November in 2011 was the peak of mid-week MACtion. You had the 63-60 shootout between NIU and Toledo on Tuesday for the West, with us vs. Temple the next night for the East....both were great games and well attended.
Temple game had a great student crowd but one of the worst crowds I've ever seen on the fan/season ticket holder side. Far worse than anything in recent years. It was sparse.
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Posted: 11/14/2014 1:58 PM
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Everything bad said about week night games above is true, as is everything good.

My personal dislike for them is increased exponentially by the lousy, lousy, lousy showing for Senior Day (now Night) this creates.

Here is a moment for a group of kids who've busted their butts for 4, 5, even 6 years and the parents, guardians and siblings who helped make it possible and they get 2,000 - 3,000 heavily gloved fans to send them off? It's wrong.

If we're only playing mid-week games in November, move Senior Day to Homecoming or Band Day, or heaven forbid, replace Belpre Day but do something so these kids get the ovations they deserve
JSF
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Posted: 11/14/2014 2:04 PM
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Bobcatbob wrote:expand_more
Here is a moment for a group of kids who've busted their butts for 4, 5, even 6 years and the parents, guardians and siblings who helped make it possible and they get 2,000 - 3,000 heavily gloved fans to send them off? It's wrong.
Is it more wrong than the athletes in other sports who get dozens to send them off? If the parents and friends are there, that's all that really matters. Anything else is gravy.
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Posted: 11/14/2014 2:10 PM
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Can we please add scheduling home basketball games in the break between fall and spring semesters to this pig pile? Ready....GO!
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/14/2014 2:25 PM
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D.A. wrote:expand_more
Can we please add scheduling home basketball games in the break between fall and spring semesters to this pig pile? Ready....GO!
Are you proposing that the team go on the road for 31 days?
D.A.
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Posted: 11/14/2014 2:38 PM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Can we please add scheduling home basketball games in the break between fall and spring semesters to this pig pile? Ready....GO!
Are you proposing that the team go on the road for 31 days?
Mostly tongue in cheek. I simply find these debates/arguments amusing. The students cover all the deficit spending of the ICA programs, and the non-student fans mostly complain that midweek football games are inconvenient, however they permit the students to attend if they wish. However, it is not regularly pointed out that students are unable to attend games during the winter breaks, which is on average 1/4 to 1/3 of our home games, and during which time attendance falls off as much if not more (total numbers and as a percentage) than during football season, but no one here seems to bellyache that much about those attendance figures. I just find the perspectives interesting.
Last Edited: 11/14/2014 2:39:25 PM by D.A.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/14/2014 3:10 PM
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D.A. wrote:expand_more
Can we please add scheduling home basketball games in the break between fall and spring semesters to this pig pile? Ready....GO!
Are you proposing that the team go on the road for 31 days?
Mostly tongue in cheek. I simply find these debates/arguments amusing. The students cover all the deficit spending of the ICA programs, and the non-student fans mostly complain that midweek football games are inconvenient, however they permit the students to attend if they wish. However, it is not regularly pointed out that students are unable to attend games during the winter breaks, which is on average 1/4 to 1/3 of our home games, and during which time attendance falls off as much if not more (total numbers and as a percentage) than during football season, but no one here seems to bellyache that much about those attendance figures. I just find the perspectives interesting.
3 out 16 during that time frame at home this year. Actual attendance falls off more on football weekday games. Announced does not.
catfan28
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Posted: 11/14/2014 3:43 PM
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Football has a lot more season ticket holders - with most being from Columbus and points farther away.
D.A.
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Posted: 11/14/2014 4:03 PM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Can we please add scheduling home basketball games in the break between fall and spring semesters to this pig pile? Ready....GO!
Are you proposing that the team go on the road for 31 days?
Mostly tongue in cheek. I simply find these debates/arguments amusing. The students cover all the deficit spending of the ICA programs, and the non-student fans mostly complain that midweek football games are inconvenient, however they permit the students to attend if they wish. However, it is not regularly pointed out that students are unable to attend games during the winter breaks, which is on average 1/4 to 1/3 of our home games, and during which time attendance falls off as much if not more (total numbers and as a percentage) than during football season, but no one here seems to bellyache that much about those attendance figures. I just find the perspectives interesting.
3 out 16 during that time frame at home this year. Actual attendance falls off more on football weekday games. Announced does not.
Plus two games during Thanksgiving Break and the Miami game on Spring break means a bunch of games that students won't be on campus for without a dedicated trip back to Atown.
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Posted: 11/14/2014 4:19 PM
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JSF wrote:expand_more
Here is a moment for a group of kids who've busted their butts for 4, 5, even 6 years and the parents, guardians and siblings who helped make it possible and they get 2,000 - 3,000 heavily gloved fans to send them off? It's wrong.
Is it more wrong than the athletes in other sports who get dozens to send them off? If the parents and friends are there, that's all that really matters. Anything else is gravy.
I hope that the players think the same as you. I don't know. What I do know is that FB and BB largely carry the banner for OU athletics. I think all sports deserve recognition at least comparable to the form that they are accustomed to receiving it. That's why I make every effort to get to that last home game so I can be seen standing during Senior intros. I wish everyone else would do the same.
Tyler
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Posted: 11/17/2014 11:12 AM
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As someone who lives 3+ hours away, I like the midweek games. Yes, it means my season tickets will go unused, but it'd be a tough sell to get my girlfriend to make the drive down on a freezing November Saturday anyway. I like having something to look forward to watching after work.
100%Cat
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Posted: 11/17/2014 11:44 AM
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Bcat2 wrote:expand_more
I'm a season ticket holder, live in Athens, and didn't go. Call me whatever you like, fair weather fan, bandwagon jumper, I don't care. When you combine poor weather, work the next day, a difficult-to-watch product, and an ESPNU broadcast I can watch from the warmth and dry comfort of my home if I want, I did what apparently a lot of ticket holders did. I'll put it bluntly: if we had a better team (or at least an exciting one to watch), I'd have probably been there, regardless of the weather or week night. Winning puts butts in seats. Getting housed by BG, CMU, and WMU doesn't help your attendance.
Ohio at home:

1969-2004; 47.4% 81-90-4
2005-2013; 71.2% 37-15, add 2014 71.9% 41-16
2010-2013; 80.0% 20-5, add 2014 80.0% 24-6

An earlier post established that Ohio is doing quite well getting fans to games, so hey, do what is right for yourself. Hard to be better than 100%Cat.
Last two seasons, the home MAC record for this team is 4-3 by my count. Those 4 wins have come over teams who were a combined 9W-35L (0-12 Miami 2013, 1-11 UMASS 2013, 4-6 Akron and 4-6 Buffalo 2014). I rest my case.
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