Unfortunately, even if the post-Homecoming games were on Saturday afternoons, I don't think you'd see 20,000 at Peden Stadium.

I'm very curious as to whether or how much the money from ESPN / weeknight games offsets the loss of money from tickets, both season tickets and gate tickets, considering how empty the stadium is on the typical weeknight game. Last night was really dismal. Maybe that's a question for the MAC people or OHIO administration.

I agree, except for maybe having a home game dads weekend (first full weekend in November) either Friday night or Saturday afternoon depending on least disruptive scheduling for games week before or after.

You conveniently forgot the Buffalo/Miami game tonight (8pm, ESPN2). That game decides the lead for the MAC East. Could make things interesting if Miami were to pull the upset, but I'd take Buffalo minus the 7 points if I were in Vegas.

So. You want the MAC and ESPN to float games between midweek and Saturday depending on the standings? People already freak out not knowing if next week’s game will be at 7 or 8. Can’t imagine the logistical nightmare of not knowing if it will be on Tuesday or Saturday.

Last week's MACtion:
Ohio vs BSU - OHIO Picked to Win East by some media finished 2nd last year
Toledo vs WMU - TOLEDO Won MACC last year and Picked 2nd this year

This week MACtion:
BGSU vs Kent - Obvious bottom dwellers.
Miami vs Buffalo - Buffalo picked 1st by some outlets, but clearly worth being on national TV.
BSU vs Toledo - See above re Toledo
NIU vs Akron: NIU picked to win West, Akron Won East last year
Ohio vs. WMU: See above on Ohio

Next Week MACtion:
Buffalo vs Kent - Buffalo again deserves airtime
Ohio vs Miami - Classic rivalry matchup...loser likely is out of East Contention
Toledo vs NIU - Was the expected battle to determine West

Week of Nov 12th:
WMU vs BSU: Probably not necessary, but BSU and WMU have already played two weeks in a row on weeknight, maybe unfair to move them back to Saturday of this week and then give them short week to Black Friday?
Buffalo vs Ohio: Might be game of the year for MAC East
Miami vs NIU: Currently has MAC East and MAC West implications
Toledo vs Akron: Last year's MACC

So...other than tonite's BGSU/Kent game. Most games make sense...Seems like a steady diet of Buffalo, Ohio, Toledo and NIU.

There are 8 conference games, and the final week (13) only has midweek games. So assuming each team starts conference play week 5 (or 6 in OU's case) you need to put roughly 20 games into a 7 week period to keep them in line with what they're currently playing. I'll use OU as an example and keep the 4 midweek games on their schedule. Again, everyone plays week 13 midweek games. Looking at FBS schedule https://fbschedules.com/mac-football-schedule / it looks like the earliest MAC game this year was week 3 with the first week with multiple MAC games being week 5

Week 6: Saturday
Week 7: Friday
Week 8: Saturday
Week 9: Thursday
Week 10: Wednesday
Week 11: Saturday
Week 12: Saturday
Week 13: Friday

Quite the game so far. Miami hasn't folded... 42-35 Bulls with 2:29 left in 3rd.

And the Miami onside kick is recovered by Miami

The more I watch this game, the more I worry about our defense against either UB or Miami. Smart money would be on both being shootouts.

I'm not sure records matter to most sports fans (who are not MAC followers) that watch ESPN. They just want to watch football and if it's a close game (like the two were last night), great.

No one (other than MAC fans) is going to intentionally tune in or tune out to any of these games based on records/standings. It is essentially mindless football entertainment with great national exposure.

I'm not so sure you can look at Thanksgiving Day as a normal TV viewing day. It's a day more than any other that is a victim of habits. The Macy's Parade, the Dog Show and NFL football is the likely TV schedule for many homes as travel, food prep, eating and family arguments will render the TV screen as background noise for most, except that odd uncle that parks himself on the couch in front of the TV.

I just don't think a MAC football game on Thanksgiving is a good idea from an in-person attendance and national TV viewing POV.

And as someone who has traveled with a team during Thanksgiving, it's also not fun for many players/coaches/staff to be away from your family and friends.

I agree with you completely about college football and probably so likely would most people on this board but I think we'd be in the minority on that among the general population. Very few people across the country would watch a MAC game over an NFL game.

What thinking? I didn’t suggest that more people would watch college football over pro. I said I would. And apparently I’m not alone.