Friday Night Lights

Donate To GopherHole
M

MNfootballfan

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
2,566
Reaction score
1,305
Points
113
I am going to state it again, the U should do whatever they can to host a night game on the Friday of MEA week. I saw we had a few in-state visitors. Probably easier to get to the game tonight than a Saturday day game for a lot of the local recruits.

Perfect weather, great atmosphere, good crowd, fun game.
 


MNfootballfan said:
I am going to state it again, the U should do whatever they can to host a night game on the Friday of MEA week. I saw we had a few in-state visitors. Probably easier to get to the game tonight than a Saturday day game for a lot of the local recruits.

Perfect weather, great atmosphere, good crowd, fun game.
Click to expand...

In.

Go Gophers!!
 


Been on this wagon ever since they started scheduling B1G Friday night games.

Next year we have 4 home and 5 road B1G games.

9/3 is Thursday vs Eastern Illinois
9/12 is vs Mississippi State
9/19 is vs Akron

9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/16-17MEA, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21,

Home
Iowa
Michigan
Northwestern
UCLA

Away
Indiana
Penn State
Purdue
Washington
Wisconsin (November 27th or 28th)

I could see it being UCLA or Michigan as Friday FOX games.
 


MaxyJR1 said:
Been on this wagon ever since they started scheduling B1G Friday night games.

Next year we have 4 home and 5 road B1G games.

9/3 is Thursday vs Eastern Illinois
9/12 is vs Mississippi State
9/19 is vs Akron

9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/16-17MEA, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21,

Home
Iowa
Michigan
Northwestern
UCLA

Away
Indiana
Penn State
Purdue
Washington
Wisconsin (November 27th or 28th)

I could see it being UCLA or Michigan as Friday FOX games.
Click to expand...

Michigan won't do it.

Additionally, I vote NO emphatically on regular Friday Night MEA games. Once in a while is fine.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Been on this wagon ever since they started scheduling B1G Friday night games.

Next year we have 4 home and 5 road B1G games.

9/3 is Thursday vs Eastern Illinois
9/12 is vs Mississippi State
9/19 is vs Akron

9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/16-17MEA, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21,

Home
Iowa
Michigan
Northwestern
UCLA

Away
Indiana
Penn State
Purdue
Washington
Wisconsin (November 27th or 28th)

I could see it being UCLA or Michigan as Friday FOX games.
Click to expand...
awfulannouncing.com

Michigan AD Warde Manuel: 'We are not having a Friday night game'

The Big Ten and Fox have been adamant about making Friday night football into a thing. The Michigan Wolverines will have no part in it.
awfulannouncing.com awfulannouncing.com

The big 3 have said they don't want Friday night games, with Michigan in particular pretty adamant about it.

I remember Michigan bitching in 2003 when the game had to get moved to Friday due to potential Twins playoff game.

I have no issue with those 3 flexing a little muscle & not having to play a home Friday game...but that they can't play even a road game is ridiculous.

Regarding UCLA: In years where we only have 4 Big Ten home games, I'm not excited about one of them being a Friday night game & only having 3 Big Ten home Saturday's. Years we have 5 home B10 games, ok.
 

Ope3 said:
Michigan won't do it.

Additionally, I vote NO emphatically on regular Friday Night MEA games. Once in a while is fine.
Click to expand...
I'm with you. I'm good with it once every 3-4 years, but not an every year thing.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I am going to state it again, the U should do whatever they can to host a night game on the Friday of MEA week. I saw we had a few in-state visitors. Probably easier to get to the game tonight than a Saturday day game for a lot of the local recruits.

Perfect weather, great atmosphere, good crowd, fun game.
Click to expand...

It worked out this time, but Indiana in 2018 the weather sucked, atmosphere was terrible and probably the smallest crowed ever for a Big 10 game at the Bank.

The game itself was fine that year because the Gophers won after nearly coughing up a big lead.

With the Thursday Opener games, that makes 2 in which I need to take time off work and MEA weekend is already difficult as those with kids also make their play for that day. I also know of a few season ticket holders that missed the game, because they had MEA weekend travel plans.

I'm against it as an annual event.

If they have to host a non-Saturday Big 10 game once every 3-5 years, then sure make it that day. Not every year.
 




Ope3 said:
I have to think it's a real logistical hassle to stage such an On Campus event during a regular school/work day as well.
Click to expand...
Yeah the number of classes, groups, etc at a school the size of the U.

That's a lot of adjustments and communication that has to go out and go right. No small task for sure.
 

Ope3 said:
It worked out this time, but Indiana in 2018 the weather sucked, atmosphere was terrible and probably the smallest crowed ever for a Big 10 game at the Bank.

The game itself was fine that year because the Gophers won after nearly coughing up a big lead.

With the Thursday Opener games, that makes 2 in which I need to take time off work and MEA weekend is already difficult as those with kids also make their play for that day. I also know of a few season ticket holders that missed the game, because they had MEA weekend travel plans.

I'm against it as an annual event.

If they have to host a non-Saturday Big 10 game once every 3-5 years, then sure make it that day. Not every year.
Click to expand...
The counter argument, and I think anyone that attends games would agree, our fans have been 100% different since 2019. Comparing any game in 2018 isn't fair. I'd even argue those were still the days where have the crowd was red when we played Wisconsin or black when we played Iowa. That's not the case anymore.

2018 is like a lifetime ago when talking about fan atmosphere.
 




MNfootballfan said:
The counter argument, and I think anyone that attends games would agree, our fans have been 100% different since 2019. Comparing any game in 2018 isn't fair. I'd even argue those were still the days where have the crowd was red when we played Wisconsin or black when we played Iowa. That's not the case anymore.

2018 is like a lifetime ago when talking about fan atmosphere.
Click to expand...

Which means the atmosphere is just as good on a typical Saturday, if the team is playing well.
 

If we do a Friday night, MEA weekend is the best option for sure.

Got kids, so that worked well, neighbors were able to come to the game too.

Otherwise I loathe weekday games generally.
 

Ope3 said:
Which means the atmosphere is just as good on a typical Saturday, if the team is playing well.
Click to expand...
I would agree, the atmosphere is no different than any other night game, but by committing to Friday you are guaranteed to have the night game. Otherwise we aren't guaranteed to get a night game.

I am genuinely curious and not judging or looking to argue, but why do you not like the Friday night game?

I could think of few reasons:
- Shorter tailgate
- Could potentially be harder if you travel a distance
- The mess of rush hour traffic + game traffic
 

MNfootballfan said:
I would agree, the atmosphere is no different than any other night game, but by committing to Friday you are guaranteed to have the night game. Otherwise we aren't guaranteed to get a night game.

I am genuinely curious and not judging or looking to argue, but why do you not like the Friday night game?

I could think of few reasons:
- Shorter tailgate
- Could potentially be harder if you travel a distance
- The mess of rush hour traffic + game traffic
Click to expand...

Having to take time off/leave early from work to tailgate at all is the #1 primary reason.

By the time we are into October I would prefer to enjoy the weather and be in the sun for the tailgate and the game itself as much as possible is also a big factor.

By the time the Mich St game rolls around on Nov 1, it will be more than a full month since the last afternoon game.

If I was the scheduling Czar for all Gopher football games my ideal schedule would be:

Aug / Sept - All Night Games
Oct - All 2:30 PM Games
Nov - All 11:00 AM Games

I should add, I like making the Game the focal point of the day. If one has to work/go to school on Friday, that makes for a long exhausting day. IMO.
 
Last edited:

If it's easier for kids to get to a Friday night game during MEA, it also means that it would be easier for them to get to a Saturday game during MEA, since they didn't have a game the night before.
 

Unregistered User said:
If it's easier for kids to get to a Friday night game during MEA, it also means that it would be easier for them to get to a Saturday game during MEA, since they didn't have a game the night before.
Click to expand...

Or harder on either night, because they are at Disneyworld.
 

Ope3 said:
If one has to work/go to school on Friday, that makes for a long exhausting day. IMO.
Click to expand...
I can totally see that if you're going to the game. For those who watch on TV, there's been plenty of times where I've looked forward to getting home and enjoying the game, versus the stuff I'd normally be watching. So I vote yes on Friday night games, but I can see why it's a pain if you go to the stadium.
 

GopherTheJugular said:
I can totally see that if you're going to the game. For those who watch on TV, there's been plenty of times where I've looked forward to getting home and enjoying the game, versus the stuff I'd normally be watching. So I vote yes on Friday night games, but I can see why it's a pain if you go to the stadium.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I left for work at 7:00 AM. Got home at Midnight.

Granted since I was going to take time off in the afternoon anyway, I was able to fit 18 holes after lunch before the tailgate, but still would have been exhausting regardless.
 



Ope3 said:
Having to take time off/leave early from work to tailgate at all is the #1 primary reason.

By the time we are into October I would prefer to enjoy the weather and be in the sun for the tailgate and the game itself as much as possible is also a big factor.

By the time the Mich St game rolls around on Nov 1, it will be more than a full month since the last afternoon game.

If I was the scheduling Czar for all Gopher football games my ideal schedule would be:

Aug / Sept - All Night Games
Oct - All 2:30 PM Games
Nov - All 11:00 AM Games

I should add, I like making the Game the focal point of the day. If one has to work/go to school on Friday, that makes for a long exhausting day. IMO.
Click to expand...
I can respect your opinions. I don't necessarily love the afternoon games because they take up the entire day, but to each their own.

Thanks for sharing.
 

FOX/FS1 has been pretty much the only linear TV partner to broadcast games on Friday. There's only 4 Big 10 Conference Games as part of their package this season during the 9 Weeks between the non-conference portion concluding for the most part until Thanksgiving:

Iowa @ Rutgers / 9-19
Rutgers @ Washington / 10-10
Nebraska @ Minnesota / 10-17
Minnesota @ Oregon / 11-14

With 18 teams (or 15 willing to host a Friday night game), there's no reason Minnesota should host one annually.

Twice a decade...perfectly fine. If the Yankees or Red Sox had been in the ALCS, maybe FOX would have moved the Neb-Min game to FS1?
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom