ESPN: B1G night games could come to early Nov.

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BleedGopher

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per Rittenberg:

We won't know for sure until ESPN/ABC and BTN announce their prime-time schedules this spring, but there's momentum for more night games and later night games, and talks are underway.

"We're more amendable to that first November Saturday," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith recently told ESPN.com, "and I think some of us will be willing to look at that second Saturday in November if the contest is right."

Weather is still a potential deterrent for Big Ten schools to schedule night games later in the season, as it creates possible logistical problems for all involved (fans, game operations staff, police/security). But the temperature difference between late October and the first portion of November often is negligible.

Here are the schedules:

Nov. 1

Indiana at Michigan
Maryland at Penn State
Illinois at Ohio State
Wisconsin at Rutgers
Northwestern at Iowa
Purdue at Nebraska

Byes: Minnesota, Michigan State

Nov. 8

Penn State at Indiana
Michigan at Northwestern
Ohio State at Michigan State
Iowa at Minnesota
Wisconsin at Purdue

Byes: Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, Nebraska

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/96045/b1g-night-games-could-come-to-early-nov

Go Gophers!!
 

In other words: If the offer price is high enough we will do anything.
 


And with the addition of 2 more east coast time zone schools, no team should have to play a home game before noon.
 

6 teams are in Central Time Zone, while 8 are in Eastern Time Zone. There is no excuse for us to have to play 11am games.
 


What the heck are they talking about with "logistical problems"? It's not that much colder at night than during the day, and it's just silly not to have night games because of "weather"
 

I agree with DLguy's comment about no games before noon local time. The B1G is now pretty evenly balanced between eastern and central time zones. 11 AM starts should go away.
 

Schnauzer said:
I agree with DLguy's comment about no games before noon local time. The B1G is now pretty evenly balanced between eastern and central time zones. 11 AM starts should go away.
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Hopefully it will be part of the negotiations during the next tv deal, which I believe will take effect prior to 2014. I don't mind 1 or 2 early starts but not the majority of our games.
 

don't limit the league based on start time other than NO GAMES BEFORE NOON local time
 



Exactly. The B1G can still have games in that time slot. Just make sure the location is in the eastern timezone.
 






Golden Elephant said:
What the heck are they talking about with "logistical problems"? It's not that much colder at night than during the day, and it's just silly not to have night games because of "weather"
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Uh, yeah it is. Especially if you compare day in the sun vice night.

Gophers should never have a game start before noon. Gophers should not play evening or night games past Halloween. Gophers should not play home games after November 15. U of M should do all it can to increase the tailgating experience at all home games. These things if they want to increase attendance at Gopher home games. Just MO.
 

cncmin said:
Uh, yeah it is. Especially if you compare day in the sun vice night. Gophers should never have a game start before noon. Gophers should not play evening or night games past Halloween. Gophers should not play home games after November 15. U of M should do all it can to increase the tailgating experience at all home games. These things if they want to increase attendance at Gopher home games. Just MO.
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So we should play the last 2 weeks on the road every year? Worst idea I've ever heard.
 

Tim Riggins said:
So we should play the last 1 weeks on the road every year? Worst idea I've ever heard.
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FIFY - normally one game is slated past about mid-November, so playing on the road every year to end the season isn't much different than playing on the road to end the season ~50% of the time. And of course you'd still get 4 home B1G games...so I'm not sure about your point. Do you want TCF to fill up or not? This is not Green Bay, WI you're talking about here. The fans won't show to Gopher games in sub-30 degree weather; just like less show up for 11 AM early-bird no-tailgate starts. Why try to force what doesn't work, instead do what does work.
 

cncmin said:
FIFY - normally one game is slated past about mid-November, so playing on the road every year to end the season isn't much different than playing on the road to end the season ~50% of the time. And of course you'd still get 4 home B1G games...so I'm not sure about your point. Do you want TCF to fill up or not? This is not Green Bay, WI you're talking about here. The fans won't show to Gopher games in sub-30 degree weather; just like less show up for 11 AM early-bird no-tailgate starts. Why try to force what doesn't work, instead do what does work.
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I was going off of this year when there were technically 3 weeks of games after the 15th. With games going through thanksgiving weekend, that will be 2 games every year, except for a late season bye I suppose.

You're saying that if we are in contention for a division crown, you'd rather play on the road? You don't think TCF would be full if the division title was ours to win? The Wisconsin game this year had a good crowd, one that was in the game until the end. While I realize it wasn't full of Gopher fans, in my opinion it was the most active crowd we had all year.

We have a much better chance of winning at home, no way I'd agree to end every year on the road.
 



cncmin said:
normally one game is slated past about mid-November.
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Better check your future schedule page in the program.

2014: Nov 8, Nov 15, Nov 22, Nov 29
2015: Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 21, Nov 28
2016: Nov 5, Nov 12, Nov 19, Nov 26
2017: Nov 4, Nov 11, Nov 18, Nov 25
2018: Nov 3, Nov 10, Nov 17, Nov 24
2019: Nov 9, Nov 16, Nov 23, Nov 30
 

Golden Elephant said:
What the heck are they talking about with "logistical problems"?
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I think it has to do with concern about crowd and traffic control. Not as much of an issue with 50,000 people on an urban campus, but getting 80,000-100,000 out of some place like Ann Arbor, Lincoln etc. is more of a challenge if the game doesn't end until 10:30 or 11:00pm. Seems like something that could be worked out for a game once every few years.
 

A. I love how people think the University of Minnesota has anything more than a tiny sliver of control over when conference games start.

B. So all the 12 ET/11 CT starts are supposed to take place in the East now? They're supposed to just have all of their games early so we don't have to? Really? Yes, I'm sure that will happen.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
I think it has to do with concern about crowd and traffic control. Not as much of an issue with 50,000 people on an urban campus, but getting 80,000-100,000 out of some place like Ann Arbor, Lincoln etc. is more of a challenge if the game doesn't end until 10:30 or 11:00pm. Seems like something that could be worked out for a game once every few years.
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Correct. http://college-football.si.com/2013/09/10/michigan-wolverines-night-games-ohio-state-notre-dame/
 

dpodoll68 said:
A. I love how people think the University of Minnesota has anything more than a tiny sliver of control over when conference games start.

B. So all the 12 ET/11 CT starts are supposed to take place in the East now? They're supposed to just have all of their games early so we don't have to? Really? Yes, I'm sure that will happen.
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I've got nothing to go on but my spotty memory, but I'm relatively certain that Delaney or someone else from the Big Ten stated that it was their goal not to have any games start before noon.
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
I've got nothing to go on but my spotty memory, but I'm relatively certain that Delaney or someone else from the Big Ten stated that it was their goal not to have any games start before noon.
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.......................but if they do it will be Minnesota, right?
 

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