Night Games??

Donate To GopherHole
Big Play

Big Play

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
1,097
Reaction score
31
Points
48
What games will be under the lights next year? I would like to see the CAL game under the lights.
 

I would love Wisconsin under the lights. Big Ten opener and a huge rivalry I think it would be a great first night game.
 

There will only be one entity giving input on whether there will be night games, and unfortunately it won't be the U of M. It will be that magic two-letter word: TV.
 

Regardless of who the opponent is, it is likely to be a great experience for all the gopher fans who haven't attended a true night time college game (such as myself). Needless to say, I am looking forward to it!
 

It'll happen eventually, Sports Fans. That is why lights are included in the building of the New Home of Golden Gopher Football.
 


the only night game i see is in 2 year When USC visit Minnesota and that game get a national tv on ABC.

as for next year. i see maybe Air Force or Wisconsin.
 

I think the most likely night game is Cal. I can't see Cal agreeing to play an 11:00 am game (9:00 am PST). It could be a mid-afternoon game but it seems like a good night game for ESPN just as it was when we played at Cal in 2006.

Considering Minnesota/Wisconsin is the only Big Ten rivalry game during the week of Oct. 3 (and the added drama of the Big Ten opener at TCF) it will probably be the prime time game on ABC which is a 2:30 game.
 


Cal played at Maryland last year in a 12 Eastern start time game. The Bears started very slow, spotting the Terps 20+ points, and didn't have enough to come back.
 



The U is pushing for the Air Force game to be an evening kickoff to start under the sun and end under the lights. A night game for the opener makes it possible to build the game up as an all day event (plus some nice visuals with a sunset flyover, etc assuming the weather cooperates). TJ is right though, TV makes the final call.
 


GoAUpher said:
TJ is right though, TV makes the final call.
Click to expand...

Is he though? Do they really make the "final" call. Or just if you want to be on TV.

Someone said last year that a school can opt-out of television coverage and kick-off whenever they want to. I seem to remember Northwestern doing that at least once last year, but it may have been due to a special clause pertaining to Homecoming games.

If a school has the freedom to forgoe television coverage, and kick-off when they want to, the "final call" is actualy their own. Information about this contract with the devil is hard to find anywhere.
 

Goldmember said:
Is he though? Do they really make the "final" call. Or just if you want to be on TV.

Someone said last year that a school can opt-out of television coverage and kick-off whenever they want to. I seem to remember Northwestern doing that at least once last year, but it may have been due to a special clause pertaining to Homecoming games.

If a school has the freedom to forgoe television coverage, and kick-off when they want to, the "final call" is actualy their own. Information about this contract with the devil is hard to find anywhere.
Click to expand...

The schools do have the right to refuse certain aspects, mostly to do with night games. For example, Michigan will not play night games at home. They will pass on that chance and take a less attractive TV time. Northwestern opted to not allow MN to change the start time of their game to evening last year. Sometimes with homecoming activities, schools will request certain start times and hope that TV cooperates.

As I understand it, MN cannot just independently schedule a night game and tell TV that if they want it, they have to carry it then. I think TV can tell MN that they must play in the day. TV cannot, however, FORCE a school to play a night game. They can make it an option. And, in Minnesota's case, Brewster is on record as preferring night games, so we wouldn't opt out.

I'm not 100% sure of all of that, but that's my understanding. Again, TV will decide whether to make night games an option at the U.
 



Goldmember said:
Is he though? Do they really make the "final" call. Or just if you want to be on TV.
Click to expand...

Well, since being covered on TV is sort of a "must" for football nowadays TV really does get to make the call (though you can argue about how important it really is since BTN still doesn't get to everyone in the home team's market and we still end up on EPSN U or 360 every now and then). I cannot see a scenario where the U passes on TV coverage completely (nor should they). I can see them declining an offer for a less desireable timeslot (see Thus nights) and possibly getting lower billing on BTN or one of the Mickey Mouse owned outlets but I can't see them letting a game be totally dark.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom