(07-24-2012 10:33 PM)DICK Wrote:  If you look at those attendance numbers, the three biggest numbers were, I believe, the three years that the game was held on a Saturday. If better atttendance is important, then the game has to be played on a Saturday allowing people a chance to get there without taking off work/school. If national tv coverage is more important, then stick with the Friday night slot. Miami at BG was the last championship game played on campus, it was on a week night, both teams were rated in the top 25, and it was a big crowd, but not packed, so maybe 24,000 (without looking it up). It snowed a little and BG's field was in such terrible shape that they painted the mud green. I have also attended 5 other championship games in Detroit and personally I really enjoyed the pleasant, warm atmosphere and the NFL stadium far better than freezing at BG.

I don't think the game at Ford Field has ever been held on a Saturday..

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not but 7 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

Last years MACC was the FIRST time that the team that traveled further won.

(07-25-2012 07:52 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not all but 6 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

5-6 hour bus ride doesn't get them fired up? I can understand that.

(07-25-2012 08:13 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 07:52 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not all but 6 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

5-6 hour bus ride doesn't get them fired up? I can understand that.

5hr 50min without a stop, delays due to construction or traffic.

Our AD is too thrifty (not a bad thing in these times) for us to take a plane.

(07-25-2012 08:28 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 08:13 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 07:52 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not all but 6 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

5-6 hour bus ride doesn't get them fired up? I can understand that.

5hr 50min without a stop, delays due to construction or traffic.

Our AD is too thrifty (not a bad thing in these times) for us to take a plane.

Except Compher did make arrangements for the team to fly home after our MAC Championship victory!

(07-25-2012 08:28 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 08:13 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 07:52 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not all but 6 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

5-6 hour bus ride doesn't get them fired up? I can understand that.

5hr 50min without a stop, delays due to construction or traffic.

Our AD is too thrifty (not a bad thing in these times) for us to take a plane.

That's a brutal drive.

At least the plane ride home was easier!

(I just posted the driving distances to Ford Field vs Cleveland on the NIU board)

(07-25-2012 08:48 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 08:28 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 08:13 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 07:52 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-25-2012 05:46 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I should have clarified. Not the actual game atmosphere. Rather, the atmosphere and excitement players feel when they travel.

Our players hated the travel part of the MACC.

Coincidence or not all but 6 of the 8 MACCs in Detroit the team that had to travel less won it.

5-6 hour bus ride doesn't get them fired up? I can understand that.

5hr 50min without a stop, delays due to construction or traffic.

Our AD is too thrifty (not a bad thing in these times) for us to take a plane.

That's a brutal drive.

At least the plane ride home was easier!

(I just posted the driving distances to Ford Field vs Cleveland on the NIU board)

I saw that and you helped me correct an error in statistics that I made previously.

IF Buffalo did not travel through Canada to get to Detroit...Last years MACC was the FIRST time that the team that traveled further won.

Any Buffalo fans know if the sports teams travel thru Canada?

If I had to guess, I would say it is highly improbably.

(07-25-2012 09:12 AM)EA3 Wrote:  Any Buffalo fans know if the sports teams travel thru Canada?

If I had to guess, I would say it is highly improbably.

Doubt it. They'd all have to get passports.

(07-24-2012 10:33 PM)DICK Wrote:  If you look at those attendance numbers, the three biggest numbers were, I believe, the three years that the game was held on a Saturday. If better atttendance is important, then the game has to be played on a Saturday allowing people a chance to get there without taking off work/school. If national tv coverage is more important, then stick with the Friday night slot. Miami at BG was the last championship game played on campus, it was on a week night, both teams were rated in the top 25, and it was a big crowd, but not packed, so maybe 24,000 (without looking it up). It snowed a little and BG's field was in such terrible shape that they painted the mud green. I have also attended 5 other championship games in Detroit and personally I really enjoyed the pleasant, warm atmosphere and the NFL stadium far better than freezing at BG.

Agreed, if they are going to keep the game at Ford Field then move the game to the weekend.

It is tough to get people to travel many hours during a weekday. Many schools, such as NIU, also have finals the week of the MAC Championship.

(07-26-2012 06:24 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(07-24-2012 10:33 PM)DICK Wrote:  If you look at those attendance numbers, the three biggest numbers were, I believe, the three years that the game was held on a Saturday. If better atttendance is important, then the game has to be played on a Saturday allowing people a chance to get there without taking off work/school. If national tv coverage is more important, then stick with the Friday night slot. Miami at BG was the last championship game played on campus, it was on a week night, both teams were rated in the top 25, and it was a big crowd, but not packed, so maybe 24,000 (without looking it up). It snowed a little and BG's field was in such terrible shape that they painted the mud green. I have also attended 5 other championship games in Detroit and personally I really enjoyed the pleasant, warm atmosphere and the NFL stadium far better than freezing at BG.

Agreed, if they are going to keep the game at Ford Field then move the game to the weekend.

It is tough to get people to travel many hours during a weekday. Many schools, such as NIU, also have finals the week of the MAC Championship.

Um...no we don't
http://www.niu.edu/regrec/dates/fall/sta...xams.shtml

If the game was moved to Saturday it would not be on ESPN2 and instead would be on ESPNU...thinking about it as long as its not an 11am kickoff I think that's fine.

If it were a Saturday 2:30pm kickoff on ESPNU I would be all for that.

The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

There is NO reason why our game cant be on Saturday at 2:30. Not a single game was played on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU at 2:30pm (ct) last year on Championship Saturday.

http://www.lsufootball.net/archives/tvschedule-2011.htm

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

Agree 100%.

The goal is the largest viewing audience possible and being the only football game is critical to that goal.

Championship Saturday would be a disaster for television ratings regardless of time or channel.

(07-26-2012 09:17 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

Agree 100%.

The goal is the largest viewing audience possible and being the only football game is critical to that goal.

Championship Saturday would be a disaster for television ratings regardless of time or channel.

Does anyone have the ratings of the MACCs?

(07-26-2012 09:13 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

There is NO reason why our game cant be on Saturday at 2:30. Not a single game was played on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU at 2:30pm (ct) last year on Championship Saturday.

http://www.lsufootball.net/archives/tvschedule-2011.htm

Quote:Texas at Baylor 2:30 p.m. ABC (HD)
SEC-CG: Georgia vs. LSU 3:00 p.m. CBS (HD)

ABC is ESPN, and they aren't going to program against themselves. Who would watch the MAC with the SEC championship game on and UT vs. Baylor and RGIII? Even fans of MAC schools would be channel flipping. The MAC needs to be the only game on. Period. Isn't that obvious? We have fewer viewers/fans than every major conference and most of the others. ESPN sure as hell knows it.

(07-26-2012 09:31 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:13 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

There is NO reason why our game cant be on Saturday at 2:30. Not a single game was played on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU at 2:30pm (ct) last year on Championship Saturday.

http://www.lsufootball.net/archives/tvschedule-2011.htm

Quote:Texas at Baylor 2:30 p.m. ABC (HD)
SEC-CG: Georgia vs. LSU 3:00 p.m. CBS (HD)

ABC is ESPN, and they aren't going to program against themselves. Who would watch the MAC with the SEC championship game on and UT vs. Baylor and RGIII? Even fans of MAC schools would be channel flipping. The MAC needs to be the only game on. Period. Isn't that obvious? We have fewer viewers/fans than every major conference and most of the others. ESPN sure as hell knows it.

No casual football fan is going to tune in on a Friday night to watch the MAC championship. They are more likely to tune in on a Saturday (if its a good game) while other games with big names are on at the same time. Yes MAC fans would also flip but really isn't it worth it to have several thousand more people in the stands making it not look like a public league high school game?

(07-26-2012 09:54 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:31 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:13 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

There is NO reason why our game cant be on Saturday at 2:30. Not a single game was played on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU at 2:30pm (ct) last year on Championship Saturday.

http://www.lsufootball.net/archives/tvschedule-2011.htm

Quote:Texas at Baylor 2:30 p.m. ABC (HD)
SEC-CG: Georgia vs. LSU 3:00 p.m. CBS (HD)

ABC is ESPN, and they aren't going to program against themselves. Who would watch the MAC with the SEC championship game on and UT vs. Baylor and RGIII? Even fans of MAC schools would be channel flipping. The MAC needs to be the only game on. Period. Isn't that obvious? We have fewer viewers/fans than every major conference and most of the others. ESPN sure as hell knows it.

No casual football fan is going to tune in on a Friday night to watch the MAC championship. They are more likely to tune in on a Saturday (if its a good game) while other games with big names are on at the same time. Yes MAC fans would also flip but really isn't it worth it to have several thousand more people in the stands making it not look like a public league high school game?

I disagree. Attendance at Ford Field is a lost cause unless CMU, WMU, Toledo or BGSU is there. Even if it's played on a saturday, our fans aren't traveling more than 1-2 hours to see the MACC. WMU and CMU are 2 hours or more from Ford Field, but boast significant alumni numbers in the area.

And I do think the casual football fan tunes in on a friday night. There is nothing else on the tube. I don't know the ratings...but I would think they are respectable for the time slot. It's better for the MAC to be in that time slot, than to compete with BCS conferences on a saturday.

Friday night football has done very well for ESPN. Lots of college football fans tune in every Friday night no matter the game (even if it's the MAC!) and there is a very good reason they put the MAC championship game on then rather than Saturday. Numbers. If if would draw better on Saturday they would put it there. You can't put the MACC up against any other game. It would get killed. There is a reason: the MAC has the fewest fans.

(07-26-2012 10:04 AM)EA3 Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:54 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:31 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 09:13 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-26-2012 08:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  The MAC's primary goal is not to get more people to the game but to get the better time slot on ESPN. There is no time slot on Saturday unless you want to play the game at 8 a.m. or play it in August. We could maybe get 27,000 people to watch it in person instead of what we currently get, or a million, give or take a few, to watch it on TV. So we make a few thousand local fans happier and be invisible nationally, or have a few thousand local fans unhappy and be viewed by the casual fan who doesn't watch the MAC normally and is watching because it's any college football and it's what's on. Pick your poison.

There is NO reason why our game cant be on Saturday at 2:30. Not a single game was played on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU at 2:30pm (ct) last year on Championship Saturday.

http://www.lsufootball.net/archives/tvschedule-2011.htm

Quote:Texas at Baylor 2:30 p.m. ABC (HD)
SEC-CG: Georgia vs. LSU 3:00 p.m. CBS (HD)

ABC is ESPN, and they aren't going to program against themselves. Who would watch the MAC with the SEC championship game on and UT vs. Baylor and RGIII? Even fans of MAC schools would be channel flipping. The MAC needs to be the only game on. Period. Isn't that obvious? We have fewer viewers/fans than every major conference and most of the others. ESPN sure as hell knows it.

No casual football fan is going to tune in on a Friday night to watch the MAC championship. They are more likely to tune in on a Saturday (if its a good game) while other games with big names are on at the same time. Yes MAC fans would also flip but really isn't it worth it to have several thousand more people in the stands making it not look like a public league high school game?

I disagree. Attendance at Ford Field is a lost cause unless CMU, WMU, Toledo or BGSU is there. Even if it's played on a saturday, our fans aren't traveling more than 1-2 hours to see the MACC. WMU and CMU are 2 hours or more from Ford Field, but boast significant alumni numbers in the area.

And I do think the casual football fan tunes in on a friday night. There is nothing else on the tube. I don't know the ratings...but I would think they are respectable for the time slot. It's better for the MAC to be in that time slot, than to compete with BCS conferences on a saturday.

Attendance will not be good for a MACC. The matchup many times is not decided until the week before the game so there is no lead time for getting advance ticket sales if you wanted to explore the on-campus title game option. The MAC is spread out for driving to the championship game - as many have said the MI schools and Toledo draw best since its their backyard. And if I'm a Detroiter wanting to see college football at Ford Field don't I just wait until later in December and catch the Little Caesars Bowl?