The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

Well, would you like your school to be the first?

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

The potentially metal stands that are also the tallest thing around at some schools? It is annoying, yes, but absolutely be safe. Play in the snow and the rain and the mud, and injuries may happen, but playing in a storm is just asking for trouble.

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

This may be one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever heard. Next football game you go make to bring a golf club with you.

This was in my neighborhood and the storm was 6 Miles away

http://kxan.com/2014/09/09/family-sues-s...trike/amp/

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

Football is just a sport. Tv is just entertainment. Fans and athletes are real people. Protect What Matters.

Lightning delays about 1-2% of all games.

Big picture, that is not very much. Yesterday's storms in Michigan (in November!) Were a bit unusual, but TV found a way to survive.

Seems like this rarely happened back in the day. In fact, the only one that comes to mind immediately was the Georgia Tech versus Virginia Tech game in Blacksburg in 2000 where Lee Corso‘s car was struck.


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(11-05-2017 08:49 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  Seems like this rarely happened back in the day. In fact, the only one that comes to mind immediately was the Georgia Tech versus Virginia Tech game in Blacksburg in 2000 where Lee Corso‘s car was struck.


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They are much more cautious these days. I remember going to a Georgia-Florida game in the 90s where we waded mid-calf to the stadium in the pouring rain and there was visible lightning in the distance in about every direction. No delays.

(11-04-2017 03:30 PM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

The potentially metal stands that are also the tallest thing around at some schools? It is annoying, yes, but absolutely be safe. Play in the snow and the rain and the mud, and injuries may happen, but playing in a storm is just asking for trouble.

There are lighting rods on the top of each light tower, so it's highly unlikely anyone in the stands would be hit. You could argue it is more dangerous to evacuate the stadium, which is what frequently happens, because people are more likely to be struck in the parking lots than in the stands (see Lee Corso's car). That said, if you have a safe place to evacuate the fans too; say, underneath the stands, than that's the safest option.

I lost a coworker to lightning once - he was standing under a tree just outside the front door, but lightning hit the phone in his pocket and he died a few days later. With practically everyone having a phone on them, having 50,000 or more people in one spot creates a significant target for lightning, in addition to all of the equipment in the stadium.

Little sister of one my daughter's friends was killed when they were at the beach. They saw lightning and the clouds were rolling their way so the mom told them to get their stuff and head to the condo. Flash/boom at the same time and the younger daughter was dead. I was walking into the office one day with an umbrella and lightning hit a pole about 15 yards from me and I felt the shock in my right arm and leg.

It's nothing to play with and with modern technology you can dramatically cut the risk to players and spectators.

(11-05-2017 08:34 AM)Sparty84 Wrote:  

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

Football is just a sport. Tv is just entertainment. Fans and athletes are real people. Protect What Matters.

I would love to see the organizations that awarded MSU those six alleged national titles. I've been following colege ball for 45 years and don't remember any

I'm guessing valid ones - AP or UPI - are largely missing.

(11-05-2017 04:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-05-2017 08:34 AM)Sparty84 Wrote:  

(11-04-2017 02:02 PM)westwolf Wrote:  The lightning rule is seriously screwing up CFB on TV. When is the last time any fans were hurt, let alone killed by lightning in the stands?

Football is just a sport. Tv is just entertainment. Fans and athletes are real people. Protect What Matters.

I would love to see the organizations that awarded MSU those six alleged national titles. I've been following colege ball for 45 years and don't remember any

I'm guessing valid ones - AP or UPI - are largely missing.

1952 and 1965 were those.

(11-05-2017 04:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I would love to see the organizations that awarded MSU those six alleged national titles. I've been following colege ball for 45 years and don't remember any

I'm guessing valid ones - AP or UPI - are largely missing.

I was at the Penn State/Michigan State game on Saturday ---- their six National Championships are very prominently displayed throughout the stadium. I know they had some good teams in the 50s and 60s, but I was questioning the "six" number myself.

I did stay after the lightning delay, FWIW.

Lightning delays at games in Florida in early September? That's natural.

In freaking Michigan in November? That's bizarrio.

Global warming?

The last place I want to be in a thunder storm is standing under a 10-ton slab of concrete called the upper-deck.

There is also the risk of panic. The exits just aren't designed move thousands of people in stampede mode.

Lightning is always going to win but cars are relatively safe.

Another risk is lightning striking the ground. It can travel quite a distance.

This whole thread is ridiculous. Once it starts to lightning, the schools have no choice but to suspend the games. What are you, insane?

I would also note that the NCAA rules on lighting are more lax than the ESPN rules. So, in some cases game play will continue, but the television coverage will go offline as the camera people abandon their posts. I dont remember the exact numbers, but I think the NCAA says shut it down if the lighting is less than 6 miles away and ESPN is at 10 miles (I may have the exact numbers wrong).

(11-08-2017 12:14 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  I would also note that the NCAA rules on lighting are more lax than the ESPN rules. So, in some cases game play will continue, but the television coverage will go offline as the camera people abandon their posts. I dont remember the exact numbers, but I think the NCAA says shut it down if the lighting is less than 6 miles away and ESPN is at 10 miles (I may have the exact numbers wrong).

NCAA changed that in 2014 or 2015. It is now a 30 minute delay after the most recent strike within 8 miles but 10 miles is recommended.

When there is no access to the appropriate NWS data, officials and trainers are directed to stop play until 30 minutes past the last thunder heard because in most of the US if you hear thunder the strike was within 10 miles or less.

A-State and Memphis had a game that never kicked off because there was a lightning strike just before the teams came out for the kickoff after a really long hold we finally got a new kickoff time (8:50, original was 6:00) a few hours later and while the teams were warming up there was another strike. The two AD's agreed to call it a night and the Tigers came back and played on a Thursday several weeks later.

I sat in the rain most of the time because my seats are below ground level. My wife gave up and said she and my daughter were going to go sit in the van, so I walked out to tell her it was starting and then heard the oops it's cancelled I couldn't find my car. She said sit in the van when she meant sit in the van and drive it to a nearby mall and shop.