I'll say one thing about ESPN coverage of MACtion. They did a nice job directing the cameras to not show the stands during the UB/Akron game.

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

There has got to be a reason for us getting November, but I'll be damn if I know the reason...

I can't think of what ESPN has during October (Tues/Wed) and why they want games in November.

October is obviously MLB post-season but that doesn't effect ESPN.

(11-13-2014 02:32 PM)emu steve Wrote:  There has got to be a reason for us getting November, but I'll be damn if I know the reason...

It may not have anything to do with ESPN...maybe that's what the MAC wants.

(11-13-2014 01:42 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:33 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

October is for the Sun Belt.

Not dismissing RWT's comment, but wouldn't it make more sense to air October MAC games and Nov SBC games?

so we should play FEWER Saturday games when the weather is managable? C'mon.

(11-13-2014 02:32 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

There has got to be a reason for us getting November, but I'll be damn if I know the reason...

I can't think of what ESPN has during October (Tues/Wed) and why they want games in November.

October is obviously MLB post-season but that doesn't effect ESPN.

Sure it does. People are watching the games..so they won't be watching ESPN!

(11-13-2014 11:19 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(11-12-2014 04:32 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(11-12-2014 03:57 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Any idea on attendance tonight?

I was interested because its one of the first if not THE first prime time MACtion games they are hosting at their real home field. When its fresh it was exciting for a fanbase.

I too thought that was a stupid and unwarranted response to your question.

Some people on this board are way too sensitive when is comes to attendance as they take any discussion of the subject as smack. Perhaps there is a good therapist out that that could offer them some help in getting over the fear of being asked how many people will be at the game..........Hmmm, what would be the name of that phobia?

(11-13-2014 03:04 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:42 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:33 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

October is for the Sun Belt.

Not dismissing RWT's comment, but wouldn't it make more sense to air October MAC games and Nov SBC games?

so we should play FEWER Saturday games when the weather is managable? C'mon.

So the point is, "Attendance will suck regardless, let's get TV viewers"?

Ok, maybe so.

So ESPN just bounced Akron from ESPN2 to ESPN3 for their game vs UMass. I guess the new contract the MAC signs allows that? There were minimum appearances in the old contract on 2/U.

(11-13-2014 03:06 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 02:32 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

There has got to be a reason for us getting November, but I'll be damn if I know the reason...

I can't think of what ESPN has during October (Tues/Wed) and why they want games in November.

October is obviously MLB post-season but that doesn't effect ESPN.

Sure it does. People are watching the games..so they won't be watching ESPN!

AState vs. Louisiana on ESPN2 was head-to-head with game 1 of the World Series this year. Viewership dropped over 50% from each of the last two seasons. Didn't help that there was more than usual interest in Arkansas in the WS with Kansas City playing. If the Cardinals had been in it would have been far worse.

(11-13-2014 04:12 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  So ESPN just bounced Akron from ESPN2 to ESPN3 for their game vs UMass. I guess the new contract the MAC signs allows that? There were minimum appearances in the old contract on 2/U.

Technically you are wrong. The Akron / UMass game was always slated for ESPNU / ESPN3. The other game that night, NIU / Ohio, was also announced with the same coverage. ESPN picked the better game, NIU / Ohio for ESPNU which pushed the Akron game to ESPN3.

The broader point here though is why the heck is the MAC allowing ESPN to put Tuesday night games on ESPN3. Usually it is ESPN2 / ESPNU. You can argue in favor of playing a Tuesday night game if the game is on ESPN2 or even to a lesser degree ESPNU. However if these midweek games start getting pushed to ESPN3 that is a huge bust in the deal. So you basically destroy your fan base to play midweek games for exposure. Then you don't even get the exposure because you are buried on some streaming internet channel. This better not be what the next 13 years are going to look like in this league. And to top it off, ESPN is showing some early season whatever college basketball tournament instead of football on ESPN2. That is a terrible deal.

(11-13-2014 04:43 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 04:12 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  So ESPN just bounced Akron from ESPN2 to ESPN3 for their game vs UMass. I guess the new contract the MAC signs allows that? There were minimum appearances in the old contract on 2/U.

Technically you are wrong. The Akron / UMass game was always slated for ESPNU / ESPN3. The other game that night, NIU / Ohio, was also announced with the same coverage. ESPN picked the better game, NIU / Ohio for ESPNU which pushed the Akron game to ESPN3.

The broader point here though is why the heck is the MAC allowing ESPN to put Tuesday night games on ESPN3. Usually it is ESPN2 / ESPNU. You can argue in favor of playing a Tuesday night game if the game is on ESPN2 or even to a lesser degree ESPNU. However if these midweek games start getting pushed to ESPN3 that is a huge bust in the deal. So you basically destroy your fan base to play midweek games for exposure. Then you don't even get the exposure because you are buried on some streaming internet channel. This better not be what the next 13 years are going to look like in this league. And to top it off, ESPN is showing some early season whatever college basketball tournament instead of football on ESPN2. That is a terrible deal.

Yea, playing midweek on ESPN3 should NEVER happen. What's the point?

Here's the attendance for November MAC games for 2012 and 2013, minus the final week when everyone plays on Tues or Fri. Two things should be crystal clear- 1. playing on a weeknight in November does not guarantee that attendance will be bad and more importantly, 2. playing on a Saturday does not mean attendance will be good.


Week 10 2012
18,265 Akron(1-8) @ Kent St(7-1) Saturday
16,789 EMU(1-7) @ Ohio(7-1) Thursday
11,114 UMass(0-8) @ NIU(8-1) Saturday
10,817 Miami(4-4) @ Buffalo(1-7) Saturday
N/A WMU(3-6) @ CMU(2-6) Saturday

Week 11 2012
18,211 Ball St(6-3) @ #23Toledo(8-1) Tuesday
19,122 BGSU(6-3) @ Ohio(8-1) Wednesday
13,301 Kent St(8-1) @ Miami(4-5) Saturday
11,102 WMU(4-6) @ Buffalo(2-7) Saturday
7,716 UMass(0-9) @ Akron(1-9) Saturday
4,081 CMU(3-6) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2012
17,813 Toledo(8-2) @ NIU(9-1) Wednesday
16,002 #25Kent St(9-1) @ BGSU(7-2) Saturday
12,649 Buffalo(4-6) @ UMass(1-9) Satuday
10,338 EMU(2-8) @ WMU(4-7) Saturday
10,097 Ohio(8-2) @ Ball St(7-3) Wednesday
7,223 Miami(4-6) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

Week 11 2013
22,918 Ohio(6-2) @ Buffalo(6-2) Tuesday
10,598 BGSU(5-3) @ Miami(0-8) Tuesday
9,494 CMU(3-5) @ Ball St(8-1) Wednesday
2,177 WMU(1-8) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2013
22,071 CMU(3-6) @ WMU(1-9) Saturday
18,290 Ball St(9-1) @ NIU(9-0) Wednesday
15,036 Buffalo(7-2) @ Toledo(6-3) Tuesday
10,599 Akron(3-7) @ UMass(1-8) Saturday
8,573 Miami(0-9) @ Kent St(2-8) Wednesday
8,527 Ohio(6-3) @ BGSU(6-3) Tuesday

Week 13 2013
21974 #20NIU(10-0) @ Toledo(7-3) Wednesday
17,181 Kent St(3-8) @ Ohio(6-4) Tuesday
9,895 Buffalo(7-3) @ Miami(0-10) Tuesday
1,751 BGSU(7-3) @ EMU(2-8) Saturday
8,763 UMass(1-9) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

(11-13-2014 05:12 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  Here's the attendance for November MAC games for 2012 and 2013, minus the final week when everyone plays on Tues or Fri. Two things should be crystal clear- 1. playing on a weeknight in November does not guarantee that attendance will be bad and more importantly, 2. playing on a Saturday does not mean attendance will be good.


Week 10 2012
18,265 Akron(1-8) @ Kent St(7-1) Saturday
16,789 EMU(1-7) @ Ohio(7-1) Thursday
11,114 UMass(0-8) @ NIU(8-1) Saturday
10,817 Miami(4-4) @ Buffalo(1-7) Saturday
N/A WMU(3-6) @ CMU(2-6) Saturday

Week 11 2012
18,211 Ball St(6-3) @ #23Toledo(8-1) Tuesday
19,122 BGSU(6-3) @ Ohio(8-1) Wednesday
13,301 Kent St(8-1) @ Miami(4-5) Saturday
11,102 WMU(4-6) @ Buffalo(2-7) Saturday
7,716 UMass(0-9) @ Akron(1-9) Saturday
4,081 CMU(3-6) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2012
17,813 Toledo(8-2) @ NIU(9-1) Wednesday
16,002 #25Kent St(9-1) @ BGSU(7-2) Saturday
12,649 Buffalo(4-6) @ UMass(1-9) Satuday
10,338 EMU(2-8) @ WMU(4-7) Saturday
10,097 Ohio(8-2) @ Ball St(7-3) Wednesday
7,223 Miami(4-6) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

Week 11 2013
22,918 Ohio(6-2) @ Buffalo(6-2) Tuesday
10,598 BGSU(5-3) @ Miami(0-8) Tuesday
9,494 CMU(3-5) @ Ball St(8-1) Wednesday
2,177 WMU(1-8) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2013
22,071 CMU(3-6) @ WMU(1-9) Saturday
18,290 Ball St(9-1) @ NIU(9-0) Wednesday
15,036 Buffalo(7-2) @ Toledo(6-3) Tuesday
10,599 Akron(3-7) @ UMass(1-8) Saturday
8,573 Miami(0-9) @ Kent St(2-8) Wednesday
8,527 Ohio(6-3) @ BGSU(6-3) Tuesday

Week 13 2013
21974 #20NIU(10-0) @ Toledo(7-3) Wednesday
17,181 Kent St(3-8) @ Ohio(6-4) Tuesday
9,895 Buffalo(7-3) @ Miami(0-10) Tuesday
1,751 BGSU(7-3) @ EMU(2-8) Saturday
8,763 UMass(1-9) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

At the risk of participating in beating the dead horse further, keep in mind that numbers last season were probably impacted negatively by the unusually frigid weather.

(11-13-2014 05:12 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  Week 11 2012
4,081 CMU(3-6) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 11 2013
2,177 WMU(1-8) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 13 2013
1,751 BGSU(7-3) @ EMU(2-8) Saturday

Not to beat a but it looks like the past 2 years EMU was reporting actual people in the stands.

(11-13-2014 05:12 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  Here's the attendance for November MAC games for 2012 and 2013, minus the final week when everyone plays on Tues or Fri. Two things should be crystal clear- 1. playing on a weeknight in November does not guarantee that attendance will be bad and more importantly, 2. playing on a Saturday does not mean attendance will be good.


Week 10 2012
18,265 Akron(1-8) @ Kent St(7-1) Saturday
16,789 EMU(1-7) @ Ohio(7-1) Thursday
11,114 UMass(0-8) @ NIU(8-1) Saturday
10,817 Miami(4-4) @ Buffalo(1-7) Saturday
N/A WMU(3-6) @ CMU(2-6) Saturday

Week 11 2012
18,211 Ball St(6-3) @ #23Toledo(8-1) Tuesday
19,122 BGSU(6-3) @ Ohio(8-1) Wednesday
13,301 Kent St(8-1) @ Miami(4-5) Saturday
11,102 WMU(4-6) @ Buffalo(2-7) Saturday
7,716 UMass(0-9) @ Akron(1-9) Saturday
4,081 CMU(3-6) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2012
17,813 Toledo(8-2) @ NIU(9-1) Wednesday
16,002 #25Kent St(9-1) @ BGSU(7-2) Saturday
12,649 Buffalo(4-6) @ UMass(1-9) Satuday
10,338 EMU(2-8) @ WMU(4-7) Saturday
10,097 Ohio(8-2) @ Ball St(7-3) Wednesday
7,223 Miami(4-6) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

Week 11 2013
22,918 Ohio(6-2) @ Buffalo(6-2) Tuesday
10,598 BGSU(5-3) @ Miami(0-8) Tuesday
9,494 CMU(3-5) @ Ball St(8-1) Wednesday
2,177 WMU(1-8) @ EMU(1-8) Saturday

Week 12 2013
22,071 CMU(3-6) @ WMU(1-9) Saturday
18,290 Ball St(9-1) @ NIU(9-0) Wednesday
15,036 Buffalo(7-2) @ Toledo(6-3) Tuesday
10,599 Akron(3-7) @ UMass(1-8) Saturday
8,573 Miami(0-9) @ Kent St(2-8) Wednesday
8,527 Ohio(6-3) @ BGSU(6-3) Tuesday

Week 13 2013
21974 #20NIU(10-0) @ Toledo(7-3) Wednesday
17,181 Kent St(3-8) @ Ohio(6-4) Tuesday
9,895 Buffalo(7-3) @ Miami(0-10) Tuesday
1,751 BGSU(7-3) @ EMU(2-8) Saturday
8,763 UMass(1-9) @ CMU(4-6) Saturday

Agreed on both points, but weather has to be considered for Saturday or weekdays. And other factors like the division title being on the line and who is playing. I think the trend still points to worse attendance on weeknights - though some of that is because the weeknight games tend to be later in the year when it's colder. Though even there, if you play during the day it's warmer. Everything else equal, NIU might get a bigger crowd for Toledo on a Tuesday (though not this past Tuesday even) than for a winless team on a Saturday. But that wouldn't mean we'd likely get more fans for Toledo on a Saturday. It's been so long since we played them on a Saturday though, who knows.

#MACtion on ESPN is going to kill attendance for the Akron-KSU game this year. Not sure why this game has to be on the last game of the season on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving.

That's a game that is normally 20,000+ at KSU that will be lucky to draw 10k.

(11-13-2014 05:43 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  #MACtion on ESPN is going to kill attendance for the Akron-KSU game this year. Not sure why this game has to be on the last game of the season on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving.

Its the last game of the season because its the Wagon Wheel. Its the Tuesday before Thanksgiving because its Kent's turn to be on Tuesday in MACtion that week.

Quote: That's a game that is normally 20,000+ at KSU that will be lucky to draw 10k.

Unless Akron is playing for the chance to go bowling, its hard to see it drawing well this year, between the midweek kickoff, the Thanksgiving timing, the weather, and the Golden Flashes season record.

(11-13-2014 02:32 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

There has got to be a reason for us getting November, but I'll be damn if I know the reason...

Agreeing to get on November was how the MAC got guaranteed games on ESPN. The other partner conferences balked at midweek games in November, which is what opened up the MACtion slot in the schedule.

While they always have the option to put on more than the minimum, there's a minimum ESPN has to put on, even for a down season for the conference like this one when they would probably rather not.

So when does anyone think the midweek games will begin having an effect on MAC yearly attendance which has been steady for the last decade, preceding the midweek games? Or better, why were yearly attendance numbers when the games were pretty much all on Saturdays no better than the totals now when teams have 3-4 games per season midweek?

(11-13-2014 01:42 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:33 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 01:21 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Would it be too much to ask for ESPN to move midweek MACtion to late September though late October?

October is for the Sun Belt.

Not dismissing RWT's comment, but wouldn't it make more sense to air October MAC games and Nov SBC games?

Yes.

Forget the numbers, how did the crowd look.