(05-26-2022 05:11 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 05:03 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  ESPN+ is on a computer. Why would they move the game from a Saturday
to a weekday to be on a computer? I’m glad I didn’t renew my season tickets this year. Actually, I didn’t renew last year either after 46 years and haven’t heard a peep from them.

Yes. This is my final year as a season ticket holder. I’m done with this crap. Beginning next year, I will buy single game tickets for the games I want to attend. No more drawer filled with unused tickets!

May want to wait a few years, I guarantee they will tie the Notre Dame game in 2024 to some kind of ticket loyalty, possibly only even open to season ticket holders (just my speculation)

(05-26-2022 08:09 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 06:04 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 05:40 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Try having a family, and see if that excuse holds up. Freedom is different when you have kids and there are many more moving pieces to plan logistics around.

As for the students, it's way more fun to drink around a Saturday game than a weeknight game. Saturday day drinking leads to a wreckless evening. Sunday is a wash. Whereas a weekday game, means you have to temper yourself for work or school the following day.

I never tempered myself on weeknights. Probably explains the 4.5 years it took to graduate.

4.5?

Quitter.

My 5th year I drank the most nights/weeknights going to bars, but probably not nearly amount I consumed each of 1st 2 years in dorms. Best grades though as I was just filling out a schedule and going for minor in POLS with classes I liked.

Ah, Gordon Hilton. "Good morning campers!"

Damn that's a memory I forgot, I had Gordon for a poli sci stats class one Summer. 340?

Great teacher, fun class. Still remember the Monday he showed up wearing an Eric clapton T-shirt as he had seen him over the weekend at Alpine Valley, and knew him.

He died fairly young from what I heard (worked in the LA&S office in grad school and keep in touch with the dean)

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:44 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Thursday night to get a game broadcast on ESPN+. Wow. Yippee.

Any attendance predictions?

This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:44 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Thursday night to get a game broadcast on ESPN+. Wow. Yippee.

Any attendance predictions?

This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

+1

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:44 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Thursday night to get a game broadcast on ESPN+. Wow. Yippee.

Any attendance predictions?

This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

I’m and working and I’ll be there whether it’s Monday or Thursday or Saturday.

But 7 and Red Dog you can’t convince me that a Saturday wouldn’t be a better overall attendance from both EIU AND NIU fans and thus a better game day experience.

Hope I’m wrong (course we’ll never really know I guess).

(05-27-2022 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

I’m and working and I’ll be there whether it’s Monday or Thursday or Saturday.

But 7 and Red Dog you can’t convince me that a Saturday wouldn’t be a better overall attendance from both EIU AND NIU fans and thus a better game day experience.

Hope I’m wrong (course we’ll never really know I guess).

Yes, the diehards will be there. But, how many diehard Huskie fans are there? You want to make it easier for the casual fans to show up and enjoy themselves. Having the game on a Thursday night will not entice the casual fan to attend. And, we have MANY more casual than diehard fans. And, fans having to drive 2 or more hours (like me) will not have an easy time attending a Thursday night game. But, as I have mentioned before, attendance is not a prime concern of the MAC. They have proved this time and time again. Cultivating fans by turning casual fans into diehard fans is also not a concern. To have the game shown on ESPN+ (which would happen if the game were on Saturday)? Come on, now!

I will be at the game, but I am not happy one bit about it. It means taking a half day off on Thursday and full day off on Friday. I also do not enjoy driving home at 11 p.m. for 2 hours, so I may have to stay overnight in a hotel. I will not visit the many businesses I normally visit on a Saturday - no stores, restaurants, etc. So, who wins here? The MAC? But, did they (and NIU) REALLY win?

Good points. Just some thoughts, perhaps a bit early to consider tho ...

Could this become the new normal for openers? If so, sad to see another "fall tradition" cast aside for ... ? Then again, college football for all but the P5/big draws and a few of the top G5s is becoming made-for-TV.

Looking ahead, NIU future skeds have the following openers:
SIU on 9-9-2023
WIU in 8-31-2024
Holy Cross on 8-30-2025
Illinois State on 9-12-2026

Three of the next four openers are in-state FCS. Since LIU @ Toledo also got moved to weeknight this year, the 3 future in-states + Holy Cross become targets if this Thursday opener becomes the norm.

If it does, pre-game tailgating will tank, as will opportunities to tie in with other local events on Saturdays (an unexplored but possibly beneficial arrangement). So will efforts to improve Huskie Stadium, except for premium donors. Why spend the $?

Unless NIU draws big for Vanderbilt and Homecoming/Toledo, total home attendance this season could be the worst in years. But as DF points out, think anyone wll care? Maybe that's why the ticket/PSL/donatio rules were changed. Gotta milk that cow while they still can.

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:44 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Thursday night to get a game broadcast on ESPN+. Wow. Yippee.

Any attendance predictions?

This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

Students going home for the weekend has much less of an impact on attendance compared to the overall preferred Saturday game. NIU has historically drawn well at home on Labor Day weekend.
Sat. aug 31 2019 vs ISU - 14.5k
Fri.night sept. 1 2018 vs BC 16.4k(also drew 16k vs EIU the next Saturday)
Sat. sept. 5 2015 vs UNLV 15.4k

The last time NIU played on a Thursday of the holiday weekend was 2014. They drew 12k vs Presbyterian. That game is a tough gauge. Presbyterian is a crap opponent. But it was home opener coming off the great 2013 season. Also rained that game. The next 2 home games averaged about 18K

Moving from Saturday to Thursday will cost them 3-5K in fans IMO. Having EIU as an opponent does nothing for TV exposure. There's 15 games that night. Not sure why the move, but there has to be some upside.

This entire - Be loyal, go whenever its played - debate? Keep it. pointless.

(05-27-2022 02:04 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  Good points. Just some thoughts, perhaps a bit early to consider tho ...

Could this become the new normal for openers? If so, sad to see another "fall tradition" cast aside for ... ? Then again, college football for all but the P5/big draws and a few of the top G5s is becoming made-for-TV.

Looking ahead, NIU future skeds have the following openers:
SIU on 9-9-2023
WIU in 8-31-2024
Holy Cross on 8-30-2025
Illinois State on 9-12-2026

Three of the next four openers are in-state FCS. Since LIU @ Toledo also got moved to weeknight this year, the 3 future in-states + Holy Cross become targets if this Thursday opener becomes the norm.

If it does, pre-game tailgating will tank, as will opportunities to tie in with other local events on Saturdays (an unexplored but possibly beneficial arrangement). So will efforts to improve Huskie Stadium, except for premium donors. Why spend the $?

Unless NIU draws big for Vanderbilt and Homecoming/Toledo, total home attendance this season could be the worst in years. But as DF points out, think anyone wll care? Maybe that's why the ticket/PSL/donatio rules were changed. Gotta milk that cow while they still can.

NIU opened on Thursday night 7 seasons in a row from 1997-2003. They were all good matchups too.

(05-27-2022 02:09 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

Students going home for the weekend has much less of an impact on attendance compared to the overall preferred Saturday game. NIU has historically drawn well at home on Labor Day weekend.
Sat. aug 31 2019 vs ISU - 14.5k
Fri.night sept. 1 2018 vs BC 16.4k(also drew 16k vs EIU the next Saturday)
Sat. sept. 5 2015 vs UNLV 15.4k

The last time NIU played on a Thursday of the holiday weekend was 2014. They drew 12k vs Presbyterian. That game is a tough gauge. Presbyterian is a crap opponent. But it was home opener coming off the great 2013 season. Also rained that game. The next 2 home games averaged about 18K

Moving from Saturday to Thursday will cost them 3-5K in fans IMO. Having EIU as an opponent does nothing for TV exposure. There's 15 games that night. Not sure why the move, but there has to be some upside.

This entire - Be loyal, go whenever its played - debate? Keep it. pointless.

I wore my blue hose to the Presbyterian game.

(05-27-2022 02:24 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 02:09 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

Students going home for the weekend has much less of an impact on attendance compared to the overall preferred Saturday game. NIU has historically drawn well at home on Labor Day weekend.
Sat. aug 31 2019 vs ISU - 14.5k
Fri.night sept. 1 2018 vs BC 16.4k(also drew 16k vs EIU the next Saturday)
Sat. sept. 5 2015 vs UNLV 15.4k

The last time NIU played on a Thursday of the holiday weekend was 2014. They drew 12k vs Presbyterian. That game is a tough gauge. Presbyterian is a crap opponent. But it was home opener coming off the great 2013 season. Also rained that game. The next 2 home games averaged about 18K

Moving from Saturday to Thursday will cost them 3-5K in fans IMO. Having EIU as an opponent does nothing for TV exposure. There's 15 games that night. Not sure why the move, but there has to be some upside.

This entire - Be loyal, go whenever its played - debate? Keep it. pointless.

I wore my blue hose to the Presbyterian game.

what a crappy name. they Presbyterian Slutty Smurfs

(05-27-2022 10:21 AM)golf4501 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 08:09 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 06:04 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 05:40 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Try having a family, and see if that excuse holds up. Freedom is different when you have kids and there are many more moving pieces to plan logistics around.

As for the students, it's way more fun to drink around a Saturday game than a weeknight game. Saturday day drinking leads to a wreckless evening. Sunday is a wash. Whereas a weekday game, means you have to temper yourself for work or school the following day.

I never tempered myself on weeknights. Probably explains the 4.5 years it took to graduate.

4.5?

Quitter.

My 5th year I drank the most nights/weeknights going to bars, but probably not nearly amount I consumed each of 1st 2 years in dorms. Best grades though as I was just filling out a schedule and going for minor in POLS with classes I liked.

Ah, Gordon Hilton. "Good morning campers!"

Damn that's a memory I forgot, I had Gordon for a poli sci stats class one Summer. 340?

Great teacher, fun class. Still remember the Monday he showed up wearing an Eric clapton T-shirt as he had seen him over the weekend at Alpine Valley, and knew him.

He died fairly young from what I heard (worked in the LA&S office in grad school and keep in touch with the dean)

Cool!!!

I had 340/341.I was econ, pols minor. I would say he had one of the top 1-2 longest lasting impressions on me of anything I learned in college. Just how to analyze things, polls.

He was a big Who fan. I am too. I am convinced "good morning campers" was from Tommy/Uncle Ernie. Never asked him.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azc...d=22149255

(05-27-2022 02:14 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 02:04 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  Good points. Just some thoughts, perhaps a bit early to consider tho ...

Could this become the new normal for openers? If so, sad to see another "fall tradition" cast aside for ... ? Then again, college football for all but the P5/big draws and a few of the top G5s is becoming made-for-TV.

Looking ahead, NIU future skeds have the following openers:
SIU on 9-9-2023
WIU in 8-31-2024
Holy Cross on 8-30-2025
Illinois State on 9-12-2026

Three of the next four openers are in-state FCS. Since LIU @ Toledo also got moved to weeknight this year, the 3 future in-states + Holy Cross become targets if this Thursday opener becomes the norm.

If it does, pre-game tailgating will tank, as will opportunities to tie in with other local events on Saturdays (an unexplored but possibly beneficial arrangement). So will efforts to improve Huskie Stadium, except for premium donors. Why spend the $?

Unless NIU draws big for Vanderbilt and Homecoming/Toledo, total home attendance this season could be the worst in years. But as DF points out, think anyone wll care? Maybe that's why the ticket/PSL/donatio rules were changed. Gotta milk that cow while they still can.

NIU opened on Thursday night 7 seasons in a row from 1997-2003. They were all good matchups too.

Most were good games, but no on all-Thurs. Openers in 1997, 1998 and 2000 were on Saturdays. In any case your "range" ends in 2003, 19 years ago.

In the 19 years after 2003 openers NOT on Saturday were in 2005, 2006, 2014 and 2017 (excluding 2020/Covid). Only 2014/Presbyterian was on Thurs.; the others were Fridays.

I have attendance records going back to 1995, and honestly, attendance is all over the place depending on opponent, weather, nearness to holiday, etc. I can't draw a conclusion from that, so I guess the Thurs-vs-Sat debate seems to hinge on personal preference.

I agree with any/all posters who said making it more difficult for actual fans is stupid.

(05-27-2022 05:08 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 02:14 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 02:04 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  Good points. Just some thoughts, perhaps a bit early to consider tho ...

Could this become the new normal for openers? If so, sad to see another "fall tradition" cast aside for ... ? Then again, college football for all but the P5/big draws and a few of the top G5s is becoming made-for-TV.

Looking ahead, NIU future skeds have the following openers:
SIU on 9-9-2023
WIU in 8-31-2024
Holy Cross on 8-30-2025
Illinois State on 9-12-2026

Three of the next four openers are in-state FCS. Since LIU @ Toledo also got moved to weeknight this year, the 3 future in-states + Holy Cross become targets if this Thursday opener becomes the norm.

If it does, pre-game tailgating will tank, as will opportunities to tie in with other local events on Saturdays (an unexplored but possibly beneficial arrangement). So will efforts to improve Huskie Stadium, except for premium donors. Why spend the $?

Unless NIU draws big for Vanderbilt and Homecoming/Toledo, total home attendance this season could be the worst in years. But as DF points out, think anyone wll care? Maybe that's why the ticket/PSL/donatio rules were changed. Gotta milk that cow while they still can.

NIU opened on Thursday night 7 seasons in a row from 1997-2003. They were all good matchups too.

Most were good games, but no on all-Thurs. Openers in 1997, 1998 and 2000 were on Saturdays. In any case your "range" ends in 2003, 19 years ago.

In the 19 years after 2003 openers NOT on Saturday were in 2005, 2006, 2014 and 2017 (excluding 2020/Covid). Only 2014/Presbyterian was on Thurs.; the others were Fridays.

I have attendance records going back to 1995, and honestly, attendance is all over the place depending on opponent, weather, nearness to holiday, etc. I can't draw a conclusion from that, so I guess the Thurs-vs-Sat debate seems to hinge on personal preference.

I agree with any/all posters who said making it more difficult for actual fans is stupid.

I meant it as opened the season. Not home opener. I Should have been clear on that.

The only thing you can do is compare season openers with season average. And even that is bad because of weather. The best example is probably that 2017 Friday home opener vs BC and then the following Saturday at home vs EIU. BC helped boost attendance for the Friday game. But it still wasn’t as high as EIU on saturday

(05-27-2022 12:35 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(05-27-2022 11:12 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:52 PM)7 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:47 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  I doubt that. They will probably leave campus as early as possible for a long holiday weekend. It will cut the attendance of adult fans who work that day and the next day. Smart move, MAC!

Honestly, acting like you can’t make the game on the opening night of college football because of work is an incredibly lame excuse. It’s always something. Add in the amount of people who are WFH and it makes the excuse even more lame.

Agreed. that's a horrible excuse. I think this will actually help attendance. Students will still be on campus prior to the long weekend and many people travel for that weekend as well. Personally, I do. I'll be able to make this game now.

No excuses. Show up and cheer this team on. They deserve it. Should be a good crowd.

Go Huskies!

I’m and working and I’ll be there whether it’s Monday or Thursday or Saturday.

But 7 and Red Dog you can’t convince me that a Saturday wouldn’t be a better overall attendance from both EIU AND NIU fans and thus a better game day experience.

Hope I’m wrong (course we’ll never really know I guess).

Yes, the diehards will be there. But, how many diehard Huskie fans are there? You want to make it easier for the casual fans to show up and enjoy themselves. Having the game on a Thursday night will not entice the casual fan to attend. And, we have MANY more casual than diehard fans. And, fans having to drive 2 or more hours (like me) will not have an easy time attending a Thursday night game. But, as I have mentioned before, attendance is not a prime concern of the MAC. They have proved this time and time again. Cultivating fans by turning casual fans into diehard fans is also not a concern. To have the game shown on ESPN+ (which would happen if the game were on Saturday)? Come on, now!

I will be at the game, but I am not happy one bit about it. It means taking a half day off on Thursday and full day off on Friday. I also do not enjoy driving home at 11 p.m. for 2 hours, so I may have to stay overnight in a hotel. I will not visit the many businesses I normally visit on a Saturday - no stores, restaurants, etc. So, who wins here? The MAC? But, did they (and NIU) REALLY win?

Lol, we. We are the hardcore fans.

It’s EIU ffs. Calm down. You want to be up against P5s on opening weekend when we’re playing an FCS school? It’s fine.

(05-27-2022 06:49 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  NIU opened on Thursday night 7 seasons in a row from 1997-2003. They were all good matchups too.

Most were good games, but no on all-Thurs. Openers in 1997, 1998 and 2000 were on Saturdays. In any case your "range" ends in 2003, 19 years ago.

In the 19 years after 2003 openers NOT on Saturday were in 2005, 2006, 2014 and 2017 (excluding 2020/Covid). Only 2014/Presbyterian was on Thurs.; the others were Fridays.

I have attendance records going back to 1995, and honestly, attendance is all over the place depending on opponent, weather, nearness to holiday, etc. I can't draw a conclusion from that, so I guess the Thurs-vs-Sat debate seems to hinge on personal preference.

I agree with any/all posters who said making it more difficult for actual fans is stupid.

(05-27-2022 06:49 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  I meant it as opened the season. Not home opener. I Should have been clear on that.

The only thing you can do is compare season openers with season average. And even that is bad because of weather. The best example is probably that 2017 Friday home opener vs BC and then the following Saturday at home vs EIU. BC helped boost attendance for the Friday game. But it still wasn’t as high as EIU on saturday

My bad I guess. I assumed the thread was about the impact of moving NIU's home opener to Thursday from Saturday was going to have on attendance at the first home game.

IMO, we'll just have to wait and see how EIU fans choose their options in terms of going to game/home for the holiday, and how NIU fans take losing a tailgate Saturday, an evening weekday game and juggling end-of-week work skeds before said holiday.

(05-27-2022 09:04 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  It’s EIU ffs. Calm down. You want to be up against P5s on opening weekend when we’re playing an FCS school? It’s fine.

Most of the P5s are also probably playing FCS on opening weekend too.

(05-27-2022 09:18 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 08:30 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(05-26-2022 01:45 PM)7 Wrote:  This is probably a net positive for attendance, students will actually be on campus

Yes, let's capitalize on the massive support the program has been receiving from students.

True that student support has been less than stellar, but them actually being on campus will help student attendance. For the rest of attendance it will hurt some, but minimal IMO. There are allot of folks who had Labor Day weekend plans that were going to keep them away from the game that now can go. Always a mixed narrative. I know when my kids were younger it was definitely easier to make a weekday game than weekend due to all the kids activities which focused on the weekends.

What makes you believe they will "actually" be on campus? To them the "Labor Day weekend" is more of an excuse to take off for a longer weekend since Friday classes are either few or blown off in general. Sorry but I don't buy the logic that the "less than stellar" student attendance is going to improve because this game is moved just to be on ESPN+. If avoiding Labor Day plans is such a plus, then why was the game scheduled for that Saturday in the first place?

Well, this game has become a disappointment for me. My group of 6 has dwindled down to 1 - me (maybe). The others do not want to go on Thursday, and neither does my wife. So, if I do go to this game, it’ll just be me. What a downer.