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I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever.

If you can't get off of work six months in advance, you have made some poor career choices.

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever.

If you can't get off of work six months in advance, you have made some poor career choices.

Spot on. I was at that TCU game. I know Savannah State isn’t TCU but this is a good chance for us to be on national television when no one else is really on.

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever.

If you can't get off of work six months in advance, you have made some poor career choices.

that is literally the first time ive ever been told that ive made bad career choices

(02-02-2018 07:12 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever.

If you can't get off of work six months in advance, you have made some poor career choices.

that is literally the first time ive ever been told that ive made bad career choices

No you made the choice to live in Iowa.

(02-02-2018 07:36 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 07:12 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever.

If you can't get off of work six months in advance, you have made some poor career choices.

that is literally the first time ive ever been told that ive made bad career choices

No you made the choice to live in Iowa.

It seemed worth it to work significantly less and make significantly more

(02-02-2018 06:14 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  i was able to make 3 games from 900 miles away. i hoped for more next season, but this is one i was banking on that i now probably (not definitely) cant make

Two games from 1200 miles away for me! HI FIVE!

I don't think Thursday night against Savannah State is in the best interests of my program, and a lot of people see it my way. That is not bitching or being a crybaby, and it has nothing to do with whether specific hardcore message board season ticket holder boosters can rearrange their schedules in time to make it to this game. Casual fans and lookiloos have money too, and someone with the football program decided to avoid selling those 10,000 additional tickets to the opener this year. Which is a stupid, indefensible decision. Who needs a quarter million dollars?

Sorry for being such a whiny lil *****. My bad.

(02-02-2018 03:22 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 03:18 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  A 100% "perfect game score" might be UAB hosting Bama at Legion Field

Truly amazing. Seriously.

Daniel Day-Lewis could learn a thing or two from you about committing to a role.

IF the UA System Administration ever relented on Bama playing UAB at Legion Field, how much static would Bama get from UAB over date / time of the game issues? Their continued embargo of such games in men's revenue sports illustrates their petty fiefdom outlook.

I expect that action by the UA System Administration just about the time they ask UAB leaders who they want to be named the next UAB President.

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever

You are downplaying that game a bit, in my opinion. There are a couple of historical points to make about that game that I think are worth considering:

1. UAB had momentum coming into the game with a 4-1 record and, before that, gained some buzz with general fans in the 2003 season when it almost knocked of two Top 25 opponents in back to back weeks. In addition, UAB had just beaten an SEC team (albeit a terrible one), but it still made news.

2. While TCU was not the same as they are today, I wouldn't say they were just another conference game. TCU finished the previous two seasons with a Top 25 ranking and were considered a team on the rise...even though they came into the game with 2 losses already. This was also the last year that TCU was in the conference. The win against them was enough to clinch our first (and only) BCS ranking ever.

3. It was the primetime game on the main ESPN channel at a time when it actually mattered. I don't agree with Watson Brown when he said that "87 million people watched the game"...but I won't contest the fact that the mid-2000's was the height of ESPN's popularity and having a game on the main network was a big deal, regardless of the day.

Again, if this move was made for the purposes of TV, I can understand it...if not, I don't see why would we choose to play on a weekday night on our own when:

A. It's the season opener.
B. It's a holiday weekend that would help accommodate Blazer fans travel.
C. Auburn and Alabama are both playing out of state.

So were playing at Regions Field in Downtown on Thursday is this a presucurser.

(02-03-2018 04:05 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever

You are downplaying that game a bit, in my opinion. There are a couple of historical points to make about that game that I think are worth considering:

1. UAB had momentum coming into the game with a 4-1 record and, before that, gained some buzz with general fans in the 2003 season when it almost knocked of two Top 25 opponents in back to back weeks. In addition, UAB had just beaten an SEC team (albeit a terrible one), but it still made news.

2. While TCU was not the same as they are today, I wouldn't say they were just another conference game. TCU finished the previous two seasons with a Top 25 ranking and were considered a team on the rise...even though they came into the game with 2 losses already. This was also the last year that TCU was in the conference. The win against them was enough to clinch our first (and only) BCS ranking ever.

3. It was the primetime game on the main ESPN channel at a time when it actually mattered. I don't agree with Watson Brown when he said that "87 million people watched the game"...but I won't contest the fact that the mid-2000's was the height of ESPN's popularity and having a game on the main network was a big deal, regardless of the day.

Again, if this move was made for the purposes of TV, I can understand it...if not, I don't see why would we choose to play on a weekday night on our own when:

A. It's the season opener.
B. It's a holiday weekend that would help accommodate Blazer fans travel.
C. Auburn and Alabama are both playing out of state.

i agree with this...i recall the day of that game. many people that had little to no interest in UAB football asked me about the game, told me they were thinking of going (many who had never been to a UAB game)

(02-03-2018 04:13 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  

(02-03-2018 04:05 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever

You are downplaying that game a bit, in my opinion. There are a couple of historical points to make about that game that I think are worth considering:

1. UAB had momentum coming into the game with a 4-1 record and, before that, gained some buzz with general fans in the 2003 season when it almost knocked of two Top 25 opponents in back to back weeks. In addition, UAB had just beaten an SEC team (albeit a terrible one), but it still made news.

2. While TCU was not the same as they are today, I wouldn't say they were just another conference game. TCU finished the previous two seasons with a Top 25 ranking and were considered a team on the rise...even though they came into the game with 2 losses already. This was also the last year that TCU was in the conference. The win against them was enough to clinch our first (and only) BCS ranking ever.

3. It was the primetime game on the main ESPN channel at a time when it actually mattered. I don't agree with Watson Brown when he said that "87 million people watched the game"...but I won't contest the fact that the mid-2000's was the height of ESPN's popularity and having a game on the main network was a big deal, regardless of the day.

Again, if this move was made for the purposes of TV, I can understand it...if not, I don't see why would we choose to play on a weekday night on our own when:

A. It's the season opener.
B. It's a holiday weekend that would help accommodate Blazer fans travel.
C. Auburn and Alabama are both playing out of state.

i agree with this...i recall the day of that game. many people that had little to no interest in UAB football asked me about the game, told me they were thinking of going (many who had never been to a UAB game)

Perhaps trying to get students to the game before they go home for weekend...

(02-02-2018 06:03 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 05:15 PM)CourtsideBlazer Wrote:  If other things take precedence, don't blame it on UAB...your decision not to go is YOURS.

This mentality and attitude is silly. The decision to not go is almost always OURS. How many of the 45,000 people at our 2017 season opener made the UAB game take precedence over other things that day? What would it have been if it had been a weekday school night? Obviously there was still hype surrounding the return, but you don't think attendance would have been affected? Only about 14,500 "true fans" made it out on Thanksgiving weekend and they had 10 months to plan for it.

Saturdays and Football go hand-in-hand during the Fall in the south. Part of what made this season's experience so great was the gameday experience that involved making your whole Saturday Blazer-related.

The reason for having games on Saturdays are obvious. For the most part, attendees don't need to take time off, kids don't need to go to school the next day, you have more options for kickoff times, you have more time to prepare day-of/get to the game/get home, it allows non-local folks an easier schedule for travel, etc.

I don't care for night games...and I hate Thursday games....but my personal preferences aside, I think it is a bad marketing move and I don't buy Clark's or Ingram's comments on it.

We are in fanbase-building mode...you don't build a fanbase by making season openers LESS accessible. OF COURSE we can plan for it, take vacation to make sure we make it, etc...but if we only want those that will do that to come to the games, why did we bring the program back to at all? We need to grow.

I mean...why build a new stadium downtown when real fans will continue to go to Legion Field?

Great post. Spot on.

(02-03-2018 04:44 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-03-2018 04:13 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  

(02-03-2018 04:05 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 06:24 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I remember the first I've UAB played on a Friday night. Against TCU. There was a lot of bitching and griping about that, if not more. People complaining that it went up against high school games. And TCU wasn't D2, but they weren't th TCU they are today. Just another conference game. It turned out to be one of the highest attended game ever

You are downplaying that game a bit, in my opinion. There are a couple of historical points to make about that game that I think are worth considering:

1. UAB had momentum coming into the game with a 4-1 record and, before that, gained some buzz with general fans in the 2003 season when it almost knocked of two Top 25 opponents in back to back weeks. In addition, UAB had just beaten an SEC team (albeit a terrible one), but it still made news.

2. While TCU was not the same as they are today, I wouldn't say they were just another conference game. TCU finished the previous two seasons with a Top 25 ranking and were considered a team on the rise...even though they came into the game with 2 losses already. This was also the last year that TCU was in the conference. The win against them was enough to clinch our first (and only) BCS ranking ever.

3. It was the primetime game on the main ESPN channel at a time when it actually mattered. I don't agree with Watson Brown when he said that "87 million people watched the game"...but I won't contest the fact that the mid-2000's was the height of ESPN's popularity and having a game on the main network was a big deal, regardless of the day.

Again, if this move was made for the purposes of TV, I can understand it...if not, I don't see why would we choose to play on a weekday night on our own when:

A. It's the season opener.
B. It's a holiday weekend that would help accommodate Blazer fans travel.
C. Auburn and Alabama are both playing out of state.

i agree with this...i recall the day of that game. many people that had little to no interest in UAB football asked me about the game, told me they were thinking of going (many who had never been to a UAB game)

Perhaps trying to get students to the game before they go home for weekend...

That could be one factor in the decision, but I think the big factor is for national tv. At least it better be.

Of all the games on our schedule that could be moved to a weekday night and picked -up for national broadcast, the
Savannah State is the least desirable. We will be lucky to get WBRC to show highlights. I do not see ESPN picking this up for TV broadcast. But perhaps ESPN3

There is always a lot of talk about avoiding conflict with Auburn &/or Bama games, but there may be conflict on August 30th with TV games in other G5 conferences around the nation seeking to dodge the "Money games" played by P5 teams that weekend. We won't know the wisdom (+ or -) of the decision until that week. UAB could wind up happy to have played on that date.

BTW, UAB fans go to Legion Field because that is where we can see UAB Blazers play their games. If they move to a new stadium, the fans will move right along with them. It is the team, not the stadium that draws fans to games.

(02-04-2018 03:27 AM)pbt140 Wrote:  Of all the games on our schedule that could be moved to a weekday night and picked -up for national broadcast, the
Savannah State is the least desirable. We will be lucky to get WBRC to show highlights. I do not see ESPN picking this up for TV broadcast. But perhaps ESPN3

"ESPN 3" picking up the game just means it's available for streaming online, not that it's on any channel anyone is watching. It's one barely step above streaming on UAB's website or CUSA's website. It's better than nothing but not worth moving games.

Like I said before, this would've actually been almost advantageous for me since I can't make the game on Saturday, but the opponent just sucks. It'd be different if it was a team that generated some interest, that would get us on TV, etc.

It's almost as if Marky Mark wants to put a nail in the coffin on any attendance boost in year 2.

(02-05-2018 10:45 AM)the_blazerman Wrote:  It's almost as if Marky Mark wants to put a nail in the coffin on any attendance boost in year 2.

If Clark didn't agree...he didn't have to comment much at all on it.

Quote:"Having a Thursday night season opener will provide an electric atmosphere for our players and we are excited to showcase our team to Birmingham two days earlier," Clark said.

Maybe they're just testing the waters on something. Maybe this is a strategic move on their part. Maybe it's taking a low risk game and using it to measure something or gather some info that they are seeking.

All I know is that I don't imagine they would have just arbitrarily decided, "You know what, let's play this one on Thursday night..." There has to be a reason, and it might not be something that we'd all understand, care about, or need to know.

If they were truly plotting to reduce crowds as some you conspiracy nuts suggest they would have scheduled the game at 1am