Manuel: No Michigan Stadium night game in 2016
Per Warde Manuel
Manuel says no night football game at Michigan Stadium this fall https://t.co/XitnPFhXHw
— angelique (@chengelis) March 24, 2016
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Well that sucks.
Let me guess..."no worthy opponent."
If that is the reason, that is such shit. Night games are just another time of the day. They don't have to be against an elite or somewhat elite team. I'd love to see Michigan beat the shit out of some scrub team on national TV at night.
Then they need to do a better damn job making the schedule.
/fucking Brandon
When I was there we had ND, OK State, and Houston as our non conference games.
That was cool.
Just a horrendous decision. Not playing night games hurts recruiting, hurts TV ratings for the program, and takes away a huge home field advantage. But hey, who cares about all that when you can play at 11 /10/ 9AM CT/MT/PT, respectively, and literally not have a single kid outside the Midwest watch.
Wisconsin AND/or Penn State should be a night.
It's also a great recruiting tool. ND has their biggest recruiting weekend during a night game. I'm actually surprised Harbaugh isn't pushing for more night games.
I don't care either way. I will watch every game I am able to watch. Personally, there is less likelihood of conflict with day games. Regardless, I'm sure they'll work towards night games in the future.
It's a huge missed opportunity, for no other reason apparently than the daylight preference of one person. Next year the only viable night date is on October 7 against MSU, and we all know about the major resistance both sides have put up to that game being at night. So if that doesn't go then the next real opportunity is either the 2018 opener against Arkansas or on September 22 against Nebraska. I'd rather see Wisconsin at night than either of those teams, and either way that leaves three full seasons without a night game. Unacceptable in my view, and seemingly a lot of others. Hope he realizes his mistake and corrects it.
as long as Harbaugh is on board, I'll take any night game.
but with two young kids night games actually allow me to kick back with a couple beers and watch Michigan.
Day games usually have me listening to the game while I watch my kid play soccer or some other activity.
Particularly on the beer point. I love drinking a few beers while watching football, but if I start drinking at noon it will just wipe me out for most of the day. Later games allow me to get my shit done, then invite some friends over to drink some beers and watch together.
I understand what you're saying but I don't buy the avoiding conflict excuse I have heard for years. If LSU can host Alabama or Auburn-Alabama at night, then certainly we can do any game also. It's an old theme around here and if Bo hadn't made that statement years ago about toe meeting leather it wouldn't even be a discussion. People here would be clamoring to do what it takes to be the most relevant we could be and that I think would be winning but winning at night sometimes in the featured prime time game on Saturday night instead of watching the SEC or other conferences eat up that space.
Literally, there is no rational reason whatsoever that this should be true.
What the actual fuck.
Honestly, super, super upset at Warde over this. He must have reversed what Hackett wanted because Jim all but promised there would be one this year.
This Athletic Department administration better not be headed for the shitter again.
Not according to this from the article-
Former interim athletic director Jim Hackett said earlier this year he was working on having Michigan host a night game this fall, but about a month later in February seemed to lessen the chances of that occurring.
I don't remember him actually saying anything to temper expectations of a night game, though. That very well may be the AD planting that sentence to try to lessen the blow. Hackett very much insinuated a night game this season.
What if Harbaugh doesn't like night games?
Would people be so up in arms if he said no to them? BYU game was pretty big last year and stategically it and games against other Western teams were at Noon.
Based on the numerous things Harbaugh has changed and introduced at Michigan to gain an advantage, many causing controversy, it is safe to assume JH would not oppose a night game.
There is also a belief that forcing west coast teams to play at noon in the east is an advantage due to time changes. (Not sure how much I buy this, but it's a thing, and vice versa for eastern teams visiting the west coast)
One, you didn't respond to what I actually said at all.
Two, no, it would still be the wrong decision. The many benefits of having a night game per year have already been laid out in this thread, I don't need to re-hash. Also, Wisconsin and Penn State are not western teams. While I don't necessarily agree that all western games should be at noon because of the percieved competitive advantage, I'm fine with it if the team feels it gives them a leg up. Not doing night games? That's blatantly taking away an advantage for the team, an opportunity to put on a big showcase for recruits, and something fans love. There's zero rationale for it and people should express their anger to Warde about this, because it's an unacceptable decision.
Until we know whether he does or not, it's a moot point and we will just have to rely on our own opinions instead of waiting to hear from our coach to form one.
Back in February, Hackett did an interview with Sam Webb where he almost certainly ruled out a night game for this upcoming season (amid talking about getting the MSU/OSU games on alternating home schedules). Not sure why everyone is trying to tear Manuel's head off when Hackett was the messenger in the first place. In the interview, Hackett emphasized TV and tradition playing a part in it, basically mirroring Manuel's opinion of a preference for day games.
While Manuel's opinion may be a preference for day games, he isn't an idiot and will schedule them in the future should coaches and the fans want them. You can bet on it. However, contrary to this blog's groupthink, an overwhelming majority of fans, the ones writing checks to the university, prefer not to have night games.
Did he "basically say it" or did he actually say it? And again, as I asked another person, is there actual data or a link to this majority of fans who don't want night games that you're talking about? I just doubt that an overwhelming majority of fans would be against prime time games.
agree 100%. I'm now suspicious of Warde and was skeptical of a lifer in the role of Michigan AD.
Anyway, the only way this is OK is if ESPN/ BTN wanted other games ahead of possible Michigan night games. I mean our home slate is pretty weak this year. The only real possibilities I see are Wisconsin or Penn St. and maybe the BTN/ ESPN preferred other matchups those nights?
Totally agreed on the skepticism towards Warde and his background. When he left UConn their fans didn't seem all that beat up about it, which concerned me right away. He failed to get them into a P5 conference while trying with both the Big Ten and the ACC, and Kevin Ollie seemed to fall right into his lap. Really hoping this decision isn't a sign of things to come, but that quote specifically is very concerning.
BTN would literally drop anything they had to get a night game in Ann Arbor.
As for ESPN/ABC, I really doubt there are many better opportunities than Michigan and Penn State.
Michigan has a top 3 largest fan base in the country, and for a public university, has arguably the most geographically spread out alumni base. Not to mention, the state of Michigan is the 10th most populated state (9.9 million people) and Pennsylvania is the 6th most populated state (12.5 million people). Not to mention, a game against either Wisconsin or PSU would definitely draw the Chicago (Illinois is the 5th most populated state) and Ohio (7th most populated state) media markets in over any possible SEC team matchup (honestly, I'd bet we'd get a bigger share in NYC and DC as well).
As for competing games, on September 24th the only games that would come close to beating us for a night game would be Georgia vs. Ole Miss or LSU vs. Auburn. However, between ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, all games could be shown. MSU vs. Wisconsin is also that day, but Michigan-Penn State is a much bigger TV draw.
On October 1st, the only other notable games are Oklahoma vs. TCU and Tennessee vs. Georgia. Again, no excuse.
I wish I could upvote you a million times.
I'm very concerned about the Manuel tenure so far and it's really early into it too. Talking to Harbaugh about AD Smith, really?
I want to go off on Manuel but I'm gonna wait and see if he gets his act together better than he has this week, 3 major faux pas though is not good.
Not even thinking about approaching B1G about MSU/OSU schedule, just wow.
I wasn't thrilled when I heard he was selected to be AD, sometimes I hate it when I'm so right.
I predict Manuel won't last long if this crap continues.
3:30 games end in the dark.
Damn how things have changed. I know from 1978 - 2014 they generally ended before it got dark- at least until November (which is why we usually never had 3:30 starts in November) but hey you kids nowdays are changing everything else up these days so changing the relative distance between earth and the sun is just one more thing you're fiddling with I suppose.
Who knew?
I was joking but okay.
Boom! Love it
Night time weddings on the 50 yard line. Strict cap on guest list however, due to potential night time traffic in Southeast Michigan.
There aren't any good opportunities for it in 2017 save for MSU, and we all know that's unfortunately not going to happen at night. As for the possibility of Harbaugh being in on the decision, who cares? He'd be wrong too if this is what he decided.
When's the spring game again?
First, the game times should be whatever U-M thinks give it the best chance to win. If for whatever reason they consider night starts disruptive to their routine, fine.
And second, the idea that night games are critical for recruiting or exposure is laughable. It's the state of the team (and opponent) that matters. Our last night home game against Penn State was virtually deserted in terms of recruits because the program was in the toilet.
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The Big House is amazing, no argument there but the atmosphere of a night game at the Big House should be a moment that would give recruits the feeling of wanting to play here and be part of a game like that. I'm a season ticket holder and I'm disappointed we won't have a night game this year.
Great. We have a innovative visionary as head coach and his boss doesn't want night games because "he likes daylight."
This should work out well.
The home schedule is awful enough as it is. The two highest attended games in Michigan stadium history were at night. It's something a lot of people were looking forward to this year especially with MSU and OSU on the road.
I realy don't get this.
The start time doesn't make the game. The game makes the game.
You had a rivalry game in both those years and the second was the assumed to be the last time they'd play in Ann Arbor for a long time. Both teams were also ranked in that game.
The first one was a big deal and cool because it hadn't been done before.
But as I see in the thread, anyone who doesn't adhere to the groupthink of loving night games gets shouted down.
Double post, sorry. ***
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LOL... Lochdogg & Co. were fired with DB.
I find it interesting that it all of the sudden just comes down to 'the game' from someone who obsesses over the attendance of every sporting event--as recently as the time of the spring game, the uniforms, among other things far beyond 'the game.'
It's not groupthink, it's just objectively the wrong decision. You don't have to blindly follow the will of the Athletic Department and Warde just because he's Not Dave Brandon.