Manuel: No Michigan Stadium night game in 2016

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Per Warde Manuel

 

Manuel says no night football game at Michigan Stadium this fall https://t.co/XitnPFhXHw

— angelique (@chengelis) March 24, 2016

xx

MGoBoard

Wolverine Devotee

March 24th, 2016 at 4:25 PM ^

Some people are acting like he just tried to cop a Macaroni Noodle and put it inside the stadium.

He's been on the job not even a month and people are acting as if he's committed some crime. "OH NO! BAD START!"

Maybe that's just some paranoia from the last permanent AD, but this guy actually has experience.

Big freaking deal. There will still be a ton of 3:30 games for the folks that like later starts. The games just can't start at night. How did we survive the other 766 home games in our history that weren't played at night?

Let's save the night games for the real big games. Hopefully the only ones we're playing in are in Indy, Atlanta/Glendale and Tampa.

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SAMgO

March 24th, 2016 at 4:26 PM ^

"Big freaking deal. There will still be a ton of 3:30 games for the folks that like later starts."

Come on, not even you can be that dense, right? You know they're not the same thing. This isn't a 3:30 vs. noon conversation. Night games are big, primetime events that bring with them a whole slew of benefits outside of the scope of a 3:30 game. This reaction from Michigan fans everywhere has nothing to do with groupthink, and everything to do with Warde making the wrong decision with a really concerning quote about the rationale. Color me skeptical of him.

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Wolverine Devotee

March 24th, 2016 at 4:32 PM ^

Maybe we needed night games when Hoke was here because he was a no-name coach, but we have Harbaugh.

People will watch. Recruits will watch. Peep our ratings last year. They were stellar. 

Our lack of 2015 night games at home sure didn't stop us from signing a top-5 class. 

I wouldn't have been mad if we had a night game this year as I think there were some appropriate choices, but I'm not gonna flip out over not having one. 

If anything, the crowd will be even more jacked at the next home night game whenever that may be.

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SAMgO

March 24th, 2016 at 4:35 PM ^

You're stretching so much. Alabama and Ohio State and LSU all thrive with night games. Yes, people will watch, but it's about putting on a special show when you're given the chance and giving the team every advantage it can have. There's no reason to be against it besides misguided stubbornness.



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Maizen

March 24th, 2016 at 4:18 PM ^

Oh come the fuck on. People love night games and it has nothing to do with "group think."

As smeone who has had Michigan season football tickets for over 20 years there is a noticable difference in atmosphere during the night games. A noon game against Wisconsin would be very different than playing the Badgers under the lights. That's why why there isn't pockets of empty seats in the upper ring of the bowl during night games as there are for noon and 3:30 kickoffs. Stop with this "the game makes the game" crap. TV networks have been pushing for more primetime games all over the country for a reason. 

Not a good start for Manuel.

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cozy200

March 24th, 2016 at 4:07 PM ^

Just have the state or ohio game at night. Can't hang? Too bad. To spend all that cash on lights and barely use them is just bad business.

We could have had a new weight room.

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ghostofhoke

March 24th, 2016 at 4:15 PM ^

I'm going to assume he didn't make this decision unilaterally. If Harbaugh wanted a night game I'm pretty confident there would be a night game. Personally I don't care that much either way. I was at UTL2 and it was awesome as far as an event but it wasn't really reminiscent of the Michigan football I'm familiar with. I can understand both sides of this. Personally I like the 3:30 starts way better than night or noon. 3:30 starts provide good national exposure and if you're in from out of town you get to enjoy much more of the day on campus and tailgating. The lights allow us to do that so the money was well spent IMO regardless of whether we play night games or not.



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Chi-City Wolverine

March 24th, 2016 at 6:03 PM ^

I don't mind the early starts and all, but respectfully, if you want a guaranteed prime time slot you have to schedule a night game and be relevant. I'm not worried at all about the later. Don't you want to see our boys playing a good opponent on ABC at night during the middle/later end of the schedule? I know I do, and a night game would be a great time to do that.



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db012031

March 24th, 2016 at 4:47 PM ^

Guys, seriously, we have only played 3 NIght Games in the Big House.  It's not like it is a tradition nor that big of deal.

It doesn't hurt recruiting either, as many people have posted.  Really?  Hurt Recruiting, so those 3 games we have played in AA at night have determined the last 100+ Years of Michigan Football?

Look, I like the night games, like most on here do, but come on, serious over reaction to something that has happend just 3 times in the past.  It is really not that big of a deal.  

We have far better things to worry about like beating Michigan State and Ohio State year after year and wining National Championships.  Playing at Night...pretty much bottom of the list.

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amir_6

March 24th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^

Thank you Warde Manuel, for ruining the one thing I was looking forward to since the season ended last year. A night game against Wisconsin would've been awesome, don't think we'll find a better opportunity for a night game. You don't just make a big decision like this with out getting an input from the fanbase, I strongly believe at least 70% of the fanbase would prefer having at least ONE night game a year, come on man!

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Wolvie3758

March 24th, 2016 at 6:37 PM ^

HUGE Mistake, Bad first impress and IittIe regard 0f fans       bad start Warde very bad start Im 

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MichiganMAN47

March 24th, 2016 at 7:08 PM ^

Per Detroit News: “No night game this year,” new Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel confirmed to The Detroit News on Thursday. Why? “I like the day,” Manuel said, smiling. “I like daylight.” 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. Manuel said it’s not happening this fall, but is not ruling it out for the future. Michigan hosted games under the lights in 2011 and 2013 against Notre Dame and against Penn State in 2014. “No (I’m not ruling it out), but I like the daylight,” Manuel said, who played for legendary coach Bo Schembechler who always pushed for early kickoffs. “I’m a daylight-preference football guy. It’s ingrained in me.”

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crg

March 24th, 2016 at 9:19 PM ^

It bothers me that the season ticket holders (the ones paying for this shiny football program) aren't consulted about this. Considering how underwhelming this year's home slate is, one or two night games are almost obligatory.

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