Would you want a night game against MSU at the Big House?
Last year Warde Manuel said that we wouldn't have a night game as there wasn't a game big enough to be worthy of it. This year we only really have one big game at home in MSU. I see numerous advantages and disadvantages to putting the game at 7 or 8 pm. For advantages, it helps recruiting and gives the team a boost from the home crowd energy. Throttling State on primetime television would be sweet. On the other hand, it props up a 3-9 program and might lead to more issues with drunk fans but 3:30 games are already dark anyways and the SEC does these games all the time. It seems like something Harbaugh would do IMO. What say you?
February 20th, 2017 at 6:07 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 4:55 PM ^
Save home night games for situations that can benefit us. Let State use their night games to give us more exposure and we'll use our night games to increase our exposure against teams that can actually do that. A night game against State does not increase our exposure.
February 20th, 2017 at 7:21 PM ^
Your opening argument and closing argument seem to be at odds with each other:
'Let State use their night games to give us more exposure...'
'A night game against State does not increase our exposure.'
Not being critical, but you seem to contradict yourself!
Personally, I would love it. The 99.9% of fans who get along would have a great day/night.
February 20th, 2017 at 8:15 PM ^
Well, if I was writing an opening or closing legal argument in a forum thread, I doubt you would take the time to read it. But, I will break it down for you.
State can use their home game against us as a night game filled with excitement for them if they so choose. We in turn will use that as an opportunity to continue to set their program backwards by crushing them at night in their place.
We use our home night game against the likes of Utah, Texas, USC or any SEC or East Coast team to improve our recruiting footprint. Win both night games and it's a win, win.
Having a home night game against State gives us practically nothing in comparison. We are expected to win and get very little in increased revenue or exposure. However, it gives them the potential of an App State moment.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:00 PM ^
Yeah, it would be awesome to host State at night!
Side note: I've never understood why a night game HAS to be against a big opponent. I mean, I'd rather play State at night than play Indiana at night, but I also don't really see the harm in spicing up a Michigan - Indiana matchup by having it at night.
The only thing I wouldn't be a fan of is having Michigan - OSU at night. It's just feels like part of the tradition of that match-up is playing it in the day.
February 20th, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^
I hate the arguments against this. It would be so awesome. FYI, there are drunk fans at every night rivalry game throughout the country, and those games are still phenomenal environments. This is Ann Arbor. No one is going to get shot. It would be awesome.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
OSU is sacrosanct, but I think a UM-MSU night game would be great. Start it anywhere between 3-9 pm.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 4:59 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^
The last thing in the world we need is a bunch of drunk Sparty trash roaming around A2 at night.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^
Does anyone seriously think Sparty would know how to pace their drinking? If you believe that, I have a flat earth to sell you and Draymond.
They'll start drinking at sunrise like normal, and quite a few of them will drop like flies between their car and the stadium gates by the time you could enter.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
Does the NFL manage it well?
I've only been to a couple of Lion games but both times there were some crowd scenes that I haven't seen happen too often at Michigan Stadium - violently drunk people having at it.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^
I've been to more games at the Silverdome and I always saw people getting tossed by police. I can't remember any incidents at Ford Field, but I usually try to stay near the family friendly section.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:11 PM ^
While I would love to go to a night game against MSU, I don't want this to happen. I feel that there is a mutual feeling between the two programs of not wanting to do a night game. But as soon as we do one, then we will probably have to go to East Lansing at night. And that is something I do not wish upon our players, band, or fans.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:14 PM ^
MSU games bring a different type of crowd than we get for other games (OSU included). I don't want to know what that crowd is like with four more hours of drinking.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
And yet LSU and Alabama play each other at night every single year with no problems. Auburn and Alabama play each other at night on at least a semi-regular basis.
The safety and security excuse just doesn't work when you see other schools play their most hated rivals under the lights and things never truly get out of hand.
February 20th, 2017 at 6:38 PM ^
There's some truth to that. It is also true, however, that Michigan Stadium is unusual in how embedded it is in a non-student neighborhood. The entire west range is surrounded by conventional houses. Most stadiums are located squarely in the middle of a major campus area of the school, including places like the Shoe, Spartan Stadium, Death Valley (both of them), the Swamp, Jordan-Hare, etc. Bryan-Denny, which I have not visited, does border a residential area but that appears to be a student housing area as well.
One of the great charms of approaching Michigan Stadium from the west is walking in front of regular houses, cutting through Almendinger Park, weaving through the trees, being in a real neighborhood that is bustling with excitement. It's too far from central campus to absorb any significant student rentals, so actual local people live there. My friend's grandma lived a block east of Seventh, for example, and I used to visit the houses of kids I went to school with there.
It's not a fake issue. I don't think it is necessary to never hold night games for this reason, but it is a real concern and one that is tangibly different from other schools.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
FWIW, the lights are also used for 3:30 games, and sometimes noon games if it's cloudy.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:47 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:53 PM ^
I don't think we'll ever have more than one per season. Many ticketholders drive in from fairly long distances and playing a game that ends around midnight is a hassle for them - either they end up driving deep into the night or have to get a hotel. I have a friend who's given up his tickets for two of the three night games for that reason.
February 20th, 2017 at 7:52 PM ^
That's why 6:30 kickoffs would be great. Early enough so it's not a midnight ending and late enough to be under the lights. Or even 6 would be good. I have always like the games that start in the light of day and are mostly played at dark, sort of like the Rose Bowl feel.
February 20th, 2017 at 7:13 PM ^
Playing BYU at noon was absolute genius.
They had just finished a stretch of games where they traveled to afternoon games at Nebraska and night game at UCLA.
You don't volunatarily help a west coast team by playing a later game.
Also, there is no way in hell that 31-0 happens against them in a night game.
We played at noon, won 31-0, and had Rashan Gary visiting at the time.
They barely had 100 yards total the entire game.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
do you think he would get it? The reason why we don't have night games is pretty obvious to me.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:21 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
Yes Please
February 20th, 2017 at 5:29 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:43 PM ^
I can hear the stories on the national news now:
Gigantic riots outside Michigan stadium!
Pete F. blames Harbaugh!
No mention that the rioters were all wearing green.
No thanks.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
I only play with my little brother during the day. Little brothers go to bed early.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:48 PM ^
I'm fine just playing them (and OSU) during the day.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:56 PM ^
Sure, I'd love it. I think it would be great for the game, but wish in one hand, shit in the other.
Night games are one area where Michigan consistently wants to drag its feet and pretend its the 1970s. All the other Big Ten heavyweights play at least one night games at home per year. We're lucky to do one every 2-3 years. People will tell you its a safety and security issue to host MSU at night due to all the excess drinking that could take place. That is such a lazy, pathetic argument when you see LSU-Alabama being hosted, without issue, at night every single year. PSU-OSU, Auburn-Alabama. It can be done. Why can't we do i
This whole "we need to make it special, so night games might not happen every year" bullshit needs to stop. It's a fucking night game. That makes it special in and of itself. I agree we shouldn't host UT-Chattanooga at night, but if your best home opponent for the year is Wisconsin or Penn State, then you host Wisconsin or Penn State at night. If its Minnesota, then make it fucking Minnesota. Times are changing. Players and recruits love night games. Why is this so hard for Michigan to understand?
I don't expect anything to change with the current administration running things the way it has. We'll be lucky to see a home night game before Notre Dame in 2019. And by that point, WD will probably be in charge and will have issued a mandate whereby all Michigan games will be played at noon for all eternity.
February 20th, 2017 at 5:56 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 5:57 PM ^
Would I want it personally? You know, I don't actually have strong feelings either way on this one. I can see the potential money angle with a night game, but the public safety issue is a real one too, I think. Ultimately, you probably have to be sensitive to the city and environment that you are in, and I would imagine that one of the major obstacles to such a game would be the city of Ann Arbor itself and they would have some legitimate arguments, I would think. I think a lot of people have a practical reason not to want it too, which I also understand - who wants to make the drive back home at that hour if it is longer than, say, an hour or two? I live 20 minutes away, so it works either way for me. That's one huge reason I tend to be indifferent to times.
February 20th, 2017 at 8:43 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:00 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:05 PM ^
I wouldn't mind it...BraylonFest felt like a night game even though it wasn't.
I never want OSU to be a night game, but MSU would be fine*.
*assuming it's played in October, I do not want any night games in November...
February 20th, 2017 at 6:05 PM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:14 PM ^
to open carry to the game.
February 21st, 2017 at 3:08 AM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:15 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 3:08 AM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:27 PM ^
and four thirty start time's. No need for night game's. Leave that to the professionals they get paid and don't have classes.
February 20th, 2017 at 8:19 PM ^
How is this related to classes? Specifically, how does the starting time on Saturday affect classes?
February 21st, 2017 at 3:07 AM ^
February 20th, 2017 at 6:41 PM ^
isn't my first choice for a night game. But I'd rather have one than nothing so . . .
February 20th, 2017 at 6:43 PM ^
I do not believe the MSU or OSU game will be moved to a night game anytime soon. I doubt that they will have a home night game this season. Would be best to wait to 2018 when they have great potential night games opponents in Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Penn State.