Possible MSU & Minn. Night Games this year

Submitted by StephenRKass on

Nick Baumgardner has an article over at the Freep about possible night games this year.

LINK:  UM night game (s) could be MSU, Minnesota

Apparently, TV holds all the power, in terms of the contract. Announcements will be made at least 12 days prior to the game if a night game. The agreement is a minimum of 3 games in a two year window, so either two this year or two next year. The two games this year are MSU and Minnesota. (I gather that there are also 3 away night games in a two year window, so this means a minimum of 3 night games a year, if I read things correctly.) The information came in an interview with AD Manuel.

On another note, Baumgardner has two other articles at the Freep. One article explains what went on with the decision to reinstate Grant Perry (short version:  it was Manuel's decision.) The second article is about the offensive line. It actually has a bit of analysis and content. Short version:  the current OL is much more athletic than last year. Whether or not it all clicks in 2017, we are rapidly heading in the right direction. The OL is key to everything Harbaugh wants to do.

I personally like Baumgardner's writing. If you aren't one of the Freep abstainers, and are eagerly awaiting more content, head over the the Freep and read them for yourselves.

StephenRKass

August 23rd, 2017 at 6:53 PM ^

I personally agree - want an MSU night game. I won't be at the game myself, and will enjoy watching it in the evening. It is early enough in the year that the weather isn't brutal (usually.) And this gives the police and campus security plenty of time to have a game plan on what to do with traffic and the like.

Now, I'll also be waiting with interest to see reports from those actually in attendance for what it was like to be there in person.

evenyoubrutus

August 23rd, 2017 at 7:19 PM ^

I'll let you know, SRK. Haven't seen Michigan beat MSU in person since 2002. I still haven't forgotten the 2010 game when a young lady with an apparent eating disorder (she probably ate everything she could see) leaned in my car and screamed at me about how great MSU was, which prompted my church elder, theologian, tongues-speaking, Pentecostal father to question whether she was a beached whale. Ever since that day I have hated MSU with every fabric of my body.

LSAClassOf2000

August 23rd, 2017 at 8:15 PM ^

I like where you're going with this, although it would hurt a bit inside to truly troll them and be the noon game on ESPN3 up against the likes of Vanderbilt or Hawaii or some team of that caliber. Maybe if it was bumped to BTN with the 3rd string broadcast crew, they might simmer just enough during the drubbing.

Leaders And Best

August 23rd, 2017 at 7:10 PM ^

This is not a UTL production, and my guess is that Michigan would rather have neither game at night based on the interviews Manuel has done. Michigan does not have control over the gametime. Fox will determine if they want to flex the game into primetime. One, both, or neither games could end up in primetime.

Leaders And Best

August 23rd, 2017 at 7:41 PM ^

The game time is probably going to be noon or 3:30pm. Michigan can and will most likely veto any potential night game. You won't get confirmation until 12 days before the game though with the new scheduling system.

And you may not get confirmation on noon or 3:30pm until as late as 6 days before the game so you may need to be prepared to plan for both afternoon timeslots anyway.

Leaders And Best

August 23rd, 2017 at 7:07 PM ^

I don't get the worry over MSU at night. I guess I can see why people were worried a couple years ago when MSU was better and their bandwagon was full, but I think the spike in ticket prices after Harbaugh along with the downturn in their program is going to discourage some of their fans from making the drive. Drunk driving after the game could be a potential concern.

Personally, I am more concerned about November night games. Weather can be unpredictable in Michigan and putting a game that late in the season at night is not very fan friendly. I would rather not see the Minnesota game at night, and it is unfortunate that Michigan will not have veto power over that game.

I believe the new Fox TV contract gives Big Ten schools veto power over games during the last 3 weeks of the season which now exposes the first weekend in November to a potential night game like Minnesota this year.

Leaders And Best

August 23rd, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^

Who in the Big Ten is having all these night games in November?

And Michigan games during the day are different than ones at night. And the problem isn't just that it is at night. It is that is also announced only 12 days in advance. There is no lighting in most of the parking areas for Michigan football like the golf course. In the middle of November, that is a problem. 60% of Michigan's season ticket holders drive more than 4 hours for games. How do you expect all those people to do that with 12 days notice?

Michigan4Life

August 23rd, 2017 at 8:34 PM ^

Last year:

PSU, Nebraska, Iowa and OSU, and Rutgers all had November Night games.

Two years ago:

Iowa, OSU and Nebraska all had November Night games.



Michigan will host a November night game and it will happen eventually. Just stop bitching that they're not equipped to do it because they will plan for everything like they always do every week.

 

Literally almost every teams have to wait unitl the games are announced 12 days in advance. It isn't unique. You're just bitching because you don't want to have a night game in November.

Red is Blue

August 23rd, 2017 at 9:07 PM ^

Not saying its wrong, but I'm having trouble believing the 60% / 4 hours away stat unless that counts the time getting into/out of Ann Arbor in game day traffic. In which case anybody further away than Plymouth probably counts.

Leaders And Best

August 23rd, 2017 at 9:32 PM ^

It's from Warde Manuel. My guess is he is only talking about 60% of season ticket holders outside of students.

Here is the exact quote:

“I think the number outside of a four-hour radius in terms of driving is somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 percent of our season-ticket base,” he said. “So I have great concern around that in terms of night games, in terms of the increase in the amount of time you have 110 to 115 to 200,000 people in Ann Arbor in the evening puts a lot of stress on not only the game-day (staff) but also on the city, the police force and the like.”

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2017/08/23/night-games-means-issues-michigan/104895978/

xtramelanin

August 23rd, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^

during a night-time, november game?  i love snow and i don't mind driving in it one bit (helpful if you live up north), but the idea of getting home from AA after a nighttime game with 115K of my closest friends?  oh man, forgettaboutit. 

TrueBlue2003

August 23rd, 2017 at 10:35 PM ^

if we can handle a day game, and we can handle a night game in October, I don't see a compelling reason the town wouldn't be able to handle a night game in November.

XM makes a decent point about a snow storm, but again, that'd be tough during the day too.  I don't really see how a snowstorm that is bad enough to restrict getting out of town is worse at night than during the day. Either way, it'd be mayhem and you'd need to find a hotel/figure out a way to stay warm until you can get out of town.

crg

August 24th, 2017 at 4:46 AM ^

The cold is not an issue for handling people and traffic, but November is prime ice storm weather also. Ann Arbor traffic can be madness after a game in good weather - but having slick roads, downed tree limbs and power lines, and a hundred thousand cold and wet people scrambling to get out of the weather is just asking for trouble.