Football Schedule

[hammb]

OK, so I stand corrected. Apparently some people DO watch these games. I find that pretty shocking considering I'm a fan of the MAC and even I rarely watch the games that don't involve BG, but whatever. Still, I bet it's not very many people that are watching those games.

So, what is the ratings level bottom line to make these games valuable? Because playing them is most certainly alienating a lot of your fans, costing you season ticket sales, and costing a LOT of attendance.

Is getting some casual viewer from Tennessee to watch BG really worth more than building up a fanbase? Because that's pretty much what you're doing.

[Redwingtom]

I think the AD's are selling to their University's President that the free(?) ad that ESPN airs for the university during the game and the added name exposure is worth it.

[transfer2BGSU]

I think the AD's are selling to their University's President that the free(?) ad that ESPN airs for the university during the game and the added name exposure is worth it.

OR could it be that the Presidents are telling their AD that the free ad that ESPN airs for the university during the game and the added name exposure is worth it.

[Class of 61]

Didn't someone post quite awhile back that the $$$$ from ESPN more than covers the loss of fans in the seats?
But Hambb, I generally agree with you...although, being 2+ hrs. away, I can see any weekday games that BG plays away from home on TV, I prefer to record the game and actually BE there at home contests...But I can do this because I'm retired and don't have to work the next day after a 4-5 hr. roundtrip drive plus the game.

But I'd sure hate like heck to miss tailgating with the AZZ crew!

[hammb]

I think the AD's are selling to their University's President that the free(?) ad that ESPN airs for the university during the game and the added name exposure is worth it.

OR could it be that the Presidents are telling their AD that the free ad that ESPN airs for the university during the game and the added name exposure is worth it.

I'd be far more likely to believe this than the opposite. I definitely see these games as being better for the university as a whole than they are for the football program/athletic department alone.

I think playing these weeknight games is VERY detrimental to building up a fanbase and keeping young people interested in BG football. It's also very detrimental to keeping your alumni coming back to games and connected to the program.

I know, personally, I go to these games because I've made BG football a reasonably high priority. I love it, and enjoy following the program. However, I find making it to some of these games to be a royal pain in the ass. It's difficult to get to some of them on time (5:30 & 6:00 kickoffs on a weeknight!?). The gameday atmosphere is almost completely nonexistent because even if you can get to them on time there is no time for tailgating. A more casual fan is not going to bend over backwards to get to these games like I, and many people on this site, do. The MAC ADs have made this decision and I fully believe it's costing us fans. And I don't mean just butts in seats revenue, I mean long term connection to the program that keeps people around for years (AND BRINGS DONATIONS).

I built my relationship with BG football when I was a student (98-02). We got in the habit of tailgating before every game on Saturday afternoons. Afterward we'd go home and clean up and hit the bars. I know that if the games were as much of a pain to deal with then as they are now I really don't think that I'd be nearly the fan that I am today.

[Lord_Byron]

It gets even more onerous for alumni that live a considerable distance away and want to make the game, but have to plan a whole weekend to do so.

My daughter is playing sports now, so I have to work around that in addition to when I can get off work since fall is annual benefits enrollment. So instead of having six Saturdays to choose from, I get four. So guess what, I probably can't make a game in BG.

So they schedule Buffalo on Friday after Thanksgiving, when we go to visit my mom in Ohio, so that's out.

It looks like I might have an outside shot to get to the Kent State game if we visit my mom in late October.

I'd rather be able to make one game in person at BG than watch two on TV.

[Falconfreak90]

Just tee the damn ball up.

GO FALCONS

[JoeFalcon]

Saturday, Sept. 24 - at Miami
Saturday, Oct. 1 - at West Virginia
Saturday, Oct. 8 - at WMU

Brutal stretch before the Scuds. The Morgan State game is just what the doctor ordered for a young team like us. I don't know why we went years without an obvious breather/warm-up game like this when virtually every other college football program has enjoyed this luxury.