MAC: No more hotels for home games

[MarkL]

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/5202693002

In order to reduce operational costs, the MAC is no longer allowing home football teams to stay in a hotel the night before a game. Frankly this is long overdue in my book. It seems an inordinately high expense when all the players already have dorm rooms and apartments.

Also travel roster size dropped from 76 to 70.

I would be remiss not to point out the incredible imbalance here. The baseball players no longer have a team. And the football players no longer have a hotel room a few miles from their ordinary college home.

[BillyLP]

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/5202693002

In order to reduce operational costs, the MAC is no longer allowing home football teams to say in a hotel the night before a game. Frankly this is long overdue in my book. It seems an inordinately high expense when all the players already have dorm rooms and apartments.

Also travel roster size dropped from 76 to 70.

I would be remiss not to point out the incredible imbalance here. The baseball players no longer have a team. And the football players no longer have a hotel room a few miles from their ordinary college home.

I've always thought this is the dumbest thing, anyway. It's clearly a "well, everyone else is doing it so we should, too" kind of thing. It should be banned in every conference.

[FalconTurf]

I’m certain hotels the night before makes it easier to get a team rested and focused. The finances at BG now and in the past make this an unnecessary luxury expense. I had always hoped the hotel advertisements at games and in facilities paid that bill but I suspect that’s a fantasy.

[BGSU33]

I’m certain hotels the night before makes it easier to get a team rested and focused.

That was part of it, but the other reason (probably the main reason) was to keep guys from going out, staying out late, getting in trouble, etc., the night before a game. There were room checks at night to make sure players were actually in their rooms, and a lights out order. And obviously, you're on camera when you walk the halls and lobby of a hotel, so you're always being watched. In short, hotels were essentially an expensive babysitter. It was a waste of money in relation to most players, but somewhat necessary for the select group of guys who will do whatever the hell they want to do. That's not limited to just BG, that applies to every school. I think this step in eliminating the hotels is good because it will indeed save some much-needed money, and it will also help prove who is committed to being a member of the team. Because you know damn well with the elimination of hotels the night before home games that you're going to see a few guys year after year abuse the situation and find themselves in trouble because of it.

[It's the Journey...]

If these players cannot be trusted to do what they need to do then maybe they should not have had offers extended to them to play on the team.

[roguewarrior]

Meals , meetings, bed checks, focus, etc are all part of the hotel. They will probably move it to the facility and make it work. A good thing, but a luxury indeed. Probably problematic at OSU the night before Michigan, VS BG the night before Akron.

[Roll Along!]

Agreed that hotel rooms before home games need to go. But it's not just, or even mostly, about making sure the players stay out of trouble the night before a game or they'd put them up in a hotel room every night of the week. Ever been in a dorm on a Friday night? It's not exactly the most ideal place to try to get a proper 8 hours of sleep before a football game the next day. 18-22 year old guys don't always think about the others living on their hall.

[Flipper]

I get the notion of having them get a good night's sleep...but it's not like the old days with a noon kick off.

[roguewarrior]

Also, makes going on the road the same as being home, when they stay in hotels pre-game every week. There are many good reasons to stay in hotel on home games, but not something to cry about if we can’t.

[MarkL]

Also, makes going on the road the same as being home, when they stay in hotels pre-game every week. There are many good reasons to stay in hotel on home games, but not something to cry about if we can’t.

Add to that the looming possibility that the only people allowed to the games are directly associated with or media, and there really is no difference home or road games besides stadium location and facilities.

[BGSU33]

Agreed that hotel rooms before home games need to go. But it's not just, or even mostly, about making sure the players stay out of trouble the night before a game or they'd put them up in a hotel room every night of the week. Ever been in a dorm on a Friday night? It's not exactly the most ideal place to try to get a proper 8 hours of sleep before a football game the next day. 18-22 year old guys don't always think about the others living on their hall.

It wasn't just an educated guess as for the monitoring as part of the reason why this was done. It was a BIG reason why. Your rowdy dorm room example gets washed away when the game the following day is a late afternoon or night game. Or, when the game is not even on a Saturday at all. Further, half of players on football teams don't even live in a dorm room, they're in apartment and houses off campus. Sure, the environment for a good night's rest was part of the equation for them staying there. But you're only kidding yourself if you think all these universities left 85 beds empty - which were already paid for - simply to put kids in 85 other beds - at a cost - at a hotel down the street simply for a good night's sleep.

[zete]

Pre game - In the mid 70s the team would lodge near Perrysburg at the 25/475 intersection, and quite frankly, it was a good idea....

[Flipper]

Did any other sport follow this "hotel before a home game" protocol? I suspect not....

[mbenecke]

Did any other sport follow this "hotel before a home game" protocol? I suspect not....

I also suspect that's the case. We do have to remember, though, that no other sport has to keep track of anywhere near 100 players like football does.

[MarkL]

Did any other sport follow this "hotel before a home game" protocol? I suspect not....

Hockey doesn't. And with basketball playing midweek games that doesn't seem likely.