Night games at home?

[Óglaigh_na_hÉireann]

I've never met an ND fan who isn't perplexed by the utter lack of night games in South Bend.

So what's the deal? Is Kevin White to blame? NBC?

It's not like NBC shows anything on Saturday night of any quality what-so-ever that supercedes the ND games. My bet is that NBC would receive higher ratings for an ND game shown at night. That means $ and isn't that the only thing Kevin White is interested in these days?

I think this is one of those things Charlie Weis should push to bring back. Night games have the advantage of that energy build-up throughout the day and playing under the lights....just looks cool.


PS. Games such as the one with USC that went into the night don't count.

 

[kickerbg31]

Last year we did a tour of the stadium and someone asked Cappy Gagnon (the head usher) a similar question. He stated that the administration did not like night games for two reasons.

1.) A lot of fans drive in from Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, etc. Because the majority of these fans drive back home after the game, a night game would mean that they get home REALLY late or that they would have to get a hotel and spend the night in South Bend. Let me just say that getting a hotel for a home game is tough enough already unless you book a year in advance.

2.) A night game gives fans an addition 6 hrs to tailgate. We all know that an additional 6 hrs of tailgating would push an already drunk crowd (and wasted student section, for that matter) to the point where Tim McCarthy wouldn't even have to come up with a pun about drunk driving because no one would be able to find their car, wife, dignity, etc.

That being said, I personally think a night game would be spectacular. A rowdy crowd would be a huge advantage for the Irish.

 

[Aerosmith777]

a couple other things to keep in mind too, night games on Saturdays don't get nearly the same ratings as day games, even when they're good games. For ABC, that never mattered b/c they had both day and night games to air, but w/ NBC they were only doing ND games up until this year, so they wanted to put them in the time slots that would get them the most bang for their buck.

Another thing, Charlie's said he hates night games and would probly work against scheduling them for home games.

 

[irish4life99]

Seems like we had more night games before the reconstruction of the stadium and they had to bring in temporary lights!. Like the 1993 Florida State Game w/Charlie Ward. That was a great night game!

 

[Gizmo]

We get a few night games every year on the road, so it's not like we never play at night. I'm sure that's more than enough to reach a wider audience.

As far as night games at home are concerned, kickerbg31 hit the nail on the head. While a lot of fans do travel for home games, the overriding reason the administration schedules afternoon games is because of tailgating. I can guarantee you that fans, and students especially, would still be up at the crack of dawn and tailgatinig by 8am. Those extra 6 hours would be more than enough to make sure that drunk fans/students become a problem. The administration has taken a number of steps over the years to cut down on tailgating (increase in police presence, destruction of lots, tailgating on Saturday only, no readmission to the game) so they wouldn't make a decision that would lead to an increase in tailgating.

I'm sure NBC also has a lot to do with it, and mid-afternoon games do make the big money. I'm with you though and I'd love to see a true night game at ND.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

They should schedule 1 Night game a Season.

 

[jiggafini19]

Great post, kickerbg31. Makes perfect sense.

I would have guessed that it was an NBC thing. Some games, by the time you leave, are night games. USC and FSU 93 were both that way.

 

[Indydomer]

At least one night game maybe two. Threre isn't anything wrong with a drunk irishman.

 

[Aerosmith777]

At least one night game maybe two. Threre isn't anything wrong with a drunk irishman.

An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto a blade of grass and not fall off the earth.

 

[scooper]

kicker's right and I have to agree.

When I can get up there, it's a five hour drive, so we stay up there Friday night and drive home after the game. With kids, etc, it's tough to be gone for a couple nights, so we'd have to drive up Saturday morning and drive home Sunday. I'd hate to drive 5 hours before watching a game. Though driving home after a game is no picnic, at least I don't need the energy and enthusiasm as is required at gametime.

Not to mention tradition. Call it hokey or cheesy, but getting reved up on a Saturday morning in time for an afternoon kickoff is Notre Dame football to me.

 

[Irishkid23]

kicker's right and I have to agree.

When I can get up there, it's a five hour drive, so we stay up there Friday night and drive home after the game. With kids, etc, it's tough to be gone for a couple nights, so we'd have to drive up Saturday morning and drive home Sunday. I'd hate to drive 5 hours before watching a game. Though driving home after a game is no picnic, at least I don't need the energy and enthusiasm as is required at gametime.

Not to mention tradition. Call it hokey or cheesy, but getting reved up on a Saturday morning in time for an afternoon kickoff is Notre Dame football to me.

Night games are great if you can keep the drinking to a minimum. I don't know how you can do that.

I've driven home many times from the games and have seen far too many drunken drivers on the road. I also have kids and I don't want them hurt by some stiff.

Solutuions????

 

[Indydomer]

Either leave the kids at home or......I don't know?? You can't avoid the sloppy drunks at any sporting event. Kind of sucks. Im usually pretty hamered myself, but try to keep the drunk driving to the minimum.

 

[scooper]

That's the point. My kids are young. Well kid, anyway. The second is due any day. They ARE at home.

I understand the reasoning for a night game. And I'm not angel. A few beers pregame hit the spot. But this is Notre Dame. Loud is one thing(nothing worse than getting seats in front of old folks who won't get up and cheer), obnoxious and out of control and well-buckeyelike is another.

 

[irishnd31]

I know that at ND Stadium, they do not serve alcohol at the concessions, which if it is a night game means that you have at least the time during the game to sober up (and I have needed every second of game time to get somewhat composed). Imagine if it were at a college event that sold booze during the game at the concessions. We'd have 5 cent DRAFT NIGHT at Cleveland Stadium all over again (5 cent draft night was the same night that souvineer mini wooden Indians bats were handed out to the first 5,000 drunks past the gate). That made for an interesting day at the ball park. ARMED,DRUNKEN,FOOLS ALL OVER THE STADIUM KNOCKING THE SNOT OUT ONE ANOTHER.

GOOD TIMES, BRING THE KIDS,HAVE A BREW, GRAB A BAT. Marketing genius.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

The biggest reason for not playing night games at home was that the lighting was really bad...with all the rent-a-lights you had to buy.

Overall, we have not played a lot...

As of 2 years ago (beginning of 2004 season) our record in Night games is as follows:
ALL-TIME - 40-23-2 (63%)
AWAY - 27-17-2 (61%)
HOME - 13-6

This is out of just over 1000 games...and only 65 under the lights!!! (Home & Away)

 

[irishnd31]

LMI, Welcome! A Notre Dame fan in Oregon. God Bless You!!!! I'm sure that you have taken alot of crap from the fans of the two Oregon teams out there. We had to endure a few on this site before our bowl game this year.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

LMI, Welcome! A Notre Dame fan in Oregon. God Bless You!!!! I'm sure that you have taken alot of crap from the fans of the two Oregon teams out there. We had to endure a few on this site before our bowl game this year.

Yeah, living in Oregon has lead to some "discussions" with the Beaver fans. However, as I remind them they have only played 2 of 3 of the worst coaches we have had since the 60's.

The Ducks fans were remarkably reserved. I was always clear they were not playing at the same level as us... And when they saw our USC game many knew it to be true.

Losing to Oklahoma did not exactly hurt my argument either.