We don't need to "fill time" or pay for the use of the facility in full for the middle day.
This move to add a day off is for all sports in DIII and honestly we need it. There is a strong argument that national championship games are impacted by players not having enough rest from hard fought battles the day before just to get to the title game. Any other round, maybe it isn't as significant, but we are talking about the national championship. (Also allows teams to have actual practices and walk-throughs before such an important battle.)
And honestly, fans and their work schedules is not going to dictate anything when it comes to national championships schedules. Is it inconvenient to have a day off in the middle? Yep. Does the Thursday/Saturday really the best way to do it? We shall see.
What I think will happen but we won't see until next year is the men's and women's schedules alternate even though they are not in the same facility. This year men are Th/Sat ... next year they may be Fri/Sun while women play Thu/Sat - and it will change every year. That way each gender gets its spotlight. They do that at soccer, though they use the same facility.
It can be something we ask the committee the next opportunities we get.
As for a third-place game returning - nope. That's dead. It won't return. Teams and coaches had lost interest in it. The 2009 final version was a joke of a game. F&M didn't even bother trying. Coaches watching were so fed up they got the All-Star Game to replace it.
The ASG will be played at Noon on Saturday ahead of the championship game.
This move to add a day off is for all sports in DIII and honestly we need it. There is a strong argument that national championship games are impacted by players not having enough rest from hard fought battles the day before just to get to the title game. Any other round, maybe it isn't as significant, but we are talking about the national championship. (Also allows teams to have actual practices and walk-throughs before such an important battle.)
And honestly, fans and their work schedules is not going to dictate anything when it comes to national championships schedules. Is it inconvenient to have a day off in the middle? Yep. Does the Thursday/Saturday really the best way to do it? We shall see.
What I think will happen but we won't see until next year is the men's and women's schedules alternate even though they are not in the same facility. This year men are Th/Sat ... next year they may be Fri/Sun while women play Thu/Sat - and it will change every year. That way each gender gets its spotlight. They do that at soccer, though they use the same facility.
It can be something we ask the committee the next opportunities we get.
As for a third-place game returning - nope. That's dead. It won't return. Teams and coaches had lost interest in it. The 2009 final version was a joke of a game. F&M didn't even bother trying. Coaches watching were so fed up they got the All-Star Game to replace it.
The ASG will be played at Noon on Saturday ahead of the championship game.