Found it interesting that the DIII National Championship was on ESPN and DII got ESPN2. Not only was DIII on the mothership, it also got the more desirable late start time...
I didn't like the late start simply because very few DIII games are played at night during the season. I think a championship should be played at time of day that is consistent traditional game time.
Hardly consider 4 pm a "night game"...I thought it provided a nice showcase for DIII to a national audience...
Quote from: faunch on December 16, 2007, 11:22:57 AM
I didn't like the late start simply because very few DIII games are played at night during the season. I think a championship should be played at time of day that is consistent traditional game time.
4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific. ;)
Also, the prime time for the NFL is the 4:15 pm (EST) start for as many games as possible.
Quote from: Ralph Turner on December 16, 2007, 03:29:47 PM
Quote from: faunch on December 16, 2007, 11:22:57 AM
I didn't like the late start simply because very few DIII games are played at night during the season. I think a championship should be played at time of day that is consistent traditional game time.
4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific. ;)
Also, the prime time for the NFL is the 4:15 pm (EST) start for as many games as possible.
I should clarify my point...most DIII game are not played under the lights....also 4:15 EST might be the prime time for the NFL but we're still talking about DIII...I've just always liked college football to be played during the daylight hours.
I thought it was cool and great that it was a 'prime time' game. It could only be better if it was in the 8PM slot on ABC on Saturday.
The Stagg Bowl used to be on ABC in the 70's, usually a week late and on Wide World of Sports.
QuoteI thought it was cool and great that it was a 'prime time' game. It could only be better if it was in the 8PM slot on ABC on Saturday.
...one day... ;)
QuoteThe Stagg Bowl used to be on ABC in the 70's, usually a week late and on Wide World of Sports.
Perhaps proof of how the DIII "brand" has grown.
faunch
great points about daylight... but.... i guess it is regional... Huntingdon played at least 1 game under lights this yr...and here in the deep south... many college games r played at night...at all levels (West Al and North Al-D2- both play most of thier games at night, and Al State & Tus also play some at night) Auburn -D1-plays many at night
i thank LaGrange plays several at night ... i no we (Huntingdon) played them under lights at Calloway
i even played (rather, stood near or sat on the bench) under lights in the early 70's...in D-2..at that
keep the faith
To have A game on a national market is great. Wish there were more. Need a cable market for DIV III.
Quote from: AF4 on December 17, 2007, 10:42:27 AM
faunch
great points about daylight... but.... i guess it is regional... Huntingdon played at least 1 game under lights this yr...and here in the deep south... many college games r played at night...at all levels (West Al and North Al-D2- both play most of thier games at night, and Al State & Tus also play some at night) Auburn -D1-plays many at night
i thank LaGrange plays several at night ... i no we (Huntingdon) played them under lights at Calloway
i even played (rather, stood near or sat on the bench) under lights in the early 70's...in D-2..at that
keep the faith
Little Alfred University in Western New York was one of the earlier small schools to play its football games under the lights. Founded by Seventh Day Baptists who observe the Biblical Sabbath (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown), Alfred traditionally played its home games at 8 p.m. Saturday evenings (after sundown) in deference to all of the Sabbathkeepers at the college and in the community.
Alfred at one time had the only post office in the nation that was closed Saturdays and open Sundays. Same with its bank.
Westerly, RI was also a hotbed for Seventh Day Baptists and its newspaper, the Westerly Sun, was the first American newspaper to break the news of the Pearl Harbor attack because it was probably the only paper to publish a Sunday afternoon edition. The Westerly Sun, founded a decade or so after the Alfred Sun (1883), was likely named after the Alfred weekly, and was published by Seventh Day Baptists by the name of Utter. Pep, current publisher of the Alfred Sun, calls the Westerly paper the "Utter Sun."
Just some random ramblings from Pep.
I mentioned it to my wife that I thought it was really interesting to see Div I go first on Friday followed by D II and finally D III. I would of thought it would of been the other way around. Any which way you look at it, I felt that the DIII Final was the best of the lot!! So, great exposure for the division, thats for sure!!
-Ski
Well folks,
A lot of the details aren't actually statements on the importance of the game, but just start times worked out by the host sites, the division and the network. But I think there is some merit to the discussion you're having above.
I believe the Stagg Bowl does pretty well compared to similar games and for its time slot. It definitely gets good division-wide support.
Personally, I like the 4 p.m. start time because it starts in the afternoon but ends at night, under the lights and fireworks. Just gives it a grand feel.
Since I've been doing Stagg Bowls, the kick times have ranged from 11 a.m. (way too early for tailgaters and on-air prep/pregame beginning at 8 or 9) to 8 p.m. (great, but a really late ending for anyone who has to stay late and file by deadline)
Turns out, for the behind-the-scenes folks at least, 4 p.m. is pretty close to perfect.
FWIW.
As for the afternoon vs. night debate ... I take that tack as far as Salem being a fairly cold climate in December (represents what you might find elsewhere in D3 on that date) and it being a grass field, switching to turf this year (D3 used to be mostly grass, but in recent years the elite schools and many others have switched to FieldTurf).
I think the Stagg best represents a D3 game as it would be played most other plays in the country, so I guess the afternoon thing is a good point. Maybe the afternoon start/night end is the best of both worlds.
QuoteWell folks,
A lot of the details aren't actually statements on the importance of the game, but just start times worked out by the host sites, the division and the network. But I think there is some merit to the discussion you're having above.
I believe the Stagg Bowl does pretty well compared to similar games and for its time slot. It definitely gets good division-wide support.
Personally, I like the 4 p.m. start time because it starts in the afternoon but ends at night, under the lights and fireworks. Just gives it a grand feel.
Since I've been doing Stagg Bowls, the kick times have ranged from 11 a.m. (way too early for tailgaters and on-air prep/pregame beginning at 8 or 9) to 8 p.m. (great, but a really late ending for anyone who has to stay late and file by deadline)
Turns out, for the behind-the-scenes folks at least, 4 p.m. is pretty close to perfect.
FWIW.
Well said, K-Mack!
Quote from: D3_DPUFan on December 19, 2007, 06:51:31 PM
QuoteWell folks,
A lot of the details aren't actually statements on the importance of the game, but just start times worked out by the host sites, the division and the network. But I think there is some merit to the discussion you're having above.
I believe the Stagg Bowl does pretty well compared to similar games and for its time slot. It definitely gets good division-wide support.
Personally, I like the 4 p.m. start time because it starts in the afternoon but ends at night, under the lights and fireworks. Just gives it a grand feel.
Since I've been doing Stagg Bowls, the kick times have ranged from 11 a.m. (way too early for tailgaters and on-air prep/pregame beginning at 8 or 9) to 8 p.m. (great, but a really late ending for anyone who has to stay late and file by deadline)
Turns out, for the behind-the-scenes folks at least, 4 p.m. is pretty close to perfect.
FWIW.
Well said, K-Mack!
Thanks.
Another concern about the late kickoffs (although this is probably a positive for Salem's tax revenue) is that people are virtually locked into getting a hotel room and staying the night, whereas a 4 p.m. kick, even the Mount Union people can drive back if they get out of town by 8, they'll be home 1-2.
UWW's fan buses left an hour after the end of the game, I believe. So even from Wisconsin, the 4 p.m. kick is driving distance :) ... I wouldn't recommend it though.
I think the ratings for the Stagg Bowl definitely benefited from the later start.
Why we outdrew I-AA, though, which was in prime time on the same network, is beyond me. Not complaining, however. :)
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2007/12/21/Stagg+ratings+outdo+D-I%2C+II+games
Quote from: Pat Coleman on December 27, 2007, 10:26:42 AM
I think the ratings for the Stagg Bowl definitely benefited from the later start.
Why we outdrew I-AA, though, which was in prime time on the same network, is beyond me. Not complaining, however. :)
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2007/12/21/Stagg+ratings+outdo+D-I%2C+II+games
Why? IMHO, I think that it was due to the nature of the D-III family!
All of the D1-AA (FCS) schools are wanting to become D-I FBS. They have other emphases than a specific type of student-athlete. They may see soccer, basketball (March Madness) or baseball (College World Series), etc. as the "major" sport at the school where they can compete head-to-head with the D1 (FBS) schools.
(And this web site as a focus for enhancing those efforts to promote "D-III".)
i believe yall r right... D-3 family, sat later time....as to why the stagg out drew D-1 (aa=>cs) but...might also be the friday night competition with highschool football (some states-playoffs were still going on) and/or highschool bball ...????.... or just plain friday night
i choose to believe ralph is correct...but u never no fo sure
i do no i had mo fun at the stagg than any ball game i have ever gone to see.... where i had no dawg in the fight , that is.... a blast
keep the faith...have a wonderful New Year... and b careful on the roads
peace
Quote from: Ralph Turner on December 27, 2007, 02:09:00 PM
Quote from: Pat Coleman on December 27, 2007, 10:26:42 AM
I think the ratings for the Stagg Bowl definitely benefited from the later start.
Why we outdrew I-AA, though, which was in prime time on the same network, is beyond me. Not complaining, however. :)
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2007/12/21/Stagg+ratings+outdo+D-I%2C+II+games
Why? IMHO, I think that it was due to the nature of the D-III family!
All of the D1-AA (FCS) schools are wanting to become D-I FBS. They have other emphases than a specific type of student-athlete. They may see soccer, basketball (March Madness) or baseball (College World Series), etc. as the "major" sport at the school where they can compete head-to-head with the D1 (FBS) schools.
(And this web site as a focus for enhancing those efforts to promote "D-III".)
I think the nature of the family has something to do with it.
Also, the curiousity factor, in that no other D3 games are televised all year, and fans of most of the 238 D3 schools feel either represented by the teams (or the one trying to beat Mount Union), or just feel obligated to watch their brethren on TV one time, to see how they look, to see how the big network treats them, etc.