4pm vs. 6pm?

[Harry]

I really like the idea of moving to 4pm if even for just the second half of the season. I think it helps. Thoughts?

[UNTflyer]

Move games to noon kickoff.

[Huff]

I would love to see us move to afternoon football games after the month of September. I spoke to Hank Dickenson about it a few years ago. He said that there are lots of kids activities during the day on Saturday (football, softball, soccer, etc.) and the athletic department believed that their crowds would be less if they went to afternoon games due to the potential conflicts in people's lives. I did not really understand this until our little six year old grandson started playing in a Fall baseball league in Flower Mound. On any given Saturday there are tons of kids, parents, and grandparents involved in activities for most of the day. The little guy had a 3:30 game on the day of the Florida Atlantic game. Fortunately that game started at 6:30 so we were able to make both events. If we had been forced to make a choice, the grandson's game would have won out. As I said earlier, I would love to see afternoon games after September but I don't believe we will see it until near the very end of the season.

[VideoEagle]

I would love to see us move to afternoon football games after the month of September. I spoke to Hank Dickenson about it a few years ago. He said that there are lots of kids activities during the day on Saturday (football, softball, soccer, etc.) and the athletic department believed that their crowds would be less if they went to afternoon games due to the potential conflicts in people's lives. I did not really understand this until our little six year old grandson started playing in a Fall baseball league in Flower Mound. On any given Saturday there are tons of kids, parents, and grandparents involved in activities for most of the day. The little guy had a 3:30 game on the day of the Florida Atlantic game. Fortunately that game started at 6:30 so we were able to make both events. If we had been forced to make a choice, the grandson's game would have won out. As I said earlier, I would love to see afternoon games after September but I don't believe we will see it until near the very end of the season.

It's not just sports. I know at least one couple with a 6 year old in dance who has contests almost every other Saturday. They are scheduled to be finished "by 5." Lots of kids activities are now scheduled for Saturdays so as not to take up school time during the week.

[UNT 90 Grad]

I like the earlier times because my kids can make it through a game without turning into luggage for the walk back to the car when it's over. However, I get the sports, etc. conflicts issue.

[KRAM1]

Very tough call. I think you schedule them the best you can as an AD and let the folks make arrangements to attend or not based on the schedule provided. Every person, every family, etc. has their own set of personal circumstances that play into the "likes and dislikes" regarding scheduling. As an AD you just have to do the best you can. I think what hurts more is to have late schedule changes after the schedules come out and after folks have made their plans.

Sometimes, it just cannot be helped (TV, World Series, etc.), but for the most part they need to be played as scheduled as that is what people have made plans around...and some involve significant travel and expense.

In the case of this last week's game...looks like RV made the correct decision attendance-wise. Sure made me scramble like a mad man, but I made it and am darn sure glad I did. ANOTHER great Saturday at Apogee!

[oldguystudent]

Well, the remaining two home games are 3pm anyway, aren't they? I do like the earlier game time myself, but then I haven't had my kid in sports for quite some time. Getting home after 10 makes for a long day.

[UNTLifer]

Seems to me, in the past, the last few home games have always had 3:00pm start times. I think this happens after daylight savings goes off.

[kalebschumann]

I liked the 4pm start time.

It gave me time to take a nap before I went out to Lou's!

[FirefightnRick]

I really like the idea of moving to 4pm if even for just the second half of the season. I think it helps. Thoughts?

I think the earlier games help too, just as long as the kids' soccer and fall baseball and football are over with. And late in the season, say the first week of November, they usually are? This also would allow the older generations who may not drive as much these days after dark a chance to get home more safely as well?

Of the 11 home games we have had in November since the '05 season:

2 were at 1:00 p.m.

5 were at 3 p.m.

4 were at 6 p.m.

For these games the attendances ranged from 11k to 21k

Personally I like the late games because I know regardless of anything planned during the day I and most others with families can make it. But it is understandable that for the late November and early December games we have to adjust for when the weather turns harsh, which we have done for many years.

Regardless of the time I'm going to plan a year in advance to be there regardless if it's at 1 p.m. like TCU's game this past Saturday, or at 6?

What we never need to happen again though is for the AD dept to tell us a game time will not be changed for an upcoming special event, then turn around and change it anyways.

Rick

[untgeorge]

I really like the idea of moving to 4pm if even for just the second half of the season. I think it helps. Thoughts?

I have no problem with 4:00 pm, only with making a change in game time a few days before the game.

For selfish reasons (Sat morning golf) I would prefer 2:00 or later. The schedule says 3:00 the last two games of the home season, that is fine with me.

[GreenAlums]

I like earlier games but what I like the best is to schedule something and stick with it. In the ealier part of the season a later games seems great based on temperature at game time. The later part of the season an afternoon game seems better weather wize. I was disappointed we crumbled at the sign of another event negatively affecting our attendance. I was pretty vocal because it negatively affected a ton of homecoming plans. There seemed to be no mention of moving or juggling anything but the game. I know that was the easiest to do but it sure messed up a lot of pre-game "organic spirit building". Just my opinion.

[foutsrouts]

Me likes. I realize that some people have to chase around kids on Saturday afternoons, but I would guess that the majority of potential attendees are students/other adults who have events and such that they would like to attend before 9:00 -10:00 or later on a Saturday night. I would also venture to guess that a lot of students have to work on Saturday nights in the restaurant/entertainment industry, so an even earlier start might be better for them. It's definitely a balancing act, but way too many people seem to be leaving 6:00 games way too early.