Orange & Blue Game On A Thursday? [THIS Thursday -- April 13th -- 7:30 PM -- SECN+]

Seems like I remember something last year about accommodating students. Don’t know how that would be except it may have been that the term ended that Friday and many students would be leaving. Not sure.
What I am sure of is that it eliminates a pretty significant family gathering for my clan. I hope this gets changed back after this year. And I also hope the powers that be aren’t enamored with games played on days/nights other than Saturday.

 

Here's what Napier's thinking:
Florida Football: Spring game shows Gators are willing to innovate

 

I think last year's weekend fell on Easter/Passover weekend, thus the move . Not sure what the deal is for 2023....guess they don't care much about attendance since the game is free to watch anyway.

 

This.
It's not about attendance, it's about reaching out to those at home. Those that would go to the game already are fans and support the brand.
Playing on a Thursday, you are the only game on TV. You will get a lot more eyes on the brand.

 

This year my be the fact we don’t have a known starting QB….

 

Pretty much keeps me from meeting my parents for the game too. They’ll probably go as they are retired but a four or five day weekend for an exhibition isn’t in the cards for me. If it were a Saturday , I’d probably make the drive. Heard it was a good crowd last year .

 

The ob game is on national tv?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think we got a live broadcast in 2022 of the game even though it was played on a Thurs. night. Seems like I had to watch a replay sometime over the following weekend.

 

My bad, I saw ESPN in the article posted up thread and made an assumption. Reread it and it said streaming options will be announced at a later date.

 

They said for students who would otherwise be on break last year as a big factor. They are more important that the few of us that would travel for a free exhibition I guess. I would think the hotels and restaurants would get a better bang on a weekend though. Pro enough big boosters that want spring break with their kids and get game over before.

 

I have no idea when UF's spring break is this year, but its usually long over by mid-April.

 

Maybe it was just Easter they were talking about. Someti about the kids going home.

 

Used to go to the O&B game every year. The last few years, with the changed in format due to injuries and such, it has gotten far less enjoyable. And now with it being on Thursday.....

We used to make a day of it. We would go to the game, walk around campus some, go get something to eat. Just generally spend the day, and money, in Gainesville.

 

Easter Sunday fell on April 17 last year. When crusher mentioned that he thought that was a factor in moving the game date I recalled that it was one of the reasons for moving the game to Thursday. Seems like I recall BN wanted students to be involved from the get go.
I also remember being disappointed when the game wasn’t televised. If I’m not mistaken, one of the selling points for moving the game to Thursday was that we would be the only SEC Spring game on Thursday so we would have exclusive TV coverage. Didn’t happen.

 

March 13-17

 

Make your plans. It’s 2 1/2 months from now

Weather last year was perfect, a nice spring night

We’re going!

 

That's just weird.

 

It kind of soothed the withdrawal from gator football but it’s too much for me from Pensacola on a Thursday. I get it though if it’s better for the recruits and the students. Can’t please everybody

 

It hurts attendance for sure.

It probably increases TV viewership

In terms of recruits it is hard to tell. A Thursday is tougher to get to for a recruit than a Saturday. But we won't be competing with any other schools on a Thursday. Personally it is probably a wash.

Since the big benefit is TV viewership it kind of feels like those ACC Thursday night football games we always bashed. We should be above it.