Night Games

[Ever Loyal]

I was just thinking about something the other day, and I was wondering if someone who knows more than I do can help me answer my question.

When and why did UNI ever do away with the 7:00 night games? When I was a kid (10-15 years ago), I got to go to one (unless they had a home playoff game) UNI football game a year for my birthday, and it always seemed like it was a night game. Did UNI used to play more night games, or was it just conicidence I always went to a night game?

I know usually our last non-conference game starts late afternoonish, but I think it would be cool to have at least one Gateway football game at night. Seems to me games at night have a more "electric" atmosphere. But then again, I realize night games are not condusive to families and those that have to travel.

Thoughts?

[Panthers#1]

But then again, I realize night games are not condusive to families and those that have to travel.

Thoughts?

That's probably one of the mostly likley reasons the games are earlier. It would be a lot easier to keep a family at the game during the 4th quarter at 6:30-7:30 rather than 8:30-9:30 for a night game. And besides, I would think some people would just get tired around 9:00-9:30 and would have to start to put their kids to bed or get up for church early the next morning so they might just go home.

I think the switch was made to keep people around for the whole game and it gives people the chance to go out to eat afterward at a reasonable time. I like it because I have time to go home afterward, get refreshed, and then go out.

[UNIpanther99]

I know they were all night games when I attended 95-99 (with the exception of Homecoming and Family Weekend). I think they changed it to try to increase student attendance. Most students were headed to parties or the bars by the time the second half started.

[TH1974]

I know they were all night games when I attended 95-99 (with the exception of Homecoming and Family Weekend). I think they changed it to try to increase student attendance. Most students were headed to parties or the bars by the time the second half started.

Oddly enough, before that, most games were in the afternoon and they moved them to the evenings because they thought more students would attend.

I always preferred the day games.

[Jonsoup]

I can remember going to games that started at 7:00 pm in the evening and the day game was homecoming game at it was at 1:30 pm. Back in the early 80's.

['70 Grad]

At one time they were at 7:30 (with the above noted exceptions), then 7:00, then 6:30. We had lights, no conflicts with the Hawks?? (Before all the TV w/ its 11:30 kickoffs.) Some people went to two games a day.

Trying to remember about lights at O.R. Latham Stadium. Homecoming was an afternoon game then also.

[Cat80]

Didn't Mike Dunbar want afternoon games? I thought that was when the times began to change to 3 or 4. I remember being at a function where Dunbar stated college football was meant to be played in the afternoon. I told him UNI's tradition was night games and he told me he didn't care and that UNI fans are UNI fans and would attend whenever the games were played. I didn't think so and believe it has taken a few years to get the fans attuned to the midafternoon times. It was the 2003 YSU game where I walked into the Dome and asked where everyone was? Game for the conference lead and there might have been 10,000 there. Terrible job out of the Cedar Valley that day.

[Southern Cat]

Pretty sure there were no lights at O.R., as I recall it was about as cold as any place in the universe. Saw a number of games in the 70's, pretty much like a high school game. I swear it snowed everytime I was there. Maybe not that bad, it just seemed that way,but it gets dark by 4:15 in early November and we were still playing ball. GO ISTC !

[oldcat]

There were lights at O.R. .............what I remember about going to afternoon games was because of suggestions made to Hartzell. People traveling to C.F. wanted to get back after the game and not spend the extra money to stay over night.

[Cap'n Cat]

Thought it had something to do with skedding around Iowa games.

Don't know.

[Newsbreaker]

There were lights at O.R. .............what I remember about going to afternoon games was because of suggestions made to Hartzell. People traveling to C.F. wanted to get back after the game and not spend the extra money to stay over night.

I think this is correct. Actually, I think it was a combination of factors.

*Late afternoon games give an opportunity to students who insist on staying in their rooms to watch Iowa at 11, and can still tailgate a bit and get to the UNI game.

*Students aren't leaving at halftime to hit the bars.

*Gateway TV (FSN) games are going to be televised in the afternoon. A common late afternoon kick time keeps from forcing TV games to an 'odd' start time.

*Those 6 or 7pm kickoffs can go WELL past 9pm, a block for families.

*Night games make it hard to draw from more then 15-20 miles outside CF.

The only thing about night games I really miss are those late season night games when it's 9 1/2 degrees outside and windier then snot, and we get the "Outside...."

[CincyPanther88]

Thought it had something to do with skedding around Iowa games.

That's what I always thought.

[FOTY]

I think this is correct. Actually, I think it was a combination of factors.

*...watch Iowa at 11, and can still tailgate a bit and get to the UNI game.

*Students aren't leaving at halftime ....

*Gateway TV (FSN) games.....

*Those 6 or 7pm kickoffs can go WELL past 9...

*Night games make it hard to draw....

From what I recall, Hartzell made this change so that we could pull people from the UI and ISU games after they concluded. There may have been additional factors, but that was the one he discussed publically. I don't really know if it had much impact to attendence....

[Blue42]

If I lived in the Cedar Valley I'd love the 6:30 or 7:00 kickoff. But making the drive up from Des Moines, I definately appreciate the 4:00 kickoff.

Can be back in the car by 7:00-7:30 and home by 9:30 or so. The late kickoffs made for a very late and tired drive back to Des Moines.

[panther91]

Funny ... look at the list of the largest crowds in school history and almost all of them have been at night. I remember waiting in line for over an hour for the student section gates to open at 5 pm for a 6:30 kick off.