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USF-UCF Game Moved to Thanksgiving Night

Yeah i took the day off. I will be watching on TV.

I thought buying season tickets didnt always mean attending or did it? Isnt purchasing them also showing support?
people buy season tickets because they see value in them. That value is not gained from just going to the game or from being able to support the program. If someone just wanted to go to the game they could walk up at kick off and buy a ticket or if they just wanted to show support for the program I'm sure the athletic department would be just as happy taking a donation. For many season ticket holders, the value of season tickets is in things like parking, tailgating, and the overall game day experiencs. By changing games to days and times that are difficult for season tickets holders to have these experiences it diminishes the value they are getting for their money and will it will reflect in their likelihood to renew for the next season.
 
Great choice UCF. Now you can nationally expose my empty seats to the country. I don't miss home games and I've never missed a game vs USF but guess what's about to happen.

UCF needs to be careful about accepting these deals because our football team is not the only sports entertainment option around - and my loyalty is not infinite. Between the Magic, Orlando City, Bucs and Jags I have choices. I am not obligated to continued donations & season ticket purchases while they schedule games I cannot attend.
 
This is a shortsighted and whiney as you can get. I think what would ultimately please the season ticket base the most would be to have B12 teams coming to BHNS on a regular basis rather than AAC teams. That is the goal right now. In the meantime do seasons ticket holders inconvenience take a back seat? Yup. If you cant see that intent than I am not sure what to tell you. Are you saying you would rather have the game at 11:30 on Friday?

Join the Power 5 or play a fan friendlier schedule? That's a false choice. The Big 12 isn't going to come calling because we moved some games to primetime to orchestrate a 0.7 rating as opposed to a 0.4 rating. The drop in attendance will do probably as much harm as the primetime slots will do good. The powers that be can look at network ratings, look at what the competition was and the timeslot, and determine if the numbers are inflated based on those factors. Just because Bowling Green and Toledo get decent ratings to play in primetime on Wednesday nights doesn't mean they are ready for a bump up in conference.

Of course I would rather the team play on a day that I and a lot more fans can attend the game. Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday to spend time with family, not to attend a football game. I'm taking time off of work to make a couple of the tougher games to get to this year. I had planned to take Black Friday off of work to make the rivalry game. I understand that some sacrifices have to be made and don't mind missing a game or two in the home schedule even if I pay for the tickets, but I know plenty of people are like me and can't just kick the family to the curb to go to this highly anticipated game on Thanksgiving.
 
This is a shortsighted and whiney as you can get. I think what would ultimately please the season ticket base the most would be to have B12 teams coming to BHNS on a regular basis rather than AAC teams. That is the goal right now. In the meantime do seasons ticket holders inconvenience take a back seat? Yup. If you cant see that intent than I am not sure what to tell you. Are you saying you would rather have the game at 11:30 on Friday?




That's what I'm saying. I'll take the 11:30 Friday game instead. The game worked pretty well last year as we took a nice crowd over to Tampa.
 
Right now its obvious the current UCF fanbase - season ticket or otherwise - is pretty finicky and to conclude sorta volatile. I can see why the opportunity to be shown on TV is vital to this program. They need to be exposed to alumni outside of town and they need new viewers. Hopefully the gamble will work out for UCF and that new fans or alumni will replace the old ones who decided the direction of the program when it comes to what time a game is scheduled didnt fit.
 
This is a shortsighted and whiney as you can get. I think what would ultimately please the season ticket base the most would be to have B12 teams coming to BHNS on a regular basis rather than AAC teams. That is the goal right now. In the meantime do seasons ticket holders inconvenience take a back seat? Yup. If you cant see that intent than I am not sure what to tell you. Are you saying you would rather have the game at 11:30 on Friday?
im sure a lot of people were happy with Penn State coming to BHNS, but then because of the need for TV exposure it got moved to Ireland and played at a time when most the country was still asleep.

The reality is UCF has made it clear that the most important audience is the TV audience. the problem with that is the members of the TV audience who aren't already affiliated with UCF, aren't putting money into the program. No one is sitting on their couch, stumble on a UCF game and getting the itch to send in a check.

the people who are putting money into the program are the ones buying tickets, concessions, parking, merch, etc that UCF is telling to be cool with it and take a back seat to the TV audience. Hopefully for the program's sake, over the next few season, the networks are going to start giving UCF enough money to change game times and days to cover the cost of the fans that stop just being cool with it and stay home to watch on TV too
 
Tell your families to do a goddamn 1 pm meal so you can leave early. It's not that hard.

We're not the first fanbase to be stuck with tough games for TV. Yet the programs who move up fill their seats regardless.

Less whining, more action.
Yes! Seriously 7:30PM game.....everyone can make it! :)
 
Tell your families to do a goddamn 1 pm meal so you can leave early. It's not that hard.

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Right now its obvious the current UCF fanbase - season ticket or otherwise - is pretty finicky and to conclude sorta volatile. I can see why the opportunity to be shown on TV is vital to this program. They need to be exposed to alumni outside of town and they need new viewers. Hopefully the gamble will work out for UCF and that new fans or alumni will replace the old ones who decided the direction of the program when it comes to what time a game is scheduled didnt fit.
most people don't have a problem with changing times for TV purposes when it makes sense, but changing times for any reason just to be on TV is just dumb. Does UCF really think we are going to get a bunch of exposure playing FIU when most of the country is still at work on a third tier network? Hell, we probably still could have been picked up for a one slot on CBSSports if we kept the game on Saturday.

Did we get a bunch of exposure when we moved the Akron game a couple seasons ago to a Thursday so we could play on ESPN 3?

Did we get anymore exposure playing Penn State in Ireland when most the country was asleep then if we would have played them as scheduled at BHNS? If we kept the game here, we would have had a ton of exposure just because it's Penn State except it would have actually shown us instead of a soccer stadium full of Europeans

Does UCF think a substantial amount of people who aren't affiliated with us or USF going to tune into our game instead of NFL or spending the holiday doing whatever they do as a family?

By all means, if the program is getting actual value and exposure for changing a game for TV, then do it, but don't just move games for any and every reason. It just makes us look desperate and pisses off your local fanbase.
 
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Tell your families to do a goddamn 1 pm meal so you can leave early. It's not that hard.

We're not the first fanbase to be stuck with tough games for TV. Yet the programs who move up fill their seats regardless.

Less whining, more action.
yeah those schools that fill their stadium regardless of day or time probably have bigger historical fanbases that were cultivated over a lot of years with Saturday games they scheduled, before TV networks came in and started throwing money around.
 
most people don't have a problem with changing times for TV purposes when it makes sense, but changing times for any reason just to be on TV is just dumb. Does UCF really think we are going to get a bunch of exposure playing FIU when most of the country is still at work on a third tier network? Hell, we probably still could have been picked up for a one slot on CBSSports if we kept the game on Saturday.

Did we get a bunch of exposure when we moved the Akron game a couple seasons ago to a Thursday so we could play on ESPN 3?

Did we get anymore exposure playing Penn State in Ireland when most the country was asleep then if we would have played them as scheduled at BHNS? If we kept the game here, we would have had a ton of exposure just because it's Penn State except it would have actually shown us instead of a soccer stadium full of Europeans

Does UCF think a substantial amount of people who aren't affiliated with us or USF going to tune into our game instead of NFL or spending the holiday doing whatever they do as a family?

By all means, if the program is getting actual value and exposure for changing a game for TV, then do it, but don't just move games for any and every reason. It just makes us look desperate and pisses off your local fanbase.

I never understood the Akron move so it can be on ESPN 3. It might as well not even have happened. The Penn State was pleasant to watch except for the final score, but i would have preferred it be at home. At least the advantage would have helped us.

I can get behind this Thanksgiving match up though. If the main reason fans are upset is the entire context of our program moving games left and right fair enough...but to me who is a UCF fan and not an NFL fan this is the best entertainment i can hope for.
 
There are a lot of "IF's" that we can't control.
1) The first one is when the game was played. Some will like the change and some will not.
2) We can't control the TV ratings so don't promise that it's going to be better because of teams playing 2 years ago.
3) A single person can't control if the stadium is filled or not filled depending on a day

But an individual can make his own choices...
1) You can choose to go to our rival game this year at home (no I am not talking about UConn and that trophy)
2) You can watch your team in person or on TV
3) Most importantly, you can make the best out of ANY situation and enjoy it!

I tell you what, if you're upset and whining about the time being changed to Thursday... well good luck selling the pitch to your wife and family. If the hard-core UCF fan can't see this as possible then your wife certainly won't want to go. You got to SELL it!

Best case scenario, you pick up some free tickets because your buddy couldn't go to the game. You take your whole family and go tailgate. You have arrangements to have Thanksgiving with your family and your UCF "family" at the tailgate. You already have the grill going so you throw the turkey on (don't get technical now on cooking times for a turkey BECAUSE IF THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY). You enjoy an amazing Thanksgiving meal with BOTH your families, AT UCF, on an amazing tailgating November day. The meal is awesome because all the tailgating parties brought something and all you have to do now is throw some corn-hole and have a "drink". Go in the stadium for the 7:30 start and watch UCF beat USF in a thriller to continue a magical season. Game ends and you go home without fighting traffic.

For a UCF fan the honest truth is...
UCF game day trumps other game days
Thanksgiving at a UCF game day trumps Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving at a UCF game with family trumps family day
If you like Thanksgiving and you like UCF, why not have both! :)

Truthfully, if you have this much passion about the game change, then you will really regret it if you don't go. "Most people regret the things they don't do, rather than the things they do-do" (it said do-do).
 
I never understood the Akron move so it can be on ESPN 3. It might as well not even have happened. The Penn State was pleasant to watch except for the final score, but i would have preferred it be at home. At least the advantage would have helped us.

I can get behind this Thanksgiving match up though. If the main reason fans are upset is the entire context of our program moving games left and right fair enough...but to me who is a UCF fan and not an NFL fan this is the best entertainment i can hope for.
you aren't who they are moving the game for though. they don't care about UCF fans watching it on TV because UCF fans are going to watch it regardless of what time and day it's on. it's being moved in a. attempt to attract people who aren't UCF fans.

The issue with this timeslot is the vast majority of the people UCF has the opportunity to expose itself to (hehe) are NFL fans and are going to be watching NFL instead anyway.
 
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you aren't who they are moving the game for though. they don't care about UCF fans watching it on TV because UCF fans are going to watch it regardless of what time and day it's on. it's being moved in a. attempt to attract people who aren't UCF fans.

The issue with this timeslot is the vast majority of the people UCF has the opportunity to expose itself to (hehe) are NFL fans and are going to be watching NFL instead anyway.

UCF fans watching the game regardless of the day or time? I just read a bunch of responses that proved otherwise?

As for attempting to attract more fans based on the responses ive read here i say more power to them. Instead of trying to satisfy finicky and volatile fans who value Thanksgiving dinner and is ready to drop the program over it, i say have the game. Promote the program on the field and in commercials and hopefully win. We can use new fans or alumni just in case the others are too busy eating Thanksgiving dinner. :)

If ESPN can attract a large Orlando viewership for the game enough to beat the NFL then it can only help our cause when expansion comes along. That means the current fanbase and alumni dont have to post on our boards the value of season tickets and that theyre the only ones that control the destiny of the UCF program. :p
 
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most people don't have a problem with changing times for TV purposes when it makes sense, but changing times for any reason just to be on TV is just dumb. Does UCF really think we are going to get a bunch of exposure playing FIU when most of the country is still at work on a third tier network? Hell, we probably still could have been picked up for a one slot on CBSSports if we kept the game on Saturday.

Did we get a bunch of exposure when we moved the Akron game a couple seasons ago to a Thursday so we could play on ESPN 3?

Did we get anymore exposure playing Penn State in Ireland when most the country was asleep then if we would have played them as scheduled at BHNS? If we kept the game here, we would have had a ton of exposure just because it's Penn State except it would have actually shown us instead of a soccer stadium full of Europeans

Does UCF think a substantial amount of people who aren't affiliated with us or USF going to tune into our game instead of NFL or spending the holiday doing whatever they do as a family?

By all means, if the program is getting actual value and exposure for changing a game for TV, then do it, but don't just move games for any and every reason. It just makes us look desperate and pisses off your local fanbase.
right. I love how every time something like this happens people act like EXPOSURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! always means something like we are sliding into the 7pm CBS timeslot to overtake the SEC.

And of course people compare us to everyone tuning in to watch Texas...who has their own goddamn network nowadays. Newsflash...no one is interested to see the heated rivalry of UCF and some other team that averages like 2 wins a year or whatever. Zero national relevancy.

But hey im not a season ticket holder so thats good news. but you cant argue the ongoing perception that athletics cares less and less about the fans in attendance to chase an extra .1 or .2 rating
 
Thursday, November 26th at 7:30. This is great for TV exposure as it will be televised in primetime on ESPN.

However, there will also be some fans that are not happy with this decision. (I'm okay with it personally)

Thoughts?
I love it. An excuse to not have to stop by 3-4 places to make everybody happy. I'll now pick one then head out to tailgate!
 
I liked the move. It now doesn't interfere with plans that could happen over a holiday weekend. Anytime a move in game time is made, some will like it, some will hate it.

By what im reading its the constant game time changes over the years will signal the downfall of the UCF football program. :D
 
im sure a lot of people were happy with Penn State coming to BHNS, but then because of the need for TV exposure it got moved to Ireland and played at a time when most the country was still asleep.

The reality is UCF has made it clear that the most important audience is the TV audience. the problem with that is the members of the TV audience who aren't already affiliated with UCF, aren't putting money into the program. No one is sitting on their couch, stumble on a UCF game and getting the itch to send in a check.

the people who are putting money into the program are the ones buying tickets, concessions, parking, merch, etc that UCF is telling to be cool with it and take a back seat to the TV audience. Hopefully for the program's sake, over the next few season, the networks are going to start giving UCF enough money to change game times and days to cover the cost of the fans that stop just being cool with it and stay home to watch on TV too
Conferences like the P5 have big money because they have big TV contracts, not because of how many people go to the games. It's all about the revenue generated from TV contracts.
 
The 20 000 die hards go no matter what, where, who or why as always and the other 5,000 - 10 000 wannabes and wakups vary from game to game based on whatever and the 5,000 - 10,000 students vary from game to game based on whatever. Nothing new here for Turkey Day....CHARGE ON!!!
 
The 20 000 die hards go no matter what, where, who or why as always and the other 5,000 - 10 000 wannabes and wakups vary from game to game based on whatever and the 5,000 - 10,000 students vary from game to game based on whatever. Nothing new here for Turkey Day....CHARGE ON!!!
go ahead and keep thinking that while the program continues to shit on the local fanbase. Then in a couple years you will be posting about 19k diehard fans will always show up, and a few years later 18k diehard fans will always show up, and so on. until you too start getting feed up with it and post the same thing many of us have posted in this thread.
 
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Conferences like the P5 have big money because they have big TV contracts, not because of how many people go to the games. It's all about the revenue generated from TV contracts.
they have money because they have both. You are right that a much larger portion of it comes from their large TV contacts then it does from ticket sales anymore. However, even though we don't have a big TV contract like the P5, does that mean it's still not important that people show up and buy ticket sales? That's what UCF seems to think.
 
I see a lot of people complaining, but its the same for the NFL games, I don't see their stadiums empty. I understand some students leaving for thanksgiving but I would still expect 35K to show up for a rivalry game.
 
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The 20 000 die hards go no matter what, where, who or why as always and the other 5,000 - 10 000 wannabes and wakups vary from game to game based on whatever and the 5,000 - 10,000 students vary from game to game based on whatever. Nothing new here for Turkey Day....CHARGE ON!!!

Plus USF brings 500.
 
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I see a lot of people complaining, but its the same for the NFL games, I don't see their stadiums empty. I understand some students leaving for thanksgiving but I would still expect 35K to show up for a rivalry game.
My internet must have glitched out or something because I could have sworn I just read someone trying to compare UCF to the NFL?

If you don't understand the difference between why the marketing juggernaut that is the NFL will have full stadiums on thanksgiving and why UCF won't, then I can't help you
 
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I've been bitchin/posting on here since the terrible pass interference at Georgia and Big Daddy(Brandon) moderated. We have the same 20,000 die hards that went to the citrus bowl and now attend at BHNS. The sky is falling again......
 
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When this rivalry game was originally scheduled for Black Friday night, a bunch of people complained. Next year when it was scheduled for Noon on Black Friday, a bunch of people complained. Now it is scheduled for Thanksgiving night...and a bunch of people complain.

Some people will not be able to attend. For others it might make it easier to attend. Let's just make the best of it. Do your best to attend. If there is absolutely no way you can attend, sell your tickets or even give them away.
 
Just when I had it figured out to keep the wife happy they change the date for the game. Last year with Black Friday starting early Thursday evening I was able to go with the wife shopping for early deals. (Happy wife Happy life!) By the time Friday rolled around she was tired of shopping making it easy for me to catch the game on Friday. Now I need a new strategy if only they push the start of Black Friday shopping to Thursday at noon. Turkey tastes just as good for breakfast. :sunglasses:
 
Great exposure and everyone complains about the logistics (stupid crap like eating with the family, watching the NFL games, weeknight, etc.). FFS guys...I'm pretty sure you are all the minority. Most people will be excited about this.
 
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Great choice UCF. Now you can nationally expose my empty seats to the country. I don't miss home games and I've never missed a game vs USF but guess what's about to happen.

UCF needs to be careful about accepting these deals because our football team is not the only sports entertainment option around - and my loyalty is not infinite. Between the Magic, Orlando City, Bucs and Jags I have choices. I am not obligated to continued donations & season ticket purchases while they schedule games I cannot attend.

ESPN for the most part controls when we play. Weeknight games are not going to change unless we get into the Big 12
 
Not happy about the change, but we will probably just move the Turkey and fixins to Saturday instead. We'll be there when the gates open for tailgating! I just hope that we can get a decent crowd to the game. Go Knights!
We are ready for some football!!!!!
 
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Already planning with my brother what kind of Thanksgiving tailgate feast will be had. Turducken? Fried turkey? Wild turkey? Maybe something I have never seen before. Like Bart Starr, can't wait.
 
Great exposure and everyone complains about the logistics (stupid crap like eating with the family, watching the NFL games, weeknight, etc.). FFS guys...I'm pretty sure you are all the minority. Most people will be excited about this.

It's great that you think eating with the family is "stupid crap," but I put a higher priority on family than on UCF football. I'm going to be out of town with my wife's family this Thanksgiving. If they wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner without the game playing, I wouldn't be happy about it, but I wouldn't just run off and watch the game on my own somewhere. I love UCF football very much, but not enough to only think about myself and what I want.
 
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