Thursday night games is a good idea that is increasingly being misused.

They are a good idea because they do provide more exposure and more much needed TV revenue. But they are for under-exposed programs, especially the non-BCS teams. Rarely are SEC, Big IX, or Big 11 (ever wonder which of the 11 isn’t big when they refer to the Big 10?) teams involved. It is also a reason why the other half of the BCS, who play a lot more of these games, are looked down on by the above mentioned three, who see them as ‘better’ than the non-BCS conferences, but still a lot closer to those schools than they are to them.

They are also typically played almost exclusively at smaller venues. Notice that USC & UW have NEVER given away a home Saturday date.

They are a bad idea for big games for programs built on tradition, or trying to build a tradition, and a loyal fan base. Games like the Civil War, and even the USC_OSU game. While that worked out well for the Beavers, and Quiz, remember, that game still didn’t sell out, but did produce one of the biggest messes of the year outside the stadium.

The problems with travel before and after the game pose the greatest problems for the very portion of the target audience that are most important to attract and retain, the working family. The retired guys have to rearrange their golf schedule, and the relatively small group of ‘high rollers’ can and do afford whatever comes along. They won’t be put off, because they won’t be inconvenienced. But, as noted in the lead article to this thread, the average fan, the one Bobby D wants to make a $100 donation, or maybe $50 and buy another sweatshirt, can be the one excluded by this scheduling.

It is also why the addition of a well run PAC-10 network (note ‘well run’) is so important. There is no valid technical reason why ANY PAC-10 game should ever not be televised in some form; just business-political ones. (I’m not suggesting those aren’t serious matters, they are, but that is off-topic.)

A good PAC-10 network, plus some more deals with other satellite/cable channels, would provide the needed additional exposure, and allow the PAC-10 to put a moratorium on conference games on Thursdays, reserving those for non-conference games at Mt. West, WAC, and Big East opponents, games and teams that need the added visibility Thursday night brings.