UA Administration Starting to Voice Displeasure with So Many Daytime Games

[crimsonaudio]

Then maybe the question is answered by the university unburdening themselves of the SEC because this has become a reoccuring theme with this outfit in Birmingham.

I don't really buy that totally but maybe they should start making Sankey fill his britches a few times.

Never thought I'd see someone I felt I could argue is as bad as Kramer was, but Sankey sure makes me reconsider...

 

[BamaFlum]

I knew this fine man.

Alabama should refuse to play a game at home when under a NWS Heat Advisory (as was the case Saturday). They delay games for lightening and thunderstorms....they should do the same..( play at night) for heat. Heat is as dangerous for fans and players as lightening.

So sorry about the fan. If the administration knows about this, then the next time there is a heat advisory, delay the start and reference the number of fans taken to the hospital and actually having a fan pass away from heat stroke. Just as someone else said, they delay start for other weather, why not heat advisories?


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[TideEngineer08]

Never thought I'd see someone I felt I could argue is as bad as Kramer was, but Sankey sure makes me reconsider...

He's a complete pushover. It appears some ADs know this and are willing to take advantage of it, while ours plays nice and gets screwed.

 

[BamaMoon]

Sad to hear about the man passing away.

In the late 70's I went to a Bama/Vandy game in Nashville with my aunt and uncle. It was an early-season game and we were in the direct sun. I remember my cousin and I went to the concession stand to get a drink and while we were standing in line I passed out. Was only 8-9 years old. My aunt and uncle came down prepared to leave the game, but I protested and we stayed.

I know it would be impossible for us without leaving the SEC (and I don't think that will ever happen) but it sure would be nice to have our own contract with a network like ND. That's the only scenario that would simplify this.

 

[81usaf92]

Alabama should really be like ND in that they are loosely connected with the SEC. I think we get screwed more than any program, and it’s really to the point that we should be making threats of leaving to get some fair treatment.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I wonder if there is pressure on SEC /ESPN /CBS to better schedule the game.. because there rumors that LSU get to pick their time. If it is true, then that is not fair at all. I would imagine that they are scrambling to fix this issue.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Serious question: Who determines kickoff times? Is it the conference or the various TV networks?

My original question from a few pages back.

I see a lot of twits acting like this is about the players but clearly the university is tired of creating a public health/safety crisis of their own creation for the fans. Most importantly as Cecil Hurt was likely informed to spread: LSU has 13 scheduled September night games in a time period where Alabama has played 14 September day games. And you are playing yourself if you think there is a discernible difference in Alabama and LSU September schedules from 2014 to present.

Alabama gets stuck in these time slots more often mainly due to the SEC Network which means effectively the conference itself is electing to make them play a morning game when they already have their rights and could put them at night.

rgw answered part of the question with his first paragraph....the networks control the kickoff times for the games they choose, not the SEC.

So a follow-on: Does the SEC Conference control, or have influence over, the SEC Neteork's scheduling?

I know that ESPN is the financial backing behind the SEC Network. So it would not be illogical to think that, name notwithstanding, money wins and the Conference doesn't in fact have much say over the schedule of he network that bears its name.

It's also possible that the Conference negotiated some measure of influence in the original contract. I don't know if they did that or not.

I do know that this isn't just an intra-Conference issue, solvable by Conference management alone. It involves multiple other parties, all of whom have a financial interest in keeping the status quo.

Bottom line is that this isn't going to change unless and until the networks have a contractual obligation (currently none, except for maybe the SECN) or a financial interest (currently, nobody) in changing it.

 

[BamaMoon]

Alabama should really be like ND in that they are loosely connected with the SEC. I think we get screwed more than any program, and it’s really to the point that we should be making threats of leaving to get some fair treatment.

I wonder if there is pressure on SEC /ESPN /CBS to better schedule the game.. because there rumors that LSU get to pick their time. If it is true, then that is not fair at all. I would imagine that they are scrambling to fix this issue.

I doesn't make much sense in that we have equal sharing on the money side but the rest of the SEC can't see the inequity on the LSU night game issue???

Bama is and will always be the "bell cow" in the SEC. We are basically what Tiger Woods was to the rest of the PGA Tour members in the 1990s. They got paid because Tiger was dominant.

I think there is probably way too much "pride" for the other institutions to realize this, but they should. But if Bama left the SEC it would be like Tiger Woods leaving the tour in his prime.

 

[rgw]

It is hard to explain Alabama's disproportionate home day September selection and LSU's disproportionate home night September selection with effectively equivalent scheduled games. The only logical answer I see is that there is a degree of steering either by the conference or television partners. The SEC owns half of the SEC Network, so when it is on that network I do place the blame on the conference. The conference ought to be a zealous representative of their member institution's interests and several times since Sankey has taken over it has been apparent that Alabama is not exactly getting that benefit from the conference.

Byrne ought to let something slip about talks with the ACC - who is having network carriage issues and would love to have our name help them at the bargaining table - and see what happens from it.

 

[ARollTideDad]

Bottom line is that this isn't going to change unless and until the networks have a contractual obligation (currently none, except for maybe the SECN) or a financial interest (currently, nobody) in changing it.

That's the exact point. They have a financial interest in NOT changing it.

 

[ARollTideDad]

It is hard to explain Alabama's disproportionate home day September selection and LSU's disproportionate home night September selection with effectively equivalent scheduled games. The only logical answer I see is that there is a degree of steering either by the conference or television partners. The SEC owns half of the SEC Network, so when it is on that network I do place the blame on the conference. The conference ought to be a zealous representative of their member institution's interests and several times since Sankey has taken over it has been apparent that Alabama is not exactly getting that benefit from the conference.

Byrne ought to let something slip about talks with the ACC - who is having network carriage issues and would love to have our name help them at the bargaining table - and see what happens from it.

It has been explained dozens of times in this thread:

More viewers when Alabama plays a day game, and is not competing with the week's premier game. You call that "steering", of course it is. Steering toward conference revenue.

I'd rather have all night games. But I know exactly why it is what it is. Alabama is the best partner the SEC has and has been a team player. It is not corruption, It is not a vendetta. It is not LSU exerting influence. Making those excuses seems a little small for the Alabama fan base to me.

 

[rgw]

When they're killing our fans in the heat, it kinda stops being about "team first"

That public health risk has got to be considered and spread across the conference member insitutions. Are we so atomized by capitalism and profiteering that we can't understand balancing profit against public health/safety?

 

[RTR91]

I have one simple answer for young Mr. Byrne and our athletic administration—SCHEDULE BETTER OPPONENTS. If you do, you will get more late start games with big network coverage and more of us fans will attend and support games in September. Do the opposite and you will have more of the same.

If we were playing power 5 teams instead of New Mexico State and Western Carolina....say instead, Kansas State and Virginia maybe theyd move some of them to an evening game. Even Saban said he wanted all power 5 teams if they could.

We schedule who we can schedule, I get that, but these poor opponents dont help the case...especially like this weekend when ND and Georgia play in prime time.

Now, with LSU almost always getting the night slot no matter who they play and Bama almost never getting the night game leads one to believe there is certainly a biased...why couldn't they have 6 of 12 and Bama have 6 of 12...equitable.

Right because Alabama never had night PPV games against cupcakes prior to the expansion of TV coverage.... :rolleye2:

[TWEET]1171177572010549248[/TWEET]

 

[rgw]

Brando is such a smarmy ass

 

[TideEngineer08]

Tim Brando is an absolute buffoon and a narcissistic troll.

 

[ARollTideDad]

Summary of the thread.


A) September Day games are unsafe and should not be played in this climate. It is a health hazard.
B) September Day games are played across the country, including the Southeast and Southwest in temperatures exceeding this week’s in Alabama.


A) I empathize with the fans in the stands. No way to survive 4 hours in that heat. Don’t blame them for leaving early, especially when the free water runs out early.
B) The players play in it. The coaches coach in it. And the MDB marches around in heavy uniforms all day in it. MDB is not exactly elite athletes.


A) There is a bias against Alabama. LSU plays less day games in September because of exerted influence. Alabama should start exerting its power.
B) Actual numbers are close, and Alabama gets slotted in day games to not conflict with marquee matchup at night.


A) “Nick Saban and Greg Byrne” need to schedule better opponents.
B) Games are scheduled well in advance (6, 10, 12 years potentially), from a limited pool of options, and typically not by the current head coach. Also, “real teams” simply refuse to play Alabama.


A) Alabama’s schedule reflects the nature of being the strongest team in the strongest conference with a TV deal intended to make money for all schools.
B) Conference is irrelevant, I only care about Alabama and the two are not linked.


A) Alabama should change conferences or become and independent (like NMSU, I mean like ND) in order to have schedule and revenue control.
B) The benefits of being the top member of the top conference for revenue generating sports outweigh the negatives.


At some point, it’s agree to disagree …

 

[irNate]

Sadly a Tide fan passed away Saturday. He had been complaining about being really hot and had a heart attack and they were not able to save him. He was only 57 and was a coworker’s husband. Please keep them in your prayers. Another friend said he stopped counting at 12 ambulances taking away people with heat related issues.

My BIGGEST PROBLEM is with the “player safety” first craze going on (and I’m all for that) that they completely ignore this VERY legitimate complaint.

The heat is absolutely nothing to joke around about in large portions of the country where football is played.


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There were AT LEAST 15 people in my section alone that needed immediate medical assistance because of the heat. A section underneath the stands seemed to be a collection point for EMS and police to help and assist people and it was a constant flow. I have NEVER been to a game that hot, and I've only missed 1 or 2 games in the past 20 years.

 

[rgw]

Obviously Alabama is playing a long game here and didn't exactly expect any relief on September 21. Furthermore, it is Bell and Byrne's job to voice and advance Alabama's agenda. It is bad for the fans to play these afternoon kickoffs and it is pretty obvious that the AD is losing money for it.

Gotta wonder if they've run the math and see that the TV revenue earned for games like the one played last week are not worth the loss in ticket revenue. I know they've sent out several fan experience surveys and I wouldn't be surprised if kickoff time and opponent quality were the top two negative marks. The AD is fixing the opponent quality but they're still gonna be playing at least 2 teams like USM and NMST even after the scheduling revamp starting in the 2020s. I do not doubt that the kickoff problem has been forwarded to the SEC and it was hoped some relief would be negotiated on behalf of Alabama by the conference. But it was not. Furthermore, it has been shown in the Sankey era that the professional backdoor channel is not the way to get this conference to fix your problems anymore. This conference only responds to airing out dirty laundry in public now so Alabama is finally playing that game many others like LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee have done for their self-interest.

 

[81usaf92]

Summary of the thread.


A) September Day games are unsafe and should not be played in this climate. It is a health hazard.
B) September Day games are played across the country, including the Southeast and Southwest in temperatures exceeding this week’s in Alabama.


A) I empathize with the fans in the stands. No way to survive 4 hours in that heat. Don’t blame them for leaving early, especially when the free water runs out early.
B) The players play in it. The coaches coach in it. And the MDB marches around in heavy uniforms all day in it. MDB is not exactly elite athletes.


A) There is a bias against Alabama. LSU plays less day games in September because of exerted influence. Alabama should start exerting its power.
B) Actual numbers are close, and Alabama gets slotted in day games to not conflict with marquee matchup at night.


A) “Nick Saban and Greg Byrne” need to schedule better opponents.
B) Games are scheduled well in advance (6, 10, 12 years potentially), from a limited pool of options, and typically not by the current head coach. Also, “real teams” simply refuse to play Alabama.


A) Alabama’s schedule reflects the nature of being the strongest team in the strongest conference with a TV deal intended to make money for all schools.
B) Conference is irrelevant, I only care about Alabama and the two are not linked.


A) Alabama should change conferences or become and independent (like NMSU, I mean like ND) in order to have schedule and revenue control.
B) The benefits of being the top member of the top conference for revenue generating sports outweigh the negatives.


At some point, it’s agree to disagree …

The SW and the SE aren’t even comparable. I’ve lived in both and while temps are higher in number in the SW, it is a dry heat not a humid heat. SE is far more dangerous at 90• than a SW at 100•. I’ve lived and traveled to multiple places across this world and can honestly say that the heat is only comparable or worse than summers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi in only a handful of them. Brazil, Rome, and New Jersey are some of the few.

 

[BamaMoon]

The SW and the SE aren’t even comparable. I’ve lived in both and while temps are higher in number in the SW, it is a dry heat not a humid heat. SE is far more dangerous at 90• than a SW at 100•. I’ve lived and traveled to multiple places across this world and can honestly say that the heat is only comparable or worse than summers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi in only a handful of them. Brazil, Rome, and New Jersey are some of the few.

During the LSU/Texas game in Austin Sat. night the temp was in the low to mid 90's at kickoff but the humidity was only 23%.

It's been "hot" so far this September in North Texas, but the air is dry for the most part. I tell people here in the Metroplex that complain about summer humidity that there's a huge difference between Tuscaloosa and Dallas. And once you get to Fort Worth and points westward, it gets more and more arid.

Bottom line, southeast has much heavier, humid air.