[NU Sports] Attendance

[Jonathan Hodges]

I agree that traffic control is lacking, and coupled with the lack of
parking within a easy walking proximity of the stadium it makes getting to
the game that much more difficult.  I think that with some more coordination
between traffic control and shuttles things could get better - although
additional parking by the stadium would make it much better (although
Evanston hates parking garages more than night football games so we'll see
if that is ever considered).

Regarding game time, there is absolutely NOTHING NU can do to get out of the
11AM/2:30PM/night game cycle.  The Big Ten and ESPN/ABC have agreed upon the
11AM/2:30PM/night times in order to benefit the conference by placing games
at key times (the 11AM CT time slot is usually dominated by Big Ten games)
and avoiding conflicts (ABC/ESPN and the conference would be severely
limited with game placement if they went to starts outside of the current
time slots).  I much prefer the current plan where EVERY conference home
game is on TV - many on ESPN/ABC and the rest on the BTN (hopefully they'll
get cable distribution worked out by the time next football season rolls
around) than 1PM games that are radio only (or internet radio only if the
Cubs are playing an afternoon game).

Obviously more 2:30 or night starts would bring in more fans (particularly
students) but NU has to work with the position that its in - and the
conference dictates the starting time due to its TV contracts.  The best NU
can do is win more games which would put itself in position for more late
starts.

Jonathan

On Nov 26, 2007 8:10 AM, mlinhardt at netzero.net <mlinhardt at netzero.net>
wrote:

> We have commented to Murphy on multiple occasions about the traffic
> control.  This year we saw multiple Evanston cops doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
> while Northwestern was footing their overtime hours.
>
> We should DUMP Evanston police and pick up state, Wilmette, Skokie, or
> anybody who would make an effort at traffic control.  Year after year the
> Evanston cops do an EXTREMELY poor job.
>
> If you guessed this is my hot button topic and one I bend Murphy's ear
> every chance we get.
>
> I personally don't like night games(I get up very early), but we should be
> able to negotiate with ABC/ESPN for some noon or 1pm kicks.  2:30pm
> interferes with dinner as we are not home until 7:30 and don't get a chance
> to wind down before going out to eat.
>
> -- CHerron604 at aol.com wrote:
> <snip>
> Traffic is an endless nightmare - McCormick Blvd has been torn up for a
>  long time, the Edens Expressway is (and will be) torn up for a long time,
> the  Tri-State Tollway has been torn up for a long time (ironically, to put
> in  high-speed oper road toll stations).
>
> As someone who has been to a lot of our games at Michigan, I marvel at how
>  easily they can park and seat 106,000 people, and how hard it is for us to
> park  and seat 42,000.  And leaving the Michigan parking lots is almost
> always a  good experience (including the many streets converted to one-way
> traffic  only).
>
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Save hundreds on getting a Web Design Degree. Click here.
>
> http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2211/fc/Ioyw6ijncQT6tat6HEFHzICu4gJx72DT2z0GR22dPZNLaT3TSStRRl/
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>



-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
1237 Emerson St Apt 2
Evanston, IL  60201-3577
(847) 736-2449
jonathanwhodges at gmail.com