There's only one person to blame over Ohio State playing six-straight noon games
The Ohio State Buckeyes will play Indiana at noon once again, stirring up the fan base as the program will have six straight early afternoon kickoffs in a row to end the 2024 season. With Indiana ranking as a top-five team, this was the perfect opportunity for the Buckeyes to get on primetime at home. […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes will play Indiana at noon once again, stirring up the fan base as the program will have six straight early afternoon kickoffs in a row to end the 2024 season. With Indiana ranking as a top-five team, this was the perfect opportunity for the Buckeyes to get on primetime at home. The frustration from Ohio State fans has been palpable on social media since the announcement.
However, it should not be a surprise the Buckeyes won't be on primetime TV or streaming services. Outgoing Athletic Director Gene Smith announced this time last year that Ohio State wouldn't volunteer for later kickoffs. Last year's 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Michigan State was an aberration.
Smith doesn't value the benefits of a later start time, instead caring for season-ticket holders and players.
“We will not do it in the future at home. We might do it away,” Smith said last year. “If a colleague calls from another school and said, 'Hey, would you be willing to play a night game at our place?' We have to make that call. Both athletic directors have to agree on that. And so usually I would talk to Ryan (Day) and see if we're interested in doing that and we will say yes or no. But it depends on who it is, where it is or what time our team might get back. That always plays a role into their plan. If there's a second Saturday in November and we're somewhere and our team doesn't get back until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, that might be a problem.”
In addition to the clear climate issues and possible effects on the health and recovery of student-athletes towards the end of the season, Smith pointed out that these games also pose challenges for season-ticket holders who travel to Ohio State games from other locations.
“I always think about that couple in Canton, Ohio, who's 70-something-years-old, season-ticket holders,” Smith said. “And we really create a problem for them already how we announce our game times. But for them to have to make a decision to come to a night game the Saturday before Thanksgiving, I just would prefer to take that burden off of them. And normally they can come to a noon game or a 3:30 kick and get back home as opposed to trying to get a hotel room. So that's been our rationale, just one of them, our rationale for not doing that.”
While I can appreciate the concern for patrons, Smith is showing his age a bit here. Maybe the 70-plus crowd who can't get around at night shouldn't be the priority anymore, and it's okay to admit the younger crowd with disposable income will make up for any financial losses with more concession purchases.
Ultimately, the Buckeyes are missing on more eyes watching, and that's not good for recruiting efforts or for the fans who can't get to earlier games. Everyone just wants something different during this time of the season.
