Why Wednesday?

[Average Joe]

Of all the conference opponents and all the match ups, I think the BU-ISU games each season have the potential to be the marquee games in the Valley.
For all 3 years I have been here, they have been huge games even when not involving a contender, and either sellouts or nearly so.
So I ask why did the league pick a Wednesday to schedule? Does anyone know? Maybe it's due the available dates at Carver, or some solid factor.
If they played on a Saturday I think that would be better. Some people work during the week. Some have school and next day assignments, and families with kids often can't stay out late.
Also in a conservative area like Central IL lots of families have church events on Wednesday, especially youth events.
High schools even try to stay away from Wednesdays.
I would also guess that the weekend would give a higher TV audience and get better sponsors.
I am nowhere near an expert on these things, so if anyone has a TV or admin. background, tell me why they don't put their premier matchups, BU-ISU, WSU-CU, UNI-DU, on weekends?

[MDCowboy]

Average Joe - you bring up a good question. Note that BU has hosted ISU on a Wed. evening for the last 6 years or so I think. I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Note that ISU seems to always host BU on a Saturday... been that way for the last few years. I think they do that since they know they will get more of a crowd for this game by having it on the weekend.

I would be surprised if the schools didn't request this to be the case.......

[it's boogie time]

It's been 10 years since BU hosted ISU on a Saturday night.

[mike radigan]

I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Bingo: $$$$$

[shaunguth]

Average Joe - you bring up a good question. Note that BU has hosted ISU on a Wed. evening for the last 6 years or so I think. I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Note that ISU seems to always host BU on a Saturday... been that way for the last few years. I think they do that since they know they will get more of a crowd for this game by having it on the weekend.

I would be surprised if the schools didn't request this to be the case.......

I think that's exactly why they schedule this game during the week. However, I didn't know this board existed at the time of the game, but why was Quick Change booked for the season opener, red-out, rally towel, banner unveiling game vs. DePaul? That made no sense to me.

[squirrel]

Average Joe - you bring up a good question. Note that BU has hosted ISU on a Wed. evening for the last 6 years or so I think. I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Note that ISU seems to always host BU on a Saturday... been that way for the last few years. I think they do that since they know they will get more of a crowd for this game by having it on the weekend.

I would be surprised if the schools didn't request this to be the case.......

I think that's exactly why they schedule this game during the week. However, I didn't know this board existed at the time of the game, but why was Quick Change booked for the season opener, red-out, rally towel, banner unveiling game vs. DePaul? That made no sense to me.

It probably worked best for both parties that way. It's not like Quick Change just sits around waiting for Bradley to call. Given their success on America's Got Talent or whatever program they were on, they are even in higher demand than they were before. And they were difficult to sked before.

[Majik45]

BU will sellout or get a huge crowd for the ISU game no matter when it is played. They schedule it for a Wednesday because of this fact. Normal games on Saturdays have a bigger draw then week night games, so why not make the ISU game a Wednesday.

I think they play the game at ISU on a Saturady because more BU fans are likely to drive down to the game on a Saturday. Also, I think more BU fans will go down to ISU then ISU fans will come to BU for the game.

[shaunguth]

Average Joe - you bring up a good question. Note that BU has hosted ISU on a Wed. evening for the last 6 years or so I think. I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Note that ISU seems to always host BU on a Saturday... been that way for the last few years. I think they do that since they know they will get more of a crowd for this game by having it on the weekend.

I would be surprised if the schools didn't request this to be the case.......

I think that's exactly why they schedule this game during the week. However, I didn't know this board existed at the time of the game, but why was Quick Change booked for the season opener, red-out, rally towel, banner unveiling game vs. DePaul? That made no sense to me.

It probably worked best for both parties that way. It's not like Quick Change just sits around waiting for Bradley to call. Given their success on America's Got Talent or whatever program they were on, they are even in higher demand than they were before. And they were difficult to sked before.

I understand that Bradley is not the only place trying to schedule QC, but it just made me wonder if they weren't available for any of the other 15 home games.

[bradley09jdubs]

I think BU requests a mid-week game knowing that they will likely get near a sellout against ISU regardless of when they play the game. Contrast that to when BU plays a home game on a Saturday vs. another conference opponent, the attendance is almost always higher than it would have been during the week.

Bingo: $$$$$

Also, I believe the board took into account that Wednesday is the first day of classes back on campus. And since most students are searching for something to do, they prolly decided to have the "big game" on this wednesday! Free shuttle service and $1 tickets... that's something us students can afford (even tho I have the home season tickets)!

[RocketWatcher]

'Cause on Wednesday you can go to Wing Ding after the game!

[BUBraves06]

'Cause on Wednesday you can go to Wing Ding after the game!

Best reason yet!

[tornado]

This game will be a sellout, but with the way Bradley has been playing, it would have been a sellout even if played at 4AM.
I am also a fan of staying away from Wednesday games and agree with some of the above reasoning.
This game took until game day for it to sell out, which is still evidence that it would be better for BU, revenue-wise, if it could be on a Saturday.

Only once before in the Jim Les era, has the Wednesday BU-ISU game sold out.
Those who think that just because it sold out this time, proves it should always be on a Wednesday, are failing to see the facts.
Some of BU's worst turnouts in the past 4 years have been at Wednesday games:

On Wed., 1/25/06 the BU-Missouri State game drew only 9,053,
when just 4 days earlier on Saturday 1/21/06, the game against Indiana State drew 10,240!

On Wed. 1/11/06, the home game against Wichita State drew only 8,714 (the smallest conference game attendance of the year BY FAR!).
THREE DAYS later, on Saturday, 1/14/06, the game against Evansville drew 9,890!

On Wed. 1/05/05 the home game vs. SMS drew a HORRIBLE 8,214 - one of the worst turnouts in a decade for a conference game,
but the home game just a couple days earlier on Sunday afternoon against one of the least appealing BU opponents, Indiana State drew 10,241!

Wed. 1/26/05 vs. Creighton, 9,111
Sat. 1/22/05 vs. UNI, 10,381.

And it goes on and on, that Saturday games ALWAYS outdraw the Wednesday games.

[chitownBUB]

Drake's game at home vs. UNI Saturday is a sellout.

http://www.drakebulldogs.org/mensbasketball/newsstory.php?nid=1169664586