Posted on Thu, May 12, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.
It's Michigan's first home night football game vs. NASCAR on Sept. 10
By AnnArbor.com Staff
The first night football game in Michigan Stadium history will be shown on ESPN.
Why not a nationally televised prime-time game on ABC? Blame NASCAR.
The Notre Dame-Michigan game on Sept. 10 has an 8 p.m. kickoff, and can't be on sister channel ABC because of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said this week that the night game at Michigan Stadium will “be a great spectacle.”
“Forget about the football game,” Brandon said. “... Some of the special effects we have planned are really going to make it memorable.”
Obviously, this begs for a poll.
Comments
SonnyDog09
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.
If ESPN assigns Matt Millen to do the broadcast of that game, I will probably watch something, anything else. It's not good for my blood pressure to listen to MIllen talk.
Forever27
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
NASCAR is like a playschool toy for rednecks: loud noises and bright, shiny colors rotating in a circle.
Meangoblue
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 1:23 p.m.
They should have Matt Millen and Rich Rodriguez do the play by play for NASCAR and then have Dick Trickle and Richard "the king" Petty do the M game. This would be a nice consolation for the MCC. MEEEEEEEEEEANchigan football will return from the pickle!! If y'all don't believe it, just ask Dick Trickle.
Meangoblue2
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
Dick Trickle!!! I like it Meanie. Him and RR could be best buddies.
tater
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
Until the last ten laps or so, the perfect way to watch most NASCAR events is during commercials for other sports. This situation is no different. If this was two top ten teams, ABC would flip-flop these events, but apparently the game isn't compelling enough to cause a switch. Also, while THE FIRST NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME IN MICHIGAN STADIUM HISTORY may be a stunning and important event in Ann Arbor, it means absolutely nothing to the rest of the country. If anything, the reaction would be something like, "it's about time those self-absorbed hicks took the sticks out of their bleeps and played a game at night like everyone else does." In other words, they're not laughing with you, they're laughing at you. "We're Michigan and we're so great we don't have to play at night" doesn't fly anymore. If Michigan wants to truly separate themselves from "everyone else," they need to do it by winning National Championships. One split National Championship in the last 62 years for Michigan and one split for both teams combined in the last 22 years doesn't exactly make Michigan and Notre Dame a "must see" event. It should be a lot of fun. Sadly, though, it will probably be a lot more fun for the ND fans who make the trip over than the home fans.
A2comments
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 10:49 a.m.
Your Dale Earnhart poll question is in poor taste. ESPN is a cable channel, so this will hurt overall ratings, and Brandon will have to test night games again. Adding permanent lights was a bad idea, and unfair to neighbors of the stadium.
aawolve
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 12:13 p.m.
Permanent lights were a great idea, as no one cares about the neighbors of the stadium.
Mick
Fri, May 13, 2011 : 5:42 a.m.
ESPN/ABC, who cares as long as the game is on either of the Networks. Does this really matter. If you're a U-M fan and you don't make the right inroads to have the game shown in your home, than what's up with that? How many people can't get ESPN for goodness sakes? It's 2011, c'mon. If I'm in that situation, I would just go to a bar and enjoy the game with a bunch of people. This is a story that "might " be relevant in late August, not now. I'm excited about what's going on with the program right now, let's focus on that. Go Blue!!!
garrisondyer
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.
It still boggles my mind to think of how many people sit and stare at people driving cars around a racetrack. I just don't see the enjoyment.
geek49203
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.
Richmond hasn't been that exciting for some time. Come to think of it, NASCAR's not been that exciting for about a decade now....
chiro19
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 10 p.m.
I am thinking that this will get changed for regional coverage. Out of the region it will be ESPN. It does not make sense for ABC to lose Mich, Ohio, Illinois, Wisc, Indiana, Minn., Iowa, New York and the west coast to have nascar on instead of early season college football in primetime. There is a reason why michigan is on ABC and ESPN even when they sucked for 3 years, thats because their ratings are huge (atleast for the first 2 quarters)!