Night games in Laramie

[McPeachy]

They are so hit & miss...I think UW should evaluate not doing them, unless they absolutely have to for TV, etc. Last Saturday was frigid, and this Saturday isn't going to be much better.

It takes away from a great game-weekend experience as well. JMO.

[whyoh]

i'm torn on the night games


on one hand, driving down from casper, i have a better chance to experience all of the game day festivities ie. TGP, cowboy walk, hoards of people @ BNG, etc.


on the other hand i have to stay overnight, which not only adds $100 or more to my trip it also takes over my whole weekend between driving down on saturday and driving back on sunday, which any weekend other than last would most likely interfere with my watching nfl football and also interferes with any other project/activity i could have done during the weekend

[bladerunnr]

Mcpeachy,

Your new avatar is the best one yet. Awesome. Regarding night games: I get a little nervous driving 287 after about 9 p.m.. It's not much longer taking 80 over to 25 but the I always enjoy the drive on 287.

I think when it's a little cold, too many fans leave during the second half. So in that regard, I don't think it's a good idea. Having a 5 p.m. start for Nebraska is about tv, I guess. But unless that game is close, there might be a whole lot of empty seats by late in the 3d quarter.

[WyoBrandX]

I like a night game or two. But after say September 15th, they should not do anything later than mid afternoon. Face it, a blizzard hits, we don't have enough hotel rooms for 30k fans. Early September its warm and pretty nice for the most part. Edit: Cold or snowy day in September and only the harcore fans will show up. The rest will watch it on TV.

[MrTitleist]

I'll weigh in.. night games kick ass. While I lived in Laramie I saw one or two.. one was the night Texas A&M came to town, fun game to be at. But I gotta say most of my experience is here in Missoula and night games here are far better than day games. The crowd is crazy, people are nice and lubricated (longer tailgating), and the environment is unreal. Then again, we don't have permanent lights so if there is a night game ESPN is here. That said, lots of people here prefer a night game because it's a 1 night hotel stay instead of two (drive over Fri night, watch game, stay over, drive home Sunday). I, myself, prefer night games.. I've never seen weather hold the crowds back here, and I've been in plenty sub-freezing games with snow, and the crowd is still insane. Always come prepared and you don't have to worry about being too cold.

[WYO1016]

I like the night games, but I agree that they have to be early in the season. Saturday wasn't frigid by any means (seriously, the border war is freezing balls every year, and it's at noon), but night games in October or November would be brutal. The brown out game against Utah a few years ago comes to mind. As far as the gameday experience, though, I am all over night games. You have plenty of time to tailgate, people can make it in from further away, and that bite in the air just screams football season to me. The postgame isn't nearly as fun when the game gets over at 10:30 pm, but that's the tradeoff.

[cheypoke]

I like night games in September. Its just a fun atmosphere, something different. Plus, since I live in cheyenne, I can still do other things during the day, and then go to the game. I know it doesnt work that well for others, but thats why we have 6 home games. I dont think Saturday was frigid by any means. A little chilly but thats why they sell sweatshirts.

[kansasCowboy]

I also like the night games, but when tv is not involved, or there are no firework shows then a 4 or 5 pm start would be better. It would still give you plenty of time during the day to tailgate and do anything else, and your not leaving Laramie so late.

[WILDCATS]

In Ogden, it still pretty hot till about late October, so night games are great for us, and our attendance numbers jump when we have night games, I love night games, they are a lot more fun.

[Subcanis]

The brown out game against Utah a few years ago comes to mind.

That game was brutal.

[Wyovanian]

They are so hit & miss...I think UW should evaluate not doing them, unless they absolutely have to for TV, etc. Last Saturday was frigid, and this Saturday isn't going to be much better.

It takes away from a great game-weekend experience as well. JMO.

Anything above 40 can hardly be called "frigid". With modern textiles, there's absolutely no reason someone who knows how to prepare and dress should be uncomfortable in temperatures above freezing. I'd say you need to do some shopping and pay attention to weather forecasts rather than just bitch about Wyoming weather.

That being said, I think 100% night games are the opposite extreme of noon kick-offs. The ideal kick-off time in September would be 4-5pm. 4pm kick-off's ideal. I like going out to dinner in Laramie after a game, especially after a win, and 4pm pretty much guarantees a 7:30-8pm dinner time. It's also great for the local economy as restaurants and shops would benefit a lot more than too early for lunch and shopping (noon-1pm) and too late for dinner (6-8pm). From October forward, no games should kick off later than 2:30pm (but no earlier than 1:30).

[McPeachy]

Anything above 40 can hardly be called "frigid". With modern textiles, there's absolutely no reason someone who knows how to prepare and dress should be uncomfortable in temperatures above freezing. I'd say you need to do some shopping and pay attention to weather forecasts rather than just bitch about Wyoming weather.

That being said, I think 100% night games are the opposite extreme of noon kick-offs. The ideal kick-off time in September would be 4-5pm. 4pm kick-off's ideal. I like going out to dinner in Laramie after a game, especially after a win, and 4pm pretty much guarantees a 7:30-8pm dinner time. It's also great for the local economy as restaurants and shops would benefit a lot more than too early for lunch and shopping (noon-1pm) and too late for dinner (6-8pm). From October forward, no games should kick off later than 2:30pm (but no earlier than 1:30).

Well, obviously you weren't in attendance. Easy to say when you live 12 hours away in the desert.

I don't recall "bitching" as you state...just that it was cold, and got colder, as the game went on. My house isn't exactly next door, so a quick change wasn't an option. Started tailgating at 70 +/- degrees with shorts on...I guess next time, I will "textile" up and show up right before kickoff like the rest of the 80 year old fanbase. Lame.

Most importantly kid...

As removed as you are now, surely you can remember what a night game does for the game day experience in Laramie. You kind of hit on it. Friday was dead, Saturday am mid day downtown was a joke. And Saturday night was equally as dead as Friday night. Call me crazy, but a big Friday night downtown (visiting fans and all), with some early tailgating (breakfast at the Buck) Saturday, and another big night Saturday...is sure as hell a lot more fun than what went on last week in Laramie.

[wylrae]

I am more with kansasCowboy: ...'then a 4 or 5 pm start would be better.'

I prefer afternoon games but can see having late starts in early September but because of the unpredictableness of weather conditions in Laramie I don't think we should have any night games where the game is likely to end much after dark; frankly, an hour or so before dark would be better for people driving home after the game so they have time to get out of the crowd around the stadium while it is still light.

I gave up on attending UW men's basketball following the '09-'10 season and decided to give up on attending UW football games this year partly because of the thought of night games; more than likely would still be attending if there was only one night game a season. The older I get the more it seems to me that the colder it gets after dark and also the less I like driving after dark.

[Wyovanian]

Anything above 40 can hardly be called "frigid". With modern textiles, there's absolutely no reason someone who knows how to prepare and dress should be uncomfortable in temperatures above freezing. I'd say you need to do some shopping and pay attention to weather forecasts rather than just bitch about Wyoming weather.

That being said, I think 100% night games are the opposite extreme of noon kick-offs. The ideal kick-off time in September would be 4-5pm. 4pm kick-off's ideal. I like going out to dinner in Laramie after a game, especially after a win, and 4pm pretty much guarantees a 7:30-8pm dinner time. It's also great for the local economy as restaurants and shops would benefit a lot more than too early for lunch and shopping (noon-1pm) and too late for dinner (6-8pm). From October forward, no games should kick off later than 2:30pm (but no earlier than 1:30).

Well, obviously you weren't in attendance. Easy to say when you live 12 hours away in the desert.

I don't recall "bitching" as you state...just that it was cold, and got colder, as the game went on. My house isn't exactly next door, so a quick change wasn't an option. Started tailgating at 70 +/- degrees with shorts on...I guess next time, I will "textile" up and show up right before kickoff like the rest of the 80 year old fanbase. Lame.

Most importantly kid...

As removed as you are now, surely you can remember what a night game does for the game day experience in Laramie. You kind of hit on it. Friday was dead, Saturday am mid day downtown was a joke. And Saturday night was equally as dead as Friday night. Call me crazy, but a big Friday night downtown (visiting fans and all), with some early tailgating (breakfast at the Buck) Saturday, and another big night Saturday...is sure as hell a lot more fun than what went on last week in Laramie.

Wow, your uterus must ache or something.

Having lived in the desert for quite some time, I'm always amused by mountain folk who complain about the cold and desert folk who complain about the heat. Quite frankly, I simply don't get cold. If I'm cold, other people are usually hypothermic.

Nonetheless, you could have simply brought along a pair of nice Wyoming-logo'd pants to throw over your shorts knowing that, at some point, the sun would go down (no need to check weather.com to see the possibility of that). Along with those, maybe a fleece vest or jacket as well, and, since it is Wyoming, how about a pair of spring skiing gloves (waterproof, windproof, but not too insulated)? All very packable, very portable, and very "bringable" into the stadium.

As for the night game issue- if you read my post, I actually advocate for late afternoon kick-offs, not night games. Not exactly sure how that would possibly negatively affect Friday night downtown, but it would definitely improve Saturday afternoon and night both. Having been to games in four time zones from coast to coast- Tuscaloosa to Green Bay, and Blacksburg to Seattle, I can tell you the best game days and best tailgating have been late afternoon kick-offs with both morning and night games pretty much sucking as far as the rest of the day goes.