Here we (probably) go again. You may recall that in 2024 Ohio State played six consecutive football games that kicked off at noon. You may also recall the resulting kerfuffle among fans who complained that noon starts mainly benefit only Baby Boomers – ahem – whose heads hit the pillow by 10 pm.

“Give us night games or give us death,” the youngsters demanded. Or something like that. 

Well, Fox Sports heard the cries of the OSU vampires, but that doesn’t mean the network listened. No official kick time has been announced, but if Fox follows its normal modus operandi the Ohio State vs. Texas season opener in the Horseshoe will trend more toward party pooper than super duper, which is to say another Big Noon Kickoff. 

Mike Mulvihill, who oversees research analytics and strategic planning for Fox, said last year, “There’s a belief that prime time is somehow inherently better (than noon), but that’s not really matched up by the analysis.

“It’s our job to put the schools that we’re partners with in front of as many people as possible. If we can provide our schools as much exposure as possible, that should not just benefit Fox, but that should benefit those programs. What we’ve found over the last six years is that it’s very clear that putting our best game on at noon is what delivers the biggest audiences for these games.”

In other words, ratings overrule stadium atmosphere.

To be fair, I’ve covered noon games where the vibe is electric, and covered night games that were snoozers. People tend to forget that a full day of alcohol consumption often results in a zombie crowd effect. But overall, with the exception of the Michigan game, night games top nooners as exciting spectacles.

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But before grabbing torches and pitchforks to hunt down Fox executives, remember the Big Ten, which partners with the network, is no innocent bystander. The conference knew how Fox operated when it signed up to receive $7 billion over seven years. 

Adding spice to this made-for-TV drama is the grandstanding move of Ohio Rep. Tex Fischer, who last week introduced a bill requiring Ohio State football games against top-10 opponents to start at 3:30 p.m. or later. The bill, which exempts the Ohio State-Michigan game, proposes a $10 million fine for broadcasters violating the start time rule.  

Personally, I think 3:30 p.m. is the kickoff sweet spot time for fans. Enough time to tailgate. Not too late to doze off during the fourth quarter. Regardless of start time, OSU-Texas should be a ratings bonanza and in-person humdinger.  

Kudos to Indiana Fever players for speaking out 

They could have shrugged or remained silent, but Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammates chose to wag a finger at some of their own fans who allegedly taunted Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese during a game May 17.

“There’s no place for that in our game, there’s no place for that in society,” Clark said, adding she appreciated that the WNBA was investigating the matter.

Social media posts during the Fever-Sky game claimed hateful remarks or noises were made toward Reese after a third-quarter incident in which Clark fouled Reese to prevent a layup. Reese confronted Clark, but was restrained by Indiana’s Aliyah Boston.

Any time players from the home team speak out against their own fans it adds power to the message that unruly fans need to pipe down and stop with the personal attacks. 

Listening in

“I would like to sincerely apologize for my behavior yesterday on Hole 16. As professionals, we are expected to remain professional even when frustrated and I unfortunately let my emotions get the best of me. My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on.” – PGA Tour player Wyndham Clark, posting Monday on X after flinging his driver following a poor tee shot May 18 during the PGA Championship. The tossed club came within a few feet of striking a tournament volunteer standing behind the tee box.

Off-topic

Recently visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and while the gigantic home (178,926 square feet) is indeed impressive, the most incredible sight was the view out the back window of the distant mountains and valleys, proving once again that natural beauty beats man-made every time.

Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@dispatch.com and on X.com at@rollerCD. Read his columns from the Buckeyes’ national championship season in “Scarlet Reign,” a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Dispatch. Details at OhioState.Champs.com

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