Big Thursday Proposal

[scsilas]

Yeah, yeah - I know I know it will never happen, but hear me out:

Why not have the SC - Clemson game played on the FIRST thursday of the college football season. As it is now, our rivalry game gets washed up with ten others and doesn't get the coverage it deserves. A first thursday game would be awash in national exposure.

I would also propose that it be played in Charlotte, which would be a dagger aimed right at the heart of the Tobacco Road schools. Big recruiting area for both us and Clemson. Its also not too far from either school (less than two hours).

For those that say it would never happen because both schools would have to give up a home game, it seems to me that the loss of the home game revenue would even out after a couple of years given the split money from the gate in Charlotte and the TV revenue.

Both teams would have alot to play for, obviously, but it would still leave both schools with all their goals intact - conference championships, bowl games, etc.

Just a thought.

[The Yancey]

Some good ideas but one glaring error: neither Columbia nor Tater Town will ever give up the much needed economic boost the game brings to town. Why should we give all of that to Charlotte? I had rather keep the home & away and do it on Thanksgiving.

[happygilmore527]

I've been talking about this with a few friends for about a year now. It will never happen but I think it would bring a whole lot more recognition to the rivalry and a lot of media coverage.

I think it would help our players get focused on Clemson because one the final game ends, whether it a bowl game or not, all the talk will be towards Clemson and not just the first game of the year.

[johnnyb]

ehh, i like it better as the last game of the season, also i am not a huge fan of the Thursday night games, even tho the added exposure does help out

[TKE226]

If Clemson would get their act together, maybe the game would be televised more...kidding..


I think it all comes down to the $ and Yancey hit the nail on the head about the $ leaving SC and going to NC...

From a recruiting perspective though, it would be nice, like you said.

[dabigtymer864]

why in the HELL would we move it to Charlotte? If anything, you would rotate around in-state, but only two stadiums are big enough in the state to hold it so...

[LOYALFAN]

I believe one reason we have lost so many games
to Clemson is the fact that we play them at the
end of the year. I wish the game were earlier, who
cares when. We have usually been beat down physically
and mentally by the time that game comes around, while
they are hyped up over their little ACC wins. Hopefully
as we are improving and getting more competitive in the
SEC we can do better against Clemson even if we never
get the game moved up.

[FifthYearSenior08]

my dad used to talk about the big thursday games like it was some epic gathering of noble armies....the whole city would shut down and everybody would go to the game and if you were lucky you got friday off as well....sounds good to me!

bring back big thursday, but keep it near thanksgiving....don't wanna mess with tradition too much

[Cockflame1701]

Personally, I would like to see big Thursday come back, but have it on Thanksgiving Thursday. The Television revenue would be great, and we would only compete with very few other teams that day. Also with a national audience it would be a tremendous help in recruiting on a national scene. Everyone, one input is welcomed..

Go Cocks!...:clap::wink:

[LurchCock]

Big Thursday = Yes

Charlotte = Hell No. Why take SC money and put it into the NC economy?

Clemson does not like to play Thursday night games at home usually. Their attendance would be terrible unless they were playing USC. However, playing USC is about the only way to get Clemson to do a Thursday night game at home IMO. I like the idea and would have no problem starting the season off with the Taters.

[Garnet&BlackAttack]

I agree with moving it earlier in the season BUT why in the world would you want it in Charlotte?? You do know that Charlotte is in NC, right? Why would you want both teams to not have a home game and not have the economic impact that is has on surrounding businesses? (much less give it to another state?!?!)

[schouse13]

I believe one reason we have lost so many games
to Clemson is the fact that we play them at the
end of the year. I wish the game were earlier, who
cares when. We have usually been beat down physically
and mentally by the time that game comes around, while
they are hyped up over their little ACC wins. Hopefully
as we are improving and getting more competitive in the
SEC we can do better against Clemson even if we never
get the game moved up.


Disagree totally. We have not always been in the SEC, yet Clemson seems to have always had the nod in this series. Last year was as good as year as ever to beat them while their team was in turmoil with then an interim coach. We all know how that turned out. Just seems when these two teams take the field Clemson is the hungrier team with that killer instinct. That coupled with Spurrier not caring as much about non-conference games (ie: Taking down "Beat Clemson" banner from weight room) makes me think when we would play them really does not matter.

Make no mistake, I think we should and will beat them this year.

[smoovecock]

Ive felt for many years that if we moved the game to an October date it would be beneficial for both schools...And would really help us on a competitive stand point....We have a brutal schedule anyway you cut it but the worst of the brutal is the 3 games we play annually before we get to clempzun at the end of the year....We are gassed by the time we get them and God forbid if somehow we do get to play in a SECCG we would have our eyes set on that game instead of clempzun....So try to move it into October for the reason above and also we would get a lot more exposure due to all the rivalry games that are played on the last week of the season....Also...No way we can move the game to Nawth Carolina...it would take money out of our schools towns and the stadium is nowhere big enough to handle the demand for seats..

[vegasmark]

Play it in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome!!! It would be a great Chic-fil-A opening game!

[smoovecock]

Disagree totally. We have not always been in the SEC, yet Clemson seems to have always had the nod in this series. Last year was as good as year as ever to beat them while their team was in turmoil with then an interim coach. We all know how that turned out. Just seems when these two teams take the field Clemson is the hungrier team with that killer instinct. That coupled with Spurrier not caring as much about non-conference games (ie: Taking down "Beat Clemson" banner from weight room) makes me think when we would play them really does not matter.

Make no mistake, I think we should and will beat them this year....You are forgetting when we were an independent ..We always played a great schedule....We would always have a SoCal.Pitt,Neb,Miami,Jawja,FSU,Notre Dame,Mich,VaTeck..ect ect...Basically we have always played a much harder schedule than clempzun...

[OfficeLinebackerCock]

Yeah, yeah - I know I know it will never happen, but hear me out:

Why not have the SC - Clemson game played on the FIRST thursday of the college football season. As it is now, our rivalry game gets washed up with ten others and doesn't get the coverage it deserves. A first thursday game would be awash in national exposure.

I would also propose that it be played in Charlotte, which would be a dagger aimed right at the heart of the Tobacco Road schools. Big recruiting area for both us and Clemson. Its also not too far from either school (less than two hours).

For those that say it would never happen because both schools would have to give up a home game, it seems to me that the loss of the home game revenue would even out after a couple of years given the split money from the gate in Charlotte and the TV revenue.

Both teams would have alot to play for, obviously, but it would still leave both schools with all their goals intact - conference championships, bowl games, etc.

Just a thought.


I don't think I'm comfortable with NEVER. I can think of one possible scenario where a Thursday game with the Clemmers could happen. IF it were to coincide with ESPN's Thursday night game AND it were picked up by ESPN it COULD happen. However, I believe it would only happen IF both USC and Clem were ranked highly enough to make it a game of national interest.

[scsilas]

I get what you all are saying - and the strongest reactions (!?!) seem to be about playing the game in Charlotte.

One of the points I was trying to make is that a Charlotte game (which our current head coach and our AD seem to think is an idea worth pushing for with North Carolina, East Carolina etc) would put us in front of alot of recruits in central NC. This is a talent rich area (Independence High, Rock Hill, etc). It would also be an "in your face" move against the Heels and Wolfpack (Imagine what we would feel like if UNC and GTECH decided to play an annual game in our backyard).

As for the economic impact - keep in mind that a good 40% of the Charlotte Metro area is in SC.

And I'm betting we would stilll have 7 homes games a year. 4 road games in the SEC, 4 home games in the SEC, 1 "away" game in Charlotte, that leaves three games to schedule against FAU, Southern Miss, Central Florida, instate IAA, etc.

[ACHILLES5508]

Yeah, yeah - I know I know it will never happen, but hear me out:

Why not have the SC - Clemson game played on the FIRST thursday of the college football season. As it is now, our rivalry game gets washed up with ten others and doesn't get the coverage it deserves. A first thursday game would be awash in national exposure.

I would also propose that it be played in Charlotte, which would be a dagger aimed right at the heart of the Tobacco Road schools. Big recruiting area for both us and Clemson. Its also not too far from either school (less than two hours).

For those that say it would never happen because both schools would have to give up a home game, it seems to me that the loss of the home game revenue would even out after a couple of years given the split money from the gate in Charlotte and the TV revenue.

Both teams would have alot to play for, obviously, but it would still leave both schools with all their goals intact - conference championships, bowl games, etc.

Just a thought.

i like the idea it just might bring back out rivalry to mean something again, and plus i would rather have clemson at the begining of the year, they always seem to be better when we play them

however we should play it in our state, we cant have the battle of the palmetto state in nc, i would like to have someone like north carolina where clemson used to be, and have like a border war at the end of the season but i like your idea man

[smoovecock]

I get what you all are saying - and the strongest reactions (!?!) seem to be about playing the game in Charlotte.

One of the points I was trying to make is that a Charlotte game (which our current head coach and our AD seem to think is an idea worth pushing for with North Carolina, East Carolina etc) would put us in front of alot of recruits in central NC. This is a talent rich area (Independence High, Rock Hill, etc). It would also be an "in your face" move against the Heels and Wolfpack (Imagine what we would feel like if UNC and GTECH decided to play an annual game in our backyard).

As for the economic impact - keep in mind that a good 40% of the Charlotte Metro area is in SC.

And I'm betting we would stilll have 7 homes games a year. 4 road games in the SEC, 4 home games in the SEC, 1 "away" game in Charlotte, that leaves three games to schedule against FAU, Southern Miss, Central Florida, instate IAA, etc...I understand your reasoning...It is sound but like I said there areana up there doesnt have enough seating to hold the game there.....ECU and other NC schools do travel...But they do not travel as well as us and clempzun....They would be short near 25 to 30,000 seats....

[McNasty]

i wouldn't do it on thanksgiving as someone said. too many people would miss the game because they'd be out of town visiting family and all. and the students would be gone on vacation from class, and we saw what that did for the Kentucky game.

either keep it how it is, or have both teams have a bye week before the game and do it on Thursday. it'd be like Florida Saturday, off next Saturday, following Thursday vs Clemson

and NO NEUTRAL SITE. that takes half the rivalry away. there's no neutral site that would be fair. keep it home and home, no question about that.

[gamecockfandrew]

This doesn't work for CSU and Colorado. I don't like it. Maybe a Big Thursday as the last game of the year.

[chatam]

I would like to see it as the first game of the year! Then both team can focus on Conf. play. Home/Home, not in NC! I do not pull for the North Carolina Panthers either!

[McNasty]

I would like to see it as the first game of the year! Then both team can focus on Conf. play. Home/Home, not in NC! I do not pull for the North Carolina Panthers either!

that's a little unnecessary and pointless to this discussion, isn't it? i agree to keep the games home and home, but the Panthers have nothing to do with this.

[clemsontigerACCC]

I think it's a bad idea.

Did anyone watch everyone's opening game? Most teams look like shit.

I like that its played when both teams are warmed up for the year.

Also Clemson gets out to a slow start these years and runs off emotion for the second half of the season. :-o

[McNasty]

I think it's a bad idea.

Did anyone watch everyone's opening game? Most teams look like shit.

I like that its played when both teams are warmed up for the year.

Also Clemson gets out to a slow start these years and runs off emotion for the second half of the season. :-o

that's all true. we didn't exactly look great against NC State. dont start the season with the game, period. either do the exact middle of the season on a thursday, the final game of the season on a thursday, or the way it is now.

[EnglishGamecock]

How about the winner's of this year's game get to host next year's? The extra financial inducement might raise the priority of the game within the Athletic Department.

[DCGamecock5]

I wouldn't mind having them like 4th or 5th though. I think we need to spice up the rivalry because it is a heated rivalry that gets over looked. Moving to a thursday and the 6th game of the year would be cool imo...but a home/home series of course

[McNasty]

How about the winner's of this year's game get to host next year's? The extra financial inducement might raise the priority of the game within the Athletic Department.

no offense, but that's a horrible idea. first of, at this rate, we'd never have the rivalry in Columbia. second of all, that takes away the beauty of rivalry games. each team visiting the others' house every other year is what makes rivalries great. home-and-homes are the way to go with EVERY rivalry, unless there's a fair midpoint to work as a neutral site i.e. Red River Rivalry and the Missouri/Illinois game in St Louis.

[GamecockSHEP]

I dont know about you guys, but I would love to see the game played on Thanksgiving day. My extended family is about crazy and I would much rather be at a football game watching the Gamecocks than spend time with those loones.

[psychwr2]

Why not do like the So Cal/ND game and have the game in Columbia on a Thursday during the fair, and the other game be played at the end of the year like it is now.

[Cockhornleghorn]

I've heard some crazy proposals on here, but moving the Carolina/Clemson game to Charlotte has to be about the most ridiculous one I've heard. I'm not opposed to the game being on a Thursday, especially on Thanksgiving Thursday, though.

[McNasty]

I've heard some crazy proposals on here, but moving the Carolina/Clemson game to Charlotte has to be about the most ridiculous one I've heard. I'm not opposed to the game being on a Thursday, especially on Thanksgiving Thursday, though.

i'll say what i said before, Thanksgiving is a bad idea. a lot of fans could be gone to see their families, and a lot of students won't be on campus because they'll be back home for the holiday. remember how the crowd was for the Kentucky game? that's how it'd be then too, and you don't want that for a big rivalry game.

[NavyCock16]

Disagree totally. We have not always been in the SEC, yet Clemson seems to have always had the nod in this series. Last year was as good as year as ever to beat them while their team was in turmoil with then an interim coach. We all know how that turned out. Just seems when these two teams take the field Clemson is the hungrier team with that killer instinct. That coupled with Spurrier not caring as much about non-conference games (ie: Taking down "Beat Clemson" banner from weight room) makes me think when we would play them really does not matter.

Make no mistake, I think we should and will beat them this year.

There is a great article in the latest edition of the Gamecock Illustrated on this topic (only have a hard copy, cant post a link). But it goes into the fact that being in the SEC gives us a lot more in-conference rivalries due to the competitiveness of the league. It goes on to say that the majority of ACC rivalries are based on basketball; so Clampson does not have many ACC rivalries (especially now that Bowden is gone = no more Bowden bowl).

Basically it says that the USC/Clampson game means a lot more to Clampson than it does the Gamecocks. Not because our fans arent as passionate, but we have several other rivalries that are just as emotional.

[Cockhornleghorn]

i'll say what i said before, Thanksgiving is a bad idea. a lot of fans could be gone to see their families, and a lot of students won't be on campus because they'll be back home for the holiday. remember how the crowd was for the Kentucky game? that's how it'd be then too, and you don't want that for a big rivalry game.

Yeah, but if it's on Thanksgiving then I have a legitimate excuse to avoid my family every year.

[Cockhornleghorn]

There is a great article in the latest edition of the Gamecock Illustrated on this topic (only have a hard copy, cant post a link). But it goes into the fact that being in the SEC gives us a lot more in-conference rivalries due to the competitiveness of the league. It goes on to say that the majority of ACC rivalries are based on basketball; so Clampson does not have many ACC rivalries (especially now that Bowden is gone = no more Bowden bowl).

Basically it says that the USC/Clampson game means a lot more to Clampson than it does the Gamecocks. Not because our fans arent as passionate, but we have several other rivalries that are just as emotional.

I don't necessarily agree with that statement - I think the Carolina/Clemson game means a lot more to Carolina fans than any other game on the schedule. I know it does to this Carolina fan.

[NavyCock16]

I don't necessarily agree with that statement - I think the Carolina/Clemson game means a lot more to Carolina fans than any other game on the schedule. I know it does to this Carolina fan.

I never said it wasn't our most important game, I said it meant more to Clampsin than it does us, which I stand by.

[Spur's Addiction]

Moving the game to first Thursday of the season - great idea. Moving the game to Charlotte - not so much.

[ACHILLES5508]

Moving the game to first Thursday of the season - great idea. Moving the game to Charlotte - not so much.

my point exactly :clap: