POLL-Should Hobbs / Ash Ask NJ Schools To Not Play On Saturdays

[HeavenUniv.]

Everywhere else In America, it is very easy--Friday nights people go to high school games and Saturdays they go to college games. Of course in New Jersey,we don't do anything the same way as the rest of the country. Currently (and these are rough numbers), I would say about 65-70% of New Jersey high schools play on Friday nights in September and much of October and I would guess that drops down to 55-60% for late October and November games. Schools in Warren,Sussex,Hunterdon and northern parts of Passaic and Bergen tend to play less night games,especially late in the season due to the cold. With all of that being said,attendance is hurt by conflicts for both levels. Should Hobbs and Ash sit down with New Jersey high schools and try to get them to go to almost all Friday night games --with some exceptions such as poor districts that can not afford lights,religious holidays,severe weather (rain,lightning,etc.)

 

[AreYouNUTS]

One major problem: lots and lots of NJ high schools do NOT have lights, to this day, and for some of the craziest reasons (IIRC my high school, Hamilton East/Steinert, and Trenton Central, don't because there are hospitals across the street from each school).

 

[RUMBA-JK]

Choose your battles wisely ... there is little to be gained here that would be worth the battle - add in the fact that half of the RU games are AWAY - and then there are RU night games or Thursday night games - it is really a low value fight to take on... better approach - let RU get really good & there will be an effort to avoid schedule conflicts.

 

[mdk01]

One major problem: lots and lots of NJ high schools do NOT have lights

That indeed is a problem. And since no HS's play their games on Saturday night to the best of my knowledge, there are not a whole lot of conflicts. Let it be.

 

[RUhasarrived]

In Harrison,we were playing on Friday nights since 1950.It was a big thing in the 50's and 60's,as half the town turned out for the games with big cardboard schedules in the windows of most businesses.Nowadays,almost no one goes with attendance collapsing after Ray Lucas' senior year.

 

[CNJKnight]

If anything, schools should schedule games for 10a and RU games should be at 330. That would at least help some of the people who want to go to both. But, as we all know, it's a TV scheduling thing as well. We will mostly get 12p/1p games and the occasional 330p.

 

[Abro1975]

One of the dumbest poll questions, if serioius, I've ever seen.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

You're welcome.

 

[rufancoe00]

One major problem: lots and lots of NJ high schools do NOT have lights, to this day, and for some of the craziest reasons (IIRC my high school, Hamilton East/Steinert, and Trenton Central, don't because there are hospitals across the street from each school).

thought Steinert had the $$ a few years back to install the lights, but the township didn't want to pony up to install at the other two high schools... never heard the hospital angle

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Are those hospitals anywhere near the old track where they used to have NASCAR races ? If they were, I would think the noise would have been more of an issue than lights for football games unless they were an issue for helicopter landings.

 

[rufancoe00]

if you are talking about the old fairgrounds race track then no. That is located at the current grounds for sculpture

 

[MV9000]

they would tell him to **** off.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

thought Steinert had the $$ a few years back to install the lights, but the township didn't want to pony up to install at the other two high schools... never heard the hospital angle

Well that was when I was in high school, in the mid-80s', although now that you bring it up I do remember that and you're right about the township shooting it down, BUT I think that had a lot to do with not wanting night games at West as it had started having a lot of "gang" type issues at the time (but I could be wrong, just remember my dad mentioning this once...).

 

[rufancoe00]

One of the biggest proponents of lights at shs was the band . They wanted to be able to practice after the time switch and host competitions Saturday nights.

 

[RU from Jersey]

Actually there is talk about requiring teams that play Friday night to play at least one game, per season, on Saturday due to a shortage of officials.

 

[mildone]

What I really want to know is, which is Stalin and which is Mao?