THURSDAY NITE HS FOOTBALL WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT

[goldendome]

The live high school football experience used to be spending a Friday night dressed in your school colors, eating popcorn and cheering in the bleachers next to the band.

 

Now plopping down on the couch Thursday evening in your pajamas will do.

 

 

The addition of televised Thursday games to Tennessee's high school schedule this year reflects a continued media push for amateur athletics and the desire to give fans a dose of football beyond the weekend.

 

WUXP-30 is airing 11 games this fall on Thursday nights.

 

"Any exposure you can give these kids is a huge plus," said former Nashville Kats Coach Pat Sperduto, who does color commentary for the Thursday games and also on Fridays for CSS, which is in its eighth year of televising games.

 

Stratford's Kemonte Jackson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns last Thursday against Hillsboro. After the game there was just one thing he wanted to do despite losing 42-18.

 

"I was like, 'Where's the tape? Where's the tape?' I wanted to see myself on TV," Jackson said. "My mom called, my grandma called ??¦ even people that I hadn't talked to in a long time called. My dad was most surprised. He didn't know that I could play football like I could until he saw me."

 

Making a decision

High schools do not receive any money for playing a Thursday TV game. However, they revel in the limelight of being the only game in the area.

 

"Near as I could tell, there were not any negatives," said Beech Principal Frank Cardwell, whose school played Hendersonville two weeks ago on Thursday. "Yes, it was a school night. But let's face it. Anybody who thinks high school kids grab a book and bury their heads in it until bedtime is not living in the real world.

 

"We had a pep rally and they filmed parts of it and put it on TV. You shake a camera at the kids and they get excited about it. It was just a really nice, all-day event."

 

Stephen Mann, group manager for WUXP-30, said Thursday games are based on competitive rivalries and the effort to cover as many communities in the station's viewing area as possible. He said some schools have not switched to Thursday because of concerns over a potential loss of gate receipts.

 

It was a no-brainer when schools are as close as Hendersonville and Beech, which are in the same town. It is more of a question when there is some travel involved, like tonight's game where Smyrna plays at Brentwood Academy. The schools are about 25 miles apart.

 

"If we had been traveling very far, we wouldn't have done it because of our fans," said Smyrna Principal Robert Raikes. "It's good for some people and not good for others because they have to get up and go to work the next morning."

 

Making a switch

La Vergne is moving its homecoming festivities and game with McGavock to Thursday, Sept. 25.

 

Hillsboro and Maplewood, whose regular-season meeting has determined the last two Region 5-4A champs, are giving away a day of preparation to play next Thursday.

 

That will serve as Hillsboro's second Thursday game in three weeks and third TV game of the season.

 

"The motivation is strictly exposure," said Hillsboro Coach Scott Blade, whose teams in California regularly played on Thursdays because of sharing fields with other schools. "You're going to find a way to get the important stuff in. It makes you have to work a little harder, with a little more urgency."

 

Mann said the first three Thursday games have been viewed by an average of 11,000 households.

 

"In addition to the game, we run segments on each of the schools participating and talk about academics, activities and achievements beyond the football field," Mann said. "To hear the principals talk about how much this has meant to their schools ??” that's the fun part of this."

[BIG TRUCK ONE]

The live high school football experience used to be spending a Friday night dressed in your school colors, eating popcorn and cheering in the bleachers next to the band.

 

Now plopping down on the couch Thursday evening in your pajamas will do.

 

 

The addition of televised Thursday games to Tennessee's high school schedule this year reflects a continued media push for amateur athletics and the desire to give fans a dose of football beyond the weekend.

 

WUXP-30 is airing 11 games this fall on Thursday nights.

 

"Any exposure you can give these kids is a huge plus," said former Nashville Kats Coach Pat Sperduto, who does color commentary for the Thursday games and also on Fridays for CSS, which is in its eighth year of televising games.

 

Stratford's Kemonte Jackson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns last Thursday against Hillsboro. After the game there was just one thing he wanted to do despite losing 42-18.

 

"I was like, 'Where's the tape? Where's the tape?' I wanted to see myself on TV," Jackson said. "My mom called, my grandma called ??¦ even people that I hadn't talked to in a long time called. My dad was most surprised. He didn't know that I could play football like I could until he saw me."

 

Making a decision

High schools do not receive any money for playing a Thursday TV game. However, they revel in the limelight of being the only game in the area.

 

"Near as I could tell, there were not any negatives," said Beech Principal Frank Cardwell, whose school played Hendersonville two weeks ago on Thursday. "Yes, it was a school night. But let's face it. Anybody who thinks high school kids grab a book and bury their heads in it until bedtime is not living in the real world.

 

"We had a pep rally and they filmed parts of it and put it on TV. You shake a camera at the kids and they get excited about it. It was just a really nice, all-day event."

 

Stephen Mann, group manager for WUXP-30, said Thursday games are based on competitive rivalries and the effort to cover as many communities in the station's viewing area as possible. He said some schools have not switched to Thursday because of concerns over a potential loss of gate receipts.

 

It was a no-brainer when schools are as close as Hendersonville and Beech, which are in the same town. It is more of a question when there is some travel involved, like tonight's game where Smyrna plays at Brentwood Academy. The schools are about 25 miles apart.

 

"If we had been traveling very far, we wouldn't have done it because of our fans," said Smyrna Principal Robert Raikes. "It's good for some people and not good for others because they have to get up and go to work the next morning."

 

Making a switch

La Vergne is moving its homecoming festivities and game with McGavock to Thursday, Sept. 25.

 

Hillsboro and Maplewood, whose regular-season meeting has determined the last two Region 5-4A champs, are giving away a day of preparation to play next Thursday.

 

That will serve as Hillsboro's second Thursday game in three weeks and third TV game of the season.

 

"The motivation is strictly exposure," said Hillsboro Coach Scott Blade, whose teams in California regularly played on Thursdays because of sharing fields with other schools. "You're going to find a way to get the important stuff in. It makes you have to work a little harder, with a little more urgency."

 

Mann said the first three Thursday games have been viewed by an average of 11,000 households.

 

"In addition to the game, we run segments on each of the schools participating and talk about academics, activities and achievements beyond the football field," Mann said. "To hear the principals talk about how much this has meant to their schools ??” that's the fun part of this."

 

 

 

ABSOE "######" LOUTLY LOVE IT!I can't get enough high school football here in the midstate and now I can see teams outside my region(but still mid tn)teams play.

[o21putt]

Play HS Football on Friday, college football on Sat., and the NFL on Sunday. By playing every night of the week, it is just anouther part of our lives that the media is controlling. I guess it is better than the govt. controlling us. Come to think of it, most people would not know the difference.