Colorado head coach Deion Sanders isn’t thrilled about the start time for his Buffaloes’ game against Stanford. The Buffs and the Cardinal will play at 10 p.m. Eastern on Friday night, awaking complaints from Prime on the start time and how he thinks it affects viewers.
“Who makes these 8 o’clock games?” Sanders pondered on the ‘Buffs Primetime’ show this week. “Dumbest thing ever. Stupidest thing ever invented in life. Who wants to stay up until 8 o’clock for a darn game? What about the East Coast? Do they even care about ratings? Is anyone watching it? What are we supposed to do with the kids all day until 8 o’clock? What are we supposed to do in the hotel?”
Granted, Sanders pondering who on the East Coast would stay up for a game is kind of funny. Earlier this season, over 10 million people tuned in to watch Colorado play Colorado State in their annual rivalry tilt. The game started at 10 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. local time in Boulder. But he is one of many who have complained about late start times.
Fox’s Colin Cowherd is not one of them. Cowherd acknowledged Sanders’ criticism but brought Prime, and other detractors, down to earth.
"Deion is upset. The truth is they're getting moved to Friday because he's succeeding. That's why he's on TV."
— @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/IaITFdbNua
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) October 13, 2023
Cowherd’s spiel on the matter can be found below:
“So it was interesting. Everybody likes Dei–well, I shouldn’t say everybody likes Deion Sanders. He has added a great bit of enthusiasm for college football and I think that’s wonderful. So, he’s not a fan of these primetime kickoffs. The Buffaloes will play late into the night, once again tonight, Friday. They host Stanford. Folsom Field’s sold out in Colorado, the students probably love it, but it won’t start until 8 p.m. Mountain Time. He said, quote, ‘Who makes these 8 o’clock games? Dumbest thing ever.
“I prefer high school games on Friday, college games on Saturday, and pro football on Sunday and Monday night. But football is now America’s #1 TV show and frankly it’s not even close. And college football ratings are up 12 percent, they’re gonna be up another 12-15 next year because of USC, Washington, Oregon, UCLA in the conference with Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska. They’re going up, up, up. So you think football dominates TV now? Just wait. It’s the world we live in and I’ve accepted it. I’m not an idealist.
Cowherd explained that, at this point, he believes there’s nothing we can do. For all the bemoaning, some of it very justified, it is true that this is the situation.
“Stop fighting stuff you have no chance to change,” Cowherd said. “Football is changed. It is now driven by networks. Don’t have to love it. It’s… our reality. Friday and Saturdays now, you’re going to have some college football. And here comes the 12-team Playoff and conference realignment. You can tell me you’re never going to watch again. Ratings are truth serum. Ratings up 12 percent this year, add another 12 percent next year.”
Cowherd also said that this wasn’t an insult, in his mind, to Sanders or Colorado. “Deion is upset, but the truth is they’re getting moved to Friday because he’s succeeding,” Cowherd said. “That’s why he’s on TV, ’cause they’re interesting. If they got blown out by 40 points by TCU, would he be happier? Not having people want him on television? It is the reality.”
This is the reality everyone faces, and as time elapses, it becomes clearer that 2024 will look much different. With WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown leaving Fox to go back to USA Network, that’s left the night open. It’s likely that the network will go all in with football and sports, especially while ad rates increase. When they do, they’re moving to this current beat of the drum.
[The Herd]
