Well, first of all, the contract between ESPN and the ACC is what puts this decision out of the hands of Florida State. ESPN holds a contract with the ACC that allows them to schedule Thursday night ACC games throughout the season. N.C. State happens to be a popular choice to host a Thursday night game each year because their fans seem to appreciate these games a lot and have always had great attendance on Thursday nights. FSU always draws large t.v. audiences so they are a huge boost for ESPN anytime their games are broadcasted. Add those two factors together along with the fact that FSU plays at N.C. State every other year, and it's no wonder why this is the fourth consecutive time these two teams have played a Thursday night game in Raleigh.
So why doesn't Florida State host a Thursday night game?
The last time FSU hosted a Thursday night football game was in 2002 versus Clemson. The university had to cancel classes for two days for "fall break" in order to host this game. Here are the main reasons why a Thursday night game in Tallahassee isn't the best idea.
- Campus must be shut down. There are classrooms and offices inside the stadium so there is no way those would be able to function on a gameday. Also, all of the parking lots surrounding the stadium are used daily by students and faculty. These spots are also used by boosters on gamedays, therefore, there would be a major parking shortage. This is why the university would be forced to take a "fall break" and cancel classes.
- Traveling. Many FSU fans drive 2-6 hours in order to attend football games so a Thursday night game would not be ideal for them. Most fans would have to take time off of work in order to attend the game. In addition to this, a 7:30 game on a Thursday would lead to horrible traffic throughout Tallahassee. Rush hour traffic is hectic enough, just imagine an additional 40,000 vehicles.
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