Week 7: Homecoming vs. Idaho State This is the second home game to have a 4 pm kickoff in the heat of the day. The first 4 pm start, against Idaho on September 22, was dictated by Pluto tv and there was nothing the athletic department could do about. The high temperature that day was 92 degrees which was very hot for anyone sitting on the east side with the sun in their eyes too. No one wants to bake in 92 degree heat with no shade with the sun directly in their eyes.
The forecast for the ISU game is sunny with a high of 88 degrees which is 10 degrees above the historical average. So even though the high temperature is predicted to be a few degrees cooler it will still be uncomfortably hot on the east side with the sun impairing the view. Consequently, we'll be seeing fans chasing every bit of shade they can find in the stadium.
Aggie Stadium is a really nice venue but these terrible start times in the heat of the day are detrimental to our attendance. These hotter than average temperatures are likely to continue in the years to come as the climate continues to heat up each year.
The football program is on the rise and we have a legitimate shot at contending for the Big Sky Championship and a possible playoff berth. The team and the fans deserve to play in front of a full house but these awful start times are not helping us get fans in the seats. Scheduling games in the heat of the day needs to end.