ESPN has moved the Navy-Pitt game from a Saturday nooner on September October 13, to a September Octobaer 10, Wednesday night prime-time game at 8pm (hat tip to Chris).
“We are pleased and excited that ESPN has provided us with the opportunity to renew the Pitt-Navy series in front of a national television audience,” said Pitt Athletic Director Jeff Long. “Playing the national college football showcase game on Wednesday night allows us to take advantage of an opportunity for national exposure without compromising our desire to not play on Friday nights out of respect for the traditions of Western Pennsylvania high school football.”
“This is a real win-win for us,” Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We’re getting a nationally televised game, which is always great for our program and recruiting. The date change also gives us a week-and-a-half to prepare for two consecutive opponents in October (Navy and Cincinnati) which we hope to use to our advantage.”
The Panthers’ remaining six home games will all be played on Saturdays. Additional television games are expected to be announced in the future.
Obviously this is a huge pain in the ass to those who want to attend, but at least it is early in the season when it is still warm.
Really, I wanted to rip it more, since I have a 2 1/2 hour drive and a mid-week game plays havoc with scheduling and planning. Then I thought about the original date and realized I would have missed it as the game would have fallen right on Rosh Hashana. This actually will break a streak with the moving of the game. It’s the first time at least since I’ve been holding season tickets that a Pitt home game won’t fall on Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur.
Still not sure I’ll make this game, but it’s hard to be as pissed when I definitely would have missed it on it’s originally scheduled day.
Might as well pass along this bit of general weirdness as porn star Joanna Angel talks about being the most observant Jew in the porn industry. I’m really not sure there needs to be a punchline to this.
UPDATE: Strike that, I am pissed since I looked at the date wrong and saw September not October. Yom Kippur falls on the home game with UConn. The streak continues.
Typical Pitt move…no thought at all to the few loyal fans who still buy tickets and follow. I have a 4 hour drive and have to work the next day.
Thanks.