@TPM posted:I did mention that season began later many years ago. They moved it back to February because teams up north complaining that southern programs were already out on field weeks before they were supposed to. That resulted in rules as to when coaches can and cannot work with the team. I don't see why baseball players can't show up earlier on campus during January. Coaches can't recruit then anyway!
The earlier schedule allows northern teams to travel south to play a month before conference play begins. I remember the days of 5 games per week, every week with coaches having concerns that you can't forget that these players are students first. APR #s were not good.
I agree with you on attendance being a moot point. However it's nice to have thousands of fans on your home turf.
The whole thing doesn't matter to me, I don't have a player, I am just confused as to why go backwards, the way I see it. The traveling to find opponents in your division would pose an issue, but no more than it is for northern teams to travel south.
I have sat in the stands with parents of opposing teams, and they and the players love, I mean really love being in Florida, February, March.
I mean seriously, the beach is 3.8 miles away!
I have no dog in the fight either, in fact I was one of those opposing fans on the beach all day before heading to the stadium for opening night. Our program can afford to travel thru March, if I have an excuse to be on a beach in Feb I'll take it every time. I just know that it has become very obvious that most teams cannot and should not be doing that if they want to have a program to come back to the following year.