Many Florida State fans would love nothing better than to play in the Big10 and receive the extra $40 million more per year that Fox pays every Big10 team. But apparently, the state of Ohio is pushing back on the hand that feeds them by seeking legislation to ban noon games in the state, which is in direct conflict with the networks "Big Noon Saturday" programming, and proves the adage "You can't please everyone."
According to Yahoo sports, "The bill comes amidst much consternation among Ohio State fans with the Big Ten’s media rights contract with Fox. The network gets the pick of the conference’s top game every weekend in football season and places its marquee game of the week at noon ET as part of its “Big Noon Saturday” programming. With other top games around the country later in the afternoon and in the evening, Fox has been rewarded with strong ratings in the time slot."
Even though Ohio appears to be looking a gift horse in the mouth, Florida State fans can empathize with the Buckeye fans's disdain for noon kickoffs.
"That (noon) time slot has heavily featured Ohio State. Seven of the Buckeyes’ 12 regular-season games were at noon ET in 2024 and six of those games were at home.'
Think of that counterintuitive programming. We Seminole fans feel the nooner is a punishment for an under-achieving team, yet Fox's analytics lead them to feature their best teams in that time slot.
"Marquee contests vs. Penn State, Indiana and Michigan were all on Fox at noon.The early start times have drawn frustration from fans who attend the games for many reasons, including the inability to tailgate during the day. But Fox is a big reason why Ohio State and other Big Ten teams get so much money per year. It’s hard to see OSU and other Big Ten schools trading less TV money for fewer early kickoffs."
And it's probably 10 degrees cooler at noon in Columbus than it is here in Tallahassee.
During my tenure with Seminole Bosoters, Andy Miller had our interns compile data on the temperature in stadiums for a noon kickoff in the south, the Atlantic Coast and up north. The findings, which included stats on the number of fans who had to be treated with heat-related ailments were very telling. He circulated those findings in an effort to get the networks to minimize the number of noon kickoffs in September in the south on the basis it was a health risk to the fans as well as the players.
His efforts didn't reach the level of a bill being written but I do think the report quantified what all fans feel.
Big 10 seeks to block Fox's love of noon kickoffs
According to Yahoo sports, "The bill comes amidst much consternation among Ohio State fans with the Big Ten’s media rights contract with Fox. The network gets the pick of the conference’s top game every weekend in football season and places its marquee game of the week at noon ET as part of its “Big Noon Saturday” programming. With other top games around the country later in the afternoon and in the evening, Fox has been rewarded with strong ratings in the time slot."
Even though Ohio appears to be looking a gift horse in the mouth, Florida State fans can empathize with the Buckeye fans's disdain for noon kickoffs.
"That (noon) time slot has heavily featured Ohio State. Seven of the Buckeyes’ 12 regular-season games were at noon ET in 2024 and six of those games were at home.'
Think of that counterintuitive programming. We Seminole fans feel the nooner is a punishment for an under-achieving team, yet Fox's analytics lead them to feature their best teams in that time slot.
"Marquee contests vs. Penn State, Indiana and Michigan were all on Fox at noon.The early start times have drawn frustration from fans who attend the games for many reasons, including the inability to tailgate during the day. But Fox is a big reason why Ohio State and other Big Ten teams get so much money per year. It’s hard to see OSU and other Big Ten schools trading less TV money for fewer early kickoffs."
And it's probably 10 degrees cooler at noon in Columbus than it is here in Tallahassee.
During my tenure with Seminole Bosoters, Andy Miller had our interns compile data on the temperature in stadiums for a noon kickoff in the south, the Atlantic Coast and up north. The findings, which included stats on the number of fans who had to be treated with heat-related ailments were very telling. He circulated those findings in an effort to get the networks to minimize the number of noon kickoffs in September in the south on the basis it was a health risk to the fans as well as the players.
His efforts didn't reach the level of a bill being written but I do think the report quantified what all fans feel.
Big 10 seeks to block Fox's love of noon kickoffs
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