Kickoff For Cincinnati Bearcats vs. ECU Pirates Moved To Thursday Night

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Cincinnati’s inaugural AAC game with the East Carolina Pirates has been moved to Thursday night.

I consider that a massive upgrade. Originally the game was scheduled for the following Saturday with a time and network yet to be determined. Given the recent history of weekend AAC matchups getting the most unpleasant slots, you can bet that the Bearcats and Pirates would have kicked off at noon with the game buried on CBS Sports Net. Not only would viewership be lower than a primetime spot on the Thursday night but fans would have a difficult time making it to the game. The atmosphere at the cavernous Paul Brown Stadium would be even more lackluster as students especially struggle to get out of bed and make the trek downtown.

So I view this as a huge scheduling win for Cincinnati next season. With games downtown and a schedule that won’t excite the casual fan, UC will struggle putting butts in the seats in 2014. Getting the Bearcats and Pirates moved to Thursday night on ESPN 2 will boost attendance and the visibility of the program. Additionally it will improve Cincinnati’s chances of pulling out a victory considering a weeknight game is never easy on the visiting team. UC and ECU will likely be in the thick of the AAC title race next season and this contest could go a long way to determining the league champ.