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On Thursday, Gene DeFilippo offered up his thoughts on the new ACC TV deal with ESPN to the Boston Globe's Chad Finn. The new TV deal calls for three Friday night ACC games a year, as well as Thursday nights and Labor Day Monday. We know that Boston College will host at least one Friday night home game a year, but don't be expecting the Eagles to be hosting one of those Thursday night primetime games from now until, well, 2027.
"We'll be the only game on that night, which will be great exposure for us,'' said DeFilippo, who added that BC won't play any home Thursday games. "It could be the Friday before Labor Day or the Friday the week before Thanksgiving. Those are great times to play as well, so we're really excited about that.''
This shouldn't come as a huge surprise but still noteworthy. BC has hosted just three Thursday night home games over the last 10 seasons -- 2011 vs. Florida State, 2006 vs. Virginia Tech and 2002 vs. Virginia Tech -- and the most recent one the program probably wishes it hadn't.
The Eagles have played on the road on Thursday nights much more frequently over the same time period -- five times, but only as recent as the 2007 game against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. That Thursday night game had a much better outcome. BC's other Thursday night ACC games have included at Miami in 2006 (on Thanksgiving) and at Virginia Tech in 2005, as well as non-conference games at Central Michigan (2006) and at Ball State (2004) to start the season.
While I'm hopeful that the program can use Friday night home games to its advantage, I will miss having even the possibility of a Thursday night home game. I know in recent years the NFL, Pac-12 and SEC have all begun to infringe on Thursday night football, but to me, there will always be more cachet and exposure generated by college football games played on Thursdays over Fridays.
I get that BC will still be involved with Thursday night games, but there's something to be said for the buzz generated around campus for a Thursday night home football game. Again, I'm all for making the most of Friday night lights and hope to see BC have as much success on Friday nights as Virginia Tech had on Thursdays (BC-VT 2007 exempted, zing). Then again, 2027 seems like the all-too-distant future at the moment. Perhaps the next Boston College A.D. will reconsider the school's new no Thursday night home game stance and work with the community to make it happen again. All I'm asking for is a couple games over the next 15 years.