Friday, May 16, 2014

Primetime Football Returning to PC

During my four years at Presbyterian College I had always hoped that at some point, while I was there, we would find a way to have lights installed at Bailey Memorial Stadium and have a night game. As a huge college football fan, I'd argue that most fans and players prefer night games and the atmosphere it provides, all day tailgating, the excitement of playing under the lights, etc. Prime time games enhances the game day experience for nearly everyone involved. As a die-hard Clemson fan, I have enjoyed our recent success and the reward of having more night games in Death Valley this past season. After yesterday's unexpected news that PC, now my Alma Mater, will install stadium lights provided by Musco Lighting, the game day atmosphere in Clinton on Saturday will should improve greatly. The lights are more energy and cost friendly using 40% less energy. Just as some of the older fans and alumni stressed their opposition to night games and the issues of traveling for Clemson games, I could see some of the PC alum doing the same as a significant amount of fans that attend the game are older alumni. However, I feel this was something that needed to happen and should not only improve attendance and the game day experience, but as well as improve sales and revenue which will be used to help pay for this new project. This addition will also allow more flexibility for kickoff times, which have typically been either 1pm or 2pm throughout my time at PC. Finally, this opens the door of opportunity for playoffs games as well as Thursday night games. YES, THURSDAY NIGHT GAMES IN CLINTON, SC....someone get ESPNU on the phone, NOW! (PC fans and alum will know why this is such a big deal. Don't forget, this is coming from the smallest D1 school in the country with an enrollment right around 1300.)

I remember just earlier this year talking with one of my friends at PC and telling them if I ever won the lottery or became very successful that my first major donation back to PC would be stadium lights...looks like I'll have to change that now. Football is not the only venue that could use some work, though. Additions have been made to Martin Stadium where the Blue Hose soccer teams play, that included a new press box. Old Bailey Stadium, home of the Women's Lacrosse team could also use some work as well as a new scoreboard. Finally, both the PC baseball complex and softball complex could both use the addition of a press box and stadium lights. One of these projects will probably replace my "If I get rich I will donate _____" plan. I can speak from experience that the scoreboard at the PC lacrosse stadium needs to be burned. To the ground. With a ceremony and champagne toast. (I'm not exaggerating...as you are about to find out).


I will never forget one day while working with the Sports Info Department (as I did all four years at PC) we had a home Lax game. About fifteen minutes before the game was supposed to start, our scoreboard malfunctioned and we were forced to keep score and the official game clock on a cell phone, yes a cell phone. Guess who's job it was to do this task....yeah...mine. On top of that, we were short staffed this game so I also had to carry out my original responsibility of tracking participation, penalties and substitutions. As you can probably imagine this was one of the most stressful days in my entire life. If you've ever been to a lax game, you know there is constant yelling from both players and coaches the entire game and maintaining composure and focus while on the sidelines was difficult. I'll never forget my boss telling me after the game that he was worried I was going to leave at halftime and not come back. Of course I stuck it out and finished the game with only one major hiccup where I was forced to blow the horn mid-action due to a mishap with the clock on the phone, which I was unfamiliar with as it belonged to my boss. Needless to say players and coaches were also unhappy and frustrated with the situation, but both showed their appreciation for my work after the game.

To be clear, this is not, by any means, to take a shot at  PC but to show that this addition was much needed. Although stadium lights are not quite 100% necessary as a functioning scoreboard, adding lights was simply something that needed to happen for the PC football program. As we move forward and attempt to become a competitive Division 1 school, we must make sure we have quality facilities. Some of that responsibility and funding will fall on alumni such as myself. I'm thrilled to know that the next time I step foot in Bailey Memorial Stadium it will likely be for a night game...something that hasn't happened at PC since October 27, 1990.


**For the official release of this exciting news check out the PC Athletic Website: GoBlueHose.com and as always feel free to comment and discuss sports with me on twitter @CHallSportsTalk. Thanks for reading, have a great weekend and GO BLUE HOSE! (and Tigers..big regular season series finale this weekend against Boston College at home) 


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