Texas Tech University’s announcement of two Thursday football games this upcoming season has sparked a debate between local business owners and fans about whether the schedule change is beneficial or harmful.
According to the Texas Tech Athletics’ website, the Thursday games will benefit Texas Tech and the Lubbock community by increasing national exposure.
The Big 12 Conference and Tech’s television partners, FOX and ESPN, made the schedule change, according to the Texas Tech Athletics’ website.
According to the Texas Tech football schedule, the first Thursday game will be at Jones AT&T Stadium on Sept. 12, against TCU. The second Thursday game will be held in Austin on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, against the University of Texas.
The exact times of the two Thursday games have not yet been announced.
Brandi Taylor, assistant manager at Red Raider Outfitters, said she is relying on the change in schedule and the installment of Kliff Kingsbury as the head coach to benefit local businesses and attendance.
“We’re still anticipating more business than even a typical Saturday game day,” Taylor said, “especially if Kingsbury’s career goes the way people are expecting.”
Taylor said she thinks students and fans will arrange their schedule so they can attend the Thursday games.
Taylor said she is anticipating that the fans who cannot attend the Thursday football games will still want to buy the merchandize, therefore, there will be an increase of online orders on the Red Raider Outfitters website.
Taylor said parking is the only concern she has for the Thursday game, but parking is always a problem during the football season, she added.
Kyle Gabbert, a graduate accounting student from Aledo, Texas, said he is concerned about how the Thursday game will affect parking and tailgating.
“I mean, parking sucks already, so I don’t understand how people will be able to tailgate in parking lots that are full with students’ cars,” Gabbert said, “and how teachers and staff will be able to park on campus.”
Gabbert said he believes the schedule change is inconvenient, but that students will probably skip class so they can go to the game.
Stacy Moncibaiz, marketing coordinator of Texas Tech Parking Services, said the plan that parking services is drafting is confidential, but their goal is to accommodate everyone and keep everyone safe.
“We’re going to be balancing the needs of our faculty, staff and students who are here working that day with the different fans that will be coming to the football game,” Moncibaiz said.
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