It could become the best thing ever to happen to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football fan.
Emphasis on could.
At least that's the unspoken hope of UTC vice chancellor and athletic director David Blackburn as he and his staff attempt to make the best out of the worst possible luck regarding the Mocs' season opener against Shorter University at Finley Stadium, a game that's now in nearly direct conflict with Tennessee's opener against Appalachian State on Thursday night, Sept. 1.
"We thought we'd dodged everything," Blackburn said of the midwinter decision to move the game from Saturday, Sept. 3, to two days earlier to avoid just such a conflict. "But we didn't."
They didn't because the SEC Network succeeded last week in convincing the Volunteers to move their opener to that same Thursday night at 7:30. Since the Mocs kick off at 7, Blackburn noted, "You could still come to our game and get home to watch the end of the UT game."
And you could. The Mocs surely hope you do, though the FCS program also understands that Tennessee's FBS program still rules the hearts and minds of far more college football fans in these parts than do the Mocs.
"No hard feelings toward Knoxville," said Blackburn, who of course came from there to take the UTC job. "We're just going to have to work a little harder to get the best crowd we can get."
And that's where the gameday experience could become better than ever for Moc Maniacs the region over. Because if UTC's marketing department working harder turns into more fun and enjoyment for not only the Blue and Gold faithful, but also their neighbors and the children they bring with them, Finley could be filled as never before for what just might become the most successful football season in school history.
"We're trying to turn this one into a festive event," Blackburn said of the Shorter game. "Try having as many special things as we can. Try to have some fun."
The possibilities are endless, of course. Inflatables parked between the First Tennessee Pavilion and Finley. A band or two performing. Maybe even a pregame concert. If you're worried about the students showing up, stage a flag football tournament Thursday afternoon. Make it coed. Fraternities, sororities and independents. The two finalists get one eight-minute period at halftime of the Mocs' game with a running clock to win the title, which will include a trophy and Chick-fil-A coupons for the winning team. Call it the Finley Cup and reprise it each year for the most crowd-challenged game.
And then, of course, cap the night off, the first night of a long Labor Day weekend, with a fireworks show, which has long been our city's most reliable marketing tool to draw a crowd.
"We've got our marketing department meeting right now," Blackburn said. "We should have some exciting news regarding the Shorter game over the next week or so."
The purists might argue it shouldn't come to this, enticing crowds with all these extracurricular activities. You think Bama has to go to these lengths to draw a football crowd these days? But UTC isn't Bama, and the truth is that at almost every outpost save a Bama, Notre Dame or Ohio State, winning - unless it's winning every game and always in an entertaining fashion - isn't enough.
Beyond that, the NCAA doesn't allow for Tuesday or Wednesday night games before the opening weekend of the season, which is Sept. 3. And while Blackburn seemed intrigued by moving the opener back to Saturday, the fact that students would be off on Monday - and thus likely home all weekend - pretty much nixed that idea.
As for Friday, there was no way the UTC AD, being the son of a high school football coach, "was going to mess with Friday night football."
Though UTC shouldn't and won't do it, if Finley showed the UT game on its video board, the Mocs almost assuredly would get an attendance jump. What they might consider doing is renting a few large screens for the pavilion to watch the Vols after UTC's game ends, then switch to Vanderbilt/South Carolina after the Big Orange is through putting a big hurt on the Mountaineers. Especially if beer can be sold at that time.
Regardless, this whole scenario clearly stinks for Mocs Nation. As Blackburn said, "We were the first ones to schedule for Thursday night. We thought we'd start this season off with a bang."
Shooting off a few fireworks would provide the obvious bang. Expect the UTC AD and his staff to deliver a few unexpected bangs by the time the season begins 99 days from today.
But what everyone in the city - be they rabid Mocs boosters or parents merely looking for a reasonable entertainment option - should admire and applaud is Blackburn's determination to make lemonade from lemons.
"Hope is not a strategy," he said emphatically. "We've just got to work as hard as we can between now and then to give our fans and this community the best gameday experience possible on September first."
And quite possibly because of that, on all the UTC game days that follow.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.