Athletic conferences are always on the lookout for improvement to the game day experience. Between getting people in the seats and getting people watching on TV, it can be a hard issue to juggle.

On one hand you want people watching on TV because that means your product has value in the media world. When contracts come up then you will most likely get better deals and more money will come your way. On the other hand, you also want people in the stadium or arena watching the game because of the immediate revenue it bring to the athletic department, university and surrounding communities.

Some teams can pull both off like Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio State. Others like Oregon State, Rutgers, and New Mexico State usually have a hard time doing one of these, let alone both.

Recently the PAC-12 Conference toyed with the idea of having football games start at 9:00am Pacific Standard Time. This would allow their games to be played at noon on the east coast which is where most morning games in the eastern and central time zone start.

These games would be early in the season and would counter the issue of many west coast games starting late at night and not many people watching them across the country. I mean, a 7:00pm kickoff in California would mean 10:00pm in New York. Not that New Yorkers watch much college football. Right Rutgers?

Anyway, it was shelved for this upcoming season but they are leaving open the option for future season. Believe or not, there are schools and fans who are interested in this idea. I am one of them and here are my reasons why the Big Ten Conference should jump on this now. I’m not talking about 11:00am CST which would be 9:00am PST. We already do that.

I am talking about 9:00am CST kickoff here.

Reasons Why the Big Ten Conference Should Start Scheduling Games at 9:00 AM

Morning is the best time of the day

There is nothing better than waking up early and getting head start on life. Starting at 9:00am would mean that most people would have to get up and watch the sunrise. Which, in my opinion, beats out most sunsets. Most fans, myself included, would be driving to Lincoln going east and greeting the day with the utmost respect. The roads to the game would be a lot less congested as the game day crowd would be the only ones on it making things much safer and keeping the state patrol happy.

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Breakfast tailgates are the best tailgates

Breakfast food outside on a crisp fall morning is a great way to start your day. Breakfast burritos, Breakfast Runzas, Quiche, and whatever else is perfect game day fare. Which leads us to...

Morning drinking

In my old age I have become a fan of cocktails in the morning. Doing so lets you have enough time to get it out of your system so when night comes you go to bed sober and you will not feel the effects the next morning. Also, breakfast cocktails and beers are loved by everyone. I mean, everyone loves brunch and bottomless mimosas. At least that’s what I’ve been told. Brunch is usually like a second breakfast for me and mixed drinks aren’t my style but I see the attraction and believe the market is there.

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It’s always great to get things done early

Let’s say Nebraska plays Wisconsin at 9:00am. Game should be done by 12:30pm at the latest. You now have enough time to either tailgate more, watch a lot more games than you normally would have, or go about your day becoming a more productive citizen. I recommend going for a run, hitting the gym, or reading a book. All three can be done while still partaking in college football if you are good at multitasking.

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As the season goes on it gets colder out

A 9:00am start would have the game ending right around the time when the day will be the warmest. Wouldn’t that be nice? Personally, I like the bitter cold and snow games but not everyone does so this could see a happier fan base.

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Now, not every game would be ideal for this. If you live on a campus that just so happens to be hosting College Game Day then it would not work. Or, if you are playing a marquee game such as two top 25 teams playing each other. Might be a bad pick. But, if you are two lesser teams or a big team playing a easy game then this might be an nice option.

So, who is ready for a 9:00am Illinois vs Rutgers or Ohio State vs. Maryland game?

Anyone?

Anyone?