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Texas fans launch petition for FOX to change kickoff time for Alabama matchup
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Don’t mess with Texas — especially when it comes to kickoff times for the Longhorns.
It’s recently been announced that the Sept. 10 showdown between Texas and Alabama at Darrell K. Royal Stadium in Austin will be part of the FOX Big Noon Kickoff slate. Locally, it will be an 11 a.m. start time.
Texas fans aren’t particularly pleased with that announcement. In fact, there’s now a petition that’s been launched in hopes of getting FOX to alter its kickoff time for this early-season matchup.
Many Longhorn fans are citing the sweltering Texas heat as a reason for the complaints. But because the network has secured its brand as airing some of the biggest games of the season in the noon ET slot it’s unlikely to change.
From the petition:
Fans of both programs planning to attend September’s clash of titans can expect projected highs of 97 degrees Fahrenheit in Austin. Players on the artificial turf at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium can expect field temperatures to exceed 105 degrees. Fans on the eastern half of the stadium facing west can expect the sun to be on them the entire game. Let me repeat that for emphasis. Fans facing west can expect the sun on them THE ENTIRE GAME. The sun won’t go down below the opposite grand stand until the game is over.
The unbearable heat is a legitimate concern for this mid-September clash. Cramps and other injuries could affect both teams throughout the course of the game.
Via the petition, the hope is that FOX will move the game to an evening kickoff. We’ll see if the network changes its mind on a potential time swap for the Texas-Alabama contest.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB