Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is tackling an important issue: The “early” start times of University of Minnesota football games, when due to TV and other scheduling influences they begin at 11 a.m — a time he deems far too early for college kids.
“They talk about the concern about attendance at the Gopher games — they start them at 11 o’clock in the morning,” Dayton said Tuesday in an interview with the Pioneer Press. “I’m going to propose that we pass a law that no (Division I FBS) football game in Minnesota can start before noon.”
Dayton, who with this statement immediately became a hero to college kids everywhere, added that this is something he’s wanted to do for a long time. Again from the Pioneer Press:
I’ve wanted to do this for 10 years,” he said. “I got talked out of it every year I was a (U.S.) senator, then I got talked out of it when I was having to face re-election eventually.”
Dayton easily won re-election in November. And while college students will always welcome an extra few hours of sleep, it’s more likely that the Gophers, who finished 8-4 this season will find more fans getting to the game with their continued improvement in the Big Ten than if they offer them an extra hour or two of sleep.
But that doesn’t mean Dayton’s heart isn’t completely in the right place.
