What's the deal with State fans NOT showing in Oxford for the Egg bowl?

[R2Dawg]

R2.... if Thanksgiving is the answer. I can respect that and don't blame anyone if that's Their reason. It happens to work for me to go but it's a pain. However the game needs to be moved off a national holiday. For sure.

It is definitely part of it. Had this debate with my kids this week. Getting national exposure all by yourself is pretty good. Competing with Ohio St-Michigan, Iron Bowl, etc. on Sat is tough. I think over the years the MSU brand and OM too has grown because of the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving.

I think we should swap back and forth with Thursday and Friday some as a middle ground.

[BrunswickDawg]

It is definitely part of it. Had this debate with my kids this week. Getting national exposure all by yourself is pretty good. Competing with Ohio St-Michigan, Iron Bowl, etc. on Sat is tough. I think over the years the MSU brand and OM too has grown because of the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving.

I think we should swap back and forth with Thursday and Friday some as a middle ground.

It has definitely helped national exposure being on Thanksgiving. I get a lot of comments here because we are the only game. Most of my friends who aren't State fans always watch it because 1) It's the only game; and 2) it is usually a very entertaining game.
I know it is hard on travel/family plans - I've done the leave family lunch in Atlanta at 12:30 ET to make the 6:00 CT a few times in addition to planning the game as a family trip for the holiday. I think it would be good to alternate 2 years on Thursday, 2 years on Friday. But, if ESPN likes it on Thursday that means it is drawing enough eyeballs that they want us in that slot - and that is a huge thing for us.

ETA: I also grew up going to the Ga/GT Thanksgiving JV game when it was in Atlanta. My uncle had played at GT, and it became a family tradition to go when he was on the team. They did away with the game after '93 -but I went an number of years in the 70s and 80s.