NFHS adopts resolution emphasizing Friday nights are for high school football
The NFHS announced on Wednesday that it has adopted a resolution to “re-emphasize that Friday nights in the fall should be reserved for high school football.”
The Federation, which is CHSAA’s parent organization, adopted the resolution during its summer meeting in Providence, R.I. in July. CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green signed the resolution.
It published the resolution for the first time on Wednesday. The resolution reads:
Be it RESOLVED that every Friday night during the fall in America is “High School Football Night.”
Be it FURTHER RESOLVED that college and professional football teams should refrain from scheduling contests on Friday nights. Such restraint would be an investment in their own future success. It would also demonstrate that high school football has value well beyond the field of play. Schools, communities and scholastic teams for girls and boys all benefit when football is strong.
THEREFORE, the National Federation of State High School Associations urges all parties to observe the central premise of this resolution.
According to the NFHS, there are “more than 50 major college football games” that will be played on Friday nights this fall. Locally, that includes the rivalry game between the Colorado and Colorado State, set to be played on Sept. 1 — a Friday — at 6 p.m.
“The value of tradition cannot be understated,” NFHS executive director Bob Gardner said in a statement. “Friday nights offer communities a traditional time and place to congregate and support their students. If a major college football game was scheduled in the area on a Friday night, it could affect attendance at the high school game or cause the game to be moved to another day. In addition, many of the Friday night college games are televised, which could result in lower attendance at high school contests nationwide.
“We believe retaining Friday nights for high school contests is a plus for colleges as well as they reap the benefits of healthy programs at the high school level.”
