EDITORIAL: Fired up on a Tuesday
As if nothing stranger could have occurred during a football game on a Tuesday, the Central Michigan University Marching Chips and cheerleadering squad is in the national spotlight after a referee stopped the game because of their loud cheering.
Leading 21-17 in the third quarter, Toledo drove deep into CMU territory. Marching inside the 10-yard line, it looked like the Rockets would add another touchdown to their lead, but CMU's cheerleaders positioned in the back of the end zone made enough noise for a referee to announce a warning to the CMU band and cheerleaders for making too much noise and "interfering with the snap." Kelly/Shorts Stadium came to life after the call, leading Toledo kicker Jameson Vest to blow a chip shot field goal that would have given the Rockets a seven-point lead.
For years, the Mid-American Conference has tried to grab a piece of the massive college football media rights pie with an ESPN2 broadcast of Tuesday and Wednesday night games in November. The move has created some awkward scheduling for students and fans, but the conference has benefitted from exposing their games to a larger audience they previously would not have been able to access.
TV coverage consisted of either rabid Toledo fans or half-empty stadium seats in the first half, when the Rockets led by three touchdowns. After CMU attempted to mount a comeback, the crowd became more animated and a national audience saw how Chippewa fans could have an impact on the game.
Since the call was made, the conference has issued a statement, condemning the official for not making the correct call. Regardless, CMU athletics is back in the spotlight, and in the following days social media and other national media outlets like SBNation, ESPN and USA Today Sports are taking note of the football culture in Mount Pleasant.
Conference officials, including MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, have said this exposure is critical in boosting the national profile of the MAC's top teams. Each game on ESPN provides commercial slots for both participating institutions on the broadcast, and is helpful in recruiting and marketing.
It's not often that such a large audience is paying attention to a small mid-major school in the heart of Michigan. Non-fans will remember CMU for incidents like and this other times the Chippewas went "viral," like the video of players reacting to news that they would play in the Popeye's Bahamas Bowl.
In this case, CMU was able to capitalize on the spotlight of "MACtion" in an important game against a conference rival.
