Black Friday used to be for shopping and leftovers.
Now it’s for shopping, leftovers, and sports.
Lots and lots of sports.
As is customary in the late spring/early summer, Thursday saw multiple networks make announcements regarding start times for the 2024 college football schedule. And this year’s slate will see no shortage of offerings on the day after Thanksgiving, which will include at least 13 FBS matchups, 12 of which will be played on national television, with the other being available on ESPN+.
While college football has maintained a sizable presence on Black Friday in recent years, it’s impossible not to take notice of the increased emphasis on the date on this year’s slate. In particular, the SEC has moved the Egg Bowl rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State from Thanksgiving to a day later, while the Big Ten will increase its presence to include the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe between Wisconsin and Minnesota, in addition to its traditional Black Friday matchup between Iowa and Nebraska.
Additionally, the NFL will host a Black Friday matchup on Amazon’s Prime Video for this second straight season, with this year’s game featuring arguably the league’s biggest draw as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The NFL didn’t ask us our thoughts on them playing on Black Friday, and we understand that they’re going to do what’s best for their business,” Big Ten chief content operating officer Kerry Kenny told The Athletic. “But we’re going to continue to rely on what’s made college football great. That’s tradition. That’s pageantry. That’s matchups that really are generational in nature, and we’re going to continue to make sure that Black Friday is a meaningful experience for our fans and college football fans.”
Looking for something other than — or in addition to — football? You’re in luck. While the NBA previously played regular-season games on Black Friday, it upped the ante last year with a nationally televised In-Season Tournament doubleheader on ESPN. And although the NBA has yet to announce its schedule for next season, a repeat seems likely as college football’s current Black Friday slate doesn’t include any primetime games on the Worldwide Leader.
Add it all up and you have a day that sports aren’t just seemingly trying to avoid, but are now actively targeting.
So what changed?
The most obvious answer is that the increased popularity of online shopping has resulted in more people being at home on Black Friday, and thus, more eyeballs being available. With more people using their computers, mobile phones, and tablets to buy — among other items — computers, mobile phones, and tablets, Black Friday no longer presents the same ratings challenges for networks it did years ago.
Along those lines, it’s worth noting that Nielsen recently expanded its out-of-home tracking beyond the top-44 markets previously used. In essence, if you watch a game at a bar or restaurant — or, in this instance, at your in-laws — there’s now a greater chance of it counting toward the rating, which is notable for popular travel holidays like Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
When you consider the recent trend of holidays being eventized by sports — the NFL and NBA on Christmas Day say “hello” — it’s hardly a surprise that college football, the NFL, and NBA would each stake their claims to Black Friday. Whether you’re out and about or shopping from home, there will certainly be plenty to watch and that’s not a trend that will likely be changing anytime soon.
Now, about those leftovers…
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.