NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 02: Business magnate Donald Trump and wife Melania Trump attend the Limited Edition Marchesa/NFL Collaboration Launch at National Football League on October 2, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
By Sean Keeley on

Donald Trump is very unhappy that the upcoming U.S. Presidential debates have been scheduled for dates that also happen to coincide with NFL games. He’s unhappy with opponent Hillary Clinton but the truth is that both entities scheduled those events long ago.

The first debate is scheduled for September 26 and will go head-to-head with a Monday Night Football showdown between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. Then, the October 9 debate will be up against a Sunday Night Football game between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.

A debate between the Vice-President candidates is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4 and a third debate between Trump and Clinton will be held on Wednesday, October 19. All debates will be televised live between 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.

There are many other sports going on between September and the election in November, so surely there are other conflicts out there. Perhaps none of them will draw away the kind of interest and audience that the NFL can, but it’s possible that voters in certain battleground states (Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin) will have their attention span put to the test.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 18: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Cultural Ambassador Kareem Abdul Jabbar at the State Department January 18, 2012 in Washington, DC. According to the State Department, Jabbar, a National Basketball Association superstar and hall of fame player, “will lead conversations with young people on the importance of education, social and racial tolerance, cultural understanding, and using sports as a means of empowerment.” (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

National Basketball Association

The regular season will begin on October 25, 2016. No conflicts.

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 06: A fan in a Donald Trump mask attends the game between the New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on May 06, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

National Hockey League

Monday, September 26: No conflicts.

Tuesday, October 4: No conflicts.

Sunday, October 9: No conflicts.

Wednesday, October 19: Two games on the docket, but only one involving American teams. The Detroit Red Wings takes on the New York Rangers starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.

BRONX, NY – OCTOBER 15: Donald Trump talks with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani while current mayor Michael Bloomberg (far right) eats popcorn before the start of game 6 of the American League Championship Series between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox on October 15, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Major League Baseball

Monday, September 26: A pretty full day for MLB with ten games happening at some point during the debate. Battleground state teams in play include the Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Tuesday, October 4: Good timing as the regular season will have ended and the playoffs won’t begin until Thursday (unless there needs to be a play-in game, which would be played Wednesday).

Sunday, October 9: Game One of the NLDS and Game Two of the ALDS are both scheduled and we can assume one of them will be on during the debate.

Wednesday, October 19: Game Three of the ALCS is scheduled for today and will likely coincide with the debate.

IOWA CITY, IA – JANUARY 26: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stands with football players from the University of Iowa as they present him with a football jersey during a campaign event at the University of Iowa on January 26, 2016 in Iowa City, Iowa. Trump continues his quest to become the Republican presidential nominee. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

NCAA Football (FBS)

Monday, September 26: No conflict.

Tuesday, October 4: No conflict.

Sunday, October 9: No conflict.

Wednesday, October 19: No conflict.

LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 13: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reacts as a shot from a youth soccer player goes wide of the goal as she plays goaltender at the Las Vegas Indoor Sports Center on February 13, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Clinton is challenging Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination ahead of Nevada’s Feb. 20 Democratic caucus. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Major League Soccer

Monday, September 26: No conflicts.

Tuesday, October 4: No conflicts

Sunday, October 9: No conflicts

Wednesday, October 19: There are two 2016/17 CONCACAF Champions League games that evening involving MLS teams. Sporting Kansas City plays Central FC while the Portland Timbers take on Deportivo Saprissa.

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About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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