why are some big college meets held on weekdays?

Football games tie up the athletic department staff all day Saturday. It is easier to get trainers and other AD staff available on a weekday than on a Saturday.

Oh, and coaches like their weekends as much as anyone else.

Another consideration, if these meets are hosted on a golf course, it's pretty difficult to get a course to give up a Saturday for their golfers.

OK, I guess I can understand that, but I don't think either Paul Short or Wisconsin are on golf courses. And why would college coaches be any different than high school coaches in needing all their weekends off? There are fewer college meets and the coaches are always with the team at practice on weekends anyway.

It is my impression that the competing teams (i.e., not just the host team) like the Friday schedule.

The Regional (DI) meets are all on Friday this year, and with the move to the NCAA meet to Saturday, this gives an extra day (eight) between 10km races. If the NCAA meet stays on the weekend, look for Regionals to stay on Friday.

I do not see why anyone is missing a Wednesday with this kind of schedule. If you look at soccer, I think it is not uncommon to have games on a weekday, and they play a lot more games than the XC teams run Friday meets. It is probably more of an issue to miss labs than to miss a class, and the schedules at many schools have fewer Friday classes (e.g., MW, TTh).

I know that fans complain that they cannot go to the meets as easily, but that is probably more of an issue for the local crowd; at a meet like Wisconsin/adidas you are probably not talking about many fans traveling to the game and when they do they are those highly committed/family fans. Finally, given college football weekend effects, it is probably a lot easier for teams to get hotel space for Thursday night than Friday night.

no clue wrote:

OK, I guess I can understand that, but I don't think either Paul Short or Wisconsin are on golf courses. And why would college coaches be any different than high school coaches in needing all their weekends off? There are fewer college meets and the coaches are always with the team at practice on weekends anyway.

Paul Short is not on a golf course, but it is around their football stadium. If they have a Saturday football game it would be very impractical to also host a meet on that course.