Dakota Days vs. Hobo Day
Come Saturday, throngs of students, alumni and fans will crowd the bleachers in a burst of South Dakota pride for their Division-I university’s homecoming football game.
In Brookings. And Vermillion. At the same time.
Because this year, Hobo Day and Dakota Days overlap Oct. 5, begging the question: Whose attendance will suffer because of the rivalry?
The University of South Dakota and South Dakota State are already majorly competitive in athletics, academics and Harlem Shake videos, but now, the two schools are going to be vying for the fans with allegiances to both to attend their homecoming festivities. And that means someone is going to end up the loser.
And let’s face it, that loser will be USD. This isn’t a bash on D-Days, but it is just a matter of logistics. For one, SDSU’s game against Southern Illinois stands to be a more competitive match, as USD will be facing a team that has yet to win a game so far this season. Both matches will likely end up in a blowout for the home teams, but USD does not have a good track record for fan retention when they pull ahead early in a match.
When it comes to the weekend homecoming activities — which will draw the most alumni back to campus – SDSU has a more concentrated effort. Hobo Day is not a week-long smorgasbord of events like D-Days, but plans events for students, alumni, etc. in a two-day timespan. That way, by the time the homecoming game begins, people aren’t already exhausted by a week of random events that led to late-night benders.
And — this should be no surprise to anyone in the state – SDSU fans are, well, loyal. When you go to a game at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, the sea of blue that awaits visiting teams is intimidating. Come halftime at the DakotaDome, the student section has cleared out, as the sidewalks are full of fans making their way to local bars for the game day drink specials.
Not to be a total downer during D-Days, which has some great events to look forward to – ‘Yotes Got Talent, anyone – but it seems unwise of the university to settle on the same weekend as SDSU’s homecoming for D-Days.
According to USD’s Student Life staff, the D-Days date decision is ultimately made by athletics, though it is considered “a joint decision” between Student Life and the athletic department. So, did no one make an attempt to look at SDSU’s calendar?
This homecoming conflict isn’t the only one this year. Black Hills State University and Northern State University have clashing homecomings as well.
Maintaining tradition by holding D-Days during the first week of October seems to be the typical answer by athletics for the overlap, but USD has a home game the week after against Indiana State. So, why not move D-Days to a week without the Hobo Day conflict?
Could it be because Indiana State (1-2) would actually require USD to play competitively for their homecoming win?
No matter the explanation, it’s clear the decision to plan D-Days needs to be made with certain Jackrabbit considerations in mind.
