Football fans will get their fix of meaningless preseason football earlier than anticipated next season. The NFL has decided to move the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton to Thursday night. The game itself has previously been held on Sunday, the day after the newest members of the Hall of Fame were enshrined.
“On Friday, the Hall will honor the Class of 2017 during the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. Then on Saturday, Aug. 5, the Class of 2017 will be formally enshrined into the Hall of Fame during a nationally televised ceremony at the stadium,” the NFL media report read. “Sunday’s festivities will include the Enshrinees’ Roundtable and the annual Concert for Legends.”
The NFL has yet to announce what two teams will take part in the game. That won’t come until the Class of 2017 is announced during Super Bowl weekend in February.
Though, with former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson and wide receiver Terrell Owens acting as semi-finalists, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cowboys play in the game.
As it stands, NFL fans have become accustomed to horrible Thursday Night Football games over the past two seasons. That won’t change in Canton when early August comes calling.
At the very least, this move makes it more about the Hall of Famers themselves when the weekend festivities take place. That’s not a bad thing.