Clemson Coach Urges College Baseball to Push Back Season Start

Erik Bakich argues later start would benefit northern teams, improve attendance and revenue

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Clemson baseball head coach Erik Bakich is calling for college baseball to push back the start of its season, currently in early February. Bakich argues the current schedule forces northern teams to take expensive road trips to warmer climates, while southern teams play most of their home games in February and March when attendance is lower. He believes a later start in March would allow better weather, more ramp-up time to avoid injuries, and higher attendance and revenue when fans are more engaged in the spring.

Why it matters

Bakich's proposal highlights the financial challenges facing college baseball programs, especially those in colder climates, and the desire to grow the sport's national profile by optimizing the schedule for better weather, reduced travel costs, and higher fan engagement.

The details

Bakich says the current college baseball schedule, with opening day around the second week of February, is driven by money rather than competitive equity. Northern teams have to take costly road trips to warmer southern states to start the season, while southern teams play most of their home games in February and March when attendance is lower. Bakich believes pushing the start of the season to early March would save northern teams travel costs and allow southern teams to play more home games when fans are more engaged in the spring.

  • Conference tournaments typically begin in late May.
  • NCAA Regionals, Super Regionals and the College World Series take place in June.

The players

Erik Bakich

The head baseball coach at Clemson University, who has been outspoken about the need to change the college baseball schedule.

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What they’re saying

“Let's not kid ourselves, it's not about weather. Nobody compares about competitive equity. That is not the needle-mover to push the season back. It's 100% about money.”

— Erik Bakich, Clemson Head Baseball Coach (on3.com)

“And then the warm weather schools, the SEC and the ACC, they average playing over half their home games in February and March but their actual attendance is better in April and May. So it just doesn't make sense that when our actual attendance, when people (are) actually showing up and the revenue streams associated with that like alcohol sales and concessions and merch and actual butts in the seats, is better when we're playing less home games but we're stuffing all our home games in February and March.”

— Erik Bakich, Clemson Head Baseball Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

Bakich hopes his proposal will lead to discussions among college baseball coaches and administrators about shifting the start of the season to better align with warmer weather and higher fan engagement in the spring.

The takeaway

Bakich's call to push back the college baseball season highlights the financial realities facing many programs, especially those in colder climates, and the desire to grow the sport's national profile by optimizing the schedule for better weather, reduced travel costs, and higher fan attendance and revenue.