Rarely a week goes by without this sort of thing hitting my inbox. 'Why are there so many inconvenient kick-off times? It's all the fault of the television companies. We need more SPL games on a Saturday at 3 o'clock.' And that's just from the football managers!

On a serious note, I should point out that commentators are personally not tasked with scheduling football matches. Nor can I speak for ESPN’s view as a company on this matter. But I realise we are inextricably linked with the decision-making processes in the minds of some, and in this era of social media, an easy point of contact.

Most people understand, I think, that 3 o'clock kick-offs can't be televised in the UK under law, in order to encourage fans to go out and support their local team. At the same time, the majority comprehend that revenue from television represents an important chunk of a team's income. That remains as true in Scotland as it is in Switzerland and Belgium. There's no escaping that.

When discussing this with friends, I've often thrown it back at them, asking them when they would prefer to watch the one or two games of televised SPL football outside the traditional Saturday afternoon window. Rarely does a consensus emerge. Most revert to saying it's just not fair that match times are switched at all.

I have been intrigued by the idea of Friday night football in Scotland for a few years. I first saw it in the Bundesliga in Germany and noticed and felt immediately how everything came to life on a Friday night under the lights. There was an extra energy about the crowd and the occasion seemed to possess that additional bit of grandeur.

If you listen to Bundesliga coaches, you'll hear them discuss the honour of playing on a Friday night with the pressure of the whole nation watching on television.

Last season, Scottish football began to experiment with Friday night matches. The early results were generally encouraging and the pilot scheme has continued this term.

Last Friday, October 5, 2012, the first ever Highland derby in the SPL took place - and it was televised live on ESPN across Britain and Ireland. It was a privilege to be on the microphone for the first top flight meeting of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County and I was happy to say so on air.

There was an electric atmosphere at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, helped considerably, in my view, by the Friday night factor. While the crowd figure was just below capacity, there still were 600 or so more at the ground than attended the Inverness v Celtic match in August.

Now some will say a derby like that should have started at - you've guessed it - 3 o'clock on a Saturday. Maybe it should have for some but there's a bigger picture to all this. That game, due to its kick-off time, was sent around the UK and served as an excellent advert for football in the highlands. I've also received emails this week from viewers in the USA and Canada who thoroughly enjoyed the derby experience and are now keen to sample more Scottish football.

Staging the fixture as a standalone on a Friday night gave it its place and better exposure. Many I spoke to on site, particularly Ross County fans, appeared to embrace the Friday factor.

As we all know, the landscape of football fandom has changed dramatically. There are many young football followers in Scotland who support an English team with as much (or even more) fervour than their local SPL or SFL club. It's one of the realities of trying to compete in what is a British television market.

Rather than just say things should be like they were in the old days, is it not better to tackle them with an open mind?

To me, it's a bit like exploring summer football. Anything that gives the Scottish game its own niche has to be looked at to see if it might actually work. Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. But there's no excuse for sitting back and doing nothing.

ESPN will be televising another Friday evening match later this month, Motherwell v Hibernian from Fir Park. There have been and will be many more Friday night games which won't be televised. This is due to Dundee United and Dundee often being scheduled at home on the same Saturday, given Dundee's late entry into the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this term.

Could Friday night become football night in Scotland? Let's gather the evidence in the months ahead.

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