This thread leaves me cold. As someone who played a brass instrument in a marching band on some freezing Thanksgiving morning in the long ago, I wager its worse sitting in the stands than playing the sport. Slapping a metal freezing mouthpiece against your lips isn't a real turn on.
Chances are the date changes had a bit more to do with fans than players, but potential liability for school systems also might be part of it. It is supposed to be a spectator sport so fans do count in decision making. The overall macho view of a few posters, including the OP, way overblows the meaning of football or any sport in the scheme of things IMHO. I've sat through some horrible weather games, rain, snow, hot, cold and wondered if it's really worth it. Scoe and CTFire are probably the guys who rip their shirts off in 0 degree weather.