Realignment, Alliance, and the Future of College Athletics
- Thread starter cyfan92
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Thoughts on Cowherd's take here? Is CFP going to be more popular in 5 years? What's happening at USC in 12 months? Are they breaking away like the ND AD said the big dogs would?
I didn’t see how college football will be more popular when 30+ schools will get demoted to mid major.
Also nothing sucks more than college football playoffs. You guys excited for next years Alabama Georgia rematch? Yawn.
Cowherd doesn't know ****.
These schools trying to compete with the NFL. NFL needs to crush them. Black Friday game in 2023 good start, but start playing on Saturdays also.
USC/Cowherd thoughts...Gene Smith floating some ideas...are these just people thinking out loud? Or are they given info to throw out there or are they purposely floating ideas hoping for feedback? No idea...but the Gene Smith thoughts might have some push behind them to see what the public is thinking.
- Mar 27, 2006
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It depends. Let's say the top 64 schools officially break away. And as part of that, they agree to only schedule each other. You get more games between teams with larger followings that way. More people are going to tune in to see Michigan State vs Arkansas than Michigan State vs Akron. More eyeballs = more money.
So, it's not that the sport is more popular overall. You might have less people watching college football in total, but it doesn't mean that the top 64 teams will necessarily lose viewers. They may even see an increase. If you're a casual Central Michigan fan, maybe you start following Michigan State? That kind of thing.
Or will people eventually think of it as a "developmental" league for the NFL and pay appropriate attention to such a league? Initially it is/was the appeal of rooting for a team with your school/state's name on the jersey, right? I LOVE baseball but I do not check the box scores of minor league games. I don't ever even think of looking for a "G" league score or schedule in basketball. The further removed "college" football becomes from the on campus, school pride thing...it will eventually get viewed as a "minor" league for the NFL and purely a business. That might make it more appealing for some...but others will certainly lose interest and find other ways to spend their time and money. Not right or wrong...things like that happen.
If the Top 25 so to speak go off in their own division, the sport will become less popular. No one in the Midwest is going to care about the SEC.
And imagine what would happen to a school like Iowa if they sneak into that top league. They will be an absolute whipping boy at that level.
And imagine what would happen to a school like Iowa if they sneak into that top league. They will be an absolute whipping boy at that level.
I am guessing it would have to be almost double that to work...right? So...50 or so teams...Iowa would certainly get in that group and it might find itself in the middle of the pack on good years. But what will be the reward for finishing 25th in a league like that? It won't be the Citrus Bowl or anything like that right? Their fans would not be satisfied in that situation.
At this point, do it blue bloods. Not everyone gets to win 10 games every single year in a 30 team or even 40 team division.
Yep...if it is going to happen...I would rather it be sudden so we don't have to go through this process "wondering" what may happen to teams X, Y and Z. Just rip the band-aid off quickly!
This already happens to a certain extent. If you attend central or western Michigan you certainly cheer for your school but you also tend to also cheer for either sparty or Michigan since they essentially operate at a different level. Your number of 64 is essentially everyone in the power 5 and you could argue it would increase ratings if sparty played a non con schedule full of other P5 schools like Arkansas instead of Youngstown state
I'd love to agree but can't...if given entre to the super-league, every team will have a presumably equal share of the revenue pie, beyond that it's competent management at the AD and HC levels. Pardon the NFL example but there's really no good reason the Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl. They aren't predestined to suck ballz every always. Would be the same with Iowa.
Uhhh, yeah...we're familiar with University of Northern Iowa Purple Hawkeyes fans here. (which is all of them)
That's exactly why I don't think the split happens. Somebody has to go 2-10 and none of those egos can stand that regardless of how big the check they're getting is.
It's the #1 sport almost everywhere in US that doesn't have NFL.
Seems like they are trying to destroy that unique strength rather than lean into it.
Agree. I'd love for the blue bloods to split off and form a semi-pro league. Let the rest of us get back to playing college sports. We'll see which model lasts longer.
64 schools would probably keep most of the current TV audience engaged. Hoever, if you cut that number in half that audience is going to shrink pretty drastically.
