So, what is a minor league system, other than professional? That IS where this is all heading, whether you or I like it. The real question is, when it is apparent, what will we do? Will we cuss and throw a fit but continue to do what we have always done or will we leave it and never come back? That IS the $64M question.
No one knows but I imagine there will be a bunch of people that become so indifferent that they find something else to do, a bunch of people that will still watch but losses won't ruin a weekend (and wins won't feel as satisfying) and a bunch that will still follow it just as passionately.
Yes I've been wondering myself what the value proposition is for new fans. It's professional sports with second tier athletes, not associated with the schools in anything other than branding. Why would future students care? It's not really a college football program and the players aren't students. Not to mention CFB is already struggling with younger people. Where will the fan base come from in 25 years?
The scrool part is mostly a ruse now. How long before that’s not even required? The rosters are getting completely shuffled every year now, you need a new program every 6 months to even know who’s on the team. Some of your best players bolt to another team just because they get a better $$$$ offer. For the longest time we rooted more for the players, wearing our schools jersey. Now it seems we’re quickly heading to more just rooting for the jersey. That will not be nearly as much fun, to me.
SD said no for decades and sent the chargers packing. They aren’t Cleveland. They have other fish to fry.
I think we all get that it’s about revenue, not necessarily TV ratings but eyes on screens (TV and streaming which will take a greater share going forward) and butts in the bleachers. There will definitely be teams that get left out, I just don’t believe Auburn is getting passed over for NC State or Virginia.
I think you are missing a huge piece to the puzzle. People in the NE don't care about college football nearly as much as those in the SEC areas. Those that do don't have a local team to root for anyways so they latch onto the new hotness (See CU a couple months ago). If local TV markets were the driving force, Boston College would dominate the ACC and Northwestern would be a powerhouse in the BIG 10.
I left the NFL a few years back. Politics and salaries ruined it rather quickly for me. I haven’t watched half of a game in several years. I loved UF football. I was never a college football fan like the NFL but Gator FB was king. I am losing that too now. I am watching this mess with my hand over my face but with fingers split a little. Like a wreck you know is coming. I hate it but I know there is so much more out there to do with my time that doesn’t require me to feel like I do. This is already ruined and it has just begun. New hobbies await. I will keep watching with hand on eyes just hoping. For a bit.
Will Miles on his Read and Reaction episode just discussed this as well. He expects a lot of the same things I do. Eventually there will be a NFL Lite structure with power schools collectively bargaining with a players union. It's just a matter of when.
Something will have to break to bring the athletes to the table. Right now they have no reason to negotiate a cba. I don’t see the schools locking them out to force them to the table. I don’t know that that would even work, as the NIL deals are all third party and aren’t allowed to force the kids to any particular school, so schools locking them out may not even affect NIL money. I thought you would have seen some of the big NIL offers dry up with all the money being wasted on kids who don’t play and/or transfer, but so far the money still seems to be going up. What’s going to force them to the table?
One of the most joyous athletes to play a sport ever. Loved watching that guy hit a baseball. Unreal baseball player.
I think it’s the other way around. Ohio state is talking about 13 million. The nfl pays 51% of all money generated to the players. 13 million is peanuts compared to what’s being generated. If the players ever get half, we are talking way more money.
USC and ucla fanbases are nothing like sec fanbases. I’ve heard that Ohio state and Michigan have a similar thing going on up there but sec is bigger than nfl in certain regions. Pensacola has their Saints fans for sure but Bama, FSU, Florida ,LSU and Auburn is a bigger deal here. Going to a bar for a Saints game isn’t nearly as big a deal as Florida/ FSU or Bama/ Auburn.
