www.espn.com
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Sadly, I believe you are correct. It won’t surprise me if some players opt out of the 4 “play in” games in next year’s CFP.
Yep the media and money have poisoned the greatness of the bowl season unless we all just think of it as the playoff for the 12 who make it, and the first spring game for those who don't.Smart laments FSU opt-outs after UGA's blowout
Georgia coach Kirby Smart spoke out about the flood of opt-outs and portal entries on teams playing in non-playoff bowl games following his Bulldogs' 60-point blowout of a depleted Florida State squad in Saturday's Orange Bowl.
Yeah I recently thought that but these bowls do offer fans glimpses of the younger kids, against somebody other than their teammates. Its just we have generations of memories when bowls mattered. Don't think for a moment that we watched bowls in the past where kids wished they could have opted out. We would have seen Shane Conlan earlier if some of the upper classman could have done so.It’s “time to move on” WITHOUT non-CFP “Bowls”.. The legal system has destroyed them and will continue to destroy them. So there’s just no sense playing them anymore.
And don’t tell me they are rewards to the “players” for a good season. The “players” now are getting cold hard cash. It’s obvious that the guys that got a team to whatever meaningless Bowl they’re playing in are more concerned about the cash. Not their teammates. So why waste everyone’s time and safety? If the guys that got a team to some meaningless Bowl don’t give a ****, why should anyone else. Remember. “Player safety”
I have long said that the polls should be frozen for the teams not chosen for the CFP so that for this year, starting at 5 through 25, the final results were the results for the last in season poll. You rank 1-4 after the CFP games so that #1 and #2 are easy and the CFP committe’s sole task was ranking final 3-4 teams.
Hard to argue with much of what you write here. It may not be immediate, but interest in non-CFP games will have to wane if the current opt out trend continues. How long will people pay good money to travel to see their team when it's only a shell of the team they followed all year?
For sure. In 1983 Penn State went 7-4-1 in the regular season. We beat Washington in the Aloha Bowl (which no longer exists). I recall many people felt our record wasn't good enough to be bowl worthy. Back then a bowl really was considered to be a reward. Hawaii in December?? Not too bad. By my count, there were 18 bowl games back then, six of which have since folded. The current 40+ bowls simply don't convey the same sense of accomplishment. I'd bet many of the players on non-CFP teams would be happy to call it a season after Thanksgiving weekend.It’s “time to move on” WITHOUT non-CFP “Bowls”.. The legal system has destroyed them and will continue to destroy them. So there’s just no sense playing them anymore.
And don’t tell me they are rewards to the “players” for a good season. The “players” now are getting cold hard cash. It’s obvious that the guys that got a team to whatever meaningless Bowl they’re playing in are more concerned about the cash. Not their teammates. So why waste everyone’s time and safety? If the guys that got a team to some meaningless Bowl don’t give a ****, why should anyone else. Remember. “Player safety”
ESPN, which basically purchased the bowl system so it could have live programming on weekdays in late December.
Yep, it saddens me to think of the damage the @$$hole farm has done to college football. Their pregame show is now unwatchable with the Meatchicken moron, the human corpso and that biker dude. True college fans are better off getting their wife drunk for real insight to the games.
. We are a strong and stubborn breed but at some point opinions will change. Here is a litmus test. Were you happy Ohio State lost? During the season if Ohio State loses, it’s like Christmas. Missouri beating them didn’t mean jack squat. That’s when you know something is different when the joy of Ohio St losing doesn’t register. That wasn’t the Buckeyes we love to hate on that field.
I appreciate your taking the trouble to post this but what else was he going to say?Smart laments FSU opt-outs after UGA's blowout
Georgia coach Kirby Smart spoke out about the flood of opt-outs and portal entries on teams playing in non-playoff bowl games following his Bulldogs' 60-point blowout of a depleted Florida State squad in Saturday's Orange Bowl.
Oh my word, yes! I actually found myself rooting for OSU the other night. I almost feel dirty typing that but that wasn't a fair fight. It felt so weird but you nailed it here!
Since the CFP the polls don't matter at all after the top 4 (Top 12 next yr). Next year don't even rank 13-25. It should just be top 12 and others receiving consideration.
And many of the bowls had no tv viewership either. Yet they keep churning them out.
While i agree with you....problem is deposits and purchase of tickets and hotels is done before any opt-outs are announced. I do not feel all bowls outside CFP will die as many people will still want to cheer their school....but the costs hopefully reduce.
ESPN owns outright almost half of the bowls (17 at last count). They stage them, as another poster suggested, to provide content. They've done the math and, net-net, they make more from doing this than they do when the hours are devoted to talking heads.
To some extent, it has kind of already happened. Micah opted out of the COVID year, content that his draft slotting was already secured. He made the measured decision that the downside of not playing exceeded the upside of playing. I think the next big thing is if the NFL would change their rules on drafting. I don’t think it’s advisable for 18 year old kids to get hit by the equivalent of speeding cars but if given the right talent and physical maturity, I could see at least some kids being high picks before their class can be drafted. Someone like Hershel Walker could have gone earlier.
Not sure what people think will happen when you give all the power to a bunch of 18-22 year old kids. There has to be rules to protect them from themselves.
plus all these extra games means more pre-game shows dedicated to promoting Michigan.
Very spot on ,but I'll add Russell Wilson opened the door with his Grad Transfer , Fields made it a free for all.
I remember when December 31 meant the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl was on. And it was fun to watch along with the others.
My sentiments exactly. When the TV monies end or plummet then the non-playoff bowls will end too. Declining attendance and viewership will precipitate this when many players express no interest in the games. Don't know how soon this will happen but it seems inevitable to me. After the fiasco of opt-outs this year, I won't be tuning in next year. I mean, what's to prevent star players from demanding a huge bonus check to play in a playoff game? There are many twists and turns to come that could make college football uglier than sin. Frankly, I can do without those meaningless games.
I agree. There are very few that I would not have cringed at leaving before the end of year 3 - Hershel, Bo, and Marcus Dupree. Maurice Clarett was a different kind of situation.
As long as they can sell commercial time to the beer companies they will continue to promote the bowl games.
Don't forget the casinos and sports books. They have some money to spend on ads too.
would be interested in the opinion of anyone who works it the ad industry. they sell the ads to the broadcasters who want the "product" from say the BIG. how does this work? is the BIG product for all sports or just football?
