Annie No. 1 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Hope it doesn't come to this, but it's possible. College Football’s Sad Last Dance NYMAG.COM Enjoy one final season before everything turns upside down. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 2 Share Posted August 25, 2023 On 8/25/2023 at 4:18 PM, Annie said: Hope it doesn't come to this, but it's possible. College Football’s Sad Last Dance NYMAG.COM Enjoy one final season before everything turns upside down. Thank you, Annie, for the great but gloomy post. The author is in error. The Playoff in 2024/25 already has a media deal with ESPN. ESPN agreed to the field going to 12 and is accordingly, coming with more money although not close to what the 2026 playoff will earn when media rights come up for open bidding. The platform will be different with linear broadcasts replaced by streaming broadcasts but why the fear of transitioning from linear to streaming? The same type of fears were expressed when TV took over from radio. From games shown on black and white TV and the constant fiddling with rabbit ears on TV tops, today we have games broadcast in HD, more than one guy in the booth, between game coverage that once only existed in local newspapers, a bevy of games throughout the week and not simply one college and one pro game, broadcast on the weekend. The money will not be going away, it will increase but it will be parsed differently. The existential threat to a number of programs giving up football comes not from media converting to streaming and the search for more media dollars but from the federal government, state governments, and plaintiffs in courts of law doing all in their power to have student-athletes deemed to be athlete-employees. When, not if this happens, many universities will consider, like the Ivy League and D3, not awarding athletic scholarships. Many schools will find that the game and the expense associated with fielding teams, will not be worth the candle. Cassandra was not afraid to view the future, she was afraid of people, including fellow citizens of Troy, ignoring her foresight and warnings. IMO, the author's angst is way over the top. It's a view from the past that millions of young people cannot reference. Sports will consolidate because, in every business, size goes to size. Thus be it ever. Or at least as far as a mere mortal such as I can understand 'ever.' 1 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryProf No. 3 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Jon, for what it's worth, I think those are wise words. I don't like them, but they are wise. I've spent quite a few number of years learning that personal preference and reality are two different things..... and that life is more workable when we let go of preferences and find the best ways we can to deal with reality. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Haulin No. 4 Share Posted August 25, 2023 On 8/25/2023 at 4:19 PM, CountryProf said: Jon, for what it's worth, I think those are wise words. I don't like them, but they are wise. I've spent quite a few number of years learning that personal preference and reality are two different things..... and that life is more workable when we let go of preferences and find the best ways we can to deal with reality. And when that doesn't work... shots! 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 5 Share Posted August 26, 2023 On 8/25/2023 at 4:47 PM, Log Haulin said: And when that doesn't work... 1 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 6 Share Posted August 26, 2023 This line stood out to me... "The reason conferences are grasping at every dollar right now is the understanding that, moving forward, there will be fewer dollars available. " Then the article goes on to say that the media companies are losing revenue so they can't payout as much. Which has some truth in it... BUT the bigger culprit here is that those media companies are intentionally paying the B1G and SEC way more than other conferences to speed the collapse. The ACC is left chasing B1G and SEC money and they'll never be paid that much. The pac chased it and died because of it. Those media companies absolutely have the money to pay every conference and every power school a reasonable payout that would keep the sport around. I've mentioned it in several articles recently and I'll do so again ... Out of the pac-12, there are 4 teams that will receive B1G dollars (60-70 mil) and there are 4 teams that will receive Big 12 dollars (30 mil). Cal and Stanford may be getting ACC dollars... Which all means that these schools are getting the money but there was no desire to keep the pac-12 alive. ESPN gave one bid and walked away without even trying to make a deal. Fox never wanted to make a deal. These media companies have set up college sports to fit their model and not the model for the fans or for the schools. The end of the era is coming... But it coming because two media companies want it and no one else. How Fox and ESPN Dismantled the Pac-12 FISHDUCK.COM FOX and Disney/ESPN control virtually all of college sports. The Pac-12 has failed to make a deal with either of... The ACC Is Next on the Chopping Block for Conference Realignment FISHDUCK.COM Last year I wrote an article about the Coming College Football Schism where there will be two conferences... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 7 Share Posted August 26, 2023 I absolutely loved the target article for this thread. and have many of the same points, here and elsewhere, over the past several months. What I loved most, traditions and rivalries, have become an afterthought to the almighty dollar, and a depressing number of fans seem just fine with this. i probably will not live long enough to see the grim forecasts of the target article play out in full, and like Annie, I hope that they do not. But neither am I as confident as Jon J. about the future and can even imagine the day when a bright Saturday might be better spent steelhead, salmon, or trout fishing that watching minor league NFL football. Sorry to be Gloomy Gus tonight, but dammit . I do kinda believe that this is the last year for the game that we've all known and loved. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike West No. 8 Share Posted August 26, 2023 On 8/25/2023 at 9:56 PM, David Marsh said: This line stood out to me... "The reason conferences are grasping at every dollar right now is the understanding that, moving forward, there will be fewer dollars available. " Then the article goes on to say that the media companies are losing revenue so they can't payout as much. Which has some truth in it... BUT the bigger culprit here is that those media companies are intentionally paying the B1G and SEC way more than other conferences to speed the collapse. The ACC is left chasing B1G and SEC money and they'll never be paid that much. The pac chased it and died because of it. Those media companies absolutely have the money to pay every conference and every power school a reasonable payout that would keep the sport around. I've mentioned it in several articles recently and I'll do so again ... Out of the pac-12, there are 4 teams that will receive B1G dollars (60-70 mil) and there are 4 teams that will receive Big 12 dollars (30 mil). Cal and Stanford may be getting ACC dollars... Which all means that these schools are getting the money but there was no desire to keep the pac-12 alive. ESPN gave one bid and walked away without even trying to make a deal. Fox never wanted to make a deal. These media companies have set up college sports to fit their model and not the model for the fans or for the schools. The end of the era is coming... But it coming because two media companies want it and no one else. How Fox and ESPN Dismantled the Pac-12 FISHDUCK.COM FOX and Disney/ESPN control virtually all of college sports. The Pac-12 has failed to make a deal with either of... The ACC Is Next on the Chopping Block for Conference Realignment FISHDUCK.COM Last year I wrote an article about the Coming College Football Schism where there will be two conferences... I agree the Media Companies facilitated this. I do believe, however, that the PAC12 was no longer a viable conference once the Presidents declared war on football and basketball. Two media deals the conference rejected guaranteeing their future. The past few years...NOBODY watching the conference around the country. Would you risk 30 to 50 Million Dollars a year on a conference that can't garner 20 million plus eyeballs a week WITH USC in the Conference? I know I wouldn't. The networks made a move to get eyeballs on teams that people watch. I believe the 4 corner schools are going to get far more viewers in the Big12 than they will get this year-a year when the conference will probably net a CFP berth. The PAC12 Title game is on Friday for crying out loud. That says so much. A Power 5 conference cannot compete for eyeballs with their respective P5 counterparts. The ratings even support that. After getting home for work, PAC12 fans- and we're talking 33 Million Californians, 7 Million Washingtonians, 4 Million Oregonians, 5 Million Coloradans, 7 Million Arizonians, and 3.5 Million Utah residents-in other words 60 Million Residents, AND PAC12 after dark viewers around the rest of the country (who are already at home for the 8pm start) do not watch that game more than the games the following morning, afternoon and evening. USC played Utah for the title game. Florida-Utah garnered as many eyeballs last September. That is not a recipe for requesting 30 million plus a year. That tells me the South watched the game in September, and didn't care in November-despite USC being on the cusp of a playoff berth. In what world does a TV network lose money paying teams that aren't in demand (well, we actually know the answer to that question- North Korea, and Cuba to name a couple). Businesses invest money in money makers. The PAC12 is more valuable separate than together. And as "Crystal Ball John"-my favorite college football analyst on this forum (the one and only Jon Joseph)-stated: expenses are going to rise steeply once the players start getting paid for their services as they have been requesting seriously the past ten years (I believe this trend started when the players sued EA Sports and the NCAA for their NIL rights-it was Pandora's Box opening in my opinion). No one wants to admit this sport is a business. It isn't amateur athletics. Hasn't been since the blue bloods sued for their TV rights. It's been about power and money for a very long time. Thank Good Gosh for Title IX, and it was definitely a pleasure to see all state football players that wouldn't see the national stage get TV exposure for being excellent in their little corner of the world (the G5 athletes). I will miss that once that trend begins. I sure hope softball, women's basketball, volleyball and the Olympic Sports still get exposure, but I have my doubts. That is something to lament in my mind. I sure didn't hear anything about the sad state of the PAC12 and the regionality of sports until the conference died. That says a whole bunch to me. As in, it didn't matter until it mattered. We sure take for granted things we think we deem precious in this country, until it's too late. Cognitive Dissonance is as guilty as those greedy networks if you ask me. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 9 Share Posted August 26, 2023 (edited) On 8/26/2023 at 12:56 AM, David Marsh said: This line stood out to me... "The reason conferences are grasping at every dollar right now is the understanding that, moving forward, there will be fewer dollars available. " Then the article goes on to say that the media companies are losing revenue so they can't payout as much. Which has some truth in it... BUT the bigger culprit here is that those media companies are intentionally paying the B1G and SEC way more than other conferences to speed the collapse. The ACC is left chasing B1G and SEC money and they'll never be paid that much. The pac chased it and died because of it. Those media companies absolutely have the money to pay every conference and every power school a reasonable payout that would keep the sport around. I've mentioned it in several articles recently and I'll do so again ... Out of the pac-12, there are 4 teams that will receive B1G dollars (60-70 mil) and there are 4 teams that will receive Big 12 dollars (30 mil). Cal and Stanford may be getting ACC dollars... Which all means that these schools are getting the money but there was no desire to keep the pac-12 alive. ESPN gave one bid and walked away without even trying to make a deal. Fox never wanted to make a deal. These media companies have set up college sports to fit their model and not the model for the fans or for the schools. The end of the era is coming... But it coming because two media companies want it and no one else. How Fox and ESPN Dismantled the Pac-12 FISHDUCK.COM FOX and Disney/ESPN control virtually all of college sports. The Pac-12 has failed to make a deal with either of... The ACC Is Next on the Chopping Block for Conference Realignment FISHDUCK.COM Last year I wrote an article about the Coming College Football Schism where there will be two conferences... But you can't fix stupid. Why would ESPN up the ACC ante when it has a deal through 2036? 2036! Why did the ACC enable Notre Dame to stay independent with a football scheduling agreement and not insist that the Irish come all in and bring the football $ along with it? After the B1G's goofy Legends and Leaders Divisions mercifully went away, why continue with Atlantic and Coastal Divisions (thankfully now gone,) when most CFB fans hadn't a clue about which teams were in which divisions? These are all Larry-Like moves. This is a conference that swapped national contenders. First FSU and then Clemson with no other teams able to step up. A lot of little fish are being carried by one big fish. Clemson and FSU have broken the code and want out. ACC football viewership rankings in 2022: 10. Clemson/ 15. FSU/ 43. NC State (by comparison, Wazzu came in at 41.) / 46. UNC/ 48. Syracuse/ 49. Georgia Tech/ 56. Pitt/ 59. Miami/ 60. Wake Forest/ 62. Louisville/ 68. BC/ 75. Va Tech/ 78. UVA. Where's the media value here? ESPN and Fox are not charitable organizations. Why step up with more money to save the ACC and pay more for BC vs. UVA games? Like the Pac-12, the ACC is reaping what it sowed. Even with all of this the ACC, because of the network owned and operated by ESPN, finished 3rd in 2022 conference per member revenue distributions. CFB and Men's CBB are big businesses. Decades ago the leaders of the respective conferences could have shunned the money in favor of academics and student welfare. Could have continued to play 10 football games a year. Could have passed on the need for a CFB One True Champion. Could have stopped the expansion of the CBB and other post-season tournaments. The Ivy League passed on the money. The other powers-that-be went all-in for the money. When you sell your soul ...? Edited August 26, 2023 by Jon Joseph Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
