are fcs playoffs better than obscure bowls?

[pbr1893]

congrats to ndsu...no doubt you now have fans wanting to move up to the next level of competition...so this goes out to your fans and all fcs fans...seeing that any team that moves up would only get an invite to a lower level conference in fbs land and thus not even get a shot at fbs playoff system...would you rather play for a run at a true championship...or a trip to idaho or new mexico or shreveport for an obscure "insert your company name here" bowl? remember...the bcs will probably only include 4-6 higher echelon conferences in any attempt at a playoff system and my thinking is that those conferences already have their memberships sewn up tight...leaving most of us to never sniff an actual championship. thoughts?

[cbarrier90]

There were close to 50000 people in New Orleans for the R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Like the FCS Championship, that game had a "home" team in UL-Lafayette.

[Saint3333]

congrats to ndsu...no doubt you now have fans wanting to move up to the next level of competition...so this goes out to your fans and all fcs fans...seeing that any team that moves up would only get an invite to a lower level conference in fbs land and thus not even get a shot at fbs playoff system...would you rather play for a run at a true championship...or a trip to idaho or new mexico or shreveport for an obscure "insert your company name here" bowl? remember...the bcs will probably only include 4-6 higher echelon conferences in any attempt at a playoff system and my thinking is that those conferences already have their memberships sewn up tight...leaving most of us to never sniff an actual championship. thoughts?

It would be nice to play in a game that was discussed preface and not delayed due to a regular season basketball game.

Moving to the FBS is about the regular season everyone knows that.

[Hammerhead]

Don't most schools lose money in the lower tier of bowl games since each team is forced to buy tens of thousands of tickets and end up eating many of them?

[kalm]

Yes and it's not even close.

1) Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football? Making deep playoff runs means you are talking about and anticipating football games with new opponents for an extra month. With a minor bowl game you get one opponent to anticipate and that game may be in mid December.

2) With a couple of rare exceptions, you don't get to host a bowl game. Tailgating and watching 6 home playoff games over the years has been an absolute blast. For those teams lucky enough to host games, it's also an economic win for the local community.

3) The bowl game is relatively meaningless when compared to the opportunity to go out a champion.

I feel sorry for any FCS programs that move up.

[Ivytalk]

xsmiley_wixxsmiley_wix
Yes and it's not even close.

1) Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football? Making deep playoff runs means you are talking about and anticipating football games with new opponents for an extra month. With a minor bowl game you get one opponent to anticipate and that game may be in

mid December.

2) With a couple of rare exceptions, you don't get to host a bowl game. Tailgating and watching 6 home playoff games over the years has been an absolute blast. For those teams lucky enough to host games, it's also an economic win for the local community.



3) The bowl game is relatively meaningless when compared to the opportunity to go out a champion.

I feel sorry for any FCS programs that move up.

Well said. And you can take that to the bank!

[bisonranch]

Screw the pointless discount store kitty litter bowl. The fcs playoffs are much better. if the NC$$ wasn't into eploiting atheletes for money few of these bowls would actually happen anyway.

[Big Dawg]

It would be much better if ESPN actually marketed the game...

[unknown3]

Screw the pointless discount store kitty litter bowl. The fcs playoffs are much better. if the NC$$ wasn't into eploiting atheletes for money few of these bowls would actually happen anyway.

Im pretty sure everyone other than fcs fans would disagree. And i'm sure if ratings were compared from the fcs championship game to any of the bowl games this wouldnt even be worth discussing. This is like asking Bears fans do they think they have a better operation than the Vikings, the responses will be obvious. Ask this in a neutral location and see what responses you get.

[westdakotabison]

I like the playoff system better. If ESPN promoted the playoffs as much as they promote the minor bowl games the rating would rise and probably beat some of the smaller bowl games.

[DFW HOYA]

Yes and it's not even close.

1) Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football? Making deep playoff runs means you are talking about and anticipating football games with new opponents for an extra month. With a minor bowl game you get one opponent to anticipate and that game may be in mid December.

2) With a couple of rare exceptions, you don't get to host a bowl game. Tailgating and watching 6 home playoff games over the years has been an absolute blast. For those teams lucky enough to host games, it's also an economic win for the local community.

3) The bowl game is relatively meaningless when compared to the opportunity to go out a champion.

I feel sorry for any FCS programs that move up.

Disagree, and it's not even close.

1) "Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football?" That is, if you're among the 20 of 124 teams so deigned as playoff-worthy--and if you're not a directional school or someone with "State" in the title, your odds on the playoffs become even smaller. In I-A, half the subdivision gets a post season game. A waste of time and money? Sure is, but that's 33 teams that end the season on a winning note. Putting "TaxSlayer.com Bowl Champs" in front of the recruit still beats "First Round Playoff Winner".

2) "With a couple of rare exceptions, you don't get to host a bowl game. Tailgating and watching 6 home playoff games over the years has been an absolute blast." Bowls are increasingly regional, so if a team isn't hosting a game, the lower tier bowls are awfully close to a home crowd (e.g., Duke in the Belk Bowl, Vanderbilt in the Music City, Texas in the Alamo, etc.). And congratulations to hosting six playoff games. 95% of I-AA schools will never, ever be as fortunate.

3) The bowl game is relatively meaningless when compared to the opportunity to go out a champion. Great for NDSU and the 12 other schools that can say this over the past 20 years. For the other 110, it's largely meaningless.

"I feel sorry for any FCS programs that move up." If things are that bad, who was the last team to voluntarily move down to I-AA? (Hint: they won the title once.)

[DJKyR0]

FCS, period. So sick of going through every season hearing the Tv folks say how great it is that teams "end their season on a high note." What is this, grade school? I'd rather be one of 20-24 teams trying to win the pinnacle of my division than trying to get my participation ribbon and losing out on a few million dollars for my effort. Barring some major shakeup of FBS postseason play, I'm perfectly satisfied with where we're at. We're competing well, putting a quality product on the field, have an incredible game day atmosphere, and have shown no signs of slowing down. I don't understand why a team would risk all that by moving to the FBS.

[kalm]

Disagree, and it's not even close.

1) "Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football?" That is, if you're among the 20 of 124 teams so deigned as playoff-worthy--and if you're not a directional school or someone with "State" in the title, your odds on the playoffs become even smaller. )

1)You're off to a bad start here. First of all, there's a reason FCS is littered with these schools. Second, 8 teams in this year's playoffs were not a directional school or had "State" in their name. Third, the selection process is blind to these things.

A bunch of FCS teams that didn't make the playoffs and a bunch of FBS teams that didn't make a bowl still finished the season on a winning note.

Bitter much?

2) Having a bowl game near or in the same city as your school is still the exception and even when it happens, it's not the same as at your stadium. I get my RV spot and my seats.

And again...bitter much?

3) Everyone has a chance to earn a championship on the field and that has meaning at the beginning of the season and for those who make the playoffs. The worst team in the playoffs this year new they had a chance to win it all. Of course not everyone will do it, and that's what makes it so special to those who have.

[DFW HOYA]

No, not bitter, but as constructed the playoffs doesn't match the interest that bowl games get, fair or not.

[cbarrier90]

1)You're off to a bad start here. First of all, there's a reason FCS is littered with these schools. Second, 8 teams in this year's playoffs were not a directional school or had "State" in their name. Third, the selection process is blind to these things.

A bunch of FCS teams that didn't make the playoffs and a bunch of FBS teams that didn't make a bowl still finished the season on a winning note.

Bitter much?

2) Having a bowl game near or in the same city as your school is still the exception and even when it happens, it's not the same as at your stadium. I get my RV spot and my seats.

And again...bitter much?

3) Everyone has a chance to earn a championship on the field and that has meaning at the beginning of the season and for those who make the playoffs. The worst team in the playoffs this year new they had a chance to win it all. Of course not everyone will do it, and that's what makes it so special to those who have.

You want to call someone out as "bitter," yet there are countless threads on this board upset that the FCS doesn't get any attention...

[lionsrking2]

No, not bitter, but as constructed the playoffs doesn't match the interest that bowl games get, fair or not.

I've stated this before in another thread, but if Vegas were to set lines on FCS games, you would see the interest gap shrink considerably. No doubt there are football fans all over the country who will watch any game on TV, regardless of level or caliber of play, but gambling drives the ratings for lower tier bowl games, and lower level FBS regular season games for that matter.

[stevdock]

It also doesn't help that ESPN gave the NCAA all this money to cover the FCS playoffs and they refuse to cover it. Well at least not in a way that most people can actually watch the games. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that my grandpa who lives in Fargo and watched every Bison game from his living room this season, couldn't watch a single playoff game except for the last 3 of the season (2 semi's and the Final). Like it or not ESPN and their monopoly is making sports worse instead of better.

[kalm]

You want to call someone out as "bitter," yet there are countless threads on this board upset that the FCS doesn't get any attention...

I'm not looking at it from a perspective of what upsets other people or whether the FCS gets the attention it deserves. I'm looking at the question purely as a fan of an FCS powerhouse. I much prefer the playoffs versus what FBS Idaho, just down the road from us, has experienced. Since moving up from the Big SKY in 1995 they've made three trips to bowl games and had a very exciting last play victory in the Humanitarian Bowl a few years back and finished 8-5. That's about the ceiling for them. And for every Boise State there are dozens of Idaho's (to return the argument that an elite few in FCS get to experience the playoffs.) So no thanks.

But to argue that the playoff system is less fair because only directionals and teams with the word "state" in their name get invites comes off as a little bitter. So does complaining that a limited few ever win a championship.

[Laker]

And for every Boise State there are dozens of Idaho's (to return the argument that an elite few in FCS get to experience the playoffs.) So no thanks.

kalm, since you brought up Idaho- have you heard anything lately on what they plan to do? Are they hoping that the MWC will take them and NM State? Or playing independent for a year or two and coming back to the Big Sky in football too? I haven't heard anything about them or the Aggies for awhile.

[kalm]

kalm, since you brought up Idaho- have you heard anything lately on what they plan to do? Are they hoping that the MWC will take them and NM State? Or playing independent for a year or two and coming back to the Big Sky in football too? I haven't heard anything about them or the Aggies for awhile.

The administration is stubbornly holding on to FBS dreams and trying to go independent for now. But I think the consensus among non-Idaho people is their only hope in the end is to come back home. They could hit the ground running in the Big Sky with very good facilities, and bus trip and historical rivalries with Montana, MSU, ISU, EWU, and PSU. It makes so much more sense. I hope it happens.

[lionsrking2]

It also doesn't help that ESPN gave the NCAA all this money to cover the FCS playoffs and they refuse to cover it. Well at least not in a way that most people can actually watch the games. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that my grandpa who lives in Fargo and watched every Bison game from his living room this season, couldn't watch a single playoff game except for the last 3 of the season (2 semi's and the Final). Like it or not ESPN and their monopoly is making sports worse instead of better.

What's worse is they couldn't even hold the kickoff for five minutes until the end of the Rutgers/Pitt hoops game.

[FargoBison]

What's worse is they couldn't even hold the kickoff for five minutes until the end of the Rutgers/Pitt hoops game.

That was actually a blessing for the fans at the game since it was very slow getting 12k Bison fans through one gate.

Sent from my MB886

[bisonranch]

Im pretty sure everyone other than fcs fans would disagree. And i'm sure if ratings were compared from the fcs championship game to any of the bowl games this wouldnt even be worth discussing. This is like asking Bears fans do they think they have a better operation than the Vikings, the responses will be obvious. Ask this in a neutral location and see what responses you get.

Doubt it. A neutral location would likely say a combination of playoffs and bowls, especially with the BCS moving to a small playoff in a few years. Of course ratings of bowl games are higher, there's a lot more dollars flowing in making the economics way different. Most of the people you describe probably don't care much about football anyway. Football purists will always say playoff.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Yes

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[md64179]

I'm a playoffs guy all day. But as others have stated, until espn promotes the playoffs and it makes them more money it will continue to be consider lower than these terrible bowl games. Lets be honest, who wants to watch two 6-6 teams play when you can watch teams competing for a national championship

[Tubakat2014]

The FCS playoffs are hands down better than obscure "dot com games". Every great FBS team goes through rough patches and ends up in some of those throw-away bowls, but there's a huge difference between making an appearance in the Beef O'Brady's bowl every once in a while and having that bowl and other similar bowls be the pinnacle of your team's success. If SHSU moved up right now, we would be doomed to those low-level bowl games at best. So instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole, I'll happily take the FCS playoffs and a shot at being national champions! I would much rather be 0-2 in the big game at the FCS level than be "Goldandsilverpawn24-7.com Bowl champions".

[344Johnson]

If ESPN took the time to market the playoffs a bit, even if it was just the powerhouse teams with great fan experiences like App, GaSo, NDSU, Montana, Montana State, etc. it could get some solid ratings. Is anyone going to watch NDSU vs. App Championship game that gets a bit of exposure compared to a minor bowl game, I think so.

[ThompsonThe]

If ESPN took the time to market the playoffs a bit, even if it was just the powerhouse teams with great fan experiences like App, GaSo, NDSU, Montana, Montana State, etc. it could get some solid ratings. Is anyone going to watch NDSU vs. App Championship game that gets a bit of exposure compared to a minor bowl game, I think so.

Lost interest in the FCS Playoffs years ago.

[UNHFan]

By a Landslide... UNH Could have beaten Arkansas State in its sleep which means 25 teams in the FCS Could have beaten them! What a joke Kent State just did! ESPN is trying to make it look legit!! What a disgrace!!

[UNHFan]

I have seen NAIA Teams look more Legit!! What a JOKE!!!

[citdog]

Lost interest in the FCS Playoffs years ago.

then why are you here? isn't there a sun belt board where you could be offering sexual favors in exchange for admittance?

[Mr. C]

Disagree, and it's not even close.

1) "Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football?" That is, if you're among the 20 of 124 teams so deigned as playoff-worthy--and if you're not a directional school or someone with "State" in the title, your odds on the playoffs become even smaller. In I-A, half the subdivision gets a post season game. A waste of time and money? Sure is, but that's 33 teams that end the season on a winning note. Putting "TaxSlayer.com Bowl Champs" in front of the recruit still beats "First Round Playoff Winner".

2) "With a couple of rare exceptions, you don't get to host a bowl game. Tailgating and watching 6 home playoff games over the years has been an absolute blast." Bowls are increasingly regional, so if a team isn't hosting a game, the lower tier bowls are awfully close to a home crowd (e.g., Duke in the Belk Bowl, Vanderbilt in the Music City, Texas in the Alamo, etc.). And congratulations to hosting six playoff games. 95% of I-AA schools will never, ever be as fortunate.

3) The bowl game is relatively meaningless when compared to the opportunity to go out a champion. Great for NDSU and the 12 other schools that can say this over the past 20 years. For the other 110, it's largely meaningless.

"I feel sorry for any FCS programs that move up." If things are that bad, who was the last team to voluntarily move down to I-AA? (Hint: they won the title once.)

Of course this comes from a fan of a program that has run its program like a D-III football school over the years. Maybe if your school put some money into a stadium and made some other improvements, you would be more interested. As bad as that is, Georgetown was actually a win away from an auto bid and the playoffs in 2011.

[Mr. C]

I have seen NAIA Teams look more Legit!! What a JOKE!!!

You do know that the team you are ripping on crunched the same Towson team on opening night that in turn crushed UNH in the regular-season finale?Having seen Kent State in person, I don't think UNH would have stood a prayer against the Golden Flashes.

[walliver]

then why are you here? isn't there a sun belt board where you could be offering sexual favors in exchange for admittance?

You are confused. In the SunBelt, they offer you sexual favors in order to entice you to attend their games.

[UNHFan]

You do know that the team you are ripping on crunched the same Towson team on opening night that in turn crushed UNH in the regular-season finale?Having seen Kent State in person, I don't think UNH would have stood a prayer against the Golden Flashes.

So when Rutgers knocked off #5 Michigan State and then UNH Spanked Rutgers the next week I should have talked smack to Michigan State fans?

OK Just checking!

[bluehenbillk]

At this point I prefer the bowls.

FCS seems like it's getting further pushed down the ladder. Not only was ESPN's promotion of the game getting bad, but having it go head-to-head with the Pitt-Ole Miss game I'm sure did it no favors in the ratings.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

1) "Playoffs give you an opportunity to see your team play more than just one post season game and who doesn't want more football?" That is, if you're among the 20 of 124 teams so deigned as playoff-worthy--and if you're not a directional school or someone with "State" in the title, your odds on the playoffs become even smaller. In I-A, half the subdivision gets a post season game. A waste of time and money? Sure is, but that's 33 teams that end the season on a winning note. Putting "TaxSlayer.com Bowl Champs" in front of the recruit still beats "First Round Playoff Winner".


8 teams in this year's playoffs were not a directional school or had "State" in their name... the selection process is blind to these things.

8-3 Illinois State and 8-3 UNH > 8-3 Richmond and 10-1 Lehigh this season. Blind?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

No, not bitter, but as constructed the playoffs doesn't match the interest that bowl games get, fair or not.


It also doesn't help that ESPN gave the NCAA all this money to cover the FCS playoffs and they refuse to cover it. Well at least not in a way that most people can actually watch the games. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that my grandpa who lives in Fargo and watched every Bison game from his living room this season, couldn't watch a single playoff game except for the last 3 of the season (2 semi's and the Final). Like it or not ESPN and their monopoly is making sports worse instead of better.

I fully agree with this. Especially in the first and second rounds no effort was made to stagger the games or put them on broadcast ESPN channels.

One year, ESPN Classic had "The Renee Richards Story" 30 for 30 while people were looking for FCS playoff coverage. You'd think someone at ESPN would get the bright idea to, you know, air an actual sporting event.

Meanwhile, NBC Sports Network problably aired something called Buckshot Bonanza, and CBS Sports Network probably aired the "Best of Jim Rome". If I'm the schools of FCS, why not open up the bidding? There's an awful lot of stations out there craving any sort of sports programming, and they could do worse than the FCS playoffs. When Speed Network becomes Fox 1, even more so.

[DFW HOYA]

For me, this subject comes down to where you are in the food chain.

If you're a top ten program with a reasonable chance at a title, the playoffs are a great opportunity to prove it on the field, whether that be (soon) in I-A or I-AA. For the next tier of schools, the ability to travel to a bowl game environment and compete in a circa-New Year's day event on (mostly) national television is a worthwhile offering as well. Those kids at Northern Illinois probably wouldn't trade their experience at the Orange Bowl for four consecutive I-AA playoffs. Conversely, I'm sure many NDSU fans prefer the back to back titles to having played in a three quarters empty New Orleans Bowl.

[Gil Dobie]

I enjoy the FCS playoffs much more. Only 2 bowls I care to watch this year is Minnesota's bowl and the Alabama/ND game.

[unknown3]

Doubt it. A neutral location would likely say a combination of playoffs and bowls, especially with the BCS moving to a small playoff in a few years. Of course ratings of bowl games are higher, there's a lot more dollars flowing in making the economics way different. Most of the people you describe probably don't care much about football anyway. Football purists will always say playoff.

You're fooling yourself. The interest in the FCS championship game is miniscule and which is why it gets no coverage, the ratings suck. People tend to act as if there's some sort of major ESPN coverup but they're a tv station, they make money from RATINGS. If the game had high ratings it'd be on tv. I know it's hard for people on here to believe it but the interest in FCS football is fairly small compared to even the "obscure" bowl games. And football purists may always say playoffs, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'd rather watch the FCS playoffs. This should be fairly obvious by now.

[Pard4Life]

No, the FCS playoffs are not better than the obscure bowls. If they were, then why would the top tier and lesser teams of FCS be clamoring to join the prestigous Sun Belt and their New Orleans Bowl affiliation? And why does ESPN televise the obscure bowls and not the FCS playoffs? And why would an athletics department, already running in the red, increase expenditures to play at a level that leads to a spot in Nowheresville in late December?

[kalm]

8-3 Illinois State and 8-3 UNH > 8-3 Richmond and 10-1 Lehigh this season. Blind?

So it was the lack of direction and state then. I see!

[kalm]

For me, this subject comes down to where you are in the food chain.

If you're a top ten program with a reasonable chance at a title, the playoffs are a great opportunity to prove it on the field, whether that be (soon) in I-A or I-AA. For the next tier of schools, the ability to travel to a bowl game environment and compete in a circa-New Year's day event on (mostly) national television is a worthwhile offering as well. Those kids at Northern Illinois probably wouldn't trade their experience at the Orange Bowl for four consecutive I-AA playoffs. Conversely, I'm sure many NDSU fans prefer the back to back titles to having played in a three quarters empty New Orleans Bowl.

Or...if you're on the outside looking in, your program could improve and get competitive at this level first before pining about the golden land of mid major obscurity...cough, cough...Marshall...cough, cough.

[Bison56]

I think the BCS championship game proves that playoffs are better. ND has no business playing for a championship if you look at who they played and the scores. In a playoff they wouldnt have made it out of the first round. Imo.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I think the BCS championship game proves that playoffs are better. ND has no business playing for a championship if you look at who they played and the scores. In a playoff they wouldnt have made it out of the first round. Imo.

The majority of BCS title games have been terrible.

[Gil Dobie]

Texas A&M would have won the playoffs this year, IMO.

[Accelerati Incredibilus]

If you guys think ESPN or anyone other than a few hard heads and the fans of the teams playing gives a crap about the FCS National Championship just remember these three words.... Joined in Progress.

[Gil Dobie]

Nationwide, more people care about the FBS bowls, as there are more alumni from these schools than the FCS schools. I missed the Alabama game last night, more proof that I personally will watch the FCS championship.

[kalm]

Nationwide, more people care about the FBS bowls, as there are more alumni from these schools than the FCS schools. I missed the Alabama game last night, more proof that I personally will watch the FCS championship.

I guess that's the whole crux of the argument here. If you need validation via slightly better ratings from a crap bowl then you probably want to move up. Me, I'm grateful for what I've got and was saying the exact same thing long before we won a national championship.

Forgive me for using Idaho as an example again, but an inferiority complex to Boise State was one of the main drivers for their move up. It was totally unrealistic. The grass isn't always greener but I think most of the move-ups don't come back due to pride and inertia.

[Apphole]

Here is my stance:

I care more about the FCS playoffs than low-tier FBS bowl games because Appalachian State currently competes in the FCS. When App moves to the FBS and starts making obscure bowls, I will care more for the low-tier bowls in which App and our future conference mates compete.

"Are fcs playoffs better than bowls" is a pretty damn subjective question and on an FCS forum, of course the majority of posters think FCS playoffs>bowls. There is no question that more people in the USA prefer low-tier bowls. It is a question of personal preference.

By the way, no one is making the decision to move to the FBS based on the post season. It is about the regular season and countless tangible advantages. I'd rather play ECU at home than Elon and how dare you criticize me for it.

[citdog]

Here is my stance:

I care more about the FCS playoffs than low-tier FBS bowl games because Appalachian State currently competes in the FCS. When App moves to the FBS and starts making obscure bowls, I will care more for the low-tier bowls in which App and our future conference mates compete.

"Are fcs playoffs better than bowls" is a pretty damn subjective question and on an FCS forum, of course the majority of posters think FCS playoffs>bowls. There is no question that more people in the USA prefer low-tier bowls. It is a question of personal preference.

By the way, no one is making the decision to move to the FBS based on the post season. It is about the regular season and countless tangible advantages. I'd rather play ECU at home than Elon and how dare you criticize me for it.


I'll criticize you all I want. Especially since we've already been confederated with your 'ideal mate' east carolina. Take it from us having ECU play in your stadium is nothing special.

[Apphole]

I'll criticize you all I want. Especially since we've already been confederated with your 'ideal mate' east carolina. Take it from us having ECU play in your stadium is nothing special.

Nothing that happens in your stadium is special.

[citdog]

Nothing that happens in your stadium is special.

jealousy becomes you hole

[BisonBacker]

I like the playoff system better. If ESPN promoted the playoffs as much as they promote the minor bowl games the rating would rise and probably beat some of the smaller bowl games.

This^^^^^^

[Apphole]

Nothing that happens in your stadium is special.

I take this back. The majority of Citadel Cadets are "special."

[chattownmocs]

What a terrible presentation of the game by ESPN. This game will never be huge but it belongs under the Friday Night Lights of Finley Stadium. It needs some announcers that have the ability to make it feel like a big game. Not the noon SEC Network guys. You never know what might happen in Chattanooga. Could be a rare snow storm, could have a terrible playing surface that get's torn to pieces. It doesn't have to all be positive just make it feel like the game is significant. Terrible mistake taking this game away from the Mecca and an even bigger one moving it to Saturday at 1 PM.

[citdog]

I take this back. The majority of Citadel Cadets are "special."


this one in particular


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LasFQpxhobE

[deez_na]

FCS playoffs any day.

[eaglewraith]

Well I enjoyed quite a few of the bowl games this year and even attended the Orange Bowl with some friends. While I definitely love the playoffs, I can also see the allure of the bowl games as well. Until the FCS playoffs receive the marketing they deserve, you'll never see public perception change though. Case in point, here's the ratings for every televised postseason game this year:

http://i.imgur.com/2UflS.jpg

Credit to Klak from GSUFans.com for compiling the numbers.

[BisonBacker]

Here is my stance:

I care more about the FCS playoffs than low-tier FBS bowl games because Appalachian State currently competes in the FCS. When App moves to the FBS and starts making obscure bowls, I will care more for the low-tier bowls in which App and our future conference mates compete.

"Are fcs playoffs better than bowls" is a pretty damn subjective question and on an FCS forum, of course the majority of posters think FCS playoffs>bowls. There is no question that more people in the USA prefer low-tier bowls. It is a question of personal preference.

By the way, no one is making the decision to move to the FBS based on the post season. It is about the regular season and countless tangible advantages. I'd rather play ECU at home than Elon and how dare you criticize me for it.

I can guarantee you this. If those folks you say were given the choice between some lousy bowl structure or a playoff format same as fcs they wouldn't be favoring any lousy bowl format anymore. It's a loaded question for sure but the better question and obvious answer is given the choice between the two what would you prefer for the division you support? Bowl format or true playoff format? When I say true playoff I'm not talking about some lousy 4 team playoff either I'm talking about at a minimum 16 teams. Anyone in their right mind would take the playoff format. The bowl format is crap plain and simple.

[AmsterBison]

Well I enjoyed quite a few of the bowl games this year and even attended the Orange Bowl with some friends. While I definitely love the playoffs, I can also see the allure of the bowl games as well. Until the FCS playoffs receive the marketing they deserve, you'll never see public perception change though. Case in point, here's the ratings for every televised postseason game this year:

http://i.imgur.com/2UflS.jpg

Credit to Klak from GSUFans.com for compiling the numbers.

Heh, some apples and oranges there... Make the list for ESPN2 only. Or put the full championship game on ESPN and see what happens.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Heh, some apples and oranges there... Make the list for ESPN2 only. Or put the full championship game on ESPN and see what happens.

Another idea. Why not put in another dimension to the chart - cost?

Ole Miss vs. Pitt pulled in a 1.9 on ESPN, but it cost each school probably millions in guarantees to get there. SHSU and NDSU pulled in a 1.1 on ESPN2 and it hardly cost both schools anything. Which is more cost-effective? Additionally, SHSU and NDSU appeared twice in this chart, where Ole Miss showed up once.

[AmsterBison]

Another idea. Why not put in another dimension to the chart - cost?

Ole Miss vs. Pitt pulled in a 1.9 on ESPN, but it cost each school probably millions in guarantees to get there. SHSU and NDSU pulled in a 1.1 on ESPN2 and it hardly cost both schools anything. Which is more cost-effective? Additionally, SHSU and NDSU appeared twice in this chart, where Ole Miss showed up once.

Well, Mississippi State vs Northwestern was on New Year's Day so that helps ratings.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Something else to think about: the HIGHEST ESPN2 bowl pulled in a 1.4 on New Year's Day (thanks AmsterBison). The championship game pulled in 1.1 four days later. You put the game on ESPN instead of ESPN2, what does it pull in? Maybe the 1.9 that the Ole Miss/Pitt bowl brought in.

[eaglewraith]

Another idea. Why not put in another dimension to the chart - cost?

Ole Miss vs. Pitt pulled in a 1.9 on ESPN, but it cost each school probably millions in guarantees to get there. SHSU and NDSU pulled in a 1.1 on ESPN2 and it hardly cost both schools anything. Which is more cost-effective? Additionally, SHSU and NDSU appeared twice in this chart, where Ole Miss showed up once.

There's talks to remove the costs of those guarantees. Talks are in progress that would put the risk of ticket sales on the bowls themselves and not on the schools involved. That will dramatically change the costs of going to a bowl for every team in FBS.

[eaglewraith]

Something else to think about: the HIGHEST ESPN2 bowl pulled in a 1.4 on New Year's Day (thanks AmsterBison). The championship game pulled in 1.1 four days later. You put the game on ESPN instead of ESPN2, what does it pull in? Maybe the 1.9 that the Ole Miss/Pitt bowl brought in.

The highest rated game for FCS was on ESPN. It was also the only football game in the country on TV at that time. It also involved the most storied team in the division, and a team in one of FCS's biggest media markets.

It only got a 1.1.

FCS football is not moving the needle with the casual fan. It would take a lot of work and a lot of marketing to change that.

[eaglewraith]

Heh, some apples and oranges there... Make the list for ESPN2 only. Or put the full championship game on ESPN and see what happens.

Why cherry pick data? That's EVERY postseason televised game, minus the Sun Bowl cause the numbers couldn't be found for it. You should expect to see ~4 million for it though.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Almost every cable package has ESPN2 these days. Practically every home that has ESPN has ESPN2. That's a weak excuse if you ask me.

IMO, this is a problem with marketing and always has been. GSU and ODU played on the day of the Heisman Trophy presentation. The most watched FCS game ever, the App. and Montana semi-final was also right before the HT presentation. Now why would more people watch these quarterfinal and semifinal games?

People were probably looking for a game to watch on that day. How many folks actually knew the FCSNCG was being played? If more had known about it, they would've watched it.

[Professor Chaos]

On 12/29 the Pinstripe Bowl (Syracuse vs WVU) on ESPN drew a 3.4 share. At the same time the Fight Hunger Bowl (Arizona St vs Navy) on ESPN2 drew a 0.7 share. More casual television sets/viewers tune into ESPN than the deuce. Damn near every bar in America will have ESPN on during a Saturday afternoon but not every one will have ESPN2 on. It does make a difference.

[eaglewraith]

On 12/29 the Pinstripe Bowl (Syracuse vs WVU) on ESPN drew a 3.4 share. At the same time the Fight Hunger Bowl (Arizona St vs Navy) on ESPN2 drew a 0.7 share. More casual television sets/viewers tune into ESPN than the deuce. Damn near every bar in America will have ESPN on during a Saturday afternoon but not every one will have ESPN2 on. It does make a difference.

Or more people wanted to watch the Syracuse - WVU game. I know I did. That was a matchup I was interested in. I especially didn't worry about flipping over to ESPN2 (btw all I had to do is hit channel up ONCE) after seeing the score updates where ASU started beating Navy like they stole something.

[Lehigh'98]

Very few people besides gambling degenerates and alumni/family watch or care about lower level bowl games. Even fewer care about the FCS playoffs (much less gambling action, less talent overall). Even fewer care about DII & DIII. You could market FCS til the Bison come home, won't do any better than lower bowls. Get on with your life and watch what you want and be thankful you can watch them at all.