Future of College Football’s Lower Tier Uncertain as Teams Bolt

[superman7515]

http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/apr/14/fcs-mess/


Hypothetical sit- uation. Imagine a rich (and eccentric) billionaire sidles up to you in a sports bar one night, lays down a stack of $100 bills and asks, “Are you a Youngstown State football fan?”

“Sure,” you say.

“That’s very good news,” he says, “because I’m going to change your life. There is $100,000 in that stack and it’s all yours if you can answer one question: Who lost to North Dakota State in this year’s FCS championship game?”

Could you answer it?

This has been a bad offseason for the Football Championship Subdivision, a clunkily-named collection of 127 teams struggling to remain relevant in a shifting college landscape...

[CID1990]

127 teams.

Yep. Going to be extinct in a couple years.

We all might as well replace football with badminton and be done with it.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[DFW HOYA]

Consider the source--the writer is speaking to a fan base who is worried that YSU football (and the Mahoning Valley as a whole) will be left behind again.

Joining the Sun Belt really doesn't solve any probems, only adds different ones.

[Bisonator]

Just wish the NCAA would start putting more emphasis on marketing and televising the FCS. Eliminate about half of the stupid bowl games and replace them with FCS playoff games. Stop letting ESPN control the show!

[NoDak 4 Ever]

North Dakota State athletic director Gene Taylor oversees the Alabama of FCS football, which is all the more remarkable considering the Bison were playing Division II football less than a decade ago.

While he’s worried about the long-term effect of losing teams like Georgia Southern and Appalachian State — “If you keep losing membership, sometimes those victories become hollow victories” — he said the Bison are committed to staying at this level, even though NDSU’s location (the closest FBS program to Fargo is Minnesota, which is nearly four hours away) would give it a Boise State-like advantage over schools in more competitive markets.

“I still think it’s a fairly stable level of football,” Taylor said. “It’s a very competitive level of football and I think our playoff format is very strong.

“We can sell the idea that you can win a true championship here. If you go to the FBS level, you’ll never be part of a championship.”

That’s what drew YSU coach Eric Wolford, who spent his entire career coaching at the FBS level, including two years in the Big Ten and one in the SEC. He understands the lure of FBS football to recruits — it’s no coincidence his coaching staff is stocked with former FBS assistants — but he came to YSU because it gives him a chance to win a national championship.

“How many places in the country can you say that?” said Wolford, who coached in the Sun Belt with North Texas. “Unless you’re going to move up to one of the big power conferences, what are you playing for, other than maybe TV exposure?

“I think at times there’s probably some interest [in moving up] but the biggest question is whether you can do it economically. That’s a whole different ballgame. We enjoy playing where we’re at. We’ve got a good conference that’s well-respected and we embrace that.”

FINALLY, somebody says it.

[MarkyMark]

"Who lost to North Dakota State in this year’s FCS championship game?”

Same question as "Who lost to (fill in the blank) team in this year's (fill in the blank) lower tier Bowl game?

[MplsBison]

Consider the source--the writer is speaking to a fan base who is worried that YSU football (and the Mahoning Valley as a whole) will be left behind again.

Joining the Sun Belt really doesn't solve any probems, only adds different ones.

It does solve the problem of being left behind, though.

[MplsBison]

Just wish the NCAA would start putting more emphasis on marketing and televising the FCS. Eliminate about half of the stupid bowl games and replace them with FCS playoff games. Stop letting ESPN control the show!

Well of course that would solve the FCS's problems.

Problem with that is...no one cares about FCS.


Why not market the DII and DIII playoffs? Afterall, DIII - those are the true student athletes!

[MplsBison]

FINALLY, somebody says it.

And yet, somehow - someway, the big BCS schools continue to recruit and land the best high school and junior college football athletes year after year!

Shouldn't those players be flocking to the top FCS schools, with similar full scholarship prospects, for the glamour and allure that inherently comes with competing for a national championship in a true playoff format???



Obviously, they aren't. Hence why the argument is specious at best, if not dishonest. Simple truth of the matter is: what good is winning national championship, in a true playoff format, if it's the championship of a division that no one knows or cares about and no one sees???

[MplsBison]

"Who lost to North Dakota State in this year’s FCS championship game?”

Same question as "Who lost to (fill in the blank) team in this year's (fill in the blank) lower tier Bowl game?

As will always be the cry of the FCS schools stuck in this sub-division, trying to hurl insults upwards - through the glass ceiling, at the low end of FBS.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

"Who lost to North Dakota State in this year’s FCS championship game?”

Same question as "Who lost to (fill in the blank) team in this year's (fill in the blank) lower tier Bowl game?

Or who played, for that matter.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

2013 Belk Bowl. Quick, name who played in it.

[MplsBison]

2013 Belk Bowl. Quick, name who played in it.

Someone who watches ESPN (the main channel) could tell you.

That person wouldn't even know about the FCS playoffs, on the other hand.

[DoWe]

Duke played somebody and lost. I can't remember who won.

[NHwildEcat]

ESPN programming is equal to that of E. Garbage network.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

2013 Belk Bowl. Quick, name who played in it.

I never even heard of it. Guess I don't watch much sports.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Duke played somebody and lost. I can't remember who won.

It appears to be Cincinnati, a school less than 2 hrs from my house. You'd think I'd heard of the game, much less who played in it.

[DoWe]

It was a trick question. It won't be played until December. Duke lost to Cincinnati in 2012.

[MarkyMark]

As will always be the cry of the FCS schools stuck in this sub-division, trying to hurl insults upwards - through the glass ceiling, at the low end of FBS.

Not trying to insult. The author wrote a good article, just found his question not effective in argueing why a team should move up.

[NHwildEcat]

Not trying to insult. The author wrote a good article, just found his question not effective in argueing why a team should move up.

He takes everything as an insult, esp. if it is true or makes sense.

[DFW HOYA]

No one is forcing anyone to play on ESPN's terms.

Given the amount the Big East recently got for joining Fox Sports 1, it might be worth the I-AA leadership placing a call and get out of under the Worldwide Leader's hegemony.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Someone who watches ESPN (the main channel) could tell you.

That person wouldn't even know about the FCS playoffs, on the other hand.

Is that supposed to be an answer?

[NHwildEcat]

No one is forcing anyone to play on ESPN's terms.

Given the amount the Big East recently got for joining Fox Sports 1, it might be worth the I-AA leadership placing a call and get out of under the Worldwide Leader's hegemony.

Absolutely...let NBC/CBS/FOX in on this. They no doubt are looking for more programs to fill time and if you strike a deal for the playoffs they would be more likely to advertise for it. THIS is what they need to do.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

No one is forcing anyone to play on ESPN's terms.

Given the amount the Big East recently got for joining Fox Sports 1, it might be worth the I-AA leadership placing a call and get out of under the Worldwide Leader's hegemony.

This is something that truly baffles me as to why this hasn't been done. There are literally four all-sports networks simply screaming for content, especially in those months of December. Why not the playoffs?

[bluehenbillk]

You guys have at least another decade to stand on your soapbox about ESPN & its coverage of the postseason:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7357065/ncaa-espn-agree-tv-deal-2023-24

[MarkyMark]

This is something that truly baffles me as to why this hasn't been done. There are literally four all-sports networks simply screaming for content, especially in those months of December. Why not the playoffs?

I am pretty sure ESPN owns rights to FCS playoffs and championship as part of their last deal with the NCAA. I think ESPN owns the rights for quite a few more years.

[MplsBison]

No one is forcing anyone to play on ESPN's terms.

Given the amount the Big East recently got for joining Fox Sports 1, it might be worth the I-AA leadership placing a call and get out of under the Worldwide Leader's hegemony.

Answer me this then - how did the FCS semi-final and championship game come to be televised on ESPN2 in the first place?

Who negotiated the contract and who owns the rights? I'm pretty sure these games are owned by the NCAA. They're not owned by the schools who belong and play under the FCS brand.


So there's a HUGE departure, right there from how things are done at the next level up - where schools and conferences dominate everything.



Why would the NCAA bother to negotiate a new contract for college football postseason games for FCS, DII and DIII (don't forget about these...they have just a much clout within the NCAA, if not more, than FCS schools do)??

Why would the NCAA takes games off of ESPN2, which has nearly ubiquitous TV household penetration within this country's cable/satellite television market, and put them on a network like Versus, CBS Sports or this new Fox Sports channel?? Channels that you probably need a "sports package" to even view.


I know you mean well...but your request doesn't even seem practical. And frankly, it's probably a stretch in the first place for FCS, DII and DIII championship games to even be on ESPN2. Those are all considered to be the same thing by both ESPN and the NCAA: "minor league college football".

[Bisonator]

You guys have at least another decade to stand on your soapbox about ESPN & its coverage of the postseason:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7357065/ncaa-espn-agree-tv-deal-2023-24

From that article: "ESPN will air more contests in the early rounds of the Football Championship Series postseason"

Did they even air any games from the first or second round last year?

[Bisonator]

Seriously, women's swimming gets more coverage on ESPN then the FCS. It's sad.....:(

[MplsBison]

From that article: "ESPN will air more contests in the early rounds of the Football Championship Series postseason"

Did they even air any games from the first or second round last year?

Of course they did!

....on ESPN3...

[RichH2]

Question before you move. Doyou want to be a at the top of lower level or a bottom feeder in an upper level? Logic of most moving up escapes me. The woes of FCS adequately repeated here, up to members to take more control of FCS future. Networks already show lots of local FCS regular season games. Problem is all are too ltd in natl exposure to be effective vs ESPN.
I really dont see impact of FCS as a problem. We are not big schools ,I see no reason that we try to emulate them.I would rather concentrate on who we are rather than agonizing over what we aren't. Let me wish for H&H with a MVFC or SoCon team.

[Bisonator]

Of course they did!

....on ESPN3...

I don't consider ESPN3 on air. xblehx

Typical bait and switch if you ask me! xflamemadx

[MplsBison]

Question before you move. Doyou want to be a at the top of lower level or a bottom feeder in an upper level? Logic of most moving up escapes me. The woes of FCS adequately repeated here, up to members to take more control of FCS future. Networks already show lots of local FCS regular season games. Problem is all are too ltd in natl exposure to be effective vs ESPN.
I really dont see impact of FCS as a problem. We are not big schools ,I see no reason that we try to emulate them.I would rather concentrate on who we are rather than agonizing over what we aren't. Let me wish for H&H with a MVFC or SoCon team.

To answer that question, you have to first take a good look at yourself in the mirror - as an institution of higher education - and ask yourself "what is our goal in having an intercollegiate, varsity football team as part of our athletic department?"

[Saint3333]

From that article: "ESPN will air more contests in the early rounds of the Football Championship Series postseason"

Did they even air any games from the first or second round last year?

They used to air 1 or 2 from the first two rounds, that changed in 2009 or so though.

If the FCS were marketed received the attention good football deserves you wouldn't see half the teams leaving.

[PaladinFan]

They used to air 1 or 2 from the first two rounds, that changed in 2009 or so though.

If the FCS were marketed received the attention good football deserves you wouldn't see half the teams leaving.

Again, I don't understand this argument. There are what, 130 FBS teams? (I lose count). So, on a given saturday, there could be 65-75 games played. Am I to expect that everyone of those games are going to be televised (or marketed as you call it)?

There's no question the SoCon could do more in terms of television. But let's be realistic. The reason the smaller FBS play on Tuesday and Wednesday nights are simply because there's no interest in watching them play on Saturday. Is ESPN more likely to pick up a Sunbelt midweek game than a SoCon game? Absolutely. Still, it is not as though a move to the FBS and now your team is pummeling the airwaves with your football program. Could the SoCon play on a Tuesday night and make some money off people just desperate to watch a football game? Perhaps. Are they going to? Probably not.

[NHwildEcat]

Again, I don't understand this argument. There are what, 130 FBS teams? (I lose count). So, on a given saturday, there could be 65-75 games played. Am I to expect that everyone of those games are going to be televised (or marketed as you call it)?

There's no question the SoCon could do more in terms of television. But let's be realistic. The reason the smaller FBS play on Tuesday and Wednesday nights are simply because there's no interest in watching them play on Saturday. Is ESPN more likely to pick up a Sunbelt midweek game than a SoCon game? Absolutely. Still, it is not as though a move to the FBS and now your team is pummeling the airwaves with your football program. Could the SoCon play on a Tuesday night and make some money off people just desperate to watch a football game? Perhaps. Are they going to? Probably not.

Very true. My opinion is that these FCS conferences should get together and make some deals to get games on (maybe Thu/Fri) where there is a game of the week on CBS Sports/NBC Sports...I know I can find a number of FCS games via my sports pack so I find the best teams here and there. I think it would be in the best interest of FCS programs/conference to promote their regluar season games more...thus possibly driving up the demand for postseason play.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Again, I don't understand this argument. There are what, 130 FBS teams? (I lose count). So, on a given saturday, there could be 65-75 games played. Am I to expect that everyone of those games are going to be televised (or marketed as you call it)?

Not every FBS game is televised.

[NHwildEcat]

Not every FBS game is televised.

But the majority are...his point is there are too many games for all of them to be advertised.

[CID1990]

The whole controversy is just dumb to begin with.

OF COURSE schools like Wofford and The Citadel can't compete with LSU and Alabama!

It's like lamenting the color of the sky, for Chrissakes.

Here's the news flash: WE DON'T CARE. Most colleges are just that: colleges. Colleges are institutions of learning. Athletics are a part of that, but the majority of colleges and universities out there are not going to ever compete with schools that have no problem with spending obscene amounts of money coddling athletic programs and non-student athletes. Well never compete with the clempsons of the world on a consistent basis, and don't want to. Why the hell would a school with just 2000 students expect that anyway? We compete with our peers.

I also don't know what the obsession is with exposure. I don't give two *****s if someone in California has the option of tuning in to watch us play Wofford or not.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The whole controversy is just dumb to begin with.

OF COURSE schools like Wofford and The Citadel can't compete with LSU and Alabama!

It's like lamenting the color of the sky, for Chrissakes.

Here's the news flash: WE DON'T CARE. Most colleges are just that: colleges. Colleges are institutions of learning. Athletics are a part of that, but the majority of colleges and universities out there are not going to ever compete with schools that have no problem with spending obscene amounts of money coddling athletic programs and non-student athletes. Well never compete with the clempsons of the world on a consistent basis, and don't want to. Why the hell would a school with just 2000 students expect that anyway? We compete with our peers.

I also don't know what the obsession is with exposure. I don't give two *****s if someone in California has the option of tuning in to watch us play Wofford or not.


Sent from the center of the universe.

Super Reps.

[MplsBison]

The whole controversy is just dumb to begin with.

OF COURSE schools like Wofford and The Citadel can't compete with LSU and Alabama!

It's like lamenting the color of the sky, for Chrissakes.

Here's the news flash: WE DON'T CARE. Most colleges are just that: colleges. Colleges are institutions of learning. Athletics are a part of that, but the majority of colleges and universities out there are not going to ever compete with schools that have no problem with spending obscene amounts of money coddling athletic programs and non-student athletes. Well never compete with the clempsons of the world on a consistent basis, and don't want to. Why the hell would a school with just 2000 students expect that anyway? We compete with our peers.

I also don't know what the obsession is with exposure. I don't give two *****s if someone in California has the option of tuning in to watch us play Wofford or not.


Sent from the center of the universe.

Then why is your athletics program in Division I of the NCAA? Why not Division III?

[DFW HOYA]

I know you mean well...but your request doesn't even seem practical. And frankly, it's probably a stretch in the first place for FCS, DII and DIII championship games to even be on ESPN2. Those are all considered to be the same thing by both ESPN and the NCAA: "minor league college football".

I think there is an unsaid agreement that ESPN picks up these games to maintain itself in the good graces of the NCAA--just as ESPN isn't crazy about showing the Softball World Series, so to with these events.

By the depth of promotion they put into the I-AA, II, and III games, ESPN cares less about the actual product relative to major college productions.

Sad to say, neither does the NCAA.

[CID1990]

Then why is your athletics program in Division I of the NCAA? Why not Division III?

Because it is the level at which our traditional peers and rivals compete. Dumb question.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[DFW HOYA]

Divisional membership is not based on enrollment like it is at the high school level. If that were the case, Florida would be competing vs. NYU.

It is based on the number of sports sponsored.

[MplsBison]

Divisional membership is not based on enrollment like it is at the high school level. If that were the case, Florida would be competing vs. NYU.

It is based on the number of sports sponsored.

Uh...I don't quite think that's right either.

True, there are minimum number of sports sponsored requirements for division I (and more for FBS - at least there used to be an additional number required).


But it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that the average DIII program has quite bit more varsity teams than the average DI program. Look at the University of Texas (Longhorns), for example.


I think the point is, if you want to be DI - and you meet the minimum requirements - then you're DI. It doesn't necessarily imply anything else.

[MplsBison]

Because it is the level at which our traditional peers and rivals compete. Dumb question.


If Wofford dropped to DIII, then Citidel would be right behind them. Thanks for clarifying.

[CID1990]

If Wofford dropped to DIII, then Citidel would be right behind them. Thanks for clarifying.

You're an idiot. Nobody's "moving" anywhere, but thanks for the troll.

The Citadel has been in the same league since the 1930s, as has Furman. The landscape has changed around these schools for going on a century now. We didnt move down to I-AA, it was created around us. If another shift in the divisions occurs, we will remain in the division that contains or fellow rivals and competitors.

The NCAA can call the divisions what they want, it doesn't matter. Well still have the same fans, same attendance, same rivals, same athletes, and the game will still be played on a 100 yard field.

So again, who gives a crap? You?


Sent from the center of the universe.

[CrazyCat]

You're an idiot. Nobody's "moving" anywhere, but thanks for the troll.

The Citadel has been in the same league since the 1930s, as has Furman. The landscape has changed around these schools for going on a century now. We didnt move down to I-AA, it was created around us. If another shift in the divisions occurs, we will remain in the division that contains or fellow rivals and competitors.

The NCAA can call the divisions what they want, it doesn't matter. Well still have the same fans, same attendance, same rivals, same athletes, and the game will still be played on a 100 yard field.

So again, who gives a crap? You?


Sent from the center of the universe.

Give him a break CID. It sounds like he lives in an alternate universe that only has one TV channel and it's ESPN.

[PaladinFan]

You're an idiot. Nobody's "moving" anywhere, but thanks for the troll.

The Citadel has been in the same league since the 1930s, as has Furman. The landscape has changed around these schools for going on a century now. We didnt move down to I-AA, it was created around us. If another shift in the divisions occurs, we will remain in the division that contains or fellow rivals and competitors.

The NCAA can call the divisions what they want, it doesn't matter. Well still have the same fans, same attendance, same rivals, same athletes, and the game will still be played on a 100 yard field.

So again, who gives a crap? You?


Sent from the center of the universe.

Precisely. Many of the SoCon schools are playing football in the exact same spot they've always played football. It just happens that the state flagship schools in the South are not DII or FCS - they are huge FBS programs that play in stadiums as large as a medium sized city.

Furman has played football in the same classification for as long as North Dakota has been a state (1889).

[bonarae]

Well, from an Ivy fan's point of view, we are hopelessly stuck here forever... the only thing left for the Presidents to do is to adapt to the changes that the others have done before (e.g. they can restrict further the teams' scheduling) xsmhx

On the other hand, marketing at the lower divisions is still an issue far from being fixed...

[CID1990]

Well, from an Ivy fan's point of view, we are hopelessly stuck here forever... the only thing left for the Presidents to do is to adapt to the changes that the others have done before (e.g. they can restrict further the teams' scheduling) xsmhx

On the other hand, marketing at the lower divisions is still an issue far from being fixed...

We are going to have to replace our games with ASU and GSU in 2014 since ETSU and whoever else we bring in probably won't be football ready that year.

I really enjoyed our H and H series with Princeton. Maybe the Crimson would like to come to Charleston?


Sent from the center of the universe.

[Hammerhead]

On any given Saturday, you're lucky to find more than a dozen football games on the regional sports networks. I'm not counting the games on the Big Ten network, ESPN, NBC/CBS/FOX. All of the 2nd rate FBS games are shown on several channels at once so there isn't a whole lot to pick from most weeks when I'm looking for another game to put on the big TV while watching an internet broadcast of the Bison.



Not every FBS game is televised.

[MplsBison]

You're an idiot. Nobody's "moving" anywhere, but thanks for the troll.

The Citadel has been in the same league since the 1930s, as has Furman. The landscape has changed around these schools for going on a century now. We didnt move down to I-AA, it was created around us. If another shift in the divisions occurs, we will remain in the division that contains or fellow rivals and competitors.

The NCAA can call the divisions what they want, it doesn't matter. Well still have the same fans, same attendance, same rivals, same athletes, and the game will still be played on a 100 yard field.

So again, who gives a crap? You?


You're not playing the same teams. South Carolina, Clemson, UNC, NC St, VT, Maryland, Duke and Wake Forest for the most part all left the Southern Conference in 1953.

[CID1990]

You're not playing the same teams. South Carolina, Clemson, UNC, NC St, VT, Maryland, Duke and Wake Forest for the most part all left the Southern Conference in 1953.

Here's a news flash for you, Mensa. We weren't playing "with" them in the 50s, either. Go look it up. We play against them today about as frequently as we did back then. Our regular opponents were Davidson, VMI, Furman and the like. Sort of like today.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[AppMan]

The reality is ESPN doesn't "NEED" to do anything for FCS. It isn't a charitable organization. They are in business to make money. FCS games generate little if any revenue. They televise the first three rounds on ESPN3 and the semi finals and finals on the "real" networks because there are more marketable - profitable - games the first three weekends and no one else is playing the other two. They "sell" the idea of Friday night prime time for one semi final. The truth is they need the programming for an otherwise dead night. You guys can hate ESPN all you want, I doubt they lose any sleep over it. The NCAA sold out FCS and you guys are stuck with being manipulated by the Mother Ship for the foreseeable future.

[Bisonoline]

The reality is ESPN doesn't "NEED" to do anything for FCS. It isn't a charitable organization. They are in business to make money. FCS games generate little if any revenue. They televise the first three rounds on ESPN3 and the semi finals and finals on the "real" networks because there are more marketable - profitable - games the first three weekends and no one else is playing the other two. They "sell" the idea of Friday night prime time for one semi final. The truth is they need the programming for an otherwise dead night. You guys can hate ESPN all you want, I doubt they lose any sleep over it. The NCAA sold out FCS and you guys are stuck with being manipulated by the Mother Ship for the foreseeable future.

This be the truth.

[Sader87]

Holy Cross will continue to play its fellow Patriot League schools...2,3 or 4 Ivies and a couple other schools every year as it basically has for the last 50 years...these games won't be on ESPN but God will continue to be in his heaven and alumni will have a few libations on the baseball and freshmen fields.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The reality is ESPN doesn't "NEED" to do anything for FCS. It isn't a charitable organization. They are in business to make money. FCS games generate little if any revenue. They televise the first three rounds on ESPN3 and the semi finals and finals on the "real" networks because there are more marketable - profitable - games the first three weekends and no one else is playing the other two. They "sell" the idea of Friday night prime time for one semi final. The truth is they need the programming for an otherwise dead night. You guys can hate ESPN all you want, I doubt they lose any sleep over it. The NCAA sold out FCS and you guys are stuck with being manipulated by the Mother Ship for the foreseeable future.

Exactly what is different with this and the MAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA, or the AAC or whatever they want to call it? Plug in "They televise the championship game" and "They 'sell' the idea of a bowl game between the Sun Belt and MAC champions" and it's the exact same situation.

I think opening up the bidding of a national, cross-country 24 team playoff to multiple bidders would be the best possible situation for FCS. It simply hasn't been tried. It's also more likely to get interest than the Sun Belt championship and more Sun Belt Bowls. Perhaps it's the fact that it would cheapen that inventory is why it hasn't happened yet.

[clenz]

You have seen the ratings right? The highest rated fcs playoff game was behind all but 2 bowl games.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

[GannonFan]

Exactly what is different with this and the MAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA, or the AAC or whatever they want to call it? Plug in "They televise the championship game" and "They 'sell' the idea of a bowl game between the Sun Belt and MAC champions" and it's the exact same situation.

I think opening up the bidding of a national, cross-country 24 team playoff to multiple bidders would be the best possible situation for FCS. It simply hasn't been tried. It's also more likely to get interest than the Sun Belt championship and more Sun Belt Bowls. Perhaps it's the fact that it would cheapen that inventory is why it hasn't happened yet.

Let's be honest, most likely one of the bigger reasons why FCS games don't get noticed while Sun Belt and MAC games do, is because Las Vegas publishes a betting line on those games. It's ugly, but if you want more people to be interested in FCS games, and for networks to then follow those viewers and broadcast the games, the single greatest way to do that would be to open up betting on FCS games. Very few people are watching mid-week MAC football because they like football, they're doing it because they have something riding on the outcome.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

You have seen the ratings right? The highest rated fcs playoff game was behind all but 2 bowl games.

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See earlier. ESPN is on more cable systems than ESPN2 and by default, on more televisions in public places. If there is a bar with one television, it will be on ESPN. The snake eating it's tail as it were.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

See earlier. ESPN is on more cable systems than ESPN2 and by default, on more televisions in public places. If there is a bar with one television, it will be on ESPN. The snake eating it's tail as it were.

In other words, hyping FCS football would diminish its own MAC inventory.

No such problem for NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, Fox 1... all of which appear to be looking for programming.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

In other words, hyping FCS football would diminish its own MAC inventory.

No such problem for NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, Fox 1... all of which appear to be looking for programming.

It's a real pity that the four letter has the NCAA all locked up. Fox Sports 1 looks like it might have the heft to be something.

[walliver]

Marketing the FCS game would be a challenge.

#1 - To 99% of casual football fans, the college football national championship was between Alabama and Notre Dame. Trying to explain to fans that THAT national championship was not recognized by the NCAA would be difficult. Also, ESPN does not want to undercut their other bowl games.

#2 - The name "FCS" has never caught on with fans. I have always preferred the term "I-AA" because it at least points out that the teams are actually Division I.

The best way to promote the game is to:
1) Rename the game. Instead of "FCS Championship Game", give it a bowl name, i.e. "The Walter Payton Bowl", and promote it as a bowl game.
2) Get announcers who care about the teams involved and don't ramble on about how FBS needs a playoff, etc.
The game will never get great ratings, but properly marketed, should get ratings similar to the New Orleans Bowl.

[MarkyMark]

You have seen the ratings right? The highest rated fcs playoff game was behind all but 2 bowl games.

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An FCS playoff game beats 2 bowl games. Thats actually remarkable that an FCS playoff game could beat 2 bowl games.

It makes a big difference in the ratings if the game is on ESPN 1 or 2 as someone mentioned earlier. FCS games including the championship will always lose out to the ratings of bowl games if they are played on ESPN 2. Until ESPN puts the FCS championship on the flagship and promotes it properly we will never get a true head to head comparison with bowl games.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

An FCS playoff game beats 2 bowl games. Thats actually remarkable that an FCS playoff game could beat 2 bowl games.

It makes a big difference in the ratings if the game is on ESPN 1 or 2 as someone mentioned earlier. FCS games including the championship will always lose out to the ratings of bowl games if they are played on ESPN 2. Until ESPN puts the FCS championship on the flagship and promotes it properly we will never get a true head to head comparison with bowl games.

Until the NCAA puts the rights up for bids and NBC, CBS or Fox squares off against the competition of ESPN will we get a true head-to-head comparison.

Fox has done this incredibly well with Big XII games and the Cotton Bowl. Why not FCS?

[Bisonator]

Why does the NCAA sell the rights to ESPN for everything? ESPN is just going to keep outbidding to protect there programming at the expense of the other sports exposure. Why can't they bid out the rights to FBS games, FCS games, DII games, the other sports separately. They should know by now that combining them is not in the best interest for all.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Sorry for the facts:

The highest rated FCS football game in the 2012 season was Ga Southern @ ODU. The worst rated Bowl game drew 700K more viewers than that game. A lot of schools in FCS don't need to market their schools because they're already very well known. The "newer", emerging universities need the national exposure their athletics programs can bring and FCS ain't cuttin it for football.

At a meeting Saturday, we heard of an independent firm who said the publicity Florida Gulf Coast received in the NCAA Basketball Tournament would have cost the school $640 Million if they had to buy it. Georgia Southern wants to grow into a National Research University and to do that we need to advertise. The "cheapest" way to advertise is to invest in athletics and let people hear about the school that way.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Sorry for the facts:

The highest rated FCS football game in the 2012 season was Ga Southern @ ODU. The worst rated Bowl game drew 700K more viewers than that game.

Wrong.

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

[Lehigh Football Nation]

And again, this great graphic shows the great importance of being broadcast on ESPN instead of ESPN2 and ESPNU. The best-performing bowl game on ESPN2 only barely outperformed the FCS semifinal playoff game on ESPN, and arguably it was because it was a New Year's Day bowl game.

[Professor Chaos]

I'll give that rich guy $100,000 to name the team that lost the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year.

[GannonFan]

And again, this great graphic shows the great importance of being broadcast on ESPN instead of ESPN2 and ESPNU. The best-performing bowl game on ESPN2 only barely outperformed the FCS semifinal playoff game on ESPN, and arguably it was because it was a New Year's Day bowl game.

Of course the graphic also shows that the lowest rated game that aired on ESPN was an FCS game. So even with getting the extra benefit of more homes, compared to any other football game on the same network, it was the lowest watched game of all. Not exactly a selling point to say that they should air more FCS games on the flagship network.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Of course the graphic also shows that the lowest rated game that aired on ESPN was an FCS game. So even with getting the extra benefit of more homes, compared to any other football game on the same network, it was the lowest watched game of all. Not exactly a selling point to say that they should air more FCS games on the flagship network.

... on ESPNU, not carried in many homes. Your logic is flawed. Networks don't say "well, the show got a 1.1 on Oprah's network, so next time they should put it on ABC." The shows are where they are, and the ratings are driven in large part by that. A game on ESPNU will never outperform one on ESPN simply because there are so few sets with ESPNU. Much like the NCAA Tournament games on CBS will outperform the ones on TruTV.

[GannonFan]

... on ESPNU, not carried in many homes. Your logic is flawed. Networks don't say "well, the show got a 1.1 on Oprah's network, so next time they should put it on ABC." The shows are where they are, and the ratings are driven in large part by that. A game on ESPNU will never outperform one on ESPN simply because there are so few sets with ESPNU. Much like the NCAA Tournament games on CBS will outperform the ones on TruTV.

Uh....what?

All I pointed out was that the ODU/GSU game was on ESPN. It was the highest rated FCS game on your graphic. It was also the lowest performing ESPN program on your graphic. No other program on the main, flagship station, ESPN, had lower ratings than the FCS game. You said that if they would put more FCS games on ESPN then they would perform better. Yes, they did, but they didn't perform better than anything else that was also on ESPN.

[clenz]

I'll give that rich guy $100,000 to name the team that lost the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year.

I'll give you a million dollars if you can find a fan that didn't follow the fcs that can name the champion from 2010....2 million if that same person can name the conferences of the fcs and more than 1/4 th of the teams in them

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[PaladinFan]

I'll give you a million dollars if you can find a fan that didn't follow the fcs that can name the champion from 2010....2 million if that same person can name the conferences of the fcs and more than 1/4 th of the teams in them

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These arguments are nonsense.

The vast majority of the folks in this country do not care about teams they perceived to be "second tier." It does not matter if you are the FCS champion, the winner of the Fight Hunger Bowl, or the man on mars. Few people care. I imagine most people could not even tell you all of the participants in the BCS bowl games last season - those are watched by millions.

[Professor Chaos]

I'll give you a million dollars if you can find a fan that didn't follow the fcs that can name the champion from 2010....2 million if that same person can name the conferences of the fcs and more than 1/4 th of the teams in them

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We could go back and forth on that all day. It's hypocritical to say that a Youngstown St fan would be any less likely to know the loser of the FCS championship than they'd be to know the loser of the podunk bowl the MAC champion usually competes in if they were in the MAC (I know, Northern Illinois... Orange Bowl.... blah-blah-blah... come talk to me when a MAC team gets into the new FBS playoff). There comes a point when schools need to look in the mirror and understand that it's not Alabama or Texas or even Boise St staring back at them.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I'll give you a million dollars if you can find a fan that didn't follow the fcs that can name the champion from 2010....2 million if that same person can name the conferences of the fcs and more than 1/4 th of the teams in them

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I still don't get why being the American Idol of college football is the be all end all for some fans but whatever floats yer boat I guess.

Nobody gives a damn about lower FBS or the FCS or D2 or whatever else unless you are a fan of those particular team and that is just as well with me. I'm not sure why the validation is needed that some dumbass in a bar in Ohio knows who or what the Griz are. He ain't one of us and I'd just as soon keep it that way. I like the fact that if you want to be an FCS fan you have to earn it because it isn't just laid out for you.

Opinions vary though.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I still don't get why being the American Idol of college football is the be all end all for some fans but whatever floats yer boat I guess.

Nobody gives a damn about lower FBS or the FCS or D2 or whatever else unless you are a fan of those particular team and that is just as well with me. I'm not sure why the validation is needed that some dumbass in a bar in Ohio knows who or what the Griz are. He ain't one of us and I'd just as soon keep it that way. I like the fact that if you want to be an FCS fan you have to earn it because it isn't just laid out for you.

Opinions vary though.

Especially this part of Ohio, over the next week, I will ask everybody I know who played in the GoDaddy.com bowl and let you know how many people come up with even one team.

It's all about the decisions of the network. It's a chicken and egg argument. The BBVA Compass bowl was going on the same time as the FCS championship game. How many more screens were just tuned to that channel because it was the default? I'll bet bowling on ESPN would get higher ratings simply because it's on ESPN.

[CrazyCat]

I still don't get why being the American Idol of college football is the be all end all for some fans but whatever floats yer boat I guess.

Nobody gives a damn about lower FBS or the FCS or D2 or whatever else unless you are a fan of those particular team and that is just as well with me. I'm not sure why the validation is needed that some dumbass in a bar in Ohio knows who or what the Griz are. He ain't one of us and I'd just as soon keep it that way. I like the fact that if you want to be an FCS fan you have to earn it because it isn't just laid out for you.

Opinions vary though.

+1

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Especially this part of Ohio, over the next week, I will ask everybody I know who played in the GoDaddy.com bowl and let you know how many people come up with even one team.

It's all about the decisions of the network. It's a chicken and egg argument. The BBVA Compass bowl was going on the same time as the FCS championship game. How many more screens were just tuned to that channel because it was the default? I'll bet bowling on ESPN would get higher ratings simply because it's on ESPN.

I sent a tweet the other day to Root Sports NW just telling them that I really liked what they did with the BSC coverage last year and if any of you appreciate the sorts of outlets that do these sorts of things you might want to tip your cap to them as well.

I'd be in heaven if Root Sports had a contract with the conferences like the MVFC, SoCon, etc. so I could watch those games like I can the BSC. You can rest assured that I would be searching that channel out vigorously and making sure it was on in any bar I'm drinking at.

[813Jag]

2013 Belk Bowl. Quick, name who played in it.
Duke/Cincy

[344Johnson]

Duke/Cincy


Over/under on how bad NDSU or GaSo would have waxed them......

[Hammerhead]

The Sagarin ratings from last year

#35 N.D. State
#36 Cincinnati

#72 Georiga Southern
#73 Duke

[AppMan]

Until the NCAA puts the rights up for bids and NBC, CBS or Fox squares off against the competition of ESPN will we get a true head-to-head comparison.

Fox has done this incredibly well with Big XII games and the Cotton Bowl. Why not FCS?

They did put it out several years ago and there were NO takers. ESPN saw an opportunity to fill in some dead air space on a Friday night and a Saturday nobody was playing on. They locked up the deal for 10 years so you can forget any new network getting involved for 5-6 more years.

Are you seriously comparing the marketability of FCS football to the Big XII and Cotton Bowl?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

They did put it out several years ago and there were NO takers. ESPN saw an opportunity to fill in some dead air space on a Friday night and a Saturday nobody was playing on. They locked up the deal for 10 years so you can forget any new network getting involved for 5-6 more years.

Are you seriously comparing the marketability of FCS football to the Big XII and Cotton Bowl?

There were no takers because NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports One didn't exist yet, and CBS College Sports was a tiny, niche channel that was not being run properly. CBSCS rebranded as CBS Sports Network and has made positive steps to being a player in this space (and still have a leg up on NBCSN and FS1, scheduled to roll out this year), but were slow doing it.

Comparing the TV landscape from years ago is akin to talking about the conference landscape from years ago. What it was then and what it is now are two different things.

[MplsBison]

CBS SN does not have a leg up on NBC SN, formally Versus.

Both are niche sports channels that are not available on standard tiers of programming. Some providers put them on an extended tier while others require the purchase of a "sports package".

The same will be true of Fox Sports One, as Fox is the last of the major four TV network to have a national, cable sports channel.

The only one of the four that really has a "leg up" is ABC. Because they have this little national, cable sports channel called "ESPN".


ESPN (and ESPN 2) are standard tier channels available to every cable/satellite customer in the country on every network. For the NCAA's part, they were able to secure an agreement with ESPN to air many of the "other" championships, things like women's volleyball, women's basketball, college world series, softball world series......FCS playoffs, DII championship game, DIII championship game -- you know, all things of similar "worth" to the NCAA and the national sports media.

At least fans of those sports and schools can watch those contests with relative ease, since you can go almost anywhere and request ESPN/2 be put on the TV.

So what if that's not what's best for FCS? The NCAA doesn't care. They're not going to waste their time negotiating a separate TV package for this sub-division's playoff games. You are delusional if you think otherwise.

Maybe it's the FCS that should break away from the NCAA!!

[SpiritCymbal]

1) Rename the game. Instead of "FCS Championship Game", give it a bowl name, i.e. "The Walter Payton Bowl", and promote it as a bowl game.

Back in the 80's the 1-aa NC game was called the "Diamond Bowl". I always liked that.

[Bisonator]

So what if that's not what's best for FCS? The NCAA doesn't care. They're not going to waste their time negotiating a separate TV package for this sub-division's playoff games. You are delusional if you think otherwise.

Maybe it's the FCS that should break away from the NCAA!!

Why wouldn't they? You don't think they could make even more money by separating the rights to the FCS games rather then an all for one package deal to ESPN? Like has been said these other sports channels would kill for programming. I really think the management at the NCAA has completely short changed themselves and every school by not splitting all of the games up and spreading the rights out to more networks.

[MplsBison]

Why wouldn't they? You don't think they could make even more money by separating the rights to the FCS games rather then an all for one package deal to ESPN? Like has been said these other sports channels would kill for programming. I really think the management at the NCAA has completely short changed themselves and every school by not splitting all of the games up and spreading the rights out to more networks.

You're not wrong.

They probably could make more money, now especially with NBC, CBS and Fox looking to get in on ABC/ESPN's game.

I've never necessarily disagreed with that argument. I'm just practical. From multiple aspects.

1) consider how convenient it is for the NCAA to lump all the "other" championships into a single package, rather than splitting them up and negotiating them all separately

2) consider that the NCAA and ESPN are business partners. You think ESPN is just going to roll over and play nice if it finds out the NCAA is shopping *anything* to the other networks? No. ESPN could well threaten to no-bid every championship from the NCAA in retaliation.

3) and of course the biggest factor: the NCAA's primary concern is getting these things *ON* TV....not making money! To them, just having these "other" championships *ON TV* in the first place is a huge win, let alone it being on the main national, sports cable channel in this country. The others don't even come close.


Now for all those aspects, you have to ask yourself this if you're the NCAA: just how much more money can we realistically expect to make on something like the FCS playoffs?? And is that delta worth all the added hassles?

[Bisonator]

You're not wrong.

They probably could make more money, now especially with NBC, CBS and Fox looking to get in on ABC/ESPN's game.

I've never necessarily disagreed with that argument. I'm just practical. From multiple aspects.

1) consider how convenient it is for the NCAA to lump all the "other" championships into a single package, rather than splitting them up and negotiating them all separately

That may be convenient but it's not the best way to make money.

2) consider that the NCAA and ESPN are business partners. You think ESPN is just going to roll over and play nice if it finds out the NCAA is shopping *anything* to the other networks? No. ESPN could well threaten to no-bid every championship from the NCAA in retaliation.

What would ESPN put on, turtle races? That would be suicide not to bid on anything.

3) and of course the biggest factor: the NCAA's primary concern is getting these things *ON* TV....not making money! To them, just having these "other" championships *ON TV* in the first place is a huge win, let alone it being on the main national, sports cable channel in this country. The others don't even come close.

I disagree. Their job is to get the games on TV and make money. They have still not done a very good job at getting the games on TV, unless you consider ESPN3 TV of course. And I still contend the way they are packaging all sports together they are actually losing money.


Now for all those aspects, you have to ask yourself this if you're the NCAA: just how much more money can we realistically expect to make on something like the FCS playoffs?? And is that delta worth all the added hassles?

IMO it's a no brainer. You make more money and you get more TV exposure. Where is the downside? Having to put a little more time into it?


.

[MplsBison]

Fair enough.

Yet, I don't see FCS playoffs going out for bid any time soon.

[Bisonator]

Fair enough.

Yet, I don't see FCS playoffs going out for bid any time soon.

Obviously they can't until the contract with ESPN runs out. Which won't happen until 2024, that's another issue I have is the lengths of these deals. Anything over 5 years is absurd IMO!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Obviously they can't until the contract with ESPN runs out. Which won't happen until 2024, that's another issue I have is the lengths of these deals. Anything over 5 years is absurd IMO!

I have half a mind to write the NCAA and ask if there's a buyout clause.

[Bisonator]

Apparently they don't have an issue bidding out the men's basketball tournament seperately. xrolleyesx

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/04/ncaa-reaches-14-year-deal-with-cbsturner/1#.UW8AwaI3s1E

[clenz]

Apparently they don't have an issue bidding out the men's basketball tournament seperately. xrolleyesx

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/04/ncaa-reaches-14-year-deal-with-cbsturner/1#.UW8AwaI3s1E

Because that will make them money.

Putting the playoffs on nbc sports, fox 1 (wtf is that, I've heard of it only a couple times and doubt most carries have it), etc...won't make anyone money. It wasn't until about a year ago that most people received nbc sports (vs), and that only started to happen after nbc bought it out, and didn't really take off until after the Dan Patrick show left Comcast for nbc. 80 percent if their line up is still hunting and fishing.I know that are working on changing that, but fcs playoffs games aren't going to draw any better there than the deuce or u, and they ain't going to out bid the membership for a set of games that might..Maybe...if the right teams are playing at the right time of day...draw a 1 in ratings.

CBS sports, our whatever it is, shows a lot of college games...from what I hear. How many providers actually offer cbs sports without it being an extra package you have to buy. I can get it with my provider, but it's $135 for the football season...he'll if I'm paying that to watch Northern Colorado play Davis or Furman play WCU and then the playoffs....Especially when the mothership had all of the playoff games, and a large number of regular season games, I could watch easily accessed through my Xbox.

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[NoDak 4 Ever]

Because that will make them money.

Putting the playoffs on nbc sports, fox 1 (wtf is that, I've heard of it only a couple times and doubt most carries have it), etc...won't make anyone money. It wasn't until about a year ago that most people received nbc sports (vs), and that only started to happen after nbc bought it out, and didn't really take off until after the Dan Patrick show left Comcast for nbc. 80 percent if their line up is still hunting and fishing.I know that are working on changing that, but fcs playoffs games aren't going to draw any better there than the deuce or u, and they ain't going to out bid the membership for a set of games that might..Maybe...if the right teams are playing at the right time of day...draw a 1 in ratings.

CBS sports, our whatever it is, shows a lot of college games...from what I hear. How many providers actually offer cbs sports without it being an extra package you have to buy. I can get it with my provider, but it's $135 for the football season...he'll if I'm paying that to watch Northern Colorado play Davis or Furman play WCU and then the playoffs....Especially when the mothership had all of the playoff games, and a large number of regular season games, I could watch easily accessed through my Xbox.

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Fox Sports 1 is just a channel flip from Speed. Tons of carriers have Speed now and they will keep carrying FS1. Just like VS went to NBC Sports. These huge media companies have a ton of money to throw at these things to try to take a chunk out of ESPN.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Because that will make them money.

So could the FCS playoffs.

[Saint3333]

If the FCS could double attention and viewship yes they could make money, so your statement isn't false. However that isn't realistic.

[IBleedYellow]

I wish that the FCS could get a deal with the Fox Sports 1. Pretty much all basic cable packages currently carry Speed Channel, which will turn into FS1. Sigh.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I wish that the FCS could get a deal with the Fox Sports 1. Pretty much all basic cable packages currently carry Speed Channel, which will turn into FS1. Sigh.

As far as I know, that K-State/NDSU game will be their first college football game. We'll see if that generates any interest.

[IBleedYellow]

As far as I know, that K-State/NDSU game will be their first college football game. We'll see if that generates any interest.

You are correct. Now is the time for the FCS to show that they want to watch FCS games on television.

[MplsBison]

Apparently they don't have an issue bidding out the men's basketball tournament seperately. xrolleyesx

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/04/ncaa-reaches-14-year-deal-with-cbsturner/1#.UW8AwaI3s1E

The ability of the NCAA to negotiate individual championships if they choose to do that was never at question....but thanks for basically pulling a non-sequitur out of your hat. Carry on.

FCS playoffs = women's volleyball championship, to the NCAA.

[MplsBison]

Fox Sports 1 is just a channel flip from Speed. Tons of carriers have Speed now and they will keep carrying FS1. Just like VS went to NBC Sports. These huge media companies have a ton of money to throw at these things to try to take a chunk out of ESPN.

But like anything in the world, ESPN is already the clear, CLEAR market leader - they've already penetrated and saturated the market.


NBC, CBS and FOX cable sports networks are not on standard tiers and sometimes not even in any tier! (you even have to order an add-on sports package just to get them)

[MplsBison]

So could the FCS playoffs.

Enough to warrant the NCAA bidding out and negotiating a separate contract just for this??

Doubtful. But you're welcome to try.

[MplsBison]

If the FCS could double attention and viewship yes they could make money, so your statement isn't false. However that isn't realistic.

Especially not with the few programs that can actually generate some attention leaving the sub-division.

[MplsBison]

I wish that the FCS could get a deal with the Fox Sports 1. Pretty much all basic cable packages currently carry Speed Channel, which will turn into FS1. Sigh.

Uh..no. Speed has market penetration of 81 million homes.

It's offered on extended tiers in most networks.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

As far as I know, that K-State/NDSU game will be their first college football game. We'll see if that generates any interest.

It might. The Big 10 Network's grand opening was none other than Appalachian State vs. Michigan.

[dgtw]

I have half a mind........

We know.

[Bisonator]

Here's another interesting article: http://m.usatoday.com/article/sports/2097115

[Lehigh Football Nation]

"When you think about some of the schools that have gone through the major NCAA sanctions recently and the impact that has had on their reputations, they are great academic schools — Miami, Ohio State, USC," the athletics director said.

This was a coffee-out-the-nose moment for me. Miami, USC and Ohio State - great academic schools? USC? Really?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Earlier this year, the Big Ten floated a proposal to stop scheduling FCS opponents, which has generally been a mutually beneficial relationship: The power conference school (and coach) gets an easy win, and the small-budget FCS school gets a high six-figure guarantee just for playing. Although there's no evidence other leagues are interested in moving in that direction, it would sever one last major tie between big-time football and the rest of the NCAA.

"I wouldn't characterize it as anything we're losing sleep over yet," said Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett, whose conference competes in the FCS. "Could we exist without it? I'm sure we could, but it wouldn't be anything like what we do now. The guarantee money is important.

"When you come down to funding in the future, are they going to cut us out completely? I don't know. They have to play somebody. Are they just going to play each other, are they just going to play the Sun Belt and the MAC and Conference USA? If they do, if I'm in one of those conferences, I'm really going to drive guarantees up tremendously, because you're telling me I'm the only one you're going to play anymore. We're already seeing guarantees jump upwards of a million."

Didn't I just say this? +1

[CFBfan]

This was a coffee-out-the-nose moment for me. Miami, USC and Ohio State - great academic schools? USC? Really?

USC is ranked 24th in the nation

[CFBfan]

This was a coffee-out-the-nose moment for me. Miami, USC and Ohio State - great academic schools? USC? Really?

BTW: Lehigh is ranked 38th......more coffee coming out of your nose now?

[IBleedYellow]

BTW: Lehigh is ranked 38th......more coffee coming out of your nose now?

Point. Set. Match.

[MplsBison]

Leave it to a Patriot alum to think of his cute little sailboat as running along with a mega-yacht like a Big Ten school.

[CFBfan]

Leave it to a Patriot alum to think of his cute little sailboat as running along with a mega-yacht like a Big Ten school.

Let's limit that call to Lehigh and not the entire PL !!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

USC is a byword of athletics corruption, as is Ohio State and Miami (FL). Which scandal is worse: hookers-for-athletes, USC boosters paying for Reggie Bush's family, or tattoos-for-stuff?

I'll hold Patriot League athletes up academically to some of the yahoo athletes masquerading as students in these schools any day of the week.

[MplsBison]

USC is a byword of athletics corruption, as is Ohio State and Miami (FL). Which scandal is worse: hookers-for-athletes, USC boosters paying for Reggie Bush's family, or tattoos-for-stuff?

I'll hold Patriot League athletes up academically to some of the yahoo athletes masquerading as students in these schools any day of the week.

I'll accept this without a second thought.

Your previous post was not specific to the student-athletes associated with the schools, but the entire schools themselves (which you know is a crock).

[AppMan]

There were no takers because NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports One didn't exist yet, and CBS College Sports was a tiny, niche channel that was not being run properly. CBSCS rebranded as CBS Sports Network and has made positive steps to being a player in this space (and still have a leg up on NBCSN and FS1, scheduled to roll out this year), but were slow doing it.

Comparing the TV landscape from years ago is akin to talking about the conference landscape from years ago. What it was then and what it is now are two different things.

CBS, NBC, & ABC were ALL televising college football at the time. None of them picked up the game. Gonna have to face reality one day. FCS football is not a marketable product on a national scale.

[seantaylor]

The real USC is a great academic school. The other one isn't. SoCal is in the ghetto, though.

[Tribe4SF]

The shuffle may be pretty much over after this. Other leagues may follow suit. Limited opportunities for the second tier of FBS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/acc-schools-agree-to-grant-tv-rights-to-league-making-it-tougher-to-leave-the-conference/2013/04/22/56da41ee-ab7d-11e2-9493-2ff3bf26c4b4_story.html

[danefan]

The shuffle may be pretty much over after this. Other leagues may follow suit. Limited opportunities for the second tier of FBS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/acc-schools-agree-to-grant-tv-rights-to-league-making-it-tougher-to-leave-the-conference/2013/04/22/56da41ee-ab7d-11e2-9493-2ff3bf26c4b4_story.html

Looks like the end is near for the top conferences.

[DFW HOYA]

Things will not stay the same.

[IBleedYellow]

Funny how the ACC wanted to take any schools, but once someone tried to raid them, they got all butthurt.

[danefan]

Funny how the ACC wanted to take any schools, but once someone tried to raid them, they got all butthurt.

Good business is what that is.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's telling that the SEC doesn't have a shared media rights deal - and no exit fees.

If a school wants out bad enough, they'll move.

[WH49er]

It's telling that the SEC doesn't have a shared media rights deal - and no exit fees.

If a school wants out bad enough, they'll move.




Is this serious? Who would move out of the SEC? The major networks worship the ground they walk on.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Is this serious? Who would move out of the SEC? The major networks worship the ground they walk on.

Precisely. They don't need shenaigans like this media rights deal to keep their members, though apparently the ACC does.

[IBleedYellow]

Good business is what that is.

No, good business would be being so damn good that no one wants to leave you. A la the SEC.

But really you are correct, because if you aren't protecting your conference in this day and age, you are done for.

Nexus 4

[asumike83]

Good business is what that is.

Agreed, very wise move by the ACC to lock their teams up. They watched the Big East die a slow death, realized that no amount of basketball power will save you and did what they had to do.

[PAllen]

Just another unenforceable rule. You can't tell me that if UNC and Duke went to the Big 10 that they wouldn't get coverage for their BBall games, or wouldn't get paid for said coverage. Or that if Florida State and Miami went to the SEC, that CBS wouldn't be covering their football games.

[PAllen]

BTW, I found it interesting that the article ends with what will be Maryland's defense in the exit fee lawsuit:

"When Louisville replaces Maryland in 2014, the ACC will add a program that won the NCAA men’s basketball title, reached the NCAA women’s basketball final and won the Sugar Bowl this season in exchange for a school that hasn’t been to a bowl game or reached the NCAA men’s basketball tournament since 2010."

Kinda hard to sue for damages when it can easily be argued that you are better off for the "loss".

[WH49er]

Precisely. They don't need shenaigans like this media rights deal to keep their members, though apparently the ACC does.

Gotcha, wasn't too sure what you were getting at there.

[walliver]

If UNC, Clemson, and FSU signed off with the ACC TV deal, rapid realignment will come to a slow-down. There may still be a little movement if the Big-12 tries to lure away a MWC or AAC team, but at this point, that would just dilute the conference. The ACC has teams along the entire East Coast and has no reason to expand. The SEC probably stays where it is as does the B1G.

C-USA could add a couple of teams which would cause a ripple effect for 2 potential FCS movers, and the MAC could add a team.

The Wild Card is the AAC. If they get expansion happy, it could destabilize the Gang of 5 and FCS. If they sit tight, we could see relatively stable conference alignments for several years (at least among football schools). I suspect basketball realignment still has several more years to play out.

[asumike83]

BTW, I found it interesting that the article ends with what will be Maryland's defense in the exit fee lawsuit:

"When Louisville replaces Maryland in 2014, the ACC will add a program that won the NCAA men’s basketball title, reached the NCAA women’s basketball final and won the Sugar Bowl this season in exchange for a school that hasn’t been to a bowl game or reached the NCAA men’s basketball tournament since 2010."

Kinda hard to sue for damages when it can easily be argued that you are better off for the "loss".

The ACC definitely came out on top in both major sports but I'm not sure it is relevant to them honoring the conference's exit fee. Plus, I'd be very surprised to see Maryland go to court and say, in essence, "We are weak, ACC athletics got better with our departure, so we shouldn't have to pay."