Bowl games at the Division I-AA level?

[Jacks76]

Will I-AA sanction bowl games anytime soon? Perhaps for teams that didn't quite make the playoffs but were good enough to be in a postseason game?

Some game names to consider:

Cherry Bowl (e.g. UMass vs. Northern Iowa) Payout: $235,000
Pineapple Bowl (e.g. NAU vs. Southern Utah) Payout: $265,000
Apple Bowl (e.g. Florida A&M vs. Western Carolina) Payout: $290,000
Mineral Water Bowl* (e.g. Sam Hou. St. vs. San Diego) Payout: $250,000
Poinsetta Bowl** (e.g. Lafayette vs. Harvard) Payout: $275,000

* - moves up from Div. II.
** - moves down from Div. I-A

That's 5 bowls games and 10 teams, a fair postseason alotment for good teams that didn't make the 16-team playoff field.

Could have payouts at a fraction of the larger bowls, but large enough to be enticing to teams wanting to play.

Thoughts? Yes, I know most people want to continue the "playoff only" tradition of I-AA, but teams that need money would jump at the chance to play in one of these fictional games (plus, it would be a good recruiting tool, unlike I-A, where everyone and their dog receives a bowl bid; only 10 teams here do). :rolleyes:

Paul

[GAD]

:nono: bad idea: smh :

[AppGuy04]

I-AA = no bowls, PERIOD!

[*****]

Okay, I'll bite. These games would be for teams that do not get into the playoffs... finished 2-3-4-5 in their conference or won it and didn't get selected? There would be some sponsor that would cover expenses and the teams would sell tickets for their "profit" right? Let's say $40 tickets. 5K tickets sold per team to get a payout of $200K. Do you think that would work?

[Jacks76]

Yes. I just think NAU and other teams are getting screwed over by playing two or more I-A opponents this year. I can't see NAU going 7-1 in the Big Sky, and Portland State might also struggle to meet the 7 d1 win requirement.

Paul

[Tailbone]

:nono: bad idea: smh :

Maybe we could call them "Classics". :rolleyes:

[GAD]

Maybe we could call them "Classics". :rolleyes:
naw classics are usually well attended these game wound not be

[GeauxColonels]

Yes. I just think NAU and other teams are getting screwed over by playing two or more I-A opponents this year. I can't see NAU going 7-1 in the Big Sky, and Portland State might also struggle to meet the 7 d1 win requirement.

Paul
Nicholls State is in the same boat....but that's something that the AD and coaching staff must consider when scheduling the game.

[UNHknowledge]

Will I-AA sanction bowl games anytime soon? Perhaps for teams that didn't quite make the playoffs but were good enough to be in a postseason game?

Some game names to consider:

Cherry Bowl (e.g. UMass vs. Northern Iowa) Payout: $235,000
Pineapple Bowl (e.g. NAU vs. Southern Utah) Payout: $265,000
Apple Bowl (e.g. Florida A&M vs. Western Carolina) Payout: $290,000
Mineral Water Bowl* (e.g. Sam Hou. St. vs. San Diego) Payout: $250,000
Poinsetta Bowl** (e.g. Lafayette vs. Harvard) Payout: $275,000

* - moves up from Div. II.
** - moves down from Div. I-A

That's 5 bowls games and 10 teams, a fair postseason alotment for good teams that didn't make the 16-team playoff field.

Could have payouts at a fraction of the larger bowls, but large enough to be enticing to teams wanting to play.

Thoughts? Yes, I know most people want to continue the "playoff only" tradition of I-AA, but teams that need money would jump at the chance to play in one of these fictional games (plus, it would be a good recruiting tool, unlike I-A, where everyone and their dog receives a bowl bid; only 10 teams here do). :rolleyes:

Paul

I'm not gonna lie...I don't hate the idea at all. It just wouldn't work. Like someone stated previously, nobody would go to these games. These would be big time CFR (close friends and relatives) games especially late in the year with cold weather. Also, who would pay $40 to see a I-AA game of 2 teams not from the area and with no CFR on the team (only us I-AA Nuts, but not typical sports fans). But yea, I think it would have been cool to have seen a I-AA bowl game of teams not in the playoffs last year like a Hofstra vs. Youngstown or San Diego vs. Anybody in a power conference.

[Tailbone]

naw classics are usually well attended these game wound not be

Kudos GAD.

I was half afraid that my smarta$$ed comment might rub some folks the wrong way, but I did it anyway (couldn't resist).
Anyway, kudos to you for takin' the high road.

Good response BTW.

[Mike Johnson]

The reason Division I split back in 1978 was that half the division had trouble getting bowl games and getting support to them and wanted to have a playoff instead. I don't think all that much has changed that would allow bowl games at the IAA in addition to the playoffs.

That said, this idea would address the issue that half of IA teams go to well paying bowl games every years and a much smaller fraction of IAA teams go to the playoffs. I agree with other posters, I doubt it would work.

[ngineer]

Not practical and wouldn't last. Also, who is the D-II moving up and the I-A moving down. San Diego is I-AA and so is Harvard.:confused: Most games would't draw the necessary 10k just to raise $200k and after expenses the net doesn't justify.

[HensRock]

Perhaps for teams that didn't quite make the playoffs but were good enough to be in a postseason game?


If you don't make the playoffs, you're not good enough to be in a postseason game. period.
Just because I-A let's half of the subclassification into "bowl" games, doesn't make it right.

If you want a comparison, there are 15 playoff games. Liken these to the following bowl games:


Rose Bowl
Sugar Bowl
Orange Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
Cotton Bowl
Gator Bowl
Outback Bowl
Alamo Bowl
Peach Bowl
Liberty Bowl
Independence Bowl
Sun Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
Capital One Bowl
Motor City Bowl

Now, you propose to put the other "deserving" teams into bowl games that would correspond to what exactly?
Even if you argue that there are only 16 teams in the playoffs, so we should only count 8 bowls - just look at the top 8 in that list and then look at the rest. No thanks.

[slycat]

Okay, I'll bite. These games would be for teams that do not get into the playoffs... finished 2-3-4-5 in their conference or won it and didn't get selected? There would be some sponsor that would cover expenses and the teams would sell tickets for their "profit" right? Let's say $40 tickets. 5K tickets sold per team to get a payout of $200K. Do you think that would work?

i agree. i dont think enough fans would travel and go to the games to make them worth it.

look at the fort worth bowl and other lower I-A bowl games. they struggle to make profit and these teams would have about the same record as the teams you suggest to play.

[UNHWildCats]

Yes. I just think NAU and other teams are getting screwed over by playing two or more I-A opponents this year. I can't see NAU going 7-1 in the Big Sky, and Portland State might also struggle to meet the 7 d1 win requirement.

Paul

No one forces you to play I-A opponents so dont give us this getting screwed over crap.

[AppGuy04]

No one forces you to play I-A opponents so dont give us this getting screwed over crap.

Yes sir, don't play for the $$$$ if you want to get into the playoffs.

However, its not impossible to do, App played 2 I-A's last year and you know what happened there.

[Jacks76]

I think they scheduled two I-A opponents because they needed the money, not because they thought it would be cool to play ASU and Utah back-to-back. Just look at Portland State -- played New Mexico, Cal and also will be playing Oregon. That's a tough schedule even for a I-A team, much less a I-AA counterpart.

Paul

[bluehenbillk]

As the 3-letter conspiracies grow further in power I could eventually see the day of bowl games in 1-AA. Not too soon though.

[bobbythekidd]

Forgive my ignorance here but to answer the question I need to ask one.
What does it pay the school to be in a playoff game? How about the Championship game?
Without knowing the answer I will shoot from the hip. Is it possible for a money strapped, good, but not great team, to actually try to get a I-AA bowl and just miss the playoffs? This done for money in the budget for next year, knowing they will not make it all the way to Chatty.
Now my mean yet honest take. If you are not good enough for a postseason, you wait till next year. It is called compitition for a reason. You win or you lose. Thereis no consolation prize.

[Monarch Nation]

It seems to me the key ingredient in making it work would be television. With a television contract, it could work money wise, but what network would want to risk air time for two teams that have no name recognition beyond their usual fans? Without television, the idea wouldn't work, and with the current playoff system intact, it would be little more than a set of consolation games anyway.

I'd rather earn my way into post season play.

[kardplayer]

I think if they ever build a domed stadium in NY, you could see an Ivy/Patriot League Bowl game.

[Jacks76]

I think for a I-AA bowl game to be successful, it needs to be played during the same time and in the same area as a I-A bowl game. These "pggy back" games may not always generate a lot of interest, but there is still potential for revenue, especially when considering that in boxing undercards draw a lot of fans waiting for the main event.

Paul