NCAA Playoff Game Programs are a Ripoff

[Gil Dobie]

I've been going to sporting events for around 50 years. The product the NCAA puts out for FCS playoff games is terrible. You pay $8 for a picture of the teams, a roster and a bracket. Most high schools put this program to shame, and many High School JV programs are as good. Anyone thinking of buying one, should just go to the teams website and print the rosters and save the money.

[dewey]

Here is a link for the North Dakota State University Bison 2016 roster.

http://www.gobison.com/roster.aspx?path=football

Dewey

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I like them. I'll pay 8 bucks so I don't have to do it.

[Redbird007]

I doubt they sell many anyway.

[superman7515]

The product the NCAA puts out for FCS playoff games is terrible. You pay $8 for a picture of the teams, a roster and a bracket. Most high schools put this program to shame, and many High School JV programs are as good. Anyone thinking of buying one, should just go to the teams website and print the rosters and save the money.


That's what the SWAC has been saying for decades, and the MEAC recently came around to. They can make more money for their schools off of one "bowl" game than the entire NCAA playoffs can generate for the championship participants. Towson lost $250,000 in the playoffs in their 2013 runner-up season. While I understand the NCAA's need to recoup some costs, it's not like they do much to market the games to the casual sports fans (the game is often at a crappy time or hidden in the midst of major bowls and is consistently beaten by the lowest of the low FBS bowl games in ratings) or make the products they pawn worth your hard-earned dollars.

I'm not advocating for the end to the playoffs, but a new way of dividing the revenue wouldn't be too much to ask. They already get the lions share of the gate receipts and pretty much all of the merchandise & concession sales; no one wants their crappy merch, come up with a playoff shirt design and sell those, minimize costs by having just one design, but let the schools sell their own gear at the games also and keep that revenue. Let the schools keep the concession revenue. Drop the ban on alcohol sales at all playoff games. None of those are large revenue generators, but it's better than the nothing you get now.

[BEAR]

Yeah! And the refs suck too! xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

That's what the SWAC has been saying for decades, and the MEAC recently came around to. They can make more money for their schools off of one "bowl" game than the entire NCAA playoffs can generate for the championship participants. Towson lost $250,000 in the playoffs in their 2013 runner-up season. While I understand the NCAA's need to recoup some costs, it's not like they do much to market the games to the casual sports fans (the game is often at a crappy time or hidden in the midst of major bowls and is consistently beaten by the lowest of the low FBS bowl games in ratings) or make the products they pawn worth your hard-earned dollars.

I'm not advocating for the end to the playoffs, but a new way of dividing the revenue wouldn't be too much to ask. They already get the lions share of the gate receipts and pretty much all of the merchandise & concession sales; no one wants their crappy merch, come up with a playoff shirt design and sell those, minimize costs by having just one design, but let the schools sell their own gear at the games also and keep that revenue. Let the schools keep the concession revenue. Drop the ban on alcohol sales at all playoff games. None of those are large revenue generators, but it's better than the nothing you get now.

Why not have them do a "NCAA share" concept like they do for the NCAA men's basketball tournament? I find it hard to believe that the NCAA doesn't have the money to at least try a limited version of that. If there were NCAA revenue shares for the FCS playoffs, I think that might be enough to have the MEAC and SWAC dump their postseason exhibition games.

[Redbird007]

Why not have them do a "NCAA share" concept like they do for the NCAA men's basketball tournament? I find it hard to believe that the NCAA doesn't have the money to at least try a limited version of that. If there were NCAA revenue shares for the FCS playoffs, I think that might be enough to have the MEAC and SWAC dump their postseason exhibition games.

Be careful of the unintended consequences. You might end up with schools/conferences dropping out of the FCS playoffs.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Be careful of the unintended consequences. You might end up with schools/conferences dropping out of the FCS playoffs.

xconfusedx

[Redbird007]

Any time you start carving up money amongst members there will alway be someone who feels they are being screwed

[Hammerhead]

We bought a program at a couple of the championship games. There's no way I would buy one for a playoff game, especially at $8.

[BEAR]

I get mine free left on the seats after the game. xthumbsupx

[superman7515]

Any time you start carving up money amongst members there will alway be someone who feels they are being screwed

That's true. Look at all of the teams bailing out of D1 on account of their furious anger with the men's basketball tournament money disbursements.

[Laker]

no one wants their crappy merch, come up with a playoff shirt design and sell those, minimize costs by having just one design, but let the schools sell their own gear at the games also and keep that revenue. Let the schools keep the concession revenue. Drop the ban on alcohol sales at all playoff games. None of those are large revenue generators, but it's better than the nothing you get now.

This.

I don't understand why they won't let the home team sell their own stuff. When I go on the road I want something- usually a cap- from that place. I don't buy the NCAA stuff.

[JayJ79]

Why not have them do a "NCAA share" concept like they do for the NCAA men's basketball tournament? I find it hard to believe that the NCAA doesn't have the money to at least try a limited version of that. If there were NCAA revenue shares for the FCS playoffs, I think that might be enough to have the MEAC and SWAC dump their postseason exhibition games.

the basketball tournament generates revenue, mostly through TV money.
I don't think the FCS playoff generates much of anything, once you factor in all the expenses. There just isn't the interest from the general public to generate any real TV money for those games.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

the basketball tournament generates revenue, mostly through TV money.
I don't think the FCS playoff generates much of anything, once you factor in all the expenses. There just isn't the interest from the general public to generate any real TV money for those games.

My position on this has not really changed; there hasn't been the interest because the marketing needs to be better. The FCS Playoffs are a terrific product that needs better marketing and more TV access (or at least more of an eye to TV than there has been).

ESPN put up a lot of money for the Celebration Bowl, you cannot convince me that they wouldn't be willing to do something similar for at least the FCSNCG.

[WileECoyote06]

My position on this has not really changed; there hasn't been the interest because the marketing needs to be better. The FCS Playoffs are a terrific product that needs better marketing and more TV access (or at least more of an eye to TV than there has been).

ESPN put up a lot of money for the Celebration Bowl, you cannot convince me that they wouldn't be willing to do something similar for at least the FCSNCG.

Why hasn't it happened already then? ESPN already has playoff broadcast rights.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Why hasn't it happened already then? ESPN already has playoff broadcast rights.

Because the the NCAA undercut their own FCS championship TV rights by negotiating a horrible deal with ESPN for the whole basket of championships. The absolute best thing the NCAA could do is to separate the FCS championship from that horrible deal and shop it to FOX and CBS. Then you'd see money available for media shares.

[WileECoyote06]

Because the the NCAA undercut their own FCS championship TV rights by negotiating a horrible deal with ESPN for the whole basket of championships. The absolute best thing the NCAA could do is to separate the FCS championship from that horrible deal and shop it to FOX and CBS. Then you'd see money available for media shares.

Okay. I don't think the MEAC or SWAC would give up the Celebration Bowl, however. The payout would have to be significant; and I'm not sure that FOX or CBS would pony up that kind of cash for a one-shot deal. It can't work like the NCAA tournament because FBS will always get the lionshare of viewers.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Okay. I don't think the MEAC or SWAC would give up the Celebration Bowl, however. The payout would have to be significant; and I'm not sure that FOX or CBS would pony up that kind of cash for a one-shot deal. It can't work like the NCAA tournament because FBS will always get the lionshare of viewers.

In terms of the Celebration Bowl, no, certainly today the payout for both schools with that exhibition exceeds anything from the FCS playoffs. That may not always be the case, however, as the novelty of the Celebration Bowl wears off and the payouts become smaller.

[jimbo65]

Went to the Fordham v Holy Cross game at Yankee Stadium. Program was $10. Same program at Fordham home games $2. Worth it though as we won 54-14.

[walliver]

The FCS playoff will never be a net revenue generator.
The first round games compete head-to-head with "Rivalry Weekend" and most students are off-campus.
Second round games compete head-to-head with the P5 Conference Championship Games.
It isn't until the third round that there is reduced football competition.
By the semis, we compete with the G5 Toilet Bowls.
And the finals are lost in the middle of peak bowl season.
Other than the finals, none of the games have more than 7 days advance notice of the teams participating, so promoting these games will be difficult - they can't really be promoted during the previous week's games.
There are ways that the NCAA could increase revenue, but they would not be popular. Examples would include: 1) Reduce the number of seeds back to 4 to reduce the number of low attendance schools hosting multiple games, and 2) Forcing NDSU to host a first round game every year (no Bye). The overpriced, nearly useless, programs are just one way the NCAA tries to make a few extra bucks.

[Braly]

D2 playoff programs are the same ripoff.

You can buy the first one and use it the rest of the way though so that is nice. It has the rosters of all the teams participating, bracket, some playoff history and basic NCAA info.

[Thumper 76]

the basketball tournament generates revenue, mostly through TV money.
I don't think the FCS playoff generates much of anything, once you factor in all the expenses. There just isn't the interest from the general public to generate any real TV money for those games.
There could be more if there was some form of effort to market it, I would guarantee it, at least for the later rounds. Put out a twitter campaign quick, some ads or a quick sports center spot, boast about it having teams that produced some of the names that have come from FCS (there's enough of them) and you could get plenty of views to generate some decent TV money.

Why hasn't it happened already then? ESPN already has playoff broadcast rights.

ESPN doesn't put any effort into promoting it. That and the SWAC and MEAC are pretty unique in their following and marketability for TV.


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