CBS Sports host suggests that FCS should move its season to the spring

[ASU33]

I'm in the car driving around Birmingham and I'm listening to CBS Sports Radio and the host just suggested that FCS schools should play our season during the Spring right after the Super Bowl so that people will pay attention to football. I've heard some stupid ideas before but this one has to one of the dumbest things I've heard.

[POD Knows]

I'm in the car driving around Birmingham and I'm listening to CBS Sports Radio and the host just suggested that FCS schools should play our season during the Spring right after the Super Bowl so that people will pay attention to football. I've heard some stupid ideas before but this one has to one of the dumbest things I've heard.You sure they weren't interviewing Lehigh Fan Nation on NPR, it sounds like some off the wall idea that he might post. It is stupid nonetheless.

[citdog]

You sure they weren't interviewing Lehigh Fan Nation on NPR, it sounds like some off the wall idea that he might post. It is stupid nonetheless.


It's le high

[RootinFerDukes]

I'm not a weather expert, i'll admit that, but isn't the spring the least predictable of all four seasons? Why would you put an outdoor sport into that?

If you think there's enough rain games in the fall, just wait until it's March-July. I also like it going from really hot to then just right and finally cold. You're now going from kind of cold, to a brief period of nice weather coupled with endless rain, then it's suddenly hot a **** and only getting worse for the final 2-3 months.

School gets out, people have planned vacations with family that grandma would murder you if you suggested moving for football of all things.

Good luck. It might actually make interest even lower and further drive home how "second tier" it is. The WNBA and AFL try to move their seasons away from their main competitor's season and it hasn't done anything to increase interest notably.

[ASU33]

The thing that threw me off was his reasoning behind the idea, which was he didn't know anything about the guys drafted from smaller schools and that this would give those guys a chance to be seen.

[BisonFan02]

Morons abound.....that would make for an interesting recruiting cycle.

[Laker]

The thing that threw me off was his reasoning behind the idea, which was he didn't know anything about the guys drafted from smaller schools and that this would give those guys a chance to be seen.

I think that the USFL had their season in the spring. Lots of wet weather games.

Great reasoning by this guy- as if the NFL draft is more important that watching football at the FCS schools for their fans and students.

[youcanbankit]

I'm in the car driving around Birmingham and I'm listening to CBS Sports Radio and the host just suggested that FCS schools should play our season during the Spring right after the Super Bowl so that people will pay attention to football. I've heard some stupid ideas before but this one has to one of the dumbest things I've heard.


The FCS is On The Rise. Quell the uprising! No chance. The scouts aren't having any trouble finding players as it is. Here is an idea......Maybe..... the major networks should cover more of the FCS games for exposure. There is too much talent out there, making people nervous. #FCSOTR #upsetalert

[RootinFerDukes]

Bingo. If you, the CBS employee, wants to make FCS more relevant, here's a clue. PUT THE GAMES ON YOUR TV CHANNEL.
People will inevitably become more familiar with a product and potentially view it as a bigger deal if the tv networks made it relevant. How do you think the P5 rose to prominence? Just by sheer luck and some word of mouth?

FCS Conferences won't turn down tv packages on linear or streaming TV channels.

[kdinva]

I'm in the car driving around Birmingham and I'm listening to CBS Sports Radio and the host just suggested that FCS schools should play our season during the Spring right after the Super Bowl so that people will pay attention to football. I've heard some stupid ideas before but this one has to one of the dumbest things I've heard.

Barry Alvarez, or Kirk Herbstreit?

[Nickels]

From a personal perspective, this sounds great. Better weather, crawfish, warm playoffs and natty. Sign me up.

[KPSUL]

Does CBS still have a Sports Department ?

[GodHelpTheBears]

I'm not a weather expert, i'll admit that, but isn't the spring the least predictable of all four seasons? Why would you put an outdoor sport into that?



Ding, ding, ding. We're in Tornado Alley, one of the most volatile weather regions on Earth during the spring months. It has wreaked havoc on baseball scheduling in the past. Given how likely lightning is in this area (let alone tornader warnings, we had one earlier this week), we couldn't guarantee playing all of our home games as scheduled on a spring calendar. In fact, I'd put money on at least one of them being postponed.

- - - Updated - - -


The thing that threw me off was his reasoning behind the idea, which was he didn't know anything about the guys drafted from smaller schools and that this would give those guys a chance to be seen.

What a lazyass

[Sitting Bull]

Stupid.

He apparently doesn't realize how many of the FCS schools, those on the East Coast, have lacrosse which is a dominant Spring sport.

[citdog]

Stupid.

He apparently doesn't realize how many of the FCS schools, those on the East Coast, have lacrosse which is a dominant Spring sport.

Do 10,000 people show up to watch that "sport"?

[ASU33]

Stupid.

He apparently doesn't realize how many of the FCS schools, those on the East Coast, have lacrosse which is a dominant Spring sport.

He completely forgot about college basketball, track, and baseball too! Imagine trying to play football while the country is focused on March Madness.

[PAllen]

Do 10,000 people show up to watch that "sport"?

In many places in the mid atlantic, yes. Maryland, Towson, UMBC, Hopkins, Loyola, Navy, etc all outpace the local FCS attendence with their lacrosse programs.

[UIWWildthing]

In many places in the mid atlantic, yes. Maryland, Towson, UMBC, Hopkins, Loyola, Navy, etc all outpace the local FCS attendence with their lacrosse programs.
Beat me to it. Lacrosse is HUGE in this area.

[citdog]

In many places in the mid atlantic, yes. Maryland, Towson, UMBC, Hopkins, Loyola, Navy, etc all outpace the local FCS attendence with their lacrosse programs.

That's because most of you should be D-III.

[walliver]

This idea is on par with the idea that college baseball should be played in the summer because the current schedule discriminates against northern schools.

A spring FCS schedule might be beneficial to CBS sports since it would provide cheap programming for them to show after regular season basketball ends, but would be a bad idea for FCS schools for many reasons.
1) No more money games
2) Spring play would reinforce the "minor league" stereotype.
3) It destroys football tradition. Many FCS teams have been playing football in the fall for well over a century - what would homecoming be without a football game.
4) Spring break takes students, as well as fans with families, away form campus for two weeks.
5) Northern teams without indoor facilities will do their preseason training in snow and ice. Or share the gym with the basketball team.
6) Many fans will be ready for a break from football after bowl season, the college football playoff, the NFL playoffs, and Super Bowl. FCS attendance will likely fall as a result.

I don't think weather is an issue. In some places spring weather is more unpredictable, on the other hand, in the southeast severe nighttime thunderstorms are common in August and September and many schools have chosen to only play day games in 100F weather to avoid them.

[DFW HOYA]

Barry Alvarez, or Kirk Herbstreit?

Neither work for CBS.

[kdinva]

Neither work for CBS.

true, but one or both would chime in anyway...... xdrunkyx

[smallcollegefbfan]

The thing that threw me off was his reasoning behind the idea, which was he didn't know anything about the guys drafted from smaller schools and that this would give those guys a chance to be seen.

It does not matter if he knows anything about them or not or if fans know. NFL teams know and that is all that matters. Media attention does not effect small school players.

In fact, this would HURT FCS players big time. They can't go to all-star games and would miss pro days. They would also miss the NFL Combine. NFL teams would just simply pass on FCS players or at least take a lot less of them. There are FCS players who play really well against FBS teams and it helps them vault up team boards. That's what happened with the Grambling WR. He went in the 3rd round because of his play against Arizona and workout at pro day but if this idea happened he would lose that and probably go undrafted.

Not to mention what this would do to recruiting.

This idea would hurt FCS schools badly. It will never happen and is a waste of time to discuss.

[ngineer]

I agree that will never happen, and tradition dictates the fall, but from a weather standpoint, many athletic directors have commented that switching football and baseball makes sense. Football can be played in rain, snow, cold. So many baseball and softball games get cancelled or postponed and screwing up exam/graduation times due to spring weather. Weather, especially in the east is drier in the fall. But it will never happen.

[Bucs2016]

I actually think its not a bad idea. Heres why:

1. TV. FCS games would get televised more. And crowds would likely be bigger since most FCS competes with fans of much larger college FBS teams.
2. Spring Bowls. Hear me out. FBS has spring practice. What if their spring game became an exhibition game. And the opponent??? FCS teams who dont make our playoff. So...if my team CSU misses the playoff we could have an exhibition game vs USC or Clemson for their spring game. They'd PAY US of course...which would be the guarantee money. AND...the football starved fans of the FBS teams would get an actual real game vs an outside opponent. It would also eliminate the fall FCS vs FBS which FBS fans hate. And it adds a real home game for all the FBS teams, in the spring. Everyone wins.

I like it. Right now im comparing schedules of CSU, USC and the Falcons/Seahawks because I go to games of those 4 teams. Ill be at 3 maybe 4 CSU games this fall. If CSU played in the spring...Id be at ALL their games.

It makes sense to me.

[Bucs2016]

I agree that will never happen, and tradition dictates the fall, but from a weather standpoint, many athletic directors have commented that switching football and baseball makes sense. Football can be played in rain, snow, cold. So many baseball and softball games get cancelled or postponed and screwing up exam/graduation times due to spring weather. Weather, especially in the east is drier in the fall. But it will never happen.

It also solves the heat stroke problem in football camp. Id never want FBS and NFL moved to the spring.

But lets face it...FCS, we are the little brother of D1 football. If we want ALL the attention we have to play when Big Brother isnt.

[Bucs2016]

But even if none of it happens, the idea of a Spring Bowl with FBS vs FCS, one full game, exhibition only just like a bowl, should happen. It would be like a sip of cold water in a Sahara sandstorm of the offseason.

[Thundar]

But even if none of it happens, the idea of a Spring Bowl with FBS vs FCS, one full game, exhibition only just like a bowl, should happen. It would be like a sip of cold water in a Sahara sandstorm of the offseason.

not one good team would agree to anything like this

[Thumper 76]

It also solves the heat stroke problem in football camp. Id never want FBS and NFL moved to the spring.

But lets face it...FCS, we are the little brother of D1 football. If we want ALL the attention we have to play when Big Brother isnt.
Um, minor problem with the getting all the attention thing. We wouldn't. FCS would be just as second tier but it would be in a different time of the year. MLB, March madness, NFL draft, NBA and NHL playoffs would all far overshadow FCS and push it even farther to the back burner. The times that FCS teams get national attention is from playing FBS teams. Lose that and now you're stuck with nothing. Move the season like that and you start to be viewed like arena football is. A neat thing but more of a second hand sideshow compared to the real thing. It's an awful idea all around.

[Bucs2016]

not one good team would agree to anything like this

WHY NOT? Im a USC Gamecocks fan after being a CSU one. I go to the USC spring game. Its ok. But kinda sucks. Its a scrimmage. But if it was USC vs CSU or Furman or say Wofford...full exhibition like a bowl...it would be MUCH better. Hell...eliminate FCS vs FBS games in the fall and make these the $ games. I bet you'd get overwhelming support for this idea especially from FBS fans.

If the argument is no team like Bama will risk an injury in spring vs an FCS...well...they do it the weeks before Auburn, SEC CCG and the bowl season by playing an FCS. If they'll do it in late November they'll certainly do it in April.

Seriously, if Minnesota hosted North Dakota State in the last week of April, you telling me neither fan base would be lined up for a ticket?

[Bucs2016]

Um, minor problem with the getting all the attention thing. We wouldn't. FCS would be just as second tier but it would be in a different time of the year. MLB, March madness, NFL draft, NBA and NHL playoffs would all far overshadow FCS and push it even farther to the back burner. The times that FCS teams get national attention is from playing FBS teams. Lose that and now you're stuck with nothing. Move the season like that and you start to be viewed like arena football is. A neat thing but more of a second hand sideshow compared to the real thing. It's an awful idea all around.

I dont agree. I think there are a huge number of football fans who dont care for other sports. At least down South. Our FCS teams in S.C. lose far more fans on a fall weekend to the USC or Clemson games than we ever would to MLB or basketball. I guarantee the SoCon and Big South would see attendance rise in the spring.

[ASU33]

I actually think its not a bad idea. Heres why:

1. TV. FCS games would get televised more. And crowds would likely be bigger since most FCS competes with fans of much larger college FBS teams.
2. Spring Bowls. Hear me out. FBS has spring practice. What if their spring game became an exhibition game. And the opponent??? FCS teams who dont make our playoff. So...if my team CSU misses the playoff we could have an exhibition game vs USC or Clemson for their spring game. They'd PAY US of course...which would be the guarantee money. AND...the football starved fans of the FBS teams would get an actual real game vs an outside opponent. It would also eliminate the fall FCS vs FBS which FBS fans hate. And it adds a real home game for all the FBS teams, in the spring. Everyone wins.

I like it. Right now im comparing schedules of CSU, USC and the Falcons/Seahawks because I go to games of those 4 teams. Ill be at 3 maybe 4 CSU games this fall. If CSU played in the spring...Id be at ALL their games.

It makes sense to me.


Interesting take

[Sycamore62]

I dont agree. I think there are a huge number of football fans who dont care for other sports. At least down South. Our FCS teams in S.C. lose far more fans on a fall weekend to the USC or Clemson games than we ever would to MLB or basketball. I guarantee the SoCon and Big South would see attendance rise in the spring.

I dont know if I'd be for moving the season it always seems like there are about 3 weeks of reasonable weather from december to may (in my region of course) but I am one of those fans you are talking about. If I watch any of those other sports or the draft its because nothing else was on and I couldnt find anything else to do.

[Laker]

I actually think its not a bad idea. Heres why:

1. TV. FCS games would get televised more. And crowds would likely be bigger since most FCS competes with fans of much larger college FBS teams.
2. Spring Bowls. Hear me out. FBS has spring practice. What if their spring game became an exhibition game. And the opponent??? FCS teams who dont make our playoff. So...if my team CSU misses the playoff we could have an exhibition game vs USC or Clemson for their spring game. They'd PAY US of course...which would be the guarantee money. AND...the football starved fans of the FBS teams would get an actual real game vs an outside opponent. It would also eliminate the fall FCS vs FBS which FBS fans hate. And it adds a real home game for all the FBS teams, in the spring. Everyone wins.


Duffy Daugherty of Michigan State said this back in the late 60s early 70s. His suggestion was have the biggest rivals play each other so it would be a sellout. The problem was- do you count it on the previous season or the next one? Half the teams going into the next season would be 0-1 through the summer.........

Someone brought up the problem of spring weather for baseball/softball. One year the first time that the MSU-Mankato softball team played at home was for the regional. The solution is to move the seasons to the summer. But the NCAA won't do that- too much money to keep the athletes on campus during that time.

[Thundar]

WHY NOT? Im a USC Gamecocks fan after being a CSU one. I go to the USC spring game. Its ok. But kinda sucks. Its a scrimmage. But if it was USC vs CSU or Furman or say Wofford...full exhibition like a bowl...it would be MUCH better. Hell...eliminate FCS vs FBS games in the fall and make these the $ games. I bet you'd get overwhelming support for this idea especially from FBS fans.

If the argument is no team like Bama will risk an injury in spring vs an FCS...well...they do it the weeks before Auburn, SEC CCG and the bowl season by playing an FCS. If they'll do it in late November they'll certainly do it in April.

Seriously, if Minnesota hosted North Dakota State in the last week of April, you telling me neither fan base would be lined up for a ticket?

not for a practice

[Hammerhead]

Don't forget about winter. Even with no extra week between the semifinals and championship, the season would start on Feb 4th this year if you want to have the championship game on Memorial Day weekend.


I'm not a weather expert, i'll admit that, but isn't the spring the least predictable of all four seasons? Why would you put an outdoor sport into that?

If you think there's enough rain games in the fall, just wait until it's March-July. I also like it going from really hot to then just right and finally cold. You're now going from kind of cold, to a brief period of nice weather coupled with endless rain, then it's suddenly hot a **** and only getting worse for the final 2-3 months.

School gets out, people have planned vacations with family that grandma would murder you if you suggested moving for football of all things.

Good luck. It might actually make interest even lower and further drive home how "second tier" it is. The WNBA and AFL try to move their seasons away from their main competitor's season and it hasn't done anything to increase interest notably.

[Sycamore62]

Don't forget about winter. Even with no extra week between the semifinals and championship, the season would start on Feb 4th this year if you want to have the championship game on Memorial Day weekend.


I guess you have to add in camp starting in early january too

[Bison56]

Barf, that's all I have to say about this.

[Bucs2016]

Duffy Daugherty of Michigan State said this back in the late 60s early 70s. His suggestion was have the biggest rivals play each other so it would be a sellout. The problem was- do you count it on the previous season or the next one? Half the teams going into the next season would be 0-1 through the summer.........

Someone brought up the problem of spring weather for baseball/softball. One year the first time that the MSU-Mankato softball team played at home was for the regional. The solution is to move the seasons to the summer. But the NCAA won't do that- too much money to keep the athletes on campus during that time.

Neither. It would be an exhibition game. Almost like a big boxing match. I think college baseball used to do this where their teams would "scrimmage" pro teams in exbibition games. If anything it would be like a bowl game for FCS teams. But it wouldnt count on a record.

[Laker]

Neither. It would be an exhibition game. Almost like a big boxing match. I think college baseball used to do this where their teams would "scrimmage" pro teams in exbibition games. If anything it would be like a bowl game for FCS teams. But it wouldnt count on a record.

I love football and sports as much as anyone- and I wouldn't even think about going to something like that.

[AmsterBison]

I'm in the car driving around Birmingham and I'm listening to CBS Sports Radio and the host just suggested that FCS schools should play our season during the Spring right after the Super Bowl so that people will pay attention to football. I've heard some stupid ideas before but this one has to one of the dumbest things I've heard.

Ha! If TV companies want the FCS to do that, they should write the suggestion on $1 billion, 5-year contract.

[Bucs2016]

I love football and sports as much as anyone- and I wouldn't even think about going to something like that.

To each his own. But I promise if Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia had 1 full, live game in April vs Jacksonville State, Citadel, Chattanooga and Kennesaw St....they'd be sold out. Their spring games are already 30k-60k when they just play against themselves.

[Thumper 76]

To each his own. But I promise if Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia had 1 full, live game in April vs Jacksonville State, Citadel, Chattanooga and Kennesaw St....they'd be sold out. Their spring games are already 30k-60k when they just play against themselves.
I'm sure the vast majority of the big schools would sell out. Still doesn't make it a good idea.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Man, I don't post on here for one week, and these are the sort of lame ideas that spew forth?

This dim-witted CBS announcer is talking about this as if college football viewers in the fall are falling over themselves nationally to watch Maryland/Rutgers or Georgia Southern/App State. Games like NDSU/SDSU, Lehigh/Lafayette, Delaware/Villanova, CSU/Citadel fit in just fine in the overall college football landscape.

[UNIFanSince1983]

It does not matter if he knows anything about them or not or if fans know. NFL teams know and that is all that matters. Media attention does not effect small school players.

In fact, this would HURT FCS players big time. They can't go to all-star games and would miss pro days. They would also miss the NFL Combine. NFL teams would just simply pass on FCS players or at least take a lot less of them. There are FCS players who play really well against FBS teams and it helps them vault up team boards. That's what happened with the Grambling WR. He went in the 3rd round because of his play against Arizona and workout at pro day but if this idea happened he would lose that and probably go undrafted.

Not to mention what this would do to recruiting.

This idea would hurt FCS schools badly. It will never happen and is a waste of time to discuss.


This and exactly this.