Is the Pay Day Worth It?

[paward]

While I appreciate playing the FBS school and winning, I have to wonder if the pay day is worth it? There are several programs that met some disappointing results. Can anything come away from playing the FBS school other than the check. IMHO, I feel it better to do it right out of the gates. There are schools that have them later. Georgia Southern plays Bama real late. If they are ranked #1 when that game comes what would it do to them if they get beat up on.

What are your thoughts on these games? I personally would like to see it continue but would love to see all teams do it game one if possible. No later that game two.

[Skjellyfetti]

Georgia Southern plays Bama real late. If they are ranked #1 when that game comes what would it do to them if they get beat up on.

App played Florida late last year as the #1 team... It didn't really hurt them anymore than playing a tough conference game late. I don't think you get more injuries playing FBS games. And, the committee said that FBS losses don't hurt you but, wins help you.

And, the money is well worth it, imo.

[TexasTerror]

If you are playing one FBS pay game, that's fine...

It is the schools that play two... and particularly next year, three (in the case of Nicholls) that really is not worth it. n

[OL FU]

There may be a handful of FCS teams that make money with their football programs. It is not a question of is it worth it, it is quite simply a requirement.

[Redhawk2010]

Ask the female sports at these FCS schools if it's worth it to play these games or not...

[darell1976]

I would think the exposure and possibly the tv time is a plus when it comes to recruiting.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Ask the female sports at these FCS schools if it's worth it to play these games or not...

xlolx Truth!

[MR. CHICKEN]

16049.....DIS IS FCS.........CHAMPIONSHIP SHOOD BE DUH GOAL.......LOSE THREE TA FBS...&....UH BATTERIN' BAH ANY ONE O' DESE...MCNEESE/C. ARK/SAMMY.........NO BLING FO' YOU..... $.05 STATE........AWK!

DUH MILLION PLUS......WILL INSURE.....NICE OARS...FO' DUH LADY SCULL SQWAD.....DOUGH..........xnodx....BRAWK!

[TTUEagles]

Absolutely, its worth it. I can only speak for TTU, but, TTU probably wouldn't be playing scholarship football right now if it weren't for them. Redhawk2010 is also correct. TTU distributes their payday to other sports beyond just football. Getting to play Georgia, K-State, Auburn, Iowa, etc., has allowed TTU to upgrade coaches' equipment, locker rooms, players' equipment, stadium lighting and helping get a new weight room that was too small/outdated 20 years ago. No way that was happening through state or alumni funding even as much as we tried. "We" still are a middle-of-the-pack FCS team but, I cannot tell you how much TTU has upgraded its football program over the last 5 years. Getting a coach in here that has scheduled big paydays (even 2 per year) is 75%+ of that...
Plus, I think it's fun for the fans, at least for me it is...Why in the hell would I ever experience college football at great places like K-State and Iowa if not for TTU playing them?

[bjtheflamesfan]

TTU is right...these guarantee games cover bank for a lot of athletic departments...or at the very least allow them to make improvements that benefit other programs.

[cmaxwellgsu]

I think they help as a motivator. When you 4 times your usual crowd in your first game, it gets kids a little more fired up to work out in the summer. We've had coaches say they loved playing UGA in 2000 and 2004 because guys didn't want to be embarassed in the big stadium. They also don't seem to cause any extra injuries since both starting lineups are usually comparable in size and speed. The scores are the toughest part to take sometimes, but that's just part of playing up. It's still only one L in your record if you get blown out.

[Redhawk2010]

Well think about this.. SEMO's athletic budget (last I checked) was around $8 million for everything. Playing these money games bring in something like $300-400k for one football game. That's 4-5% of the budget in one game. Then you add the money games that the men's basketball team brings in (typically another $250-300k per year) and you're looking at 10% of the budget!

If SEMO only had football and men's basketball, the athletic department would make money. Problem is the majority of the money made in these money games goes straight to cover all women's sports that don't make money along with baseball and men's track. Therefore it looks like these sports "lose money."

[crossfire07]

McNeese at Kansas. Hell Yeah it was worth it.

[bincitysioux]

For me, I guess it depends on the "payday"..............

For a school like Montana or App St that draws 25,000 no matter what what crap team they bring in for a home game...............that is like what?......$400,000-500,000 gross? Not worth it IMO..........

For a school like North Dakota that on their best weekend brings in 10,000-11,000 for a home game....................different story...........

[blackfordpu]

Ask the female sports at these FCS schools if it's worth it to play these games or not...

Care to elaborate?

[The Cats]

At most FCS schools, the money games keep the doors open on the sports program. So, the payday is worth it.

[BigApp]

I prefer a Baby Ruth to a Pay Day

[Redhawk2010]

Care to elaborate?

See post #12. Female sports would not survive without the subsidy that they get through the "money" sports. This is one way for these sports to make the money needed for the athletic department to survive.

[AmsterBison]

NDSU players always talk about how they look forward to these games, and it sounds like it really motivates them in the off-season. Of course, they were talking about BCS games. With non-BCS FBS teams, the appeal varies greatly depending on the opponent. Regardless, it is fun to play the underdog role every once in a while.