Do Colleges really think they make more money from bowls?

[Win5002]

Each Big 10 school received 2 million from bowl games. Why doesn't college football realize there is so more money to be had with a better system? Every other conference would be lower, except maybe the SEC which would be similar.

A playoff could easily net more money.

The average home football game would net more than this in most cases.

Then figure in the tv revenues and sponsorship dollars that could be made on this. ESPN pays $125 million for 4 years for just the BCS 5 games, what would a playoff with more games be worth. Yes the per game average would take a big hit, but there would be a larger amount of money in the end.

Then add in some sponsorship money. I'm not sure the best way to maximize this but let there be a sponsor for each game, or let a sponsor sponsor the whole round of a playoff. I don't know what this would yield but, Chick Filet sponsored the Peach Bowl for $22 Million for 5 years beginning in 2006 so I don't know what the value would renew at now. This is probably the 2nd or 3rd largest sponsor of non-BCS bowls I am guessing based on payouts.

Also, an additional bonus is the reduced travel costs of the bowl games.

 

[hawkfan340]

Do the schools actually receive money for playing in playoffs? I.e. do teams get money for playing in the NCAA BB tourney or does the NCAA just keep all that cash?

Real question.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

Each Big 10 school received 2 million from bowl games. Why doesn't college football realize there is so more money to be had with a better system? Every other conference would be lower, except maybe the SEC which would be similar.

A playoff could easily net more money.

The average home football game would net more than this in most cases.

Then figure in the tv revenues and sponsorship dollars that could be made on this. ESPN pays $125 million for 4 years for just the BCS 5 games, what would a playoff with more games be worth. Yes the per game average would take a big hit, but there would be a larger amount of money in the end.

Then add in some sponsorship money. I'm not sure the best way to maximize this but let there be a sponsor for each game, or let a sponsor sponsor the whole round of a playoff. I don't know what this would yield but, Chick Filet sponsored the Peach Bowl for $22 Million for 5 years beginning in 2006 so I don't know what the value would renew at now. This is probably the 2nd or 3rd largest sponsor of non-BCS bowls I am guessing based on payouts.

Also, an additional bonus is the reduced travel costs of the bowl games.

Somebody read "Death to the BCS".

 

[DwayneTwill]

I don't understand the argument that a playoff would bring in SO MUCH MORE MONEY for the schools.

 

[Win5002]

because the Big 10 schools (who with the SEC gets the highest payouts) only got $2million net per team. A regular home game for I saw nets them 3.8-4.5 million. Lets say most of the other home venues might get 65% of $ million would be 2.6 million (but the tickets could be sold for a premium but even without factoring that in.) Then add in the tv revenue benefits of a playoff and sponsorships and deduct the savings from travel.

 

[JHHawk]

Is college football just a mini-NFL? If a playoff is so necessary to survive, I say drop college football to club status, and let corporations sponsor lower pro level leagues like in Europe. These are student athletes,not pro athletes.

Under a playoff scenario, teams fly in a day before the game, and the players are like pros...just another business trip,not a bowl week experience. If they go to a playoff, I would for the first time support paying players, with the best players going to the schools that offer the most money...then it would mirror what it has become...the NFL.

 

[Win5002]

what does not having a bowl week experience have to do with paying players? Is basketball, baseball, wrestling and every other sport getting the shaft because they don't have a "bowl week" experience.

 

[MikeyJoe]

because the Big 10 schools (who with the SEC gets the highest payouts) only got $2million net per team. A regular home game for I saw nets them 3.8-4.5 million. Lets say most of the other home venues might get 65% of $ million would be 2.6 million (but the tickets could be sold for a premium but even without factoring that in.) Then add in the tv revenue benefits of a playoff and sponsorships and deduct the savings from travel.

Do you think that 8 Big Ten teams are making the playoffs and hosting home games in your dream playoff scenario?

 

[shonblatt]

The best system would be a hybrid bowl/playoff tournament.

Step 1 - kill the automatic 1 vs 2 game, it won't be needed anymore.

Step 2 - take the 4 BCS games that remain and play them pretty much as is, with the one possible change of putting in a requirement that a top 12 record is necessary to qualify. Keep your conference affiliations, plus at-large teams determined by highest ranking.

Step 3 - take the 4 BCS winners, reseed them, and play a Final Four over two weekends at a warm weather bowl site.

You will then have, in effect, an 8 team playoff. The Bowl system remains nearly unchanged - the pageantry can continue as it is today. A true national champion is determined on the field.

Imagine the promotion opportunities for a Rose Bowl champion vs Orange Bowl champion semi-final game (or Fiesta vs. Sugar) - this would be huge.

The money from the bowl system doesn't have to change, and other sponsors can come in and fight over the enormous extra money generated from these three new games (well, 2 new games as there was already a championship game).

 

[kuhntz]

You do realize the B10 would at BEST get 2 teams into whatever playoff you mention. The likelyhood of having 2 home games at almost zero.

So instead of 22 million for the league we are already down to maybe 1 home game at 4 million? If we get 2 home games that is 8 million. Split by 11 teams ......

Did you bother to factor in whatever B10 TV deal is in place for the bowl games? Or was that just something that is going towards this huge playoff payoff?

No playoff system will be worth anymore TV wise than what is paid to broadcast the bowl games.



In regards to the post above me....shon, how feasible is it to expect fan bases to travel 3 separate weeks? First people would have to take all of January off and then have the finances available to travel and attend games. ...

 

[Win5002]

But by college football letting the bowls be involved they are losing money. In my mind devising a way where the same number of teams get to participate after the season, but having a true 8 or 16 team playoff using home sites until the final game would be great.

If their are 64 teams now, how you involve the remaining 48 teams may seem odd, but you would still have a true champion fromt he playoff and the bowl system is nothing but a postseason exhibition game anyway.

A couple ideas let the remaining 48 teams be grouped in pods of 4 and let them each have a home game against one of the other teams in their pod(so they all play 2 games). If a 50,000 attendance game at a homesight can net 2 million before any tv money or sponsor money(even though it might be smaller amounts) is a lot more than they get from bowl games and they don't have near as much travel expense for a whole week. The home team's conference would get the proceeds and distribute as they do bowl games now in addition to the playoff amount above.

Or if that dissolves the bowls so be it, for the teams 17-64 let cities bid on 2 games per site a doubleheader type situation for a payout. It probably only takes 1.5 million or less to average what the minor bowls payout.

 

[ThunderHawk]

I simultaneously enjoy the bowl system AND acknowledge that the bowl system is ripping off college football.

 

[HawkForce]

I say we let the Bowls continue and just have the top 4 bcs teams playoff. if you're not in the top 4 you really don't have a gripe anyways imo.

And if you think the NCAA would let the home team just net the entire gate you're crazy....the school would get a small portion of the gate....as it would be an NCAA "Championship Event."

 

[Win5002]

The NCAA doesn't get any of the bowl money. They wouldn't have to.

 

[IAHawkFan]

The NCAA doesn't get any of the bowl money. They wouldn't have to.

They get 40% of FCS playoff games. If they certify the playoff, I would think they would want their cut.

Also keep in mind that 3-4m would be split between the two teams that play, not kept entirely by the home team. The BigTen would be going from 24m (I'm pretty sure that the conference gets a share too) to 4m + TV payout.

More money could be had, but I'm not sure that a playoff really guarantees that...

 

[ColumbusHawk]

The Big Ten wouldn't be given a home game. No southern or west coast school would agree to any type of scenerio where they would have to travel to the Midwest in the middle of January.

Also, the northern schools would suck. Very few outdoor practices in December & January. Bowl expenses are high because the Big Ten wants to get to the warm weather to practice outside.

The ranting & ravings of a lunatic.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

Minnesota will get $2.1 million in bowl money, even without a bowl game. The $2.1 million is the latest estimate for the Gophers payout from the Big Ten.

The Big Ten pools all of the bowl revenue that its member institutions receive and then splits it 12 ways (shares for each of the 11 member scools and one for the conference). This year the bowls brought in over $25 million into the Big Ten coiffers. Or over $3 million a game for eight games.

The Big Ten received almost $37 million in bowl revenue this year. So about $12 million went for expenses, or about one-third of revenue. It is not cheap housing & feeding one hundred players & numerous school officials the week before the game.

In contrast, the Big Ten received about $10 million less from the NCAA for last spring's tournament. The Big Ten received a little over $15 million for 14 games.

Your assumptions & math are off base. Also, if you really think a Big Ten team would host a playoff game in late December or January, please give me some of what your smoking. The Big Ten won't even consider having the conference championship outdoors in early December because of the weather.

 

[Win5002]

Of course the Big 10 would host a playoff game if given one, thats nuts. it would be a big advantage over some teams. Also, football rights would be a lot higher than basketball rights.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

The first question that needs to be answered, are places like Kinnick Stadium, Ohio Stadium, Beaver Stadium, the Big House & Camp Randall even equipped to hold an event in late December or January.

All of these stadiums are probably shut down & "winterized" after the last game in November. The costs to reopen TCF Bank Stadium for the Vikings were very high. Snow removal, reopening the concession stands & rest rooms, and field maintenace were a huge expense. All of the pipes in the facility were drained & concession equipment removed after the last game in November. Parking also was a problem because of the heavy snow.

You can't leave Kinnick Stadium empty from Thanksgiving to New Year's & just open the gates. Plus, parking could be a serious issue with significant snow cover.

There has been some talk of having the Winter Classic at Ohio Stadium but it probably would be cost prohibitive. The cost of opening the stadium for one day & closing it the next just doesn't make sense.

Get the logistics of playing a game at Kinnick in January.