P5 Confs moving to 20 game Conf schedules Hurts Mid-Majors

[TheAsianSensation]

The move of the ACC and B10, with the Big East, PAC12, SEC and probably B12 not far behind, is nothing other than a way to strangle everyone else out of the NCAA tournament.

I would argue that the main purpose of this is television. Helping to keep mid-majors out of the NCAA tournament is a really really nice side effect, but I do think is a secondary concern.

That's a big factor in all this - all of us here in mid-major conferences are worrying, but the P5 are all worrying about the television aspect of this first. We're not even the primary target of this change.

[BCPanther]

What happens when the P5 spends and spends into oblivion and then the TV bubble bursts? A lot of these schools are mortgaged up to their eyeballs (*cough Iowa State cough*) and their main source of paying off those loans couldn't be more tenuous...

[unipanther99]

I suspect in 25 years, college football stadiums will be giant relics of a bygone era --- sitting and decaying as sad reminders of a sport that ate it's own. And I say this as someone who loves football. I've officiated HS fb for 22 years.

We are already seeing the changes at the high school level. Rosters are shrinking as parents fear the effects. The sport will either be significantly different in a quarter-century or it will be done. Either way, that will have significant impact on TV revenue and the college athletics business model.

[uniftw]

The move of the ACC and B10, with the Big East, PAC12, SEC and probably B12 not far behind, is nothing other than a way to strangle everyone else out of the NCAA tournament.

I would argue that the main purpose of this is television. Helping to keep mid-majors out of the NCAA tournament is a really really nice side effect, but I do think is a secondary concern.

That's a big factor in all this - all of us here in mid-major conferences are worrying, but the P5 are all worrying about the television aspect of this first. We're not even the primary target of this change.

There are Big 10 AD's on record - granted with anonymity - stating the goal is to strangle mid majors out.

[BirdsEyeView]

I suspect in 25 years, college football stadiums will be giant relics of a bygone era --- sitting and decaying as sad reminders of a sport that ate it's own. And I say this as someone who loves football. I've officiated HS fb for 22 years.

We are already seeing the changes at the high school level. Rosters are shrinking as parents fear the effects. The sport will either be significantly different in a quarter-century or it will be done. Either way, that will have significant impact on TV revenue and the college athletics business model.

Well said. A true long-term concern for the P5 schools who make boatloads of money with their college football programs.

[glm38]

I suspect in 25 years, college football stadiums will be giant relics of a bygone era --- sitting and decaying as sad reminders of a sport that ate it's own. And I say this as someone who loves football. I've officiated HS fb for 22 years.

We are already seeing the changes at the high school level. Rosters are shrinking as parents fear the effects. The sport will either be significantly different in a quarter-century or it will be done. Either way, that will have significant impact on TV revenue and the college athletics business model.

Well said. A true long-term concern for the P5 schools who make boatloads of money with their college football programs.

I see this happening as well. The only thing that might save the sport down the road is a better more technologically advanced protective helmet. Either that or as you state a radical rules change that eliminates a lot of contact.

If neither of those happens and football dwindles it will be interesting to see what happens to fill the void. Will college bb become even bigger?

[Ali]

Football will be the new boxing. Only underprivileged kids playing it.

[pafan]

What happens when the P5 spends and spends into oblivion and then the TV bubble bursts?

For most P5 schools (which are almost all publics): taxpayer bailouts. I can't wait to bail out Purdue and IU in 5-10 years

We are already seeing the changes at the high school level. Rosters are shrinking as parents fear the effects.

I've noticed this too. Part of it might be the growth of Ice Hockey and Lacrosse in Evansville over the years I've lived here, but HS football does seem to be in decline.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Good luck trying to convince mid-major ADs to not take buy games. They need the money.

Understood in football, but is the $$ in basketball buy games that much? I'm asking because I honestly do not know.

Schools are making $50,000 to $100,000 on each "buy" games. MVC schools can take a couple buy games and pay for their coaches salary.

Hope all those years of sneering at other teams’ fans was worth it. You and Loyola are now the talk of the tournament. Congrats!