CBS Leaving the SEC (Or Disney Forces them Out)

I hate what college football has become.

Facing the prospect of another bowl game where so many contributors opt out is a travesty.

UGA is in a special sort of hell. Somehow without ever winning a championship they have decided that they are so good that if they are not in the hunt for the championship, then they just don't care. I bet Baylor will care just like Texas did last year.

If so many from UGA don't.... I don't, and that's a shame. That and a lot of other things talked about in this thread are why college football is no longer a special thing.

Scooby,

I agree 100% with you about why college football is still tied to college. I know this is a very unpopular sentiment, so I hardly ever bring it up. Since you cracked the egg, I'll scramble it.

I've said for a long time now that my desire would be to see college athletics de-coupled from college educations. I mean, let's get serious for a second: if you're going to a Power 5 on a full ride (especially the SEC) to play football in this day & age, your focus is not academics. An academic major is that nagging & inconvenient thing you have to declare to justify your existence on campus and fulfill your requirements to be eligible on the football field. This is why you see players declaring majors such as: sociology, history, intercultural studies, sports science, public relations, or the cream of the crop: composition and rhetoric. The real focus of a Div 1 Power 5 football athlete is on majoring in college football to get the best shot to be drafted in the NFL. The modern concept of "student-athlete" is a joke. I'm not saying that there aren't still those that do take the education seriously, I'm just saying "the system" isn't structured for it any longer as evidenced by so many early declarations. The day that football became bigger and more important than obtaining an education is the day it should have divorced itself from the University. Sure, I get the argument of millions of dollars being at stake, but millions of dollars don't touch the value of a real education. Sadly, I don't think there are many Universities remaining that give a real education. But that's a topic for another day. Very few elite players see the value of staying for that senior year and achieving something which is still of true importance, and this is what impressed me about Nick Chubb & Sony Michel.

The whole system is absolutely broken, but somehow, it (NCAA football) is enjoying popularity unlike its ever seen in its history right now. I know what the solution is - let's throw $300M at it to make it even MORE popular. Remember NASCAR? Yeah how'd that eerily similar master plan of the France family work out? I can tell you how it worked out for me. I gave back my season tickets to Daytona.

Wart, regarding bowl games and their value:

This is the system they've designed. If they're not going to expand the playoffs to give more teams the opportunity to keep the bowl games relevant by working their way up a playoff bracket, then they shouldn't expect fans to wet themselves with excitement over their team going to the Sugar Bowl to play Baylor to receive what? A Sugar Bowl plaque to stick in the trophy case and a goody bag for the players? Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I say if they're not going to restructure the playoff to include more teams, then end the bowl games period. Accept the fact that they (NCAA) have designed a system where bowl games are utterly meaningless. Just have the four game playoff and be done with the season. The conflict in doing this is because coaches see a bowl game as a nice paycheck for the University. However, players see it as one more game that has the chance of putting them in surgery & requiring them to spend an offseason in rehab and physical therapy, which is why so many players are opting to not play if they're declaring. Once again, college football for the full ride athlete is a business venture, not an educational pursuit. I took a lot of heat last year for saying I didn't care about the Texas loss or the bowl game. I still don't. I still don't care about Baylor and the Sugar Bowl. Will I watch it? Yep. Do I hope the Dawgs win? Yep. Do I care if they don't? Nope. Such is the design of the game. Bowl games are largely a way to get one more game in before the long drought of the offseason begins and to help struggling universities fill their coffers with a little bonus check at the end of a season.

Kirby snidely acknowledged that UGA fans won't be traveling to the Sugar Bowl -as in - yeah, these ungrateful UGA fans do not want to spend even MORE of their hard-earned money to go to New Orleans to watch UGA play a game that has the reward of saying we got the win. Enjoy the offseason UGA fans, oh, and make sure your donation checks to the Hartman fund are in by May 1 so we can continue churning out top-tier student athletes.

Little doubt that Disney recognizes the changes in college football that include both players and FANS. Many bowl games have gotten to the point that interest is falling or failing, period. Perfect timing for Disney to take the football away from CBS and bet this . . . . run with it. Soon after changing the number of teams/games that will participate for the National Championship, whether it is six or eight or whatever, Disney makes their bid of millions of dollars to win the game played against CBS look like chicken feed. Marketing group at Disney will now show the NFL just how powerful they are when it comes to buying and selling a product. College football has now become a "product" that fits nicely in Scrooge McDuck's vault. Can see college football being reduced to a fewer number of teams and the strong arm of Disney controlling how and when the games will be played. Disney did not take over college football to remain a "silent partner". Disney changed the way SEC universities think and act with a simple addition . . . . they created the SEC Network. Wonder how many SEC schools would vote to return the Disney money they receive each year and return to the way football was financed prior to Disney? None/Zero. Disney always has a plan, and the plan to take over college football started officially when the SEC Network entered the game.

Buc,

Truth to power brother. Truth to power. That is dead on balls accurate.

Another thing you mentioned - college football being reduced to a fewer number of teams. I absolutely see that on the horizon. It's already happening right now with the small directional schools. Arizona Western last year, Jacksonville University this year. These are just the tip of the log jam starting to break free. The NCAA is restructuring how it schedules non-con games for Power 5 teams. More fans want to see the Florida v Michigan openers and the Clemson v UGA openers, and could care less about Texas Tech playing at Sanford. The NCAA and SEC has responded to the demands of the fans and are now scheduling more elite matchups for non con games. That's the signed death warrant of these smaller schools like Bowling Green, Grambling State, Louisiana Monroe, Georgia Southern, et. al that depend on these matchups to fund their football programs. There's going to be a culling pretty soon, probably within 5 years, the landscape of college football will look much different.

ESPN, lost its footing a short time back and changed their main cable channel football tactics. Released many of the high dollar emcees and went back to the board room to formulate their next effort(s). Corporate world often goes through "house cleanings", appears with the removal of football foe CBS, Disney's sails are full once more and there is clear sailing ahead. Gone are the inboard life lines, calm seas have returned. Agree with your number of five years, sounds just about the right length of time to put the nagging issues that will arise, behind them. Disney has a much larger foe than CBS yet to handle . . . . FOX . . . . will be the main issue moving forward. FOX has been "dumping" some holdings the past few years, making it appear they are in for the long haul. With a little foresight, there will be a "Gunfight at the OK Corral" at some point and my money is on the MOUSE. Disney will finally control not only college football, they will have the NCAA in their hip pocket along with the NFL paying closer attention to what "they" must do to stay on the good side of Mickey and Minnie. Disney stock on the big board will reach record heights. Along with that, the 60/70/80 inch TV screens, living room food and beverage, much more attractive than stadium seats. Disney knows, those with cable were willing to pay high dollar for 50 yard or upper level suites will know muster up their funds to leave the car in the garage. At some point, all top games will be played indoors, no more rain soaked fans that choose to battle the elements to cheer for the home team. Domed stadiums will house all of the playoff games, that will be attraction enough to move butts from living rooms to the Domes. Arthur and Jerry knew this would eventually come to pass. Smart money is on Disney. Jumping around in this post, there is however a lot to be chirped about.

Many excellent points covered in this thread....

Agreement on college football will not be the same going into the

Future.

I am Seeing the D5 schools being the darlings of who gets televised

Smaller colleges will find it a financial challenge to fund a football program without the payday of playing a D5 school..

Mouse won’t use airtime on cupcake games..

Can sell higher dollar ads for better match ups ... more cross

Conference games will be more common.... and expansion of

The CFP is a given........ don’t see a way to promote interest in

Non- CFP bowl games... Go Dawgs