Did college football pave the way to its own demise

[hogsanity]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

[jkstock04]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

Are you talking 10 years down the road or 50 years down the road? The thing is, there will always be fan hope, especially with new hires/coaches. Maybe a fools hope...but still hope.

Still yet...50 years from now no telling what the college football landscape will look like. What will the conferences look like? The playoff? You gotta think "they" will try and continue to do what they can to generate interest among fans. I do worry some about younger generations and how much interest they will have in football. I haven't seen any studies done but it seems there isn't as much interest there with pre-twenties people.

[RazorWest]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

I believe there is truth that if there is no hope for national or even SEC titles then eventually only the hardcore fans will remain.  I find myself less excited each season as continued mediocrity is the norm.

[cityhog]

Yes. And I would also add that football as a sport is rotting from the head down. I know so many people bailing on the NFL over the last few years because of case after case of domestic abuse, head injuries, the whole flag/kneel thing, over commercialization. It's a hot mess. I think that, along with everything you mentioned will lead to one of those 'death by a thousand cuts' scenarios for college and pro football in 20-25 years. That's JMHO though, and I'm wrong all the time.

[Ham Ham Pigelow]

And how is this different than the vast majority of college football history? The same programs in yesterday's top 10 are largely unchanged than back when.  Some programs simply have inherent advantages due to geography, finances, etc. and that won't likely ever change.

If anything, the college football hierarchy has flattened with TV deals, enrollment growth, and innovative marketing tools.  Plus, the playoff will inevitably expand, which will give programs like Arkansas, Iowa, and Georgia Tech a better chance at being relevant.

[hogsanity]

Are you talking 10 years down the road or 50 years down the road? The thing is, there will always be fan hope, especially with new hires/coaches. Maybe a fools hope...but still hope.

Still yet...50 years from now no telling what the college football landscape will look like. What will the conferences look like? The playoff? You gotta think "they" will try and continue to do what they can to generate interest among fans. I do worry some about younger generations and how much interest they will have in football. I haven't seen any studies done but it seems there isn't as much interest there with pre-twenties people.

Things this big usually do not die quickly. It may take a couple generations, but it seems that the road only has one end.

I believe there is truth that if there is no hope for national or even SEC titles then eventually only the hardcore fans will remain.  I find myself less excited each season as continued mediocrity is the norm.

I was not looking at this as a Hog thing, but overall. There are easily 60 teams & more like 80 in fbs that have no real chance of ever making the playoff. They also have no chance of being able to pay players if/when that ever becomes reality.

[onebadrubi]

Open up sports betting and watch both sports viewing numbers soar.  It's coming

[bphi11ips]

"The news of my death has been greatly exaggerated."

- Mark Twain

[hogsanity]

Open up sports betting and watch both sports viewing numbers soar.  It's coming

Yea, that would change things for sure.

[onebadrubi]

Yea, that would change things for sure.

NFL and MLB are against it, NBA is for it.  You will see NFL start searching for ways to improve viewing after exhausted other options they will turn to legalizing sports betting.  But first they must find a way to profit directly from the platform they are going to inflate immensely and not just in getting interest back.  The owners will want in on legal sports book and really create a mess

[NoogaHog]

So listening to College Sports Nation on XM last week and Rick Neuheisel told a story. He was in a room with a bunch of sports media types and Gary Danielson was the speaker. Gary put a slide up and said "This is my preseason top 10." It had the usual suspects like USC, Alabama, Ohio St., Penn St., etc.  Most in the room nodded in agreement, seems reasonable. Then Gary states that this was the AP top 10 his senior year of high school.

Point being, the haves have always been and will continue to be. Yet college football remains popular. It may not change any time soon.

[311Hog]

So listening to College Sports Nation on XM last week and Rick Neuheisel told a story. He was in a room with a bunch of sports media types and Gary Danielson was the speaker. Gary put a slide up and said "This is my preseason top 10." It had the usual suspects like USC, Alabama, Ohio St., Penn St., etc.  Most in the room nodded in agreement, seems reasonable. Then Gary states that this was the AP top 10 his senior year of high school.

Point being, the haves have always been and will continue to be. Yet college football remains popular. It may not change any time soon.

It is true that it has remained popular but what seems to be changing are the people.  20 years ago seems like the stone ages when you are talking about "on demand" digital entertainment.  And people's attentions spans, coupled with much less tolerance for boredom.

I don't think it will ever go away totally but i could see a smaller presence in the over all.

[Hogwild]

So listening to College Sports Nation on XM last week and Rick Neuheisel told a story. He was in a room with a bunch of sports media types and Gary Danielson was the speaker. Gary put a slide up and said "This is my preseason top 10." It had the usual suspects like USC, Alabama, Ohio St., Penn St., etc.  Most in the room nodded in agreement, seems reasonable. Then Gary states that this was the AP top 10 his senior year of high school.

Point being, the haves have always been and will continue to be. Yet college football remains popular. It may not change any time soon.

The BCS, started in 1998, since then 5 teams, Florida State, Ohio State, LSU, Bama, and OU have combined for 20 appearances in the title game.

While other schools like Florida, Auburn, USC, Miami have all had multiple appearances.

[Atlhogfan1]

There is truth to the "haves" have mostly stayed the same and will probably continue to do so.  Those with population/demographic advantages + branding will succeed.  It is part of college football tradition.  I like having powers because you have to have powers to have upsets which is a part of what makes the regular season so interesting. 

I do see a few things that have changed the product and it may not be for the better:

IMO, the conference misalignment from realignment has interfered with tradition especially matchups.

Misalignment and super conferences have increased the competitive imbalance.

Never was a fan of the playoff and it will be expanded.  Risk here is lessening the importance in what is now the best regular season in sports.  The additional games also makes it harder for competitively disadvantaged programs to make a serious run at a NC. 

[EastexHawg]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

Go back 30-40 years and a lot of the same teams were ranked and/or hyped going into every season.  Ohio State.  Michigan.  USC.  Texas.  Oklahoma.  Penn State.  Notre Dame.  Alabama.  And...Arkansas.  A few programs rise and fall from decade to decade and coach to coach...UCLA, Colorado, Washington, Miami, Minnesota, and Michigan State years ago, Clemson and maybe Oklahoma State today...but there have always been elite programs, haves and have nots.

Elite teams, even dynasties, don't destroy interest in sports.  Baseball was more popular when the Yankees were a dynasty than it is today.  The NBA was probably more popular when the Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls were dominant than it is today.  The NFL was probably just as popular among the fans, if not as rich, when the Packers, then Steelers and Cowboys, were in championship games most years.

[mizzouman]

Only way to make college football equitable is to have a draft.  Now, wouldn't that be interesting!!!!

[NaturalStateReb]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

The quickest way to restore parity is to restrict the number of scholarship players.

[NaturalStateReb]

Go back 30-40 years and a lot of the same teams were ranked and/or hyped going into every season.  Ohio State.  Michigan.  USC.  Texas.  Oklahoma.  Penn State.  Notre Dame.  Alabama.  And...Arkansas.  A few programs rise and fall from decade to decade and coach to coach...UCLA, Colorado, Washington, Miami, Minnesota, and Michigan State years ago, Clemson and maybe Oklahoma State today...but there have always been elite programs, haves and have nots.

Elite teams, even dynasties, don't destroy interest in sports.  Baseball was more popular when the Yankees were a dynasty than it is today.  The NBA was probably more popular when the Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls were dominant than it is today.  The NFL was probably just as popular among the fans, if not as rich, when the Packers, then Steelers and Cowboys, were in championship games most years.

I disagree about the interest.  I think dynasties help make individual sports more popular, but team sports more boring. 

What makes team sports interesting?  Underdogs.

[hogsanity]

Go back 30-40 years and a lot of the same teams were ranked and/or hyped going into every season.  Ohio State.  Michigan.  USC.  Texas.  Oklahoma.  Penn State.  Notre Dame.  Alabama.  And...Arkansas.  A few programs rise and fall from decade to decade and coach to coach...UCLA, Colorado, Washington, Miami, Minnesota, and Michigan State years ago, Clemson and maybe Oklahoma State today...but there have always been elite programs, haves and have nots.

Elite teams, even dynasties, don't destroy interest in sports.  Baseball was more popular when the Yankees were a dynasty than it is today.  The NBA was probably more popular when the Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls were dominant than it is today.  The NFL was probably just as popular among the fans, if not as rich, when the Packers, then Steelers and Cowboys, were in championship games most years.

True, but the potential fans of tomorrow have a lot more vying for their time and eyeballs. When I was growing up it was pretty simple, Sunday after church was a trip by KFC and home to watch football. MNF was a big deal to me because at half time they announced who they Sat after game would be on ABC, thats right THE GAME. There was one, maybe 2 college games on tv on Sat ( i know some of you remember that ).

[mizzouman]

The quickest way to restore parity is to restrict the number of scholarship players.

Not sure 'restore parity' is appropriate.  Never was much parity in college football.  But, limiting the scholarships even further would help in that regard.  But, that will allow schools to decrease the number of women's scholarships as well.  I'm sure someone would complain about that.

[onebadrubi]

Only way to make college football equitable is to have a draft.  Now, wouldn't that be interesting!!!!

I think just enforcing the current rules would make it more equitable.  No more families getting escapades, chargers, $200,000 homes in tuscalosa and stuff like that. 

[onebadrubi]

Not sure 'restore parity' is appropriate.  Never was much parity in college football.  But, limiting the scholarships even further would help in that regard.  But, that will allow schools to decrease the number of women's scholarships as well.  I'm sure someone would complain about that.

You could start doing 1/2 or partial scholarships too possibly. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Don't want to see college football try and keep everyone between 8-4 and 4-8 similar to how the NFL tries to have as many 7-9 win teams as possible. 

[greasy_corner]

The quickest way to restore parity is to restrict the number of scholarship players.

We can use ole miss as "Exhibit A." for the next few years.

[311Hog]

I think just enforcing the current rules would make it more equitable.  No more families getting escapades, chargers, $200,000 homes in tuscalosa and stuff like that. 

^^ This, i just wish it wasn't basically a sure thing that teams "indirectly" cheat and that the NCAA is either understaffed, complicit, or just simply doesn't care and they pick and choose when and where they wish to intercede.

I just want to watch the game, not all of the ugly side hustles going on around it and because of it's existence.

[KlubhouseKonnected]

I think just enforcing the current rules would make it more equitable.  No more families getting escapades, chargers, $200,000 homes in tuscalosa and stuff like that. 

What do you have against good old fashioned family escapades?

[Hogopolis]

Here is the 1975 AP top 20.  Some usual suspects along with a few that are no longer top 10, such as Arizona State and Arkansas.  It's time Arkansas gets back up there.   

http://www.tiptop25.com/fixing1975.html

[redneckfriend]

The transition from a number of bowl games that, while not really equal allowed fans of those teams to count themselves among the "winners" of the college football season, to the playoff format certainly has the potential to undermine college football. It was a Faustian bargain in any case- trading a more inclusive approach that tilted to fans with strong school identification for one that generated more media hype, more interest from casual college football fans- and more TV revenue with a "superbowl" atmosphere.

The basketball NCAA tournament is not even close as an analogy. In that setting a large number of teams get in and many of those teams play in small conferences and would otherwise never be able to play big schools in a winner-take-all environment. Add to that the number of upsets each year and devoted fans are kept involved- they can debate the chances of an invitation from preseason all the way through the conference tournaments and then, if they are chosen, their chances against their opponent.  It works very well- intense interest among dedicated fans and big game hype in the same package. For football it is pretty clear from early on in the season that only about 8-10 teams really have a chance at the big prize.

One can see hints of the longer term fallout on this message board. The real goal is a "natty" and not just a good bowl and as years pass and it becomes ever more clear that that won't happen fans will start to believe the emotional investment isn't worth the price of disappointment. Multiply that attitude by all of the schools that almost certainly will never get into the playoffs and there could be a big falling off in college football's popularity. On the other hand for states and schools like Arkansas the question is "what else is there?".

[onebadrubi]

What do you have against good old fashioned family escapades?

Fat fingers and apple products that's what!!!!  Ha

[bphi11ips]

7 on 7 is da debil

[bennyl08]

Biggest threat to college football IMO is it's own success and money. As of 2014, only 20 FBS schools turned a profit on their athletics. However, those that do pull in money pull in a ton of money so it encourages other schools to try and match. However, with college being expensive already and the job market just about requiring a degree to be a janitor, lots of people are fed up with paying several hundreds each year to fund football when they don't ever watch any games.

Further, with all of that money of course comes the topic of paying the players. For me, I see the student athletes easily receiving 6 figures of benefits from playing each year. However, others see things differently. IMO, the communal call to start paying the players combined with the increased push to stop spending so much tax money on sports when it should go to academics, and we'll see something happen where things like football and perhaps basketball will end up outside of the realm of college. I imagine that there will still be some connections for example, in order for the hogs to still be the hogs, the UofA will lease the use of their mascot and brand to the team in return for that team being able to piggy back off of the tradition from the college. Similarly, you'll see things like students getting deals on tickets, the university leasing the stadium, etc...

The downside to that is going to be the other sports. Students getting scholarships to swim, play tennis, volleyball, etc... For those schools that do turn a profit and fund the other sports, that will be less money for the other sports.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/08/ncaa_study_finds_all_but_20_fb.html

[Mike_e]

Cord cutting and the ever increasing rise in cable costs will be what reigns in the arms race in college football.

As ESPN and the rest of the sports media outlets go away from their cable packages and towards a live streaming format due to a decrease in revenue there will be a decrease in payouts to the P5 conferences.  This will dampen the huge expenditures for most schools.  The ones still spending such large amounts will be the ones who are either really good with their money or are the current and past elete.  You should be thanking Jeff Long at this point.

As the spending goes down so to will the hype and there will eventually be a constriction in number of schools considered to be in the big leagues.  The fewer schools the fewer the number of spots for the elite players the better the product for the remaining schools and thus the more chances for the non-elite to make a run at an NC.

So, things will change as they always do and they will stay the same as well.  Just different.

The only thing that will kill the college game is if there is no longer a monetary incentive from the NFL to induce high school kids to want to play.  As long as the NFL is paying good to great money there will be big time college football.

[Mike Irwin]

Mid majors will eventually be relegated to playing each other only. The Power Five will not only survive but thrive. The Big 12 will be absorbed. College football will become more like the NFL. Fewer teams. More teams in the playoffs.

[Hoginsavga]

Has college football slowly been carving the road to it's own end? 1st with the creation of the BCS, then with the playoff? Did those two things start the road to the point where only a few programs will thrive and the rest will be relegated to some sort of 2nd or 3rd tier? Will the fans get tired of knowing their team has no chance to really win anything and begin to stop watching/attending/supporting their programs.

I looked at the new top 25 that came out yesterday with boredom. Same teams in the top 10 year after year. Ho Hum Bama. FSu, Ohio St. The only half way interesting team is Okie St and they are more a product of a weak league than anything else. Oklahoma do Ohio State play in week 2, then we will have weeks of " Can the loser do enough to get back in the playoff hunt ".

Then add in the spectre of players at some point getting paid, fewer kids playing the game due to head injury issues, rising costs and does it all points to a demise in the popularity of football at all but a few schools.

According to you we don't have a recruiting base to ever achieve more than 7 or 8 wins a season so why bring the subject up?  Just be happy with who we are and happy with yourself in your own world.

[bphi11ips]

Mid majors will eventually be relegated to playing each other only. The Power Five will not only survive but thrive. The Big 12 will be absorbed. College football will become more like the NFL. Fewer teams. More teams in the playoffs.

Agreed for the most part.  The natural break point seems to be 64 teams, 4 superconferences, each with two 8 team divisions, or 8 eight team conferences.  Eight to sixteen teams would be natural for playoffs, depending on whether conference championship games stick.  Those are de dacto playoff games now. 

Not sure whether games against the lower 64 go away completely.  The big boys might want to keep a few breathers early for dress rehearsals and revenue.  Pre-season NFL tickets cost the same as regular season.  And the little brothers need the paydays.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Mid majors will eventually be relegated to playing each other only. The Power Five will not only survive but thrive. The Big 12 will be absorbed. College football will become more like the NFL. Fewer teams. More teams in the playoffs.

And to me, that is really too bad. Playing a P-5 school in their big stadium and game time atmosphere has not only been a lot of fun for a lot of players of the Mid-Majors/G-5 & FCS schools, but it also helped them fund their programs, if even to a small extent. I really hate to see it happen.

[Snizzzo]

So listening to College Sports Nation on XM last week and Rick Neuheisel told a story. He was in a room with a bunch of sports media types and Gary Danielson was the speaker. Gary put a slide up and said "This is my preseason top 10." It had the usual suspects like USC, Alabama, Ohio St., Penn St., etc.  Most in the room nodded in agreement, seems reasonable. Then Gary states that this was the AP top 10 his senior year of high school.

Point being, the haves have always been and will continue to be. Yet college football remains popular. It may not change any time soon.

Pretty telling.  Not only about the tradition of certain blue-bloods, but of the inherent bias that completely shapes "reality" in this sport. 

[PorkSoda]

I was not looking at this as a Hog thing, but overall. There are easily 60 teams & more like 80 in fbs that have no real chance of ever making the playoff. They also have no chance of being able to pay players if/when that ever becomes reality.

I think too much emphasis is put on the National Title.   as if those 60-80 teams should just shut thier programs down because they aren't going to win a national title, and other than winning a title there is no worth while reason to play the game.

[Cinco de Hogo]

They is only one thing as the man said in the movie.

You know what that one thing is?

As long as kids play football and want to keep playing football there will be football.  Heck the whole game may be a video game in 50 years with no contact but the players will still be playing and there will be fans, of colleges and Pro-City teams.

[hobhog]

NFL and College football is as popular as ever.

Drama queens everywhere.....

[hogsanity]

I think too much emphasis is put on the National Title.   as if those 60-80 teams should just shut thier programs down because they aren't going to win a national title, and other than winning a title there is no worth while reason to play the game.

I've said that about the NC for years. IT really was more fun when 3-5 teams could end the year claiming a mnc.

I am not saying shut down, or even that college football would go away, but it will be very different than what it is now. The BCS was just the 1st step , then the playoff starting, to getting to a time when there would be a split among fbs. The acc, big10, pac12 and sec would eventually come out as the top tier, then their would be a fbs sub level , then fcs, etc.

[hogsanity]

NFL and College football is as popular as ever.

Drama queens everywhere.....

YEp, and we see them everyday here talking about how the program should have a floor of 9 wins, or this coach just cant get it done, or the ad does not want to win, and how they just can't forget the last 2 games of last season. blah blah blah.

[NaturalStateReb]

We can use ole miss as "Exhibit A." for the next few years.

Nothing like being cutting edge.  lol

[PLHawg]

Cord cutting and the ever increasing rise in cable costs will be what reigns in the arms race in college football.

As ESPN and the rest of the sports media outlets go away from their cable packages and towards a live streaming format due to a decrease in revenue there will be a decrease in payouts to the P5 conferences.  This will dampen the huge expenditures for most schools.  The ones still spending such large amounts will be the ones who are either really good with their money or are the current and past elete.  You should be thanking Jeff Long at this point.

As the spending goes down so to will the hype and there will eventually be a constriction in number of schools considered to be in the big leagues.  The fewer schools the fewer the number of spots for the elite players the better the product for the remaining schools and thus the more chances for the non-elite to make a run at an NC.

So, things will change as they always do and they will stay the same as well.  Just different.

The only thing that will kill the college game is if there is no longer a monetary incentive from the NFL to induce high school kids to want to play.  As long as the NFL is paying good to great money there will be big time college football.

In addition to what you just stated, the other shoe to drop will be the spending habits of the millennial generation.  When the millennials hit the age of 30+ are they going to spend thousands each year for foundation contributions and season tickets?  I have three sons of my own and they were raised around football, including going to Razorback games, Cowboy games, tailgating, etc.  I don't see them being season ticket holders when they get older, and that's not the observation of just them, but the friends they hang out with as well.  They like football, but they don't plan their whole weekend around it, they have other entertainment outlets competing for their time and $.  Gonna be interesting to see what the landscape looks like in another 15 yrs or so.

[hogsanity]

In addition to what you just stated, the other shoe to drop will be the spending habits of the millennial generation.  When the millennials hit the age of 30+ are they going to spend thousands each year for foundation contributions and season tickets?  I have three sons of my own and they were raised around football, including going to Razorback games, Cowboy games, tailgating, etc.  I don't see them being season ticket holders when they get older, and that's not the observation of just them, but the friends they hang out with as well.  They like football, but they don't plan their whole weekend around it, they have other entertainment outlets competing for their time and $.  Gonna be interesting to see what the landscape looks like in another 15 yrs or so.

That describes my sons and their friends too. They both have enjoyed the games we have gone to, they both like to sit down and watch the Hogs, but they do not plan their entire Saturday around it.

[bphi11ips]

In addition to what you just stated, the other shoe to drop will be the spending habits of the millennial generation.  When the millennials hit the age of 30+ are they going to spend thousands each year for foundation contributions and season tickets?  I have three sons of my own and they were raised around football, including going to Razorback games, Cowboy games, tailgating, etc.  I don't see them being season ticket holders when they get older, and that's not the observation of just them, but the friends they hang out with as well.  They like football, but they don't plan their whole weekend around it, they have other entertainment outlets competing for their time and $.  Gonna be interesting to see what the landscape looks like in another 15 yrs or so.

Show me a young man who is not a liberal, and I'll show you someone with no heart.  Show me an old man who is not a conservative, and I'll show you a man with no sense.  In other words, people change.

Nashville is blowing up with construction all over downtown.  Urban millenials are buying condos and renting apartments as fast as investors can throw them up.  Downtown streets are filled with beautiful young professionals dressed in suits and shredded jeans that are way too tight packing expensive restaurants where presentation is all that matters.  After dinner they fill bars until the wee hours.  To a person, every one of them I've asked has said they'll move to the suburbs to raise their children.

I agree football is going to change.  The game itself is going to change.  The way fans consume football is going to change.  I don't really care.  Things are more like they are today than they've ever been.