Comments on: Could TV Negotiations Drive SEC To 9-Game Football Schedule?

By: gatormoss

gatormoss — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:31:39 +0000

I think the SEC should play that card on a future lookin. Timing is everything.

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:31:43 +0000

@10Vol85 And you can charge higher prices for tickets to the better quality games as well. At Alabama, the single game ticket prices for an SEC and a creampuff are different. I’ve heard that is not the way everyone does it, but I’m sure the overall season ticket packages reflect the quality of the schedule. Better games equals more demand and higher prices so that is another way to make up some of the revenue.

By: USCTraveler

USCTraveler — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:34:28 +0000

@John at MrSEC

John-

I think you are right about a nine game schedule. It’s certainly much better from a fan standpoint.

To your point about USC playing Notre Dame every year, which means 11 of the Trojans’ 12 yearly contests will come against BCS-level opponents once the agreement with the BIG kicks in: USC has actually never played an FCS school. Not once. Neither have UCLA and Notre Dame.

I’m excited for USC’s OOC schedule in 2017 and 2018- Notre Dame, Texas and a BIG team (most likely Michigan or OSU).

And if USC can get a BIG school to agree (I think they’re talking to Michigan now) they’ll have ND, Aggy and Michigan (or whoever) in 2015 and 2016.

A lot of people want to see their team play a soft OOC schedule because they’re worried about losing, but USC has always played strong OOC teams, and I love seeing those matchups. I figure if USC is good enough to beat all those teams, they’ll be a lock to be # 1 or #2 and playing for the NC and if they can’t beat them, then they weren’t good enough to win a title that year anyway, but I got to see a bunch of great games.

I’d much prefer that than the type of weak OOC schedules that a lot of BIG and SEC teams have.

You don’t need to load up on FCS schools to be successful. In fact, I think a big factor in USC’s success over the years has been a willingness to play anyone anywhere, and to seek out tough OOC matchups.

Playing at Bama and Oklahoma back in the old days was amazing.

And in the last decade, we saw that opening the season in Columbus, Auburn or Fayettenam is a great way to test your team and get them used to high-pressure games in front of hostile crowds. I think this translates into success in bowl games, as the players are ready for the pressure.

FWIW- I give Bama credit for playing teams like VT, PSU and Michigan. Same with LSU and their schedule last year. Those games are great for exposure, but also give the team great experience in a high-profile game.

But the fact that a team like UF hasn’t left the state of FL for an OOC game in 25 years or whatever is a complete embarrassment.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:15:22 +0000

Here’s the next question how would 9 games affect uga/uf and Jacksonville….if your UGA and the home team in Jacksonville and you 5 other road games…6 home games or only 5 depending where the matchup with tech is? Or fsu?

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:56:05 +0000

Guest…

LSU played 10 BCS-level foes last year and went undefeated right up to the point of their rematch with Alabama.

Pac-12 schools will play 9 conference games AND the additional yearly games with the Big Ten that were recently agreed to. That’s 10 BCS-level games for everyone in that league. Southern Cal will continue to play Notre Dame which means 11 of the Trojans’ 12 yearly contests will come against BCS-level opponents.

The teams you mentioned — Carolina, Florida and Georgia all play ACC teams. Those foes — Clemson, FSU and Georgia Tech — are currently scheduled to start playing nine league games per year meaning they would play 10 BCS-level games.

The added in-conference games in the Pac-12 aided that league in creating more valuable content for its television partners. We suspect CBS and ESPN are making similar pushes with the SEC. Especially seeing as how CBS is trying to play hardball with the league over its additions of Missouri and Texas A&M.

Which is why we wrote this piece.

Also, if the SEC is going to talk about being the toughest bully on the block — and we believe the league, by the way — then it shouldn’t be scared to do what other conferences are doing schedule-wise. The last time the SEC’s coaches and fans feared the schedule had been made too tough — with an 8-game docket AND a new championship game added in 1992 — it kicked off a 20-year run that’s seen the league capture 10 national titles (Bama in 92, 09 and 11; Florida in 96, 06 and 08; LSU in 03 and 07, Tennessee in 98, and Auburn in 10… plus another undefeated season in 04).

Thanks for reading,
John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:47:33 +0000

kaput

News flash! Kaput complains about a fresh angle to a story the anonymous person doesn’t have to read if he/she doesn’t want to.

John

By: 10Vol85

10Vol85 — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:27:57 +0000

Capitalism can fix a lot of things. If Team A has 8 conference games and 4 non-conference game, there are two different ways to go with the non-conference games – paycheck home games, rivalry games, and good for TV games. If the non-conference TV games pay well, and teams get rewarded by collecting a large share for themselves, they will be incentivized to schedule good-paying non-conference games. Likewise, if fans stay away from the creampuff games (pipe dream, I know – I really don’t understand why you go to those), they would also be incentivized to schedule better. Personally, I prefer less conference games. It gives teams more freedom in scheduling and more opportunity for interregional games, to which I look forward. There will be less of those in the new landscape which in turn means even less data with which to compare teams/conferences.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:25:54 +0000

MrSec you use the Big10 vs Pac12 games as nine conference games for the Big10…what about teams like USC,Florida,UK,UGA that already play nine bcs teams per year? If the SEC goes to 9 conference games those teams will be playing 10 games vs bcs opponents per year…that will end any chance of those teams playing in the Chick Fil A kickoff or other neutral site games… So consider those 4 teams playing a bcs opponent Alabama vs Michigan, auburn vs Clemson, UT vs NC state that’s atleast half the conference playing 9 bcs caliber teams just like the big ten

By: kaput

kaput — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:33:03 +0000

News flash! Mrsec.com writes an article about the SEC going to nine games.

By: KEGreene1

KEGreene1 — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:18:48 +0000

1. Slive is right to let the money do the talking. 2. Bowl games lose money for the schools. 3. TV makes money for the schools. 4. Home games = happy fans. 5. Cupcake vs. SEC team makes season ticket holder grumpy, TV Exec’s grumpy but makes $$$ for School and local economy. So the question is does 1+2+3+4+5 = more $$$ for School than losing one home game every other year minus the loss you get from travel to Toliet Bowl?

The AD’s and Coaches like the Bowl games because they have incentives in their contracts. That is why they don’t like the 9 game schedule.

By: FallsChurchDore

FallsChurchDore — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:35:22 +0000

This is what I’ve wondered all along. By not settling on a schedule earlier this year and allowing these TV negotations to take place before a final decision is made, is Slive letting the Presidents and ADs come around to the correct long-term decision on their own? How much more does a nine-game schedule generate for each school than an eight-game schedule…and is that enough to convince the Presidents and ADs to stop whining about missing out on a chance to play bowl games in Birmingham or Memphis?

LSU went undefeated against arguably the toughest regular season schedule anyone’s ever played last year.