When the college football regular season is over in a couple weeks 95% of us will be complaining again about the BCS and the fact that there is no playoff system. The 5% who won’t be complaining are the fans of the two teams who are in the BCS title game.
For anyone who follows college football, we all know why there isn’t a playoff in place yet…it’s all about the C-A-S-H. The NCAA isn’t smart enough to figure out a way to come up with a playoff system that will generate more money than the current BCS bowl system.
The current BCS system includes four major bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Orange & Sugar) plus the BCS Championship Game for a total of five games involving 10 teams. It also involved automatic qualifiers from six major conferences. Last year, the automatic qualifiers provided the BCS with a team ranked #13 overall, Virginia Tech, and an unranked team in Connecticut. I know VT has a strong following, but those two teams don’t quite provide the star power you’d hope for in a post-season atmosphere. Plus, with the craziness surrounding conference realignment in college football, it’s time for a major change.
I would propose an eight-team playoff of the top eight ranked teams in the final BCS standings. The team ranked #1 would play the team ranked #8, #2 vs. #7, #3 vs. #6 and #4 vs. #5. Not revolutionary I know, but here’s the catch which the NCAA is missing. The NCAA and BCS are worried about losing the television revenue from the “Bowl system” if a playoff was in place. The solution, host each playoff game in the venues associated with the BCS bowls. With an eight-team playoff there would be a total of seven games played (compared to only five BCS games currently). The first four games would be played at the venues associated with the current BCS bowls and could still be called Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl. These bowls could still award their championship trophies and treat the games as they would any other year. The second round of the playoffs would be hosted at two of the four same sites (ex: Rose and Sugar) and the championship game would be hosted at either the Fiesta or Orange Bowl site. In this format, three out of the four venues would host two games each post-season and one venue would host one game. The NCAA could rotate this each season so that over four years each venue would host the same number of playoff games.
In regards to increased revenue from a ticket sales, concessions, merchandise and sponsorship perspective there are seven major games to generate revenue as opposed to the current five. Where the real money would come is in the television rights fees. Currently, ESPN is paying approximately $125 million per year for the rights to the BCS games (~$25 million per game). If you take those figures and go to seven games instead of five that’s an additional $50 million right off the bat. That’s assuming the same interest level and television ratings as before, but both of those are guaranteed to skyrocket with a playoff. Think about this…right now, if I’m a Stanford or Michigan State fan and my team makes the Rose bowl, do I really care about an Orange Bowl game between Clemson and Cincinnati? Not a chance. If the winner of the Orange Bowl was slated to play the winner of the Rose Bowl would I pay a little more attention? ABSOLUTELY! You know what that means…higher TV ratings which means $$$$$!
Lastly, and most importantly to college football fans and players, a three-week, eight-team playoff gives eight teams, instead of just two, the opportunity to try to prove they are the best team in the country and earn the shot at the National Title.
How about automatic qualifiers for the playoff system, just to give the BCS something they can work with? For example, give the conferences with at least two top-25 (final rankings) teams for the past five or so years and there should be about four or five conferences. Then fill out the rest of the spots to the top rankings.
While I’m obviously pro playoff, I don’t think hosting all those games at bowl venues would work just based on ticket sales to fans. Very few fans from anywhere can afford to travel three weekends in a row (or three weekends in two months) to see their team play. Plus, while taking the top 8 teams in the BCS seems somewhat fair, it still would leave out entire regions, and not include the little guy.
I propose a similar system, but tweaked. 12 teams- auto qualifiers from 6 top conferences (with rule that they must have 10 teams and a champ. game…yes 10), plus 6 at large teams that get selected NCAA tourney style, with BCS ranking as it is, but also emphasis on strength of schedule so hopefully we’d get some better non conference games. Also any undefeated team is automatically in as long as they played 11 “D1” schools. Sure, throw in the fighting Case Keenums.
Top 4 teams get byes, which is huge, so there’s still emphasis on every game. 5-8 get home field in 1st round.
Quarters- home field of top 4 teams.
Semis- at big bowl sites.
Note: keep all of the regular bowls as they are to increase revenue. Include the 8 teams that already lost in playoffs- and still have big payouts to schools to keep interest. Have these games played as they are. But, make teams need 7 wins to participate eliminate 5-10 bowls. It’s too diluted as is.
Championship as its played now, one week after the rest, at rotating bowl venue.
12 teams in this format means that every game still matters to have a bye or home field advantage/revenue (top 4 get byes, top 8 get a gate), yet you can lose a game or two and still have a shot. Money is still there for tv, sponsorships, and for schools. Fans love it and don’t have to travel as much.
I also am toying with the idea of after the 12 teams are determined, some reseeding based on regions to help with travel.
There shouldn’t be a problem with extra games…other sports do it just fine. There’s plenty of time to fit in 4 weeks of games. Oh- I’d also limit regular seasons to 11 games w a conference champ making 12. No limit to where at large teams come from.
There’s my idea. God I want playoffs.