Hard for me to believe that will eventually happen. Bottom tier teams will have to try and buy some wins to pad their records and band aid their fan bases till the next year. All that money will not soothe all the wounds of loss. We were 3-9 but looked good against âbuy teamâ just a few players away⌠wait till next year is always a rallying cry.
A semi pro league without an inverted finish draft or lottery is the stuff of nightmares. Itâs hard enough to pull yourself up from the bottom even with that boost.
I agree. Long term this would fail to capture all the value in college sports.
Way too many local fans an alumni of too many other schools for the next level down from that to fail.
I almost want a 32 team super conference to split off just to watch it implode over time.
And yes no one should play them. Let them all enjoy their own private hell.
The entire thing just sounds awful.
Could each of these 32 college teams become a semi pro team linked to an nfl team like the Greensboro swarm is linked to the hornets? I think so. They would use the nba/g league as a model. The only difference is that these semi pro teams would be also linked to a university. There is so much more money to be made with a semi pro football team linked to a university rather than a city such as Greensboro.
But is there?
I donât care what happens I will NEVER pull for the heels. Neither will a Duke or State person. The media partners are assuming people will just back their local college team in the super conference but I think thatâs a very big mistake. No way all of NC simply back the heels.
Everyone knows how much I 
UNC CHeat!
Would shift my loyalties day 1!!!
As stated before, network exes are overestimating the eyeball value of the top 30 to 60 programs. Vast majority of college football fans not in that top group will not transfer their loyalty. Once the bottom half of that arrangement start getting their teeth kicked in every game their active fanbases will look like G5âs or less.
Then the network exes will start shrinking the contracts for the Haves too. I hope we see it in our lifetimes.
I actually think they are banking on most G5 supporters already having a âbig schoolâ team that they pull for. No idea how correct that assumption might be, but amongst sports fans I know, if they pull for a G5, many are also still loyal to a big boy program.
aka App State Chapel Hill lovers.
1 Like
They are banking on that AND the left over large fanbases (Duke, State. GT, etc) also buying in. I think is a HUGE miscalculation.
I donât think the networks are expecting fans to change or add allegiances as much as they are banking on viewership based largely on brand. Sort of like when I watch Premiere League even though I donât have a favorite team or Iâll tune in to an NFL game that doesnât involve the Panthers or the Broncos.
I get what youâre saying, but I need a primary team to be interested in the league overall. If there was a split in the NFL and the Panthers were somehow relegated to a lower league, I wouldnât keep watching the NFL. Same is true for college football for me. But I also get that might not be the normal.
2 Likes
I can see what you are saying also. But I donât have the connection to the Panthers that I do the Charlotte 49ers. I could never turn my back on the Charlotte 49ers. I love coming back to campus six weekends in the fall. The Panthers are a pro team where the players donât really represent me or a special place where I spent some of my happiest years. They represent the biggest profit all parties involved can get (players, coaches, owners, etc.) In my eyes this is part of where college sports are screwing up. They are trying to become just that⌠dynasty $$$ programs. But the Niners will never be able to truly play that game. I am actually good with that. If the Panthers packed up and moved tomorrow I would say bummer but not really sweat it. I actually think our football would reap some benefits from it. If we shut down our football program I would be devastated. As someone who never had football as a student, it means the world to me. It is still mind boggling that we actually have football.
I hate what college sports are becoming and each person that is helping to ruin it.
4 Likes
Right but if you are an NC state fan or a Duke fan are you going to care about any brands when your brand got left out?
Yep, networks arenât too concerned about the diehard fans of Charlotte, Duke, etc.
I think the media folks think they can just make it a new version of the NFL and everyone will just follow their localish team. I think thatâs way off the mark and shows a lack of understanding of college athletics and their fanbases. I think it will actually drive people away as if my team isnât involved - then why do I care?
Agree with you but networks donât care. Donât care about regional conferences, donât care about traditional rivalries (with some exceptions, of course), etc, etc.
Thatâs the point, they donât care, but itâs what makes college sports special. They THINk they can treat those top 30 brands just like the NFL but what it shows is a complete lack of understanding of why college athletics is special.
Sure they will have their big brands and a portion of the general public, but a large chunk of the college football fanbase will get locked out and I do t see them saying oh well Iâll just watch X.
Itâs why itâs not going to be sustainable.
These leagues act as if the fans HAVE to tune in and be there. They donât and if you make it so they donât have a vested interest then the crowd you are banking in to watch wonât be there.
2 Likes
Not a fan of Finebaum but canât disagree with him on this: