You will hear and read many statements that are the motivating factor behind expanding the college playoff system from 4 to 12 teams, a move that will be made over the next two years.
It’s a development that took another leap forward on Thursday when 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame sporting director Jack Swarbrick met in Chicago.
But let’s get down to business.
It’s all about the money, which could be in the range of $ 2 billion a year if all the details of a new television deal and playoff format are cleared.
And when that happens, we hope that an edict will be issued – at least privately – that we will never hear the term “”.STUDENT ATHLETE ” mentioned when it comes to great college football and basketball.
For now, let’s stick with football, where 130 FBS schools will return to a full 12-game season schedule in September, with teams staffed with “staff” from the universities.
Who is kidding whom here.
The only reason most FBS schools played in last season’s pandemic season was because of the money.
If that didn’t matter, the big boys would have followed their Ivy League relatives and closed.
Instead, players were asked to show up in the middle of summer, isolate themselves from September to January, have themselves tested and temporarily isolated by their fellow students.
They were asked to stay on campus when the other students were on vacation.
They were asked not to socialize or minimize such contact, not even within their own families.
The CFP system stayed in place, even with some weird events like the Rose Bowl in Arlington, Texas and a series of postponements, cancellations, and other events that lasted until the spring when some teams played their fall schedule.
In the end, Alabama, an NFL satellite program for talent in the Southeastern Conference, under the direction of Commissioner Greg Sankey, put together another championship season.
But due to COVID-19 issues, almost every CFB program saw a decline in sales.
Fast forward to a summer and you have big changes afoot including compensating athletes for using their likeness and image, which is literally days away from becoming a reality
It’s just another example of a “sport” exposed as a billion dollar business.
The reaction of the power brokers in college football is almost predictable.
Players must “earn” the money that is paid out to them.
Which brings us to this point: a 12-game playoff system, an extended season that starts in early August and doesn’t end until mid to late January, with the possibility of a 17-game season for some teams.
I have no problem with that.
I think this season is going to be exciting, unpredictable, and harrowing – IF we admit that this level of college football is a mini version of the National Football League and that the players are working for university, for both schools and for themselves generate income yourself.
If they are training, taking classes, participating in other campus activities, that is good for them, but let’s be clear that their main job is to play football.
If the nature of the game bothers some people, so be it.
Let them see FCS soccer or Division 2 and 3 games where the term “student athlete” still has some meaning and the games are not driven by revenue problems.
The further the FBS conferences travel down the slippery slope, the closer we come to the point where the difference between Saturday and Sunday football is skill and not much more.
source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/a-jersey-guy-cfb-motto-follow-the-money/
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