05-16-2012, 03:53 PM
Terry,
OK time to leave the 1940s. The goal of EVERY D1 FBS AD is to make money in football, and make a boat load of it. At a simple level the money in football is needed to fund all of those money draining Title IX sports that are mandated by law. (Not a Stanford view of women's sports, but a very common view)
Of course, in many states the football team needs to do well because a strong football team allegedly increases donations to the university, increases applications and even improves the perception of politicians in office. Money improves the product, so more money is better.
The Pac-"12" exists because of money. The BigTen exists because of money. The 4 time zone Big East exists because of money.
But forget all of that football history, this playoff system will be implemented because it will make money. If it was a money loser, like say the NCAA Fencing Championships, then college football would not have a playoff. As it stands it is very clear that the Final Four format will generate BILLIONS for the NCAA. The top, and only, reason a playoff system will be implemented at the FBS level will be money. The fans and viewers might like those other reasons you cited, but without the big money the playoff concept is killed instantly.
Money, money, money....is why it will happen.
It is only because the student-athletes will get nothing that everyone pretends there are other reasons, but there is only one. Money. One NCAA problem is that eventually somebody will die playing in the playoffs and then the NCAA will have to fess up and admit that a "student"-athlete gave his life so that the system could make a few more billion dollars.
The system will discover that 8 teams will make more money than 4 teams. Then the system will embrace 16 teams. Once the bowls become insignificant in the equation the remaining counter arguments will be some notion of athlete safety and/or fear of athlete unionization/legal representation.
But all the while...money will drive the expansion.
OK time to leave the 1940s. The goal of EVERY D1 FBS AD is to make money in football, and make a boat load of it. At a simple level the money in football is needed to fund all of those money draining Title IX sports that are mandated by law. (Not a Stanford view of women's sports, but a very common view)
Of course, in many states the football team needs to do well because a strong football team allegedly increases donations to the university, increases applications and even improves the perception of politicians in office. Money improves the product, so more money is better.
The Pac-"12" exists because of money. The BigTen exists because of money. The 4 time zone Big East exists because of money.
But forget all of that football history, this playoff system will be implemented because it will make money. If it was a money loser, like say the NCAA Fencing Championships, then college football would not have a playoff. As it stands it is very clear that the Final Four format will generate BILLIONS for the NCAA. The top, and only, reason a playoff system will be implemented at the FBS level will be money. The fans and viewers might like those other reasons you cited, but without the big money the playoff concept is killed instantly.
Money, money, money....is why it will happen.
It is only because the student-athletes will get nothing that everyone pretends there are other reasons, but there is only one. Money. One NCAA problem is that eventually somebody will die playing in the playoffs and then the NCAA will have to fess up and admit that a "student"-athlete gave his life so that the system could make a few more billion dollars.
The system will discover that 8 teams will make more money than 4 teams. Then the system will embrace 16 teams. Once the bowls become insignificant in the equation the remaining counter arguments will be some notion of athlete safety and/or fear of athlete unionization/legal representation.
But all the while...money will drive the expansion.