re: Has college football become too much of a big business to be enjoyable?

I think so. I also think that the revenue stream is going to end relatively soon, at least the portion from TV contracts.

Not a complicated issue, but a long one with many ramifications. Aside from a general decline of the population's interest in football, cord cutting and a la carte pricing is eventually going to make it impossible for ESPN to continue with their present model and contracts.

What that means, I really don't know. But they have pretty much been the driving force behind all the money that has flowed into sports the past few decades. It sure isn't coming from butts in the seats paying astronomical ticket prices, drinks and hot dogs (corn dogs for you Louisiana persuasion guys). Even the licensed apparel thing really only benefits a couple of teams with a wide "footprint" on fan base.

To me the whole things is kind of nutty. Schools build all these meaningless buildings and bid up the salaries of coaches.

Then when you are paying them this much, and you are building 120 million dollar stadium renovations (some Kentucky fan said they were doing this), well that program darn well better win. Only it's a zero sum game, for you to win another team has to lose, and they are playing the same Red Queen's race.

You know as an aside, is it really about the kids? The players I mean. Apparently South Carolina has totally revamped their entrance, pregame activities, and gotten a DJ. All specifically designed to appeal to recruits, and not for delivering a better experience for the fans who actually pay money for a seat.

You wind up in a sitution where you need better players, so you can win, so you can get better players. Everything is focused on that, and there really isn't just some kind of joy in watching your team play. You have to win or nothing matters. Exciting game with a close finish? If you didn't win, it doesn't count.

You know it really sucks to be a fan now. They want to charge ridiculous prices for tickets, they tack on all kinds of fees, parking prices have been amped way up.

Is it really worth it to be a fan now? They want you to show up and make noise. But it's gotten to the point where a win is the only enjoyable thing. Actually it's gotten to the point where a close win over a small school is a loss. You need to rack up a 63-0 nothing score to enjoy that now.

Really gotten away from following any sports. College football is my last link to it. Stuff like Briles and Baylor, any number of other things that have happened in the past few years are increasingly souring me on the whole thing.

Just thinking it through, based on my personal experience, if football were starting up now (instead of 1880 or whatever), personally I wouldn't start up this whole thing of participating in football or any sport really for a school.

A whole lot of hidden costs associated with the whole thing. And my take would be it's not worth it.

In the end schools are about educating students, and hopefully serving to advance the interests of the people that enable the school to exist, whether by research, economic activity associated with the school, or things like Agricultural extensions.

Sports is fluff that is supposed to be fun. And it really doesn't seem fun anymore, it's like a job.

I do chuckle at a LSU fan bemoaning the old days when they've spent a decade trying to kill Alabama vs Tennessee, the oldest rivalry we have and the most historical game in the SEC.

I'm enjoying it just fine.

Winners never say this, suck it up we lost, move on.

Who really thought LSU was going undefeated, 12-1,11-2, 10-3?

New coach, new OC neither with a championship track record.

Our season is not over. Dont blame the game because your team sucks.

Older LSU fans will remember being excited just to have a winning record in the late 80's til Saban got us rolling again.

quote:

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Michael T. Tiger

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TRANSLATION:

Waaaaaahhhh!!!!! Waaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
My team lost in Starkville. I'm throwing a temper tantrum now.
(throws self on the floor)
It's not fair! Everything sucks! My team hired our 4th option and now everything sucks.

I'm just bored by all the spread offenses we see now. I'll take 2012 Bama over all this crap we see now.

Nah I love it. In college football every week is important and the kids play largely for the love of the game. Compare that to the the primadonna NFL millionaires - there is no comparison.