Realistic impact on Bowl games

[WanderingSpectator]

I’m curious to see how the new format will effect the NY6 bowl games’ financials and the economic impact on the host cities.

Teams and fans used to come into town early and enjoy several days of activities. They’d fill up hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. They’d buy a ton of merch. The Bowls would host and manage a lot of the logistics.

Fans would travel knowing this might be the last time they see their team. Now, most will have to decide which, if any, Bowls they will attend. Do they just attend their home game if they’re lucky? Ticket sales at the Bowls will be impacted.

Teams will end up eating the tickets they are required to buy.

Will the bands travel to each Bowl game?

The list goes on. There is no doubt that these games have become “made for TV” productions. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the “in person” experience.

 

[Midnighter]

I’m curious to see how the new format will effect the NY6 bowl games’ financials and the economic impact on the host cities.

Teams and fans used to come into town early and enjoy several days of activities. They’d fill up hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. They’d buy a ton of merch. The Bowls would host and manage a lot of the logistics.

Fans would travel knowing this might be the last time they see their team. Now, most will have to decide which, if any, Bowls they will attend. Do they just attend their home game if they’re lucky? Ticket sales at the Bowls will be impacted.

Teams will end up eating the tickets they are required to buy.

Will the bands travel to each Bowl game?

The list goes on. There is no doubt that these games have become “made for TV” productions. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the “in person” experience.

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

 

[CDLionFL]

Think of the various P4 teams who are looking really good right now and where they might be in a month after their season goes south or they get whacked in the conference championship game and they don't make the playoff. I'm thinking of teams like Pitt, Iowa State/BYU, Indiana, LSU/aTm and the like who have sugar plums dancing in their head but then end up with 2 losses and their consolation prize is the Gator Bowl. There will be mass opt outs and I can't imagine the borderline casual/diehard fan will shell out big bucks to go to a glorified scrimmage.

 

[WanderingSpectator]

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

I agree. Going forward, Bowls will look like any other NFL game.

But I think NFL games are very different from college bowl games of old. I don’t know of any NFL team or fan base that travels in multiple days ahead and has parties, volunteering at charity events, nights at Top Golf, etc….

I just don’t know what the economic impact will be of losing the traditional bowl experience.

 

[Psumatt85]

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

Not an expert but….
When I have attended NFL playoffs, I have been local and only went for game. I believe season ticket holders get most of the tickets. Only Super Bowl was multi day event

when I have gone to bowl games, always planned 3-5 days around it. Would not do that 3 times in one year

 

[WanderingSpectator]

Think of the various P4 teams who are looking really good right now and where they might be in a month after their season goes south or they get whacked in the conference championship game and they don't make the playoff. I'm thinking of teams like Pitt, Iowa State/BYU, Indiana, LSU/aTm and the like who have sugar plums dancing in their head but then end up with 2 losses and their consolation prize is the Gator Bowl. There will be mass opt outs and I can't imagine the borderline casual/diehard fan will shell out big bucks to go to a glorified scrimmage.

Agree. TV money needs to cover the expenses. Ticket sales will definitely suffer. I believe the teams are required to buy X amount of tickets. It will be interesting to see if universities start to opt out of bowls because it’s a money losing proposition.

 

[razpsu]

Big championship. Who cares,
Teams should really want 5-6 seed. That would give them a fairly easy home game and it would be a sellout and a good warmup game for the bowl game instead of teams being off for a month and coming out cold or out of sync.
So the home game would be a sellout,
Then if close proximity to where you live, prob go to bowl game. If not you roll the dice they win and then go to semis.
if they win that and you have enough points championship we go, now in future years if they keep doing that who knows,
The last time we were at least 1 loss going into a bowl game was 2008, 2005 and undefeated 1994 so those were just goes.

 

[Erial_Lion]

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

The NFL is using home fans to fill up the stadiums, outside of the Super Bowl. It's different when you're trying to put 90k in the Rose Bowl and the matchup is Iowa St vs. Ohio St., when Ohio St hosted a game a week and a half ago, and is hoping to head on the road again in 10 days for a semifinal. I'd think there is still enough interest to fill stadiums with marquee teams, but probably not at a $400/ticket price point, or if Boise St upsets OSU and you're trying to get 90k for Boise St-Iowa St.

 

[PSUFBFAN]

Think of the various P4 teams who are looking really good right now and where they might be in a month after their season goes south or they get whacked in the conference championship game and they don't make the playoff. I'm thinking of teams like Pitt, Iowa State/BYU, Indiana, LSU/aTm and the like who have sugar plums dancing in their head but then end up with 2 losses and their consolation prize is the Gator Bowl. There will be mass opt outs and I can't imagine the borderline casual/diehard fan will shell out big bucks to go to a glorified scrimmage.

The first 4 teams you mention will probably have a few opt outs but will probably travel to a bigger than expected bowl game, although some of these teams don’t have a large fan base. However, teams like LSU and Penn State will have a HUGE opt out issue. A lot of fans who went to the peach bowl last year said “no more” after the opt out/play count joke that game became.

 

[Midnighter]

Wonder if these bowls will continue to be able to pay figurehead wonks high six figure salaries for a job they do once a year...?

 

[GrimReaper]

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

Depends on your team. The only NFL post-season game that is not played on the home field of one of the participants is the Super Bowl.

 

[GrimReaper]

The NFL is using home fans to fill up the stadiums, outside of the Super Bowl. It's different when you're trying to put 90k in the Rose Bowl and the matchup is Iowa St vs. Ohio St., when Ohio St hosted a game a week and a half ago, and is hoping to head on the road again in 10 days for a semifinal. I'd think there is still enough interest to fill stadiums with marquee teams, but probably not at a $400/ticket price point, or if Boise St upsets OSU and you're trying to get 90k for Boise St-Iowa St.

Yup and regardless of the match ups, a fan is faced with traveling 3-4 times to follow his team with in not many more weeks.

 

[psuro]

Yup and regardless of the match ups, a fan is faced with traveling 3-4 times to follow his team with in not many more weeks.

So, like the NCAA basketball tourney?

 

[WanderingSpectator]

So, like the NCAA basketball tourney?

Big difference in size of arenas to fill. 15-16k for basketball vs filling a 70-80k stadium. Then, the Final Four is a multi day event (if you’re lucky)

 

[GrimReaper]

So, like the NCAA basketball tourney?

And how many fans do that?

 

[psuro]

And how many fans do that?

All i asked is if this is similar to the NCAA basketball tournament. The answer is "yes'.

 

[psuro]

Big difference in size of arenas to fill. 15-16k for basketball vs filling a 70-80k stadium. Then, the Final Four is a multi day event (if you’re lucky)

That was not the question that was asked.

 

[GrimReaper]

All i asked is if this is similar to the NCAA basketball tournament. The answer is "yes'.

Okay, two then.

 

[WanderingSpectator]

That was not the question that was asked.

Sorry. Yes. It’s similar but there is a significant difference in how many people are needed to sell out an arena vs a stadium.

 

[Calabrin]

To what degree is this different than for NFL fans? (Legit question).

It’s different in the pros because there aren’t multiple neutral-site games. It’s true that the uncertainty is similar, but through the playoffs, the host city is home to one of the two teams competing in the game. Only the Super Bowl is neutral.

With the new CFB playoff, you now have the NY6 Bowls for the final four teams being played at neutral sites, and then the championship game.

For the fans of the two teams that make it through, do you go to the semi-final, or the final? It’s two trips!

 

[wplion]

Wonder if these bowls will continue to be able to pay figurehead wonks high six figure salaries for a job they do once a year...?

I was on a bowl committee for a year, albeit as a volunteer. The group that ran the bowl did have a figurehead who was well known. I have no idea of his salary. At least in this case, the group also ran a few other events, i.e. a preseason kick off game, a basketball tourney, maybe a few other random events. There was alot of involvement of sponsor corporations and charities to whom some funds were donated, so I think the guy had more to do than may be seen on the surface.

 

[BeerLion]

I don't think using the bowls is a very good idea. I can't see people doing all that traveling. But maybe there are enough generic college football fans to fill those venues.

I always thought having 16 teams , start the first weekend of December , higher seed being home and have the final game on January 1, late afternoon.

I don't know if it is because I was conditioned for all those years that New Years Day was the finale. But my interest in college football goes from 100 on New Years Day to about 10 after that. I don't think I have collectively watch a full game after Jan 1 in all the years that they have been doing it.

 

[Metal Mike]

Way back in 1970 I went to the Orange Bowl not having a ticket in advance. I got a ticket from a local who had an extra ticket. I sat in a section with many locals. In talking with the folks they did not have an interest in either Penn State or Missouri but were civic leaders who thought it was important to support the Orange Bowl and the Miami area. So even back then to fill the stadium the Committee had to appeal to these people to buy tickets. Many of them left in the 4th Qtr before the game was over.

 

[Psumatt85]

Way back in 1970 I went to the Orange Bowl not having a ticket in advance. I got a ticket from a local who had an extra ticket. I sat in a section with many locals. In talking with the folks they did not have an interest in either Penn State or Missouri but were civic leaders who thought it was important to support the Orange Bowl and the Miami area. So even back then to fill the stadium the Committee had to appeal to these people to buy tickets. Many of them left in the 4th Qtr before the game was over.

When I went to the orange bowl I after the 85/86 season, there was a guy in front of me watching the Miami/ Tenn game on a little TV. He said he scalped a ticket just after kickoff for $5, and wanted to see the halftime show live

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

It will be interesting as how many fans will make multiple trips for bowl/playoff games? How many have the luxury of taking time off for work for those trips? Attendance at some games may not be great but television is paying the schools so as we've seen in recent years, bowl game attendance isn't that important, ratings matter more. I have the luxury of being retired and in Brett McMurphy's most recent bowl/playoff projection he has Penn State playing in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and then the Orange Bowl in Miami.

I did the Peach Bowl last year so I no longer feel the need to do it again but had I not, I would do it and rather than come back to PA, make a week of it on the coast and head towards Miami, but then there's no guarantee Penn State wins the Peach Bowl to progress to Miami. So fans that may opt for the later playoff game may be left empty if their team loses. Now throw in the championship game to add another trip.

My cfb bucket list includes seeing every major bowl game and thus far have done the Cotton, the Rose and the Peach. I'd also love to see in person Penn State win each NY6 bowl game and have the Cotton and Rose under my belt. I should have started back in Joe's days.