Follow The Money - Reminder

As we get to the final stretch of the college football season. I'm going to repost my "manifesto" on why we do not have a playoff. Don't get fooled into thinking we'll have a playoff anytime soon. Don't fall into the trap that says "If we have a crazy enough scenario, then they will have to go to a playoff system."

From Jan 15, 2008

I was recently in a discussion with a friend about the rules of etiquette for being a fan. I asked him, "At what point in your frustration with the play of your team, can you give up on them and not watch them?" His response was that, as a fan (i.e. fanatic), you have to stick with your team in the good times and the bad. Part of being a fan is suffering with your team through the bad times and experiencing the joy of them getting better. And I agree with the logic. And because of that logic, it will be a long time before we have a playoff system in college football.

What does being a fan have to do with a college football playoff system? Last week, the University of Georgia President, Michael Adams, made headlines by saying he had a plan for a college football playoff system. This got everyone excited because it came from a university president. If a president could get behind it, the talking heads would say, then it might happen. But as usual, this article came out today. Basically, the presidents state they will "look into it" but there will be no playoff system next year.


I love a good sports conspiracy theory more than anyone. And I have been fascinated by talk radio and newspapers and how they cover this topic. Virtually everyone just argues with the BCS "logic" for why there will be no playoff system. The main arguments made by the BCS revolve around academics, the regular season, and the bowl system. In fact , Mike Slive (commissioner of the SEC) makes these points in a statement on the BCS website (http://www.bcsfootball.org/):

"There really is no interest exhibited presently by our presidents or chancellors or many others in having a playoff. I try to think about it in terms of, 'what is in the best interest of college football?' I think three principles need to be applied. One is that college football is part of higher education, part of the academic mission of our institutions and that's an important piece of the puzzle that's always going to be there. Two, football has a wonderful regular season, an exciting regular season that's maybe the best regular season of all sports. Three, we've had a wonderful 100-year relationship with the bowl system.

"So the postseason has to meld those three systems into something that is good for college football."

This leads college football fans and the talk show circuit to argue the merits of these points. It makes for fascinating talk and good ratings, especially when someone argues that the BCS works. Almost everyone "disagrees" with the system, yet everyone tunes in to the national title game and hopes something will change in the future. The rest of this post could be spent arguing against every point made by the BCS. Yet it is pointless, because those factors have nothing to do with whether we have a playoff system in college football.

The problem is, everyone has ignored the elephant in the room. Here's the real reason we don't have a playoff system. Under the current system, the presidents (BCS) control the flow of money generated from the BCS. If we were to go to a playoff system, the NCAA would control the flow of money earned from the playoffs. A playoff system would most likely generate more upfront money, but that doesn't mean that the presidents will get more money in the end. And since the main job of university presidents (and AD's for that matter) is to raise money, what incentive do they have to change the system?


So, why don't the presidents just come out and say that? Because if they do, they look greedy. Instead, they hide behind the arguments of academics and the relationship with the bowls and that makes them "look" better.


So what can a fan do? The only way for us to change the system is for fans to quit caring about the games. The TV money and donations would fall off and then the presidents would be forced to make changes. But guess what, it's not going to happen. If my team makes it to the championship game, I'm going to be with them to the end. I'll check the BCS standings every week and argue about a playoff system in which they would be included. I'll root for the teams ahead of them in the standings to lose. I'll be fanatical about how my team's conference is much tougher than another.

Meanwhile, the presidents will sit back and laugh. Sure, they will issue a statement saying they'll look into an "And-1" game or something like that. We as fans will get all excited. And because I'm a true fan of my team and can't give up on them regardless of the circumstances, it will be a long time before we see a playoff in college football.

So, let the presidents build up the "student-athlete". Let the media tell you the BCS works. Meanwhile, just remember, your donations for your football tickets are due in a couple of months.