The B.S BCS
The Bowl Championship Series. Sounds nice, does it not? If you were unfamiliar with the concept you might imagine this to mean a series of bowl games set up to deliver an overall champion. After all the word “series” by most definitions deals with a number of events. If you are familiar with the practice though you already know that it’s not a series at all. No there’s no elimination due to play, no ultimate champion due to victory after victory until there is no-one left to defeat. No equality in the process or even a finite answer to who is the best after it is all said and done. All we eventually have at the end of the Bowl Championship Series are more disgruntled fans, more topics for sports shows and fattened coffers for the major conferences.
There lies the major appeal for the BCS from a business standpoint. It is a proverbial cash cow. Just take a look at the numbers and you’ll quickly see why only the fans want a change. The reported revenues from last year’s BCS game was $148,164,743. That’s just monies from television rights, sponsors and gate receipts. That money then get’s distributed amongst the conferences. The SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac Ten getting $23,172,725 each. The ACC, Big East and Mountain West receiving $18,672,743 each and substantially less portions divided up amongst the rest. When you tally in what the individual cities generated in revenues from the boost in lodging, restaurants and entertainment you can see there is a lot of money at stake for everyone involved. You will also begin to understand why the BCS doesn’t want to see anyone mess with them.
I have no problem with the BCS from a financial point of view. It is just good business. Because it is good business I don’t buy the premise that it was created to eliminate us having a split National Champion at year’s end either. We continue to have controversy when the last game is played. Because it is such good business I understand why the BCS can ignore our complaints with the system. I recognize the conference’s excuses as to why a playoff simply isn’t in the best interest of our student athletes. As a logical person though I also recognize the BS with the BCS.
There are any number of scenarios on how to make a fair and just playoff system. We already have the templates in place in Division II and III schools. We could cut seasons back to 10 games, have the Conference Title games decide who advances to the playoffs or any number of other ideas could be developed and researched. There would be no need to eliminate the other existing bowls outside the BCS because there would still be plenty of teams not making the playoffs to participate in those games and continue to generate revenues. There are plenty of intelligent people out there who could work out a scheme to deliver us a true National Champion, but as long as the money is right the solutions will be ignored.
So what is a fan to do? We call in to the local sports radio shows and we complain. We watch ESPN and listen to their utter disgust at the current system and we blog about how unfair it is for the Utah’s of the world to get shunned. We do a whole lot of nothing. Making a change in this or anything else doesn’t happen without making it happen. So what can we do to make it happen? Hit them where it hurts the most, their pockets. It’s not that difficult to do. It wouldn’t take years to see a change. It would happen practically overnight if it was done right. What? What can make such a sudden change? Don’t go!
I know it sounds silly. My team is playing in the Fiesta bowl for the BCS Championship and I’m supposed to just stay home? I’m supposed to watch a basketball game or reruns on Nic at Night instead of watching my school win another championship? Yes. That is what it will take to make a change. As long as the BCS take in the kind of money that is generated they have no reason to change anything. As long as the conference’s get to divide up the profits they have no reason to change anything. Take away that money and they have no fight left in them. Take away those profits and they will have to listen. A small sacrifice on a huge scale can make colossal change.
The Bowl Championship Series. Sounds nice, does it not? If you were unfamiliar with the concept you might imagine this to mean a series of bowl games set up to deliver an overall champion. After all the word “series” by most definitions deals with a number of events. If you are familiar with the practice though you already know that it’s not a series at all. No there’s no elimination due to play, no ultimate champion due to victory after victory until there is no-one left to defeat. No equality in the process or even a finite answer to who is the best after it is all said and done. All we eventually have at the end of the Bowl Championship Series are more disgruntled fans, more topics for sports shows and fattened coffers for the major conferences.
There lies the major appeal for the BCS from a business standpoint. It is a proverbial cash cow. Just take a look at the numbers and you’ll quickly see why only the fans want a change. The reported revenues from last year’s BCS game was $148,164,743. That’s just monies from television rights, sponsors and gate receipts. That money then get’s distributed amongst the conferences. The SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac Ten getting $23,172,725 each. The ACC, Big East and Mountain West receiving $18,672,743 each and substantially less portions divided up amongst the rest. When you tally in what the individual cities generated in revenues from the boost in lodging, restaurants and entertainment you can see there is a lot of money at stake for everyone involved. You will also begin to understand why the BCS doesn’t want to see anyone mess with them.
I have no problem with the BCS from a financial point of view. It is just good business. Because it is good business I don’t buy the premise that it was created to eliminate us having a split National Champion at year’s end either. We continue to have controversy when the last game is played. Because it is such good business I understand why the BCS can ignore our complaints with the system. I recognize the conference’s excuses as to why a playoff simply isn’t in the best interest of our student athletes. As a logical person though I also recognize the BS with the BCS.
There are any number of scenarios on how to make a fair and just playoff system. We already have the templates in place in Division II and III schools. We could cut seasons back to 10 games, have the Conference Title games decide who advances to the playoffs or any number of other ideas could be developed and researched. There would be no need to eliminate the other existing bowls outside the BCS because there would still be plenty of teams not making the playoffs to participate in those games and continue to generate revenues. There are plenty of intelligent people out there who could work out a scheme to deliver us a true National Champion, but as long as the money is right the solutions will be ignored.
So what is a fan to do? We call in to the local sports radio shows and we complain. We watch ESPN and listen to their utter disgust at the current system and we blog about how unfair it is for the Utah’s of the world to get shunned. We do a whole lot of nothing. Making a change in this or anything else doesn’t happen without making it happen. So what can we do to make it happen? Hit them where it hurts the most, their pockets. It’s not that difficult to do. It wouldn’t take years to see a change. It would happen practically overnight if it was done right. What? What can make such a sudden change? Don’t go!
I know it sounds silly. My team is playing in the Fiesta bowl for the BCS Championship and I’m supposed to just stay home? I’m supposed to watch a basketball game or reruns on Nic at Night instead of watching my school win another championship? Yes. That is what it will take to make a change. As long as the BCS take in the kind of money that is generated they have no reason to change anything. As long as the conference’s get to divide up the profits they have no reason to change anything. Take away that money and they have no fight left in them. Take away those profits and they will have to listen. A small sacrifice on a huge scale can make colossal change.