Lowest rated BCS title game ever.

[CajunFan3406]

It's still bull____ that they put on a pay station when they won't pay the players who play in it.

Since that's the case, they should have paid every player in every bowl game since they were all on ESPN.
I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have ESPN. You can't seriously think that the game being on there hurt viewing numbers.

[Bandwagon King]

Since that's the case, they should have paid every player in every bowl game since they were all on ESPN.
I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have ESPN. You can't seriously think that the game being on there hurt viewing numbers.

I know it hurt viewing numbers. Believe it or not there are a lot of people in the US who can't afford cable or satellite. Or don't have cable access & can't afford Satellite.

[CajunCherokee]

Since that's the case, they should have paid every player in every bowl game since they were all on ESPN.
I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have ESPN. You can't seriously think that the game being on there hurt viewing numbers.

That's what I thought initially too - then I asked around the office just to amuse myself and identified 10 people who live sort of outside Lafayette that have basic cable - they might not be the ideal demographic that the BCS Championship is looking for, but maybe if it was on ABC, they would have at least tuned in. Don't assume that everyone is a hard-core sports fan and NEEDS to have extended cable, satellite and/or the sports package - like the majority of us here.

[CajunRebel]

If anyone wonders why conferences care so much about market size this is a great example. Two teams from small market areas aren't going to draw as well as teams from big markets. And how many viewers you can draw plays into how much money you'll get for your TV contracts.

[CajunFan3406]

If people want to watch the game they'll watch it somehow. Auburn/Oregon was on ESPN last year and neither team was touted as 2 of the best teams of all time like the two this year. Despite that, that game's numbers were better than this years. IMO, the top two reasons this game was at an all time low in viewership is #1: the majority of casual viewers do not want to watch a field goal fest and #2: the majority of casual viewers do not want to watch two SEC schools play for the title.

[CajunFan3406]

I know it hurt viewing numbers. Believe it or not there are a lot of people in the US who can't afford cable or satellite. Or don't have cable access & can't afford Satellite.

And Kyle, you didn't offer me an explanation as to why Brett Baer isn't getting his ESPN check in the mail. Because after all, his game was on a pay station.

[CajunCherokee]

If people want to watch the game they'll watch it somehow.

Agreed. But they'll go to a bar and watch it with 50 other people, which only counts as one television set. Otherwise, they might've stayed home, which would boost the ratings.

[CajunFan3406]

Agreed. But they'll go to a bar and watch it with 50 other people, which only counts as one television set. Otherwise, they might've stayed home, which would boost the ratings.

How do you explain the 14% dip in viewership from last year then? Both games were on ESPN, and both games were on a Monday night.

[CajunCherokee]

How do you explain the 14% dip in viewership from last year then? Both games were on ESPN, and both games were on a Monday night.

I'm not trying to explain it. I'm just commenting on your statement that you'd be hard-pressed to find people that didn't have ESPN and that having it on there couldn't affect ratings. It's obviously not the main reason - the rematch and SEC brand of football is probably it - but it could be a factor.

[Bandwagon King]

I'm not trying to explain it. I'm just commenting on your statement that you'd be hard-pressed to find people that didn't have ESPN and that having it on there couldn't affect ratings. It's obviously not the main reason - the rematch and SEC brand of football is probably it - but it could be a factor.

Reading the replies to the story, it seems as though all of the above were pretty much equal factors.

[Just1More]

The ratings had little to do with it being on ESPN. It didn't help ratings... but it wasn't even close to the reason for the lack of national interest in that game. The national sports media didn't push this game... they too weren't that interested in it... and besides the SEC fanbase, this matchup had zero appeal to the larger population of college football fans. No one wanted to see an LSU-Alabama SEC West "title game" (rematch)... despite the fact that the two best teams in the nation competed in it. It had "defensive struggle" written all over it... and after all of the fun shoot-out bowls leading up to it... it also had "unexciting" written all over it. I was surprised at the subdued interest many of the rabid LSU fan friends of mine had in it. They turned down a lot of party gatherings and chose to just watch it at home.

I was an advocate of the plus 1... at least to start things off. I now want to see a 16 team playoff... that as fairly as possible seeds the 6 AQ conference champs... the top ranked postseason teams across the FBS board... and a system that includes two of the top ranked non-AQ schools in that field of 16... even if that requires a play-in game or two. There needs to be something that allows all FBS programs potential inclusion in that play-off. Other bowls and the play-in games could be started fairly early in the post-season and the 16 team playoff would follow.

I also think two other things have added to lower interest in the larger bowl venues... NFL fantasy football (both fans and media eat this up nowadays on sports talk programs)... and all of the scandals and bad behavior that is either real or perceived at the large collegiate football programs.

[CajunNation]

RULES

---All eleven conference champions get bid.
---Next 13 highest BCS ranked schools get bid, total of 24.
---Highest 8 seeds get first round bye.
---Seeds 9-24 begin First round action at higher seed's home field on third Saturday of December.
---Sweet 16 would play on fourth Saturday of December, once again at higher seed's home field.
---Elite 8 would play first weekend of January. This would begin use of "BCS" bowls, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, and Orange.
---Final-Four would be second weekend of January, once again at 2 of the 4 "BCS" bowl sites.
---National Championship game would be, once again at 1 of the "BCS" bowl sites. Instead of 4+1, it would be 4+2+1.



FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
WEEK 1

#24 LOUISIANA TECH at #9 SOUTH CAROLINA
#23 ARKANSAS STATE at #10 WISCONSIN
#22 NORTHERN ILLINOIS at #11 VIRGINIA TECH
#21 WEST VIRGINIA at #12 BAYLOR
#20 SOUTHERN MISS at #13 MICHIGAN
#19 HOUSTON at #14 OKLAHOMA
#18 TCU at #15 CLEMSON
#17 MICHIGAN STATE at #16 GEORGIA



SWEET 16
WEEK 2

(Michigan State/Georgia winner) at #1 LSU
(TCU/Clemson winner) at #2 ALABAMA
(Houston/Oklahoma winner) at #3 OKLAHOMA STATE
(USM/Michigan winner) at #4 STANFORD
(West Virginia/Baylor winner) at #5 OREGON
(NIU/Va Tech winner) at #6 ARKANSAS
(Arkansas State/Wisconsin winner) at #7 BOISE STATE
(La Tech/South Carolina winner) at #8 KANSAS STATE



ELITE EIGHT
WEEK 3
Rose/Fiesta/Sugar/Orange


FINAL FOUR
WEEK4
(2 of the BCS bowls repeat host)


CHAMPIONSHIP
WEEK5
(1 of the BCS bowls repeat host)



SUMMARY

---This system would allow almost all of the other major bowl games outside of the "BCS" bowls to still serve a purpose, and for very good schools not making the tourney to still have a post-season.
---The "home game" format and the first round bye format are necessary to involve as many teams as I did. The reward of another home game has many benefits, financial or otherwise.
---In order for the major conferences to buy into a playoff, it would have to be seen as almost "rigged" in their favor. I believe first round byes, home field advantage, and multiple at-larges from each major conference, all based on strength of individual schools, is key to getting this passed.
---The major conferences will never go for a playoff that would guarantee equal representation to non-major conferences. You have to go to at least 24 teams to ensure that each major conference has at least 2 schools in the playoff on most years.
---Finally, the money generated by such a playoff would dwarf the basketball tourney revenues.