What will it take to play top opponents at night?

Even if CBS added a night game, the entire TV agreement with the SEC would have to be re-worked. Consider...CBS with the first pick, then it goes to ESPN and *The Duece* followed by Lincoln Financial. So, if CBS added the game it would seem to me they'd be left with the 5th pick. Heck, even Fox falls somewhere in that selection.

It would seem to me in would require CBS to cough up a lot more money to the SEC offices. Currently, they have it due to the recent success they've had in their prime-time lineups during the week. I don't see them trying to get into a bidding war with the Disney Corp.

 

Always remember this, "tradition" has simply become marketing-speak for certain qualities and/or attributes that help with garnering attention and locking-in a particular demographic. We are not sports fans. We are viewers, customers, market-share, whatever. But college sports fans, that's quaint.

If the TV gods determined that college football should only be played in 3 quaters with 3 downs, well, you all know what would happen.

Before we are all too senile to watch these games, mark my words. There will be teams who forsake their mascots to pick up sponsors. We will hear how small schools simply can't compete for funds, and then presto, there's a dancing box of Tide on the sidelines.

Night games are wonderful. Tiger Stadium is surreal with a worthy opponent and a 7:30 kick-off. But cherish the past, for unless TV opts for later time slots, those days are over.

Look at what the athletic department did with homecoming. It is now one of the crappier games early in the season. Why - to spike ticket sales on an otherwise slow game day. For those who remember, homecoming typically was in late October, and often against a good team. People could justify a trip into BR, the game was worth it. No longer. Screw the campus organizations who need alumni support (and used homecoming for a rallying day), and screw everyone on campus who is told to get with it and do something for homecoming, because it is a cynical gesture. No one in their right mind will pick homecoming with some losers over a good SEC matchup if they can only visit for one or two games.

As far as the product planners are concerned, "Tradition" is for suckers.

 

Wow. I can't believe I just read that. Homecoming, no matter the opponent, has always been a really special weekend in Tuscaloosa.

Same with your product planners comment...

 

This would be a perfect way for Bama to pay for their exurbanite coaching salaries. They wouldn't even have to change their yell....Roll Tide!

 

You guys do tend to live in the past more than others.

Sorry couldn't resist.

 

People are still missing this. The money has never been a problem. There will not be a "looking for money to pay the staff" situation arise.

For one, when the SEC meetings happen this fall we will have the SEC paying us about the same amount of the 8 years on his contract. Secondly, it's proven with moves like this it translates to even more revenue for a program. The move of Stoops to OU brought close to 40M more to their football revenue.

Consider, and this isn't meant as a slam on LSU...

On the heels of your national championship vs our program still under sanctions and not receiving bowl revenue, etc. the football program still cleared close to 3 million more at Bama.

:lol:

 

Tennessee-Florida has been a primetime matchup the last few years. CBS does the double header with that day and shows the Tenn-UF game at night. ABC did a very smart thing by adding a primetime game

 

Some other great possibilities...Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausages (You can hear Musberger, "Just look at those Sausages dominate. No one can call them wieners!")...Starkist ("Oh,oh...there's an injured Tuna left after the play").


Terry, while it may be true more money may filter in, I assure you there is always a cost. Every school embarking upon such efforts has to raise revenue, and it is typically done at the expense (literally) of the fan and/or (figuratively) of tradition. Just wait till that elephant mascot wears a UPS shirt while jumping from a Metlife blimp before kickoff.

 

I don't know if there is enough of a market to have two major broadcast networks showing Sat. evening games; ABC plus the ESPN networks and TBS may essentially soak up what potential was there for viewers in that time slot.

Also, just because we love home night games means the other 11 SEC teams want to change the current CBS deal to accomodate us. In fact, I'm sure they could give a damn what LSU wants in that regard.

ABC can more easily "do" night games because they have deals w/ multiple conferences (Big 10, Big XII, Pac 10), plus they'll snag ND in at least 1 away game per year to boot. By having 34 or so teams to choose from, ABC can spread out their evening game selections without imposing too much on too few schools. A CBS would have to do nearly 100% SEC games and do 'em at night, meaning a Florida or Georgia may give up 2-3 day home games a year.

 

Oh come on, everyone in the SEC loves night games. I think it has something to do with the big, hot, bright light in the sky not being there.