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People like tradition. I get it. And we are all hesitant to embrace change of something we love. But I think by the end of this season many will see the new 12 playoff is great and will soon find it absurd that we used to rest on pins and needles hoping to see our 8-4 team play another 8-4 in an irrelevant bowl game in Florida, with an ever-changing name, a month after the end of the season.

I grew up in a different time in college football.

The 1982 LSU-Alabama game still gets talked about today. As does the 1982 LSU Florida State game, where it rained Oranges because “we were going to some irrelevant bowl” in Florida if we won. (And I’m sure that for a lot of Tulane fans, the 1982 LSU-Tulane game still matters too…damn Reginelli)

The “National Championship” in those days really was an afterthought…no doubt it meant something, but it wasn’t the be all to end all. And the game way better for it.

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As a season ticket holder I have ZERO desire to waste an entire Saturday to attend a game between LSU and UAB, or Southern, or New Mexico. In fact, I generally don't. But I have to pay for that ticket anyway. Now, if instead of those teams I can see games vs. other power conf. opponents I'm probably more willing to spend more money because I feel I'm getting more value for my dollar. That's going to be the same for those folks watching on TV, which will make the TV contracts more valuable.

It sounds like college football to you is more about “entertainment”. Following your logic, why limit your game attendance to a single
team? Skip LSU-Wake Forest to see Oklahoma-Texas? As you mention, it’s even easier to do with TV.

As I get older, I’m starting to embrace the grumpy old man “get off my lawn” thing a little bit more. Your opinion is yours, and it’s all well and good if it works for you.

But I just think college football is definitely headed in the wrong direction. Obviously we have seen the problems with people leaving at halftime - not just against the Georgia States of the world but against SEC competition.

As you point out, these decisions are all truly about money. And there not about getting the money from the true alumni and fans of schools, but about some guy living up in Queens who will watch LSU-NC State cause he has “heard of them” and has $100 in prop bets on fandool that he hopes come thru so he can celebrate with Dr Pepper and a new Nissan, insured by All State.