re: SEC, Big 12, ACC, Big Ten discuss power bowl alliance

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okay, it was so memorable. But honestly, the ratings were mediocre. Realize the Alamo upped the payout significantly to get a higher priority in the Big 12 with a Pac opponent. And yet so far not a single game has matched the normal ratings of the previous arrangement.

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seems pretty similar to me

2012 - Texas/Oregon St - 4.8
2011 - Baylor/Washington - 5.1
2010 - Oklahoma St/Arizona - 3.3
2009 - Texas Tech/Michigan St - 5.6
2008 - Missouri/Northwestern - 4.6
2007 - Texas A&M/Penn St - 2.7
2006 - Texas/Iowa - 6.0
2005 - Nebraska/Michigan - 5.4
2004 - Oklahoma St/Ohio St - 4.3
2003 - Nebraska/Michigan St - 4.2
2002 - Colorado/Wisconsin - 4.4
2001 - Texas Tech/Iowa - 3.8
2000 - Nebraska/Northwestern - 3.8

LINK

interesting...those are not the numbers reported by other sites: LINK

But regardless, even if similar, they went from Big 12 #4 vs Big 10 #6 to Big 12 #3 vs Pac #2. They are paying out more for the same. Do you honestly not see the problem? Here's an article about it when they did it: LINK

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The Alamo Bowl bought the right to move up, agreeing to bump its payout from $2.25 million to $3 million to each of the participating conferences. "It's going to take significantly more resources,'' Hill said, "but by the same token we feel fans will be more enthusiastic to be involved in our game. When you're talking about top-15 teams, just outside the BCS, locally, from a travel perspective, ratings, delivering for our sponsors and TV partners, it was something we wanted to do.''

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the Baylor vs Washington game with RGII and Kieth Price(?) was pretty memorable

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It was memorable to me for being one of the most boring games I have ever seen. I have no interest in watching a game where the defense is happy at only giving up 15 yards in a play. The only reason I didn't turn it off was because it was the only game on, and I was bartending. Had to have some game on.

actually this isn't true. Overall bowl games attendance has slid while tv ratings have risen. And the Alamo has had a better slot in recent years with no competition. This year it was on Saturday night with no NFL and a lead-in game ffs. Syr-WVU was the lead in game and got a 3.4 rating for two who cares teams. That didn't have a hard time getting eyeballs. The competition during the regular season is true. Everyone is down because of that. But smaller bowl games are all ESPN and there is no competition at all. Some move time slots year-to-year and get bad times due to holidays, but you certainly can't pin the Alamo's numbers on that.

Again, when you pay 1.5m more annually, you expect better results. Saying it gets good ratings for a non-BCS bowl doesn't mean much when you are comparing them to the Holiday or Music City bowl. They pay a ton more than those and get much better draw of teams. They are taking Big 12 #3 vs Pac 12 #2.

Comparable bowls are the Cotton (Big 12 #2 vs SEC #3/4), the CapOne (SEC #2 vs Big 10 #2), the Peach (SEC #5 vs ACC #2) and the Outback (SEC #3/4 vs Big 10 #3). All beat the Alamo in ratings this year and in most of the last 3 years has crushed it. There are reasons why but it mostly boils down to they get more appealing games because they get teams people watch. People don't watch Pac games.

Another data point to show how poorly the Pac draws: the Holiday Bowl is Pac #3 vs Big 12 #4. It was outdrawn this year by the Belk Bowl (I don't even remember this one) that aired the same day. The participants in the two bowls: UCLA/Baylor (2.0 rating) and Cincinnati/Duke (2.6 rating). That's just beyond horrible.