“At Big Ten spring meetings, coaches lobby for 24-team playoff”

[Connorpozlee]

Why would any sport go against what all others are doing? Especially one that is having great financial success to the fact they can expand the post-season?
Right--you don't watch now so it doesn't matter if you like it or not because you're a Penn State fan not a college football fan. There's a difference. If you're not going to watch why do you care? As I said originally, people are crying just to cry. You all know this is inevitable.

As much as I always hated the voting, I was a much bigger fan of overall college football when every game felt like an elimination game. Also, I was single and didn’t have 4 children to raise, so there was time to follow it closely.
All I’m offering is my opinion. 4 conferences with their conference champions in a 4-team playoff makes more sense. You don’t like it. Fine with me.

 

[KingLando]

As much as I always hated the voting, I was a much bigger fan of overall college football when every game felt like an elimination game. Also, I was single and didn’t have 4 children to raise, so there was time to follow it closely.
All I’m offering is my opinion. 4 conferences with their conference champions in a 4-team playoff makes more sense. You don’t like it. Fine with me.

It's not about "not liking it". If they go go a super league I'd fully support a playoff with the top 3 of 4 teams in each division/conference getting in. Even with the 24 team, I do think the Big Ten and SEC should have X number of auto bids.

Ultimately no playoff in any sport will every reduce the number of teams involved unless the sports is in dramatic decline. March Madness expanded men and women, the NFL has expanded, the NBA has the ridiculous play in rounds to drive interest, MLB tripled their playoff teams...only the NHL hasn't expanded.

Every game for Penn State may have felt like an elimination game but many teams never had anything to play for. You can't have a sport with 130+ teams and a 4 team playoff

Also, to be fair, with 24 I want all regular season conference champs included. That way the MAC and Sun Belt exist for a reason.

Proposals are great. We aren't all going to agree but reducing the teams simply is a nonstarter which I think you understand.

I still maintain Paterno would be leading the charge for a 24 team playoff.

 

[PSUFTG]

Mechanically it works. "Good football?" Half or more of the games in the twelve-team format have been crap.

Yep.

But in the end, the ONLY thing that will drive the decision-making process is $$$. All the other razzmatazz (academics, time load, etc etc etc) is smoke and mirrors and propaganda - for the kids who still believe in Santa Claus.


With each expansion of the post-season:
The import and value of the regular season games lose importance, and appeal, and, of course, $$$ - while the extra inventory of "playoff" games provides more stuff to sell, and more $$$.
The thing will expand until it reaches the point where the powers that be (the media networks and conference chieftans) feel the loss will likely exceed the gain. Where does that fall? Who knows?

 

[Psumatt85]

Why do we even need to run this thru “college”

why can’t they just start a semi- pro league

just rhetorical questions- I know the answers

I think they’ll get there

 

[Psumatt85]

Why would any sport go against what all others are doing? Especially one that is having great financial success to the fact they can expand the post-season?
Right--you don't watch now so it doesn't matter if you like it or not because you're a Penn State fan not a college football fan. There's a difference. If you're not going to watch why do you care? As I said originally, people are crying just to cry. You all know this is inevitable.

Correction. Minor league professional football fan

 

[RolexKong]

And that's largely product on the break between games, the neutral site games, etc.
There's always going to be blowouts--we say that with a four team playoff but fixing the format (going to 24 does that) helps a ton
And I was saying FCS was good football

FCS is "good football?" It's your time.

 

[PSUFTG]

I think they’ll get there

With the way things have been moving - who knows? Don't disregard anything.

That said:

A bunch of "post-high school" kids wearing red jerseys playing football against a bunch of post-high school kids wearing blue jerseys? No one cares. Its the XFL - at best.

Exact same scenario, but put OSU on one jersey, and PSU on the other, and you rake in an $8 million gate, and millions more in TV revenue.
That is why the powers that be continue to market the Santa Claus is real narratives wrt "college football". How long will that last? Forever? 10 years? Somewhere in between? Who knows?

 

[KingLando]

Correction. Minor league professional football fan

It's still college football...despite how much you want to complain about players getting a fair share.

 

[KingLando]

FCS is "good football?" It's your time.

Confused...the FCS playoff last year was great and good football

 

[KingLando]

With the way things have been moving - who knows? Don't disregard anything.

That said:

A bunch of "post-high school" kids wearing red jerseys playing football against a bunch of post-high school kids wearing blue jerseys? No one cares. Its the XFL - at best.

Exact same scenario, but put OSU on one jersey, and PSU on the other, and you rake in an $8 million gate, and millions more in TV revenue.
That is why the powers that be continue to market the Santa Claus is real narratives wrt "college football". How long will that last? Forever? 10 years? Somewhere in between? Who knows?

Safe bet is between 10 years and forever. Seems like a lock. Could up 10 to 50 though

 

[RolexKong]

Confused...the FCS playoff last year was great and good football

"Good football" watched by fewer fans than Penn State versus the bums of September.

 

[KingLando]

"Good football" watched by fewer fans than Penn State versus the bums of September.

The quality of the game isn't determined by how many people watch
Women's volleyball at the college level is phenomenal but few watch
Your example proves how irrelevant the number of people watching means

 

[RolexKong]

The quality of the game isn't determined by how many people watch
Women's volleyball at the college level is phenomenal but few watch
Your example proves how irrelevant the number of people watching means

So the number of people who will watch and expanded football playoff is "irrelevant?" Might want to tell that to the guys who are trying to sell the concept to the networks.

In the end, an expanded playoff is just going to result in more sucka$$ games, similar to the second and third tier bowls they'll replace.

 

[KingLando]

So the number of people who will watch and expanded football playoff is "irrelevant?" Might want to tell that to the guys who are trying to sell the concept to the networks.

In the end, an expanded playoff is just going to result in more sucka$$ games, similar to the second and third tier bowls they'll replace.

The playoff ratings are amazing--that doesn't mean all the games have been great. What you are not comprehending? The number of people that watch the game don't determine how good it was--nothing was said that people wouldn't watch playoff games--the data proves they do. Stop grasping at straws simply because you're stuck in the 80s and hate change

Who cares if there's blowouts in playoff games--that happened in a 4 team playoff and will always happen in sports. It's inevitable. See some Super Bowls. Again--you're trying way too hard because you know you know we're getting at 24 teamer. Embrace it because your hatred of it doesn't mean a damn thing. As I said before, just crying to cry.

 

[PSUForever]

The more in a playoff the better, in my opinion. The B10 knows this will end up being more money for them and the schools and the TV execs know this will be a positive financial payout. Expansion is happening, either get on the train or not. You don't have to watch.

I think the reg season should go back to 11 games then eliminate conf championship games. Army Navy the weekend after Thanksgiving. Then the playoffs start with the goal of the National Champ crowned before the NFL playoffs begin. There should not be a lot of overlap. College should not be playing all the way to the 3rd week of January. That is NFL time.

 

[RolexKong]

The playoff ratings are amazing--that doesn't mean all the games have been great. What you are not comprehending? The number of people that watch the game don't determine how good it was--nothing was said that people wouldn't watch playoff games--the data proves they do. Stop grasping at straws simply because you're stuck in the 80s and hate change

Who cares if there's blowouts in playoff games--that happened in a 4 team playoff and will always happen in sports. It's inevitable. See some Super Bowls. Again--you're trying way too hard because you know you know we're getting at 24 teamer. Embrace it because your hatred of it doesn't mean a damn thing. As I said before, just crying to cry.

The ratings are hardly "amazing." ESPN press releases make them look that way because they (intentionally?) compare suck v, suck i.e. playoff games versus previous playoff games, more particularly recent playoff games. Of games played in what is dubbed as the "playoff era" only one has made it into the top ten most watched list and that was ten years ago.

 

[KingLando]

The ratings are hardly "amazing." ESPN press releases make them look that way because they (intentionally?) compare suck v, suck i.e. playoff games versus previous playoff games, more particularly recent playoff games. Of games played in what is dubbed as the "playoff era" only one has made it into the top ten most watched list and that was ten years ago.

They're amazing. ESPN is thrilled hence they want more playoff games
Because people have different ways to watch TV now. Tons of people don't even have cable. Ratings for everything aren't going to be what they once were. Check out the rating for sitcoms. You're not making any sense...further evidence you're stuck in the past. Embrace 2026

 

[NoBareFeet]

Embrace 2026

2026 blows.

 

[NittPicker]

Also at the spring meetings, B1G coaches unanimously voiced opposition to the new NCAA punt formation rules. It sounds like coaches everywhere hate it. TBH, I didn't know they changed anything until I read an article about the coaches hating it.

 

[KingLando]

2026 blows.

Maybe but it's where we're at

 

[Chumboshifko1]

Yowsuh Pitt.

 

[RolexKong]

They're amazing. ESPN is thrilled hence they want more playoff games
Because people have different ways to watch TV now. Tons of people don't even have cable. Ratings for everything aren't going to be what they once were. Check out the rating for sitcoms. You're not making any sense...further evidence you're stuck in the past. Embrace 2026

I'm living in the past and you ignore the Big Data+ Panel.

Sitcom rating blow because no one watches them. That's why most of them have a short shelf life.

ESPN doesn't want more games. They're already syndicating what they've contracted for. They'll take them for reasons other that financial. Translation: they ain't paying a boat load of cash for any additional games and they've already put the powers that be on notice.

 

[KingLando]

I'm living in the past and you ignore the Big Data+ Panel.

Sitcom rating blow because no one watches them. That's why most of them have a short shelf life.

ESPN doesn't want more games. They're already syndicating what they've contracted for. They'll take them for reasons other that financial. Translation: they ain't paying a boat load of cash for any additional games and they've already put the powers that be on notice.

These are incorrect statements
Ratings are down primary because tv sets are down. Many people under 30 only use streaming networks. ESPN wants more playoff games to replace the bowl games on their schedule. They've been clear on that. Watch what happens and who pays.

 

[RolexKong]

These are incorrect statements
Ratings are down primary because tv sets are down. Many people under 30 only use streaming networks. ESPN wants more playoff games to replace the bowl games on their schedule. They've been clear on that. Watch what happens and who pays.

You truly are a dumb cluck.

 

[BobPSU92]

Also at the spring meetings, B1G coaches unanimously voiced opposition to the new NCAA punt formation rules. It sounds like coaches everywhere hate it. TBH, I didn't know they changed anything until I read an article about the coaches hating it.

What is the new formation and why are they changing it?

 

[KingLando]

You truly are a dumb cluck.

I'm not the one ignoring reality
Like I said, watch what happens

 

[katatonic2]

Primarily coaches' money. More slots, more opportunities for coaches to earn bonuses. Networks aren't wild about expansion. They'll pay more money for more games, but not great gobs of cash.

Networks, primarily FOX, are in as right now, ESPN has a stranglehold.

Sec clearly against it. Don’t know why big would want it so badly. They are doing quite well now. Especially with sec etc now finally playing 9 conf games. This all favors the big.

Because there's still a bias in favor of the SEC (which the SEC honks continue to perpetuate), so depending on a committee to make selections puts the B1G at a disadvantage (tons of talk last season about how Vandy was deserving of a PO spot, hardly any about Iowa).

Also, the B1G is probably looking at this with an eye to future conference expansion.

The SEC doesn't want it because they want a Super League with the Big Ten eventually. The Big Ten wants it to be more inclusive. The SEC will cave.

They don't want it in part because ESPN/Disney doesn't want it.

Also, creating greater access would further accelerate the dispersement of talent, which hurts the SEC as a whole.

Instead of a "24 team playoff," probably would be more amenable if they categorize it as a 16 team playoff with an 8 team play-in.

In this day of oversized conferences and uneven schedules, much more difficult to judge the caliber of teams strictly on W-Ls.

So, in lieu of having conference championships, have play-in games for the last spots.

 

[Tgar]

Is 24 teams more than 8, 12, 16 ? Will this mean more games? If so, Tgar is all for more playoff games.