The stupidity of nine conference games.

[Cornmaker]

This bowl season the B1G will send eight teams bowling, while both the SEC and ACC send 11 teams to bowls. In addition the B1G has missed the playoffs for the third straight time. That extra conference game results in an average of 0.5 more losses. For average teams that extra 0.5 loss plays a big role in making a bowl game or not. One can also argue that B1G teams are more beat up by playing that extra conference game.

There is an argument that the nine conference games brings in extra money for the conference. I do not know the actual money difference between having one extra conference game vs a non conference game, but I would doubt it would outweigh the financial loss of the missing the CFP and three bowl games.

In summary the nine conference game schedule is hurting the B1G chances in the CFP and in sending teams to bowl games. There is an argument that it generates extra money for the B1G, but IMO when the money lost due to missed bowl games and CFP appearances in included, it costs the B1G financially also. The nine conference game schedule hurts the conferences finances and its prestige. It is pure stupidity by the conference higher ups and must end.

 

[chiro31]

All you need to know is Dicklaney is the Big Cheese of the Big Ten. Coulda saved you some time on the keyboard, just type “Dicklaney”

 

[ivan brunetti]

If you have more cupcake games, fans are gonna bitch.

On the other hand, if you have more conference games, fans are gonna bitch.

 

[Art]

“Financial loss of missing the CFP and three bowl games”?


Without addressing any of the other stuff:

1) No one loses money by having 8 or 9 - as opposed to 10 or 11 - bowl teams.
In fact, it almost certainly saves money by not having so many qualify for a crap level bowl game (meaning any but the top 6 or 7, at most, per conference)

2) The difference in $$$ realized by B10 schools between having say, OSU, in a “Final Four” game..... as opposed to one of the other NY6 Bowls..... is, IIRC less than $150,000 per school (about the cost of one catered onion dip buffet during bowl week)


As far as the $$$ goes: having 8 or 9 teams in bowls, with no Final Four team probably nets out equal to or slightly better than having 11 or 12 teams, with a Final Four team.
In any event, whatever differences might exist would be negligible.

Depends on your definition of negligible. The way I look at it is if a conference has a team in the CFP, all of its other bowl-eligible teams move up a notch in terms of contractual bowls. In financial terms, add $6mm to the conference bowl pot (for having a team in the semis) and subtract, say, $500k (could be somewhat less or more, but let's keep it in round, easy numbers) as the otherwise lowest contractual payout. In a 14 team conference that works out to a little less than $400k per school. That's a lot of onion dip, but not nearly gargantuan.

 

[wbcincy]

Depends on your definition of negligible. The way I look at it is if a conference has a team in the CFP, all of its other bowl-eligible teams move up a notch in terms of contractual bowls. In financial terms, add $6mm to the conference bowl pot (for having a team in the semis) and subtract, say, $500k (could be somewhat less or more, but let's keep it in round, easy numbers) as the otherwise lowest contractual payout. In a 14 team conference that works out to a little less than $400k per school. That's a lot of onion dip, but not nearly gargantuan.

If you happen to know off-hand, does the TV deal require that the Big Ten have 9 conference games per team?

 

[Art]

If you happen to know off-hand, does the TV deal require that the Big Ten have 9 conference games per team?

Is it written in the contract itself? Don't know. Was it discussed extensively during negotiations with both networks? Yes it was, as was scheduling of games on weekday nights.

 

[Safety Blitz]

Count me in the group that likes 9 conference games. Drop a conference game and everyone will be scrambling to add Georgia State, UMass, one of the directional Michigans or - even worse - a long-term contract with another PA school (Temple).
If an 8-game B1G schedule would result in an extra game each year against a blue blood (Bama, Texas, ND, Clemson) I’m on board. But I’m not in favor of softer schedules to boost bowl hopes.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Count me in the group that likes 9 conference games. Drop a conference game and everyone will be scrambling to add Georgia State, UMass, one of the directional Michigans or - even worse - a long-term contract with another PA school (Temple).
If an 8-game B1G schedule would result in an extra game each year against a blue blood (Bama, Texas, ND, Clemson) I’m on board. But I’m not in favor of softer schedules to boost bowl hopes.

I like 8 games. Leaves room for two home-and-homes, and 2 “buy” games. For the home and homes, one can be with a national program (USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Auburn, etc), and the other regional (Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia, Boston College). I’d rather that than getting an extra team from the Big Ten West every year.

 

[Art]

True, but if (as it usually is) major conferences have several bowl tie ins that don't show a profit, the end result is that you just have one less team in a "no-profit" bowl.... and the only net difference is a team bringing in $6 mill from the CFP bowl, as opposed to $4 mill from a NY6 bowl (like the situation in the B10 this year).

But, as you said, not a impactful differential in either case.

Lot of it depends on how the cards fall, particularly how the conferences fare in getting teams into the NY6 and which bowls are hosting the semis.

For the 2016 season the Big Ten got OSU into the semis ($6mm), PSU into the Rose ($25+mm) and Michigan to the Orange ($25+mm). 2017 wasn't quite as lucrative with Wisconsin in the Orange ($25+mm), PSU in the Fiesta ($4mm), and OSU in the Cotton ($4mm).

This year isn't quite as lucrative with only OSU in the Rose. From a a financial standpoint that's not quite as bad as the ACC, which only gets $6mm for Clemson in the Cotton. Kinda sucks when your only contract bowl is a semi and you ain't in it. And BTW, wasn't there someone making noise about the financial rewards of going to the ACC and making the playoffs?

 

[NittPicker]

This bowl season the B1G will send eight teams bowling, while both the SEC and ACC send 11 teams to bowls.

The B1G is sending nine teams to bowls this year but I get your point. It could have been ten if Maryland would have won their OOC game against Temple which turned out to be a tougher opponent this year than Maryland expected whenever the series was agreed upon. A fourth OOC game against an easy opponent would have made Maryland bowl eligible.

Also, Indiana won all their OOC games but finished 5-7. Another such game would likely have given them six wins and bowl eligibility.

So with an eight game conference schedule there's a good possibility there would have been 11 teams from the B1G with bowl eligibility. Is it that important? It gives the talking heads something to blabber about I suppose.

 

[Art]

I like 8 games. Leaves room for two home-and-homes, and 2 “buy” games. For the home and homes, one can be with a national program (USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Auburn, etc), and the other regional (Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia, Boston College). I’d rather that than getting an extra team from the Big Ten West every year.

That's fine but the conference can't dictate OOC scheduling to the schools. You're almost guaranteed that some will schedule one P5 and three tomato cans. Even if the conference dictates at least two P5s, good chance that only one is halfway decent and the other a tomato can

 

[Art]

The B1G is sending nine teams to bowls this year but I get your point. It could have been ten if Maryland would have won their OOC game against Temple which turned out to be a tougher opponent this year than Maryland expected whenever the series was agreed upon. A fourth OOC game against an easy opponent would have made Maryland bowl eligible.

Also, Indiana won all their OOC games but finished 5-7. Another such game would likely have given them six wins and bowl eligibility.

So with an eight game conference schedule there's a good possibility there would have been 11 teams from the B1G with bowl eligibility. Is it that important? It gives the talking heads something to blabber about I suppose.

Be careful what you wish for. At the bottom of their bowl menu, the ACC/school is almost certainly losing money and SEC might be.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Honestly, I’d find playing a Wake Forest/Vandy/Arkansas/Kansas more interesting at this point than Illinois or Purdue.

 

[Art]

If they did.....
The ADs at Arkansas, Rutgers, Oregon State, Kansas and Louisville would be getting more propositions than the loosest girl in High School during prom week.

Just remember that this year's P5 opponent for Rutgers was Kansas.

 

[Art]

Honestly, I’d find playing a Wake Forest/Vandy/Arkansas/Kansas more interesting at this point than Illinois or Purdue.

And five or more years from now when those hypothetical games come to fruition those teams might be better or they might suck more ass.

 

[psuro]

Lets play 12 conference games. Only.