The Bodda Getta

This is another great article, Phillip.

From my viewpoint, there are a couple of entities that deserve a lot of the blame for the dwindling game experience:
1. The conferences and schools forgetting who their fans are. The same thing started years earlier with MLB and the other pro sports. They've made tickets/food/parking so expensive that the average family spends a small fortune to attend just one game, then they expect us to do it six or seven times, then follow the team to a bowl game. Some will sacrifice and do it, many won't. The results are more and more empty seats.
2. ESPN rules college football and not for the better. The willingness of the conferences (and the bowls) to take their money and their terms has allowed ESPN to do what they want without concern for anyone besides themselves. Game times are often bad. Overlapping conference games has grown worse (how many can they stuff into the 7:00-8:30 pm slots?). They've even gotten worse with how they show the games on-line. For those of us who don't have cable or satellite, watching most games means hoping that either ESPN3 is actually showing the game or that our internet provider has bought into ESPN's terms for their other on-line venues. In all, they dictate who can see the games and when they can see them.

Correct. I didn't even get home til the game last night was already at 17-3. And I didn't really care to watch it anyways.

The main thing is, everyone loses interest or is "footballed out" after New Years and people just want that break to prepare for the National Championship Game.

Great read, Phillip. Thanks.
I also remember when the major bowls were played between Christmas and New Years, and liked it much more. You knew when the games were coming on and what they were called. Now when you see, "The extra crunchy potato chip bowl, sponsored by the Potato Credit Union," you're already bored with the thought, much less as to when it might be coming on, and who might be playing in it (okay, I get it that I am being a bit humorously sarcastic--but you get my point)--I simply cannot keep up. And, because there are more bowls, with NEW names, and more cable options with MORE channels, they are hard to find. I do wish we could go back to The Orange, The Sugar, The Peach, The Rose, The Sugar, etc., etc., and keep them on between Christmas & New Years Day. That was special. And more people are off during that time, so it makes it easier for the travel.

If there is anything that publicly heald companies have taught us, it's all about the money.