Bowl games are, basically, exhibitions that create programming for ESPN.

The NFL games don't start until 4:!5. So why isn't one of the least attractive bowl games on right now, instead of at 2:00 on a pre-Christmas weekday or whatever?

The rules allow bowl games this season from Dec 17 to Jan 9. There were bowls on Friday Dec 16 though, so who knows. AHA!! The source I googled up is from 2019-20, but it's probably still mostly good. The calendar didn't change.


https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/champio...ndbook.pdf

No idea why ESPN moved the FCS title game to the same time as Week 18 NFL. It would have ideal for a 1PM kickoff.

I think at the end of the BCS era and the start of the CFP era, the "Go Daddy" bowl, or whatever that bowl played in Mobile is called, would be played pretty deep in to January. Like around January 6 or 7 or 8.

But around 2015 or 2016, I think it moved to before Christmas, I am not sure why. And since then, I don't think any other rink-dink bowl has been played at that time.

I agree with "whittx", I do not know why ESPN has the FCS title game on tomorrow, swamped by the full NFL slate, when it seemingly could have aired today, before the first NFL game.

IIRC, those teams have had a LONG wait, I think the semifinals were a full three weeks ago.

(01-07-2023 04:56 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I think at the end of the BCS era and the start of the CFP era, the "Go Daddy" bowl, or whatever that bowl played in Mobile is called, would be played pretty deep in to January. Like around January 6 or 7 or 8.

But around 2015 or 2016, I think it moved to before Christmas, I am not sure why. And since then, I don't think any other rink-dink bowl has been played at that time.

I agree with "whittx", I do not know why ESPN has the FCS title game on tomorrow, swamped by the full NFL slate, when it seemingly could have aired today, before the first NFL game.

IIRC, those teams have had a LONG wait, I think the semifinals were a full three weeks ago.

A few thoughts: (1) Kentucky vs. a top 10 Alabama team for basketball is simply a more valuable game compared to the FCS championship, (2) the pregame show to an NFL game would draw better ratings than the FCS championship, and (3) this board generally overrates how much general interest there is in the FCS playoffs while underrating, say, a major Big Ten/SEC/ACC basketball matchup by comparison (as a lot of us wrongly assume that the fact that P5 football dominates over college basketball in viewership somehow translates to FCS football being preferred over P5 basketball to the general sports viewer). The demographics of this forum - people that know that FCS conferences even exist, much less watch their games - are vastly skewed compared to the general population.

(01-07-2023 05:23 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(01-07-2023 04:56 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I think at the end of the BCS era and the start of the CFP era, the "Go Daddy" bowl, or whatever that bowl played in Mobile is called, would be played pretty deep in to January. Like around January 6 or 7 or 8.

But around 2015 or 2016, I think it moved to before Christmas, I am not sure why. And since then, I don't think any other rink-dink bowl has been played at that time.

I agree with "whittx", I do not know why ESPN has the FCS title game on tomorrow, swamped by the full NFL slate, when it seemingly could have aired today, before the first NFL game.

IIRC, those teams have had a LONG wait, I think the semifinals were a full three weeks ago.

A few thoughts: (1) Kentucky vs. a top 10 Alabama team for basketball is simply a more valuable game compared to the FCS championship, (2) the pregame show to an NFL game would draw better ratings than the FCS championship, and (3) this board generally overrates how much general interest there is in the FCS playoffs while underrating, say, a major Big Ten/SEC/ACC basketball matchup by comparison (as a lot of us wrongly assume that the fact that P5 football dominates over college basketball in viewership somehow translates to FCS football being preferred over P5 basketball to the general sports viewer). The demographics of this forum - people that know that FCS conferences even exist, much less watch their games - are vastly skewed compared to the general population.

I wasn't originally thinking the FCS championship, I was thinking one of the semi-random G5 vs G5 games that were played at 3:00 on a Tuesday before Christmas. I'll be curious to see how the Alabama - Kentucky basketball game lands, compared to the lower-tier bowl games

(01-07-2023 04:56 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I think at the end of the BCS era and the start of the CFP era, the "Go Daddy" bowl, or whatever that bowl played in Mobile is called, would be played pretty deep in to January. Like around January 6 or 7 or 8.

But around 2015 or 2016, I think it moved to before Christmas, I am not sure why. And since then, I don't think any other rink-dink bowl has been played at that time.

I agree with "whittx", I do not know why ESPN has the FCS title game on tomorrow, swamped by the full NFL slate, when it seemingly could have aired today, before the first NFL game.

IIRC, those teams have had a LONG wait, I think the semifinals were a full three weeks ago.

If there were a random minor bowl scheduled for today, those teams would have had six weeks off since their last game, with two extra weeks of practice allowed. What would those players have been doing for the other four weeks? Or would they be given more extra practice time than all the other bowl teams?

At least there is the FCS championship game (North vs. South Dakota State on tomorrow (SUNDAY, 2 PM).

(01-07-2023 05:23 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(01-07-2023 04:56 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I think at the end of the BCS era and the start of the CFP era, the "Go Daddy" bowl, or whatever that bowl played in Mobile is called, would be played pretty deep in to January. Like around January 6 or 7 or 8.

But around 2015 or 2016, I think it moved to before Christmas, I am not sure why. And since then, I don't think any other rink-dink bowl has been played at that time.

I agree with "whittx", I do not know why ESPN has the FCS title game on tomorrow, swamped by the full NFL slate, when it seemingly could have aired today, before the first NFL game.

IIRC, those teams have had a LONG wait, I think the semifinals were a full three weeks ago.

A few thoughts: (1) Kentucky vs. a top 10 Alabama team for basketball is simply a more valuable game compared to the FCS championship, (2) the pregame show to an NFL game would draw better ratings than the FCS championship, and (3) this board generally overrates how much general interest there is in the FCS playoffs while underrating, say, a major Big Ten/SEC/ACC basketball matchup by comparison (as a lot of us wrongly assume that the fact that P5 football dominates over college basketball in viewership somehow translates to FCS football being preferred over P5 basketball to the general sports viewer). The demographics of this forum - people that know that FCS conferences even exist, much less watch their games - are vastly skewed compared to the general population.

(1) There was no way of knowing that basketball would be on let alone “good TV” back when the FCS championship game day and time were selected.

(2)/(3) Probably true. I’d rather watch the FCS championship but I’m sure that’s the minority across the country.

I thought the game was today until I looked it up for the channel. Having it tomorrow makes zero sense.

The Mobile Bowl (which I think has now been renamed after some sponsor) used to be the day before the national championship game. Not sure when they changed that.

(01-07-2023 01:00 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  Bowl games are, basically, exhibitions that create programming for ESPN.

The NFL games don't start until 4:!5. So why isn't one of the least attractive bowl games on right now, instead of at 2:00 on a pre-Christmas weekday or whatever?

The rules allow bowl games this season from Dec 17 to Jan 9. There were bowls on Friday Dec 16 though, so who knows. AHA!! The source I googled up is from 2019-20, but it's probably still mostly good. The calendar didn't change.


https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/champio...ndbook.pdf

It could include two teams drawn at random and even be called The "Rando" Bowl. I like it. And Tim Brando could do play-by-play.

(01-09-2023 12:43 PM)EdwordL Wrote:  

(01-07-2023 01:00 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  Bowl games are, basically, exhibitions that create programming for ESPN.

The NFL games don't start until 4:!5. So why isn't one of the least attractive bowl games on right now, instead of at 2:00 on a pre-Christmas weekday or whatever?

The rules allow bowl games this season from Dec 17 to Jan 9. There were bowls on Friday Dec 16 though, so who knows. AHA!! The source I googled up is from 2019-20, but it's probably still mostly good. The calendar didn't change.


https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/champio...ndbook.pdf

It could include two teams drawn at random and even be called The "Rando" Bowl. I like it. And Tim Brando could do play-by-play.

You could have the drawing on Sunday Dec 4, before the show announcing the CFP results and bowls. Either draw from the "ESPN pool" who get to go a bowl game, but no major bowl game wants them, or straight up draw from the 40 or 50 or 60 schools with fewer than 6 wins. LETS GOOOO!!