Future of bowl season?

[ragtimejoe1]

Do you think it will just continue as is, change, or go away.

The soon to be 12 team playoff will make bowls even less meaningful and likely far more opt outs. With the pending split of the big programs, will bowls even exist? It's going to be interesting couple of years.

I think the most likely and obvious prediction is that the biggest schools break off and take the playoff. I wonder if any bowls would continue at this level outside of the playoff.

For our division? Who the heck knows. FCS II? Playoff? Bowl system?

Actually pretty sad what's happening to cfb.

[phxpoke]

I hope there are two playoffs. One for the power 4, and one for the rest of us.

[Wyokie]

I hope there are two playoffs. One for the power 4, and one for the rest of us.

Power 4? Not for long. Safe bet in 2-3 years, it'll be the Power 2. I do think a few current "power 5 or 4" schools like Vandy, Iowa State, etc. will eventually drop down to our level.

As for the playoffs, I agree with phxpoke.

Also, I think the bowl system is heading towards extinction. I feel bad for the thousands of people who work for those bowls and for the cities that get extra $$$$ in tourism money during the slow time of the year.

[MN_Poke]

I saw a post on X yesterday regarding one of the Barstool guys being asked about future AZ Bowl games and he indicated it was not likely as the numbers did not support it. I have to think that many bowl game sponsorships are losing endeavors. The PopTarts Bowl was genius marketing but even that will have to be kept fresh to be sustainable otherwise it will become “been there, done that “

[ragtimejoe1]

I'm starting to think this bowl season might have been a tipping point and accelerate the split. Could they pull it off by next season?

[cowpoke pride]

With an expanded playoff and the transfer portal becoming bigger and bigger each year, I'm afraid bowl season is already on life support.

[rich22]

I think they should do a NIT tournament like basketball. If you had another 16 teams in a lower tournament then that could be played at some of the bowl locations and still get some interest. It would be similar to basketball. You could then get rid of some of the bowls that don't garner interest like the Boise bowl. Get the Holiday, Sun, Alamo and those types of bowls to host the NIT tournament. Just a thought. Then you wouldn't have to split the Group of 5 and Power 2 or 3 just yet.

[bladerunnr]

I think they should do a NIT tournament like basketball. If you had another 16 teams in a lower tournament then that could be played at some of the bowl locations and still get some interest. It would be similar to basketball. You could then get rid of some of the bowls that don't garner interest like the Boise bowl. Get the Holiday, Sun, Alamo and those types of bowls to host the NIT tournament. Just a thought. Then you wouldn't have to split the Group of 5 and Power 2 or 3 just yet.

Not a chance. With all the opt outs and the portal, it's hard enough to get players to commit to 1 game, let alone 4 more. The season is long enough as it is. The season was more than 4 months for our team. The current bowl system is pretty good. But the portal and the opt outs for the draft are ruining the post season. Not sure what the answer is but more playoffs are not it. By the way, the pop tarts bowl got over 4 million viewers. That's pretty amazing for 2 so so teams like NC state and K-state. Bowls can survive, but I think we will be seeing a lot fewer of them.

[McPeachy]

I saw a post on X yesterday regarding one of the Barstool guys being asked about future AZ Bowl games and he indicated it was not likely as the numbers did not support it. I have to think that many bowl game sponsorships are losing endeavors. The PopTarts Bowl was genius marketing but even that will have to be kept fresh to be sustainable otherwise it will become “been there, done that “

I saw the same, and what I find interesting, is that I would guess it was one of the better attended bowl games (top 20 maybe). And they still couldn't turn a profit. But...and a big 'ol butt here - maybe it isn't about making money, it is the tax write off part of promoting your business? And if so, maybe Barstool knows they don't need that kind of marketing / advertising to remain successful (and don't need the tax write off). After all, they are a social media brand...

[OrediggerPoke]

I saw a post on X yesterday regarding one of the Barstool guys being asked about future AZ Bowl games and he indicated it was not likely as the numbers did not support it. I have to think that many bowl game sponsorships are losing endeavors. The PopTarts Bowl was genius marketing but even that will have to be kept fresh to be sustainable otherwise it will become “been there, done that “

I saw the same, and what I find interesting, is that I would guess it was one of the better attended bowl games (top 20 maybe). And they still couldn't turn a profit. But...and a big 'ol butt here - maybe it isn't about making money, it is the tax write off part of promoting your business? And if so, maybe Barstool knows they don't need that kind of marketing / advertising to remain successful (and don't need the tax write off). After all, they are a social media brand...

I don't believe Barstool as the bowl's sponsor and media partner made any money off of the game and tickets sold. Barstool became the sponsor 3 years ago on a 3 year sponsorship deal because it was going to move in other directions including the creation of an online sportsbook. It sought to promote this new venture. That venture apparently failed and Barstool has little reason to continue as the bowl's sponsor and media partner.

I doubt the Arizona Bowl is going away. But it is almost a guarantee that Barstool won't be the sponsor and media partner next year as its 3 year deal is up. I wouldn't be surprised if it become the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl or something similar again.

[McPeachy]

I saw the same, and what I find interesting, is that I would guess it was one of the better attended bowl games (top 20 maybe). And they still couldn't turn a profit. But...and a big 'ol butt here - maybe it isn't about making money, it is the tax write off part of promoting your business? And if so, maybe Barstool knows they don't need that kind of marketing / advertising to remain successful (and don't need the tax write off). After all, they are a social media brand...

I don't believe Barstool as the bowl's sponsor and media partner made any money off of the game and tickets sold. Barstool became the sponsor 3 years ago on a 3 year sponsorship deal because it was going to move in other directions including the creation of an online sportsbook. It sought to promote this new venture. That venture apparently failed and Barstool has little reason to continue as the bowl's sponsor and media partner.

I doubt the Arizona Bowl is going away. But it is almost a guarantee that Barstool won't be the sponsor and media partner next year as its 3 year deal is up. I wouldn't be surprised if it become the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl or something similar again.

It doesn't break my heart that Barstool would walk away from the sponsorship!

[OrediggerPoke]

I don't believe Barstool as the bowl's sponsor and media partner made any money off of the game and tickets sold. Barstool became the sponsor 3 years ago on a 3 year sponsorship deal because it was going to move in other directions including the creation of an online sportsbook. It sought to promote this new venture. That venture apparently failed and Barstool has little reason to continue as the bowl's sponsor and media partner.

I doubt the Arizona Bowl is going away. But it is almost a guarantee that Barstool won't be the sponsor and media partner next year as its 3 year deal is up. I wouldn't be surprised if it become the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl or something similar again.

It doesn't break my heart that Barstool would walk away from the sponsorship!

I thought they were great last year. Very entertaining. This year was a very half-hearted effort because they knew they were out. I doubt the new sponsor/media partner will be nearly as entertaining but I also doubt the Arizona Bowl would pick Wyoming at least for a few years. Frankly, a weekend bowl game around New Years in Arizona is about as convenient as could be for Wyoming fans.

[doreno5]

One thing which is certain is the next few years will bring about more changes in the structure of college sports. In football I agree with others that we will see yet an another super division created out of the biggest and best funded of the P5 schools which will take with them the 12 team playoffs. Wyoming will be in the next tier at best.

[McPeachy]

One thing which is certain is the next few years will bring about more changes in the structure of college sports. In football I agree with others that we will see yet an another super division created out of the biggest and best funded of the P5 schools which will take with them the 12 team playoffs. Wyoming will be in the next tier at best.

I am fine with the split, it just needs to simply happen rather than the continual dragging of G-whatever (and some P4) schools along. Move the top 30 or 40 programs that have (or can commit) to the $100+ million dollar football budgets to their own division, and let us compete with similar / like schools.

[stymeman]

Split for sure and yes to a lesser playoff, only way true answers are solved