The Commercialization of the Spring Game
by cpm126 on Apr 21, 2010 9:38 AM EDT
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PrintAs we approach the Blue White game, I got to thinking about the fledgling evaluation of the commercialization of the spring game and the general direction of where things are headed. Five years ago, the Blue White game, for example, was broadcast on local TV, usually airing at some ridiculous hour like Sunday morning at 10am. This year, Penn State joins the ranks of a number of other high-profile universities with a game broadcast live and nationwide. My question is, where do we go from here?
Commercialization evaluation:
Step 1 – national TV – already there
Step 2 – networks pressure schools for competitive games
In Alabama’s scrimmage this year, Saben chose to play starters as well as prominent players for a large portion of the game. For example, Ingram was featured by one team’s offense and Richardson by the other. McElroy, the starting quarterback, also played his fair share. Compare this personnel usage to Penn State, where Royster will probably not even suit up, Green will see little action, and if we had a solid starting QB like we did last year, he would also not even dress. Now, I am not accusing Alabama of anything here, but when will the networks exude pressure on the universities involved to put a competitive product on the field? Could non-Penn State fans be enticed to watch a game featuring starters, punt returns, and a clock that stops on change of possession? We may be a few years away from this eventuality, but if TV networks dangled a few extra dollars for a competitive game, the schools would surely oblige (Penn State under Paterno would probably not and that’s why he’s awesome).
Step 3 - NCAA approves scrimmages against other teams
My question here is, are we really that far off? The schools would be for it ($), the networks would be for it ($), fans would be for it (thinking that schools would not shy away from quality opponents given the meaninglessness of the game) and the players would probably be for it. The only opponents would be the coaches, since they would have to waist practice time preparing for an opponent versus working on fundamentals. With the proponents mentioned and potential money involved, who could stop this from happening?.... godaddy.com Penn State vs Oklahoma spring classic here we come
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I think scrimmages against other teams are very unlikely
While high school, college, and pro football all have spring camps, none of them involve scrimmages against other teams. No way the NCAA approves of this before the NFL starts having spring scrimmages, which won’t happen b/c the players union would never allow it.
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
Even if they did approve of it, fans would demand a stop when Awesome SEC/Big12 Heisman Dude tears his knee in one of the scrimmages.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 21, 2010 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Spring scrimmages against other teams already occur in high school. I used to live in Florida. In that state, there is a rule along the lines that one team cannot play a full game against another during spring practice. In order to circumvent the rule, several teams get together, play the first quarter against one team, the second against another, and so on. These are pretty official games with refs, etc.
In the NFL, many players aren’t even under contract in spring, so it would be difficult to pull off. Furthermore, the union would be strongly opposed because there would be nothing in it for the players. However, they already have four televised “scrimmages” against other teams a year, so how many more could you tack on?
We used to scrimmage other high schools
Back in the 80’s in Muncy,PA we would usually scrimmage one or two or our rivals during summer practice. It was low key with coaches all right on the field and light hitting.
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils
In high school when I played soccer we used to scrimmage other teams. We weren’t allowed per PIAA rules to ware our jerseys but we had paid refs and everything.
by scotty2hotty89 on Apr 21, 2010 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Well
The NFL DOES have joint practice/scrimmage like substances.
Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.
I'm pretty sure the Packers play either...
an intra-squad game or a scrimage at Lambeau Field. I recall an NFL Network telecast years ago, the place was pretty much packed
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
can't use the packers as your sample
i was at a pre-season game a few yrs back with a friend who’s family has had tix for years in a driving rainstorm and the place remained packed and booed some kid from like U-W Whitewater that shanked a punt in the 4th qtr… those ppl are not the norm.
Yeah.
Didn’t the Raiders and Niners get into a fight at one a few years ago?
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Confused
Joint practices? Would that be smoking, rolling or both? And I’m hoping they’re not smoking scrimmage-like substances, but hey, to each his own.
"We just forgot our pants. Nothing against the team or anything like that." -- take a guess
In all seriousness
Joint practice should be freshman-level phys ed credit. Think how much trouble guys like Koroma and Evans could have avoided if they rolled instead of packed.
"We just forgot our pants. Nothing against the team or anything like that." -- take a guess
Yeah, its true, kids these days just don't know.
Perhaps jtot the honorary Professor of Spliffology?
Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.
You are late by one day. 4/20 was yesterday.
"There are only three certainties in college football: all players will eventually leave, the ACC will be bad, and Joe Paterno ", Clay Travis, CNNsi Fanhouse
Aha, how very astute, Miss!
Love your work.
"We just forgot our pants. Nothing against the team or anything like that." -- take a guess
How many times do I have to say it...
Bring on Duquesne!
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
This joke will never get old.
Especially since you’ve only done it to RR and jesse.
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 21, 2010 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions
It's nice to have a comrade who appreciates the right kind of dead horse beating
"We just forgot our pants. Nothing against the team or anything like that." -- take a guess
I could see it
I think the next step you will see is charging for admission to the spring games. I think some schools may actually already be doing that. Once they find the ceiling for how much people are willing to pay to watch a scrimmage, they will have to make it more exciting. That’s when they will want to play other teams, so they can charge more money.
Right now nobody is going to want to pay the travel costs to scrimmage against other teams because there is no revenue being generated.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
That article from a few days ago noted that
the first Spring game in the 1950’s cost a dollar, which is what I think Ohio State charges today. Frankly, I think some sort of nominal charge is appropriate to offset some of the cost of the event.
But in IMO, it’s always going to be more of an event, rather than being about the football game.
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
When I was a kid in the '80's it cost something
I remember going to those little brick ticket windows that probably haven’t been used in two decades and may not even exist anymore.
Free MLB baseball games
still generate tons of revenue through concessions and parking fees. I don’t see why NCAA spring football could do the same.
well if you are televising the games
wouldn’t that generate revenue to offset the travel costs of the other team? I mean ticket sales can’t offset the travel costs for other teams for some programs (Que the pic of Pitt’s yellow out if I knew how)
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face
I believe that picture is from Pitt's Spring Game a few years ago.
FWIW.
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
It definitely is...
I think that was 2008 – we’ve been making fun of it for a while.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
Right
But we’ve been making fun of it like it was the West Virginia game.
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
never let the truth get in the way of a good story
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face
I could've sworn it was from a regular season game.
Why are they kicking off from the 25? Why are they kicking off in general?
"When it’s third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time" - Max McGee
by Run Up The Score on Apr 21, 2010 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Meh
I know I’m not really holding myself up to any kind of journalistic integrity. I mean, I’m an internet commenter. I’ll say its Pitt Vs Steelers if it makes me laugh, or really, even if it doesn’t.
Either way…HAHAHAHAHA STUPID PITT HAS NO FANS HAHAHAHAHA
Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.
When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
"I did my walk of shame this morning and everyone was so much nicer," she said. "People were inviting me to parties at 9 a.m."
by IcersGuy on Apr 21, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
was that before or after they instituted their
scoring system where it’s just offense vs. defense and the defense scores points via various feats of strength and valor
kinda like national championships.
i love pitt. meh.
"They stalk their prey to within two or three great leaps and then launch a lightning-fast charge, striking their prey. Victims are most often killed by suffocation with a prolonged bite..."--Hinterland Who's Who
That picture is from (I believe) 2007 and it's either UConn or South Florida.
The field looks beat up like it would in fall, not so much spring.
"I am enthusiasm, wrapped in zeal, inside an enema." - SMA
by ReadingRambler on Apr 21, 2010 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions
That too. The field conditions kind of give it away.
"When it’s third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time" - Max McGee
by Run Up The Score on Apr 21, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I think there were actually fewer people there at this year's blue-gold game
but it was cold, windy, and threatened to rain the whole time.
I drove right by Heinz Field that day
and had no issues issues whatsoever with respect to traffic. And there is a fair amount of construction on the Ft. Duquense Bridge. But like you said, the weather was pretty marginal.
Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.
Re: scrimmage or game
Would there be teams on both benches if this were a scrimmage?
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