ESPN in talks to create FCS football challenge

[MrTitleist]

Interesting Tweet here... could be big for FCS brand.
https://twitter.com/JasonBelzer/status/ ... 6800055296" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dbackjon]

That would be great - a big boost to FCS

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Great responses so far.

Jeremy Bittner ‏@jjbluecw 11m
@JasonBelzer @BarrettSallee FCS?

[Catattack]

So they want to add a game to an already long season (for teams making the playoffs) and it wouldn't count ?
How about they just put some actual effort into the promotion and coverage of the playoffs.

[JayJ79]

So they want to add a game to an already long season (for teams making the playoffs) and it wouldn't count ?
How about they just put some actual effort into the promotion and coverage of the playoffs.

It would count, same as the "exempt tournaments" still count towards the regular season W/L records in basketball. It just wouldn't count towards the limit of games that a team can play during the regular season (11 in most years, 12 in years like '13 and '14).

And if a school is worried about season length, I'm sure they'd have the option to decline the invitation to these exempt games. Just like teams don't HAVE to play 12 games in the 12-games-allowed seasons.

[FriscoOrBust]

The Sports Network has a story:

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnf ... 3_2013.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EWURanger]

So they want to add a game to an already long season (for teams making the playoffs) and it wouldn't count ?
How about they just put some actual effort into the promotion and coverage of the playoffs.

This.


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[Mvemjsunpx]

So they want to add a game to an already long season (for teams making the playoffs) and it wouldn't count ?
How about they just put some actual effort into the promotion and coverage of the playoffs.

This.

You're misinterpreting the "exempt" thing (as Jay pointed out).

That just means the game wouldn't count toward the maximum-games limit, just like playing @ Hawai'i.

[TribeFanInNC]

I would love to see more early season intersectional games. This might be a way to do it.

One concern: When the CAA moved their TV package to the NBC Sports Network last year, ESPN dropped the conference from Bracketbusters. I can see ESPN limiting the matchups to their "partner" conferences.

[Catattack]

This.

You're misinterpreting the "exempt" thing (as Jay pointed out).

That just means the game wouldn't count toward the maximum-games limit, just like playing @ Hawai'i.

Thanks. After reading the TSN article, the idea is growing on me. I still want better playoff coverage though. Maybe Fullerton wasn't too far off in his wish to start the season earlier and have the champ. game before Christmas.

[UNI88]

You're misinterpreting the "exempt" thing (as Jay pointed out).

That just means the game wouldn't count toward the maximum-games limit, just like playing @ Hawai'i.

Thanks. After reading the TSN article, the idea is growing on me. I still want better playoff coverage though. Maybe Fullerton wasn't too far off in his wish to start the season earlier and have the champ. game before Christmas.

Better playoff coverage would be great but the playoffs are competing against the bowls and ESPN is going to favor the bowls. This obviously isn't perfect but it has the potential to promote FCS football and get the general public to watch. Think about fans tired of baseball and starved for college football watching August matchups at WaGriz, the Tub, etc.

[SuperHornet]

What bowls, 88? Except for possibly the title game that was moved to January, the playoffs are pretty much done by the time the first bogus bowl hits on or about 15 DEC.

[GAD_SU]

The bowls are not really a problem but the first two weeks of the playoffs do go head to head with rivalry week and championship week.

[UNI88]

What bowls, 88? Except for possibly the title game that was moved to January, the playoffs are pretty much done by the time the first bogus bowl hits on or about 15 DEC.

I apologize for not making my point clearly and correctly. GAD_SU is right the first two weeks of the playoffs conflict with rivalry week and conference championships, the third week is open and the fourth week will typically conflict with the start of the bowls.

But the main point is that we can't just jump from point A to point C. ESPN isn't going to just start giving the FCS Playoffs more and better coverage because we want it. We need to build and demonstrate the demand and an FCS Challenge is something that could help do that. There are no guarantees but nothing ventured = nothing gained. So let's stop whining about how we wish they would focus on promoting the playoffs more and grab a hold of an opportunity to build recognition.

[Rich K]

How about moving the whole FCS season forward one week? The playoffs would start a week earier and the championship would not have to be pushed past the new year to avoid bowl conflict. It would almost force week one out of conference games to be FCS v. FCS. Play ups and play downs would have to wait for week two.

The downsides include having an additional week of football being played before most schools are in session, and playing in some ungodly heat.

[uofmman1122]

How about moving the whole FCS season forward one week? The playoffs would start a week earier and the championship would not have to be pushed past the new year to avoid bowl conflict. It would almost force week one out of conference games to be FCS v. FCS. Play ups and play downs would have to wait for week two.

The downsides include having an additional week of football being played before most schools are in session, and playing in some ungodly heat.

And none of that would be on espn.

The biggest selling point is the fact that this will be much more advertised and publicized.

Plus, this wouldn't force those circumstances on every FCS school, just the 20 or so that play the extra games.

[Rich K]

How about moving the whole FCS season forward one week? The playoffs would start a week earier and the championship would not have to be pushed past the new year to avoid bowl conflict. It would almost force week one out of conference games to be FCS v. FCS. Play ups and play downs would have to wait for week two.

The downsides include having an additional week of football being played before most schools are in session, and playing in some ungodly heat.

And none of that would be on espn.

The biggest selling point is the fact that this will be much more advertised and publicized.

Plus, this wouldn't force those circumstances on every FCS school, just the 20 or so that play the extra games.

I don't see this as forcing circumstances on every FCS school, I see this as a way to have the limelight. And SOME of it would be on ESPN, as they are already considering showing 10 games. If a team doesn't want a week one game they can always skip this week and have the off week (which is still in the time frame) at a later date.
I see this as a big win, with week 1 of college football being FCS week.

BTW, all ESPN wants out of this is something to happen in the background while they jabber on about BCS stuff.

[GAD_SU]

How about moving the whole FCS season forward one week? The playoffs would start a week earier and the championship would not have to be pushed past the new year to avoid bowl conflict. It would almost force week one out of conference games to be FCS v. FCS. Play ups and play downs would have to wait for week two.

The downsides include having an additional week of football being played before most schools are in session, and playing in some ungodly heat.

DII starts a week before DI and starting the playoffs a week early still could have them head to head with rivalry week

[EWURanger]

How about moving the whole FCS season forward one week? The playoffs would start a week earier and the championship would not have to be pushed past the new year to avoid bowl conflict. It would almost force week one out of conference games to be FCS v. FCS. Play ups and play downs would have to wait for week two.

The downsides include having an additional week of football being played before most schools are in session, and playing in some ungodly heat.

Night games.


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[psychoCAT]

D2 football now is mandated to not start before September 1 per the NCAA and don't ask me why. Every d2 team starts after FBS/FCS in 2013.