🏈 Scheduling Tough Non-Conference Foes

[bamafan9201]

Wanting to see everyone’s thoughts on this after the FSU game where most teams played cupcakes early in the year to work off the cobwebs?? We played on the road against tough competition and didn’t have our A game? I know we loved these under Saban and it does bring interesting differences in opinion but I am starting to wonder how much a quality win or loss is worth compared to any win. It seems to me that any loss is considered not quality so the risk is starting to look like it outweighs the reward for me. It’s a very interesting topic that tends to come up once a year.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I hate to say it, but yes, probably drop the lesser of the power 4 teams. Going 9 SEC games with non-conference gams against the power 4 teams Bama has on tap is plenty respectable. And a bonus of dropping the extra games and adding lesser opponents also means an extra home game every other year (which = more revenue for the AD).

 

[mando]

Wanting to see everyone’s thoughts on this after the FSU game where most teams played cupcakes early in the year to work off the cobwebs?? We played on the road against tough competition and didn’t have our A C game? I know we loved these under Saban and it does bring interesting differences in opinion but I am starting to wonder how much a quality win or loss is worth compared to any win. It seems to me that any loss is considered not quality so the risk is starting to look like it outweighs the reward for me. It’s a very interesting topic that tends to come up once a year.

Fixed it for you.... We were far from an A game or even a C game.

 

[BamaFan615]

From a business perspective, I wonder how much more money the university makes playing a home/away with FSU/Ohio State/etc vs playing a cupcake? Im assuming there isn’t that big of a spread really.

Certainly is good for exposure, and puts you in a bright perspective for fans/recruits.

Strategically, we’d be more likely to make the playoffs if we dropped a tough non-conference game. Playoffs mean more money, and even more exposure.

 

[bamafan9201]

From a business perspective, I wonder how much more money the university makes playing a home/away with FSU/Ohio State/etc vs playing a cupcake? Im assuming there isn’t that big of a spread really.

Certainly is good for exposure, and puts you in a bright perspective for fans/recruits.

Strategically, we’d be more likely to make the playoffs if we dropped a tough non-conference game. Playoffs mean more money, and even more exposure.

So, they make more from a cupcake consistently playing at home than they do with home and home series because the majority of the big ticket prices are from secondary sales and mark-ups. We don't have issues with ticket sales and having 2 vs having 1 is inherently better. I'd say the only big influx for the big game at home is the increase in tourism for the town and the increase in spending across the board for local establishments and merchandise. I don't have all those numbers to quantify everything but IMO I'd say the extra home game is better

 

[TerryP]

I don't have all those numbers to quantify everything but IMO I'd say the extra home game is better

When I looked at this several years ago it was adding about seven million per weekend for Tuscaloosa county. I'm guessing that was about 10 years ago. It was before they started the home and home series trend.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Geeeze. ..

 

[24and7]

We must play decent out of conference opponents, too..BLUE BLOODS.. and not cream puffs.. the way it's set up now we wouldn't have the strength of schedule, if we play cream puffs..we shouldn't play too many SEC games, either because the whole conference may be weak or average... you need games on your schedule that's more of a barometer of how good your program is nationwide...Then they won't say "You don't play anybody"..

 

[Rsedge72]

We must play decent out of conference opponents, too..BLUE BLOODS.. and not cream puffs.. the way it's set up now we wouldn't have the strength of schedule, if we play cream puffs..we shouldn't play too many SEC games, either because the whole conference may be weak or average... you need games on your schedule that's more of a barometer of how good your program is nationwide...Then they won't say "You don't play anybody"..

SMU…….