(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: Remember, we are talking about a college system that is primarily regional (divided into conference) and they want national audiences. The difference between college basketball and football is that basketball makes itself regional and college football doesn't.
How is that any different than divisional play in pro sports? Also, teams that belong to a conference in basketball belong to that
EXACT SAME CONFERENCE in football.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: In football, a fan in Ohio has a reason to care about a game involving Oklahoma State and Iowa State on a Friday night because it can directly effect the national championship (I payed attention to such a game when Oklahoma State was #1). In basketball, a #1 vs. #2 game in the regular season effects almost nothing so a lot fewer people watch.
Again, think about what you are saying for a second. Would nobody watch the Ravens/Broncos opening game match up because they are likely to each qualify for the postseason regardless of the outcome of that opening weekend game?
That argument does not hold water.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: Maybe it's primarily me, but for me a big playoff very much effects how I watch a sport in the regular season. Unless it's a Big Ten game, I couldn't care less about a #1 vs. #2 basketball game in the regular season. Why would I? It doesn't effect anything besides a tiny bit of seeding. I don't think I've watched even half of a regular season basketball game that did not involve a Big Ten team in a long time. I do watch a lot of Big Ten conference play though since I care about the standings.
So the best way to overcome such rampant provincialism and increase the sport's national appeal is to make the sport yet more exclsuive and more provincial? I have no idea how to even counter that nonsense.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: In football I'll watch everything all season long. I enjoy basketball too, but for some reason, before conference play starts, I think about everything like kind of a preseason. I honestly don't even care that much about watching Ohio State outside of a big game or two before conference play because it doesn't feel like they are playing for anything. When it's a Big Ten game, even if the Buckeyes are out of it, at least I know that it's going down in the conference standings.
You are right about your criticism. College basketball teams do fatten up on too many cream puffs in their non-conference schedules. That is why I will always prefer pro sports to college sports - the competition is much more fair and interesting. However, I have to ask, how is that any different than all of these teams from power leagues spending their Septembers beating up on the Little Sisters of the Poor?
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: As for the other sports, I'd argue the big playoffs do effect them, but the difference is you are talking about nationwide leagues to start with as opposed to somewhat regional conferences. When you are talking 100+ teams, you have to have some stakes in games to get people on the other side of the continent to care in a way you don't with 30 teams in one or two leagues.
The BCS is every bit as national as the NFL or MLB. It's just more brazenly corrupt because too many college fans are okay with it being corrupt so long as said corruption favors their team - as you have vividly demonstrated above.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: All the same, I have zero interest in the NBA or NHL regular seasons because of the huge playoffs. I watched a little basketball when the Heat were on the big winning streak, but otherwise could care less till we get to the playoff.
And why do most people watch teams like the Miami Heat? Because they either love LeBron James and Dwyane Wade or they love to watch those guys lose. That is what college basketball has lost and that has what has hurt its appeal - not the presence of a playoff.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: I do watch some baseball, but I'm not glued to the outcome because it's not that big a deal.
Except the Reds and/or Indians, right?
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: In the NFL, people love the season, but a lot of that is because of a) fantasy football and b) gambling which have become a big part of the sport. Maybe those sports wouldn't benefit from a small playoff, but again they are national leagues as opposed to a group of conferences of more than 100 teams.
Pro football was this nation's most popular sport long before fantasy football took over. Also, gambling is every bit as big a part of college football as it is pro football.
(04-22-2013 08:35 AM)ohio1317 Wrote: One other thing to think about with the NCAA Tournament. Which is bigger, the first weekend of the Final Four? It's an odd sport because it feels like the attention diminishes once we get to the Final Four instead of increasing.
Yeah, because nobody watches those games.
This argument is absolutely INSANE! It's about powerful leagues wanting to protect their money at all costs. I guess greed's cool but at least tell the truth instead of making up a bunch of obvious bullschitt as the powers that be have been doing for 30 years to avoid doing the right thing by the most fans.